Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 5, 2024

2,416 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Winter Livestock (Tuesday) report →

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $242.40/cwt +6.96 vs last sale · ≈ $1,738/hd at 717 lb · 357 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $270.07/cwt +10.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,676/hd at 621 lb · 329 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $245.32/cwt -4.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,690/hd at 689 lb · 279 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,416 2,606 1,679
Feeder cattle 2,155 2,408 1,564
Slaughter cattle 157 123 115
Replacement cattle 104 75 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 550lbs sold unevenly steady while steers over 550lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 13.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 8.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Slaughter cows of average dressing sold steady across all weight classes. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday March 12, 2024.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–329 fancy 325 10 401.00–409.00 $403.33 $1,311 —
371 fancy 371 4 410.00 $410.00 $1,521 +5.14
379 379 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,440 -9.97
406–444 428 7 370.00–384.00 $375.70 $1,608 +9.92
460 thin fleshed 460 12 355.00–362.00 $360.83 $1,660 -26.67
483–495 486 25 336.00–346.00 $343.55 $1,670 -18.00
518 518 3 311.00 $311.00 $1,611 -20.99
524–526 value added 525 32 320.00–326.00 $323.01 $1,696 —
556 fancy 556 14 315.00 $315.00 $1,751 —
572–589 579 61 307.00–308.00 $307.42 $1,780 +7.66
607–649 644 137 280.00–297.00 $282.26 $1,818 -5.35
660 thin fleshed 660 10 276.00 $276.00 $1,822 —
678–685 684 16 260.00–262.50 $260.46 $1,782 -10.94
722–735 724 113 252.50–260.50 $255.05 $1,847 +1.95
756–792 770 14 244.00–250.00 $246.84 $1,901 +12.85
819–839 829 44 232.00–241.00 $236.59 $1,961 +3.70
882 882 62 228.50 $228.50 $2,015 +3.48
907–922 919 22 219.00–221.00 $219.45 $2,017 +9.45
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 fancy 460 2 356.00 $356.00 $1,638 —
565 565 2 281.00 $281.00 $1,588 —
577 thin fleshed 577 3 295.00 $295.00 $1,702 —
755 thin fleshed 755 2 246.50 $246.50 $1,861 —
790 790 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,825 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
527 527 2 307.00 $307.00 $1,618 —
811 811 5 205.00 $205.00 $1,663 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–333 319 4 385.00–399.00 $391.69 $1,249 +31.69
358 fancy 358 13 355.00 $355.00 $1,271 -52.50
393 393 8 326.00 $326.00 $1,281 -60.37
428–432 430 31 323.00–328.00 $326.08 $1,402 +2.20
457–478 thin fleshed 469 30 312.50–322.00 $316.65 $1,485 +3.00
488–499 493 17 303.00–309.00 $306.50 $1,511 +2.50
501–547 532 97 300.00–309.00 $304.16 $1,618 +2.07
569–591 582 50 264.00–278.00 $271.75 $1,582 +3.53
602–624 thin fleshed 614 214 271.00–278.00 $276.46 $1,697 —
621–645 633 115 254.00–262.50 $258.19 $1,634 -1.05
661–697 thin fleshed 689 66 252.00–255.00 $252.93 $1,743 —
675–697 689 213 234.00–245.00 $242.96 $1,674 -3.11
703–714 thin fleshed 707 97 250.00–252.00 $250.77 $1,773 +7.77
701–737 721 260 231.50–242.00 $239.28 $1,725 +5.23
751–777 759 75 231.00–247.00 $238.29 $1,809 +21.11
806–820 811 6 215.00–221.00 $218.98 $1,776 +1.98
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 3 367.50 $367.50 $956 —
430 430 14 310.00 $310.00 $1,333 +9.00
538–543 539 13 280.00–282.00 $280.46 $1,512 +8.46
645 645 12 248.00 $248.00 $1,600 -0.11
730–749 736 20 222.50–227.50 $225.97 $1,663 —
797 797 3 217.50 $217.50 $1,733 —
843 843 8 206.00 $206.00 $1,737 +2.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 6 290.00 $290.00 $1,473 —
673 thin fleshed 673 2 237.50 $237.50 $1,598 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670 670 3 197.50 $197.50 $1,323 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 6 303.00 $303.00 $1,621 -12.00
663 663 9 248.00 $248.00 $1,644 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1125 1070 85-90% 8 95.00–100.00 $95.95 $1,027 —
1080 1080 85-90% 2 86.00–88.00 $87.00 $940 —
955–1455 1131 85-90% 50 105.00–125.00 $116.38 $1,316 +19.63
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1293–1475 1374 80-85% 30 111.00–126.00 $121.46 $1,669 +32.46
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1504–1695 1527 75-80% 18 117.00–127.50 $126.04 $1,925 +10.39
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1710 1710 65-75% 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,932 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–2215 1757 39 115.50–133.00 $123.51 $2,170 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
811–950 fancy 854 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 200.00–215.00 $209.75 $1,791
800–978 910 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 162.50–191.00 $179.98 $1,638
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
755–1135 982 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 137.50–147.50 $140.68 $1,381

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850–1530 1108 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,800.00–1,825.00 $1,815.41
1184 1184 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 18 1,600.00 $1,600.00
1346 1346 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
1359 1359 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,325.00 $2,325.00
1320–1462 1410 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 29 1,500.00–1,850.00 $1,794.01
1290–1645 1468 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,700.00–1,750.00 $1,728.02
1473 1473 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,625.00 $1,625.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750–1145 948 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,135.00–1,325.00 $1,249.80
1088 1088 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,350.00 $1,350.00
1125–1305 1218 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,225.00–1,375.00 $1,293.08

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1162 1162 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
1340 1340 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —
1390 1390 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,810.00 $1,810.00 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.