Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 12, 2024

7,180 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $287.41/cwt +15.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,665/hd at 579 lb · 560 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $315.81/cwt +11.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,626/hd at 515 lb · 535 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $334.77/cwt +12.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,769/hd at 528 lb · 318 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,180 2,416 5,953
Feeder cattle 7,102 2,155 5,842
Slaughter cattle 56 157 111
Replacement cattle 22 104 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold mostly 2.00 to 7.00 higher across all weight classes with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers sold 1.00 to 9.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Slaughter cows of average dressing sold steady on a light test while slaughter bulls were too light to test. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale is next Tuesday March 19, 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
297 297 12 405.00 $405.00 $1,203 —
331 fancy 331 4 417.50 $417.50 $1,382 +14.17
337–348 339 25 387.50–397.50 $389.14 $1,319 —
363 fancy 363 4 410.00 $410.00 $1,488 ±0.00
351–374 thin fleshed 367 41 392.00–399.00 $396.80 $1,456 —
357–398 384 50 375.00–385.00 $381.21 $1,464 +1.21
425 fancy 425 56 410.00 $410.00 $1,742 —
402–445 427 76 365.00–376.00 $371.05 $1,584 -4.65
405–438 thin fleshed 430 116 388.00–397.50 $393.66 $1,693 —
453–473 thin fleshed 461 62 365.00–375.00 $367.01 $1,692 +6.18
463 fancy 463 10 382.50 $382.50 $1,771 —
458–490 478 84 342.50–355.00 $350.33 $1,675 +6.78
504–535 thin fleshed 511 121 342.50–353.00 $348.13 $1,779 —
502–544 539 197 325.50–337.50 $326.57 $1,760 +15.57
553–588 thin fleshed 575 107 324.00–332.00 $327.14 $1,881 —
553–590 578 64 308.00–316.00 $312.79 $1,808 +5.37
612–621 thin fleshed 615 183 298.00–303.00 $300.89 $1,850 —
619–647 639 99 282.00–292.00 $289.00 $1,847 +6.74
655–657 fancy 656 114 290.00–299.75 $296.76 $1,947 —
650–693 680 196 272.50–282.00 $275.66 $1,874 +15.20
722 fancy 722 20 263.00 $263.00 $1,899 —
725 725 6 245.00 $245.00 $1,776 -10.05
767–776 fancy 770 108 251.00–257.00 $255.04 $1,964 —
759–796 778 176 234.50–243.00 $239.37 $1,862 -7.47
824–835 830 105 233.00–247.00 $245.93 $2,041 +9.34
864–869 thin fleshed 866 121 239.00–240.00 $239.53 $2,074 —
850–893 875 156 221.00–233.75 $228.19 $1,997 -0.31
910–915 914 30 221.00 $221.00 $2,020 +1.55
954 954 17 216.00 $216.00 $2,061 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–340 334 5 371.00–375.00 $373.44 $1,247 —
408–443 431 59 350.00–362.50 $357.24 $1,540 —
453–498 475 25 332.50–337.00 $335.34 $1,593 —
510–547 536 33 310.00–320.00 $315.47 $1,691 +8.47
558–598 572 100 291.00–301.00 $296.59 $1,696 —
600–634 616 78 266.00–276.00 $273.40 $1,684 —
653–699 676 57 255.00–266.00 $262.01 $1,771 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 4 357.50 $357.50 $1,251 —
430 fancy 430 95 395.00 $395.00 $1,698 —
493 fancy 493 8 345.00 $345.00 $1,701 -11.00
498 498 9 322.00 $322.00 $1,604 —
507 fancy 507 6 334.00 $334.00 $1,693 —
520–536 527 49 312.00–322.50 $316.39 $1,667 —
583 583 17 286.00 $286.00 $1,667 +5.00
649 649 10 254.00 $254.00 $1,648 —
651 thin fleshed 651 27 283.00 $283.00 $1,842 —
677 677 20 277.00 $277.00 $1,875 —
716–723 719 33 244.00–246.00 $245.09 $1,762 —
763 thin fleshed 763 18 239.50 $239.50 $1,827 -7.00
820–835 828 4 231.00–236.00 $233.48 $1,933 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
421–423 421 9 330.00–348.00 $343.99 $1,448 —
459 459 13 282.50 $282.50 $1,297 —
535–537 536 40 287.50–305.00 $298.75 $1,601 —
580–593 592 26 275.00–285.00 $284.25 $1,683 —
608 608 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,581 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 2 357.50 $357.50 $1,566 —
569 569 4 262.50 $262.50 $1,494 —
673–698 691 42 250.00–266.00 $253.97 $1,755 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 17 254.00 $254.00 $960 —
481 481 6 247.00 $247.00 $1,188 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 fancy 296 4 405.00 $405.00 $1,199 —
318–333 thin fleshed 321 38 362.50–375.00 $371.41 $1,192 —
328 fancy 328 4 385.00 $385.00 $1,263 —
305–346 339 11 340.00–347.50 $346.27 $1,174 -45.42
352 fancy 352 11 385.00 $385.00 $1,355 +30.00
350–397 thin fleshed 361 79 351.00–367.50 $356.95 $1,289 —
353–398 383 79 335.00–347.00 $339.90 $1,302 +13.90
407–428 422 156 325.00–332.50 $327.01 $1,380 +0.93
420–434 thin fleshed 426 130 337.00–343.00 $341.09 $1,453 —
435 fancy 435 16 360.00 $360.00 $1,566 —
455–495 473 98 300.00–315.00 $309.80 $1,465 +3.30
455–494 thin fleshed 484 26 322.50–332.50 $327.03 $1,583 +10.38
505–523 thin fleshed 511 383 315.00–316.50 $315.82 $1,614 —
523 fancy 523 69 327.50 $327.50 $1,713 —
517–536 525 83 300.00–307.50 $306.02 $1,607 +1.86
551–592 thin fleshed 576 238 287.50–298.00 $293.54 $1,691 —
560–598 582 322 274.00–286.00 $282.88 $1,646 +11.13
601–649 619 259 266.00–278.00 $271.35 $1,680 +13.16
658–689 671 104 246.00–259.00 $251.69 $1,689 +8.73
700–704 701 80 249.00–252.00 $251.43 $1,763 +12.15
750–787 762 50 221.00–229.00 $225.28 $1,717 -13.01
831 831 41 216.00 $216.00 $1,795 -2.98
869 869 30 216.00 $216.00 $1,877 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278–282 280 6 360.00–365.00 $362.48 $1,015 -5.02
390–399 395 31 310.00–320.00 $315.54 $1,246 —
401–438 426 182 312.50–322.50 $319.67 $1,362 +9.67
469–486 480 45 287.50–297.50 $293.48 $1,409 —
511–549 526 141 282.00–297.00 $291.51 $1,533 +11.05
563–599 591 80 252.00–268.00 $262.92 $1,554 —
617–628 626 63 256.00–263.00 $258.36 $1,617 +10.36
663–698 683 90 233.00–243.00 $238.53 $1,629 —
706–749 722 225 231.50–236.50 $235.10 $1,697 +9.13
750 750 9 216.00 $216.00 $1,620 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386 386 7 323.00 $323.00 $1,247 —
400–413 thin fleshed 401 70 320.00 $320.00 $1,283 —
455–496 481 35 277.50–289.00 $285.31 $1,372 —
506 thin fleshed 506 4 305.00 $305.00 $1,543 —
530 530 17 299.00 $299.00 $1,585 +9.00
576 576 4 266.00 $266.00 $1,532 —
603–631 613 68 260.00–269.00 $266.25 $1,632 —
697 thin fleshed 697 9 248.00 $248.00 $1,729 +10.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
336 336 17 271.00 $271.00 $911 —
477–479 477 37 228.00–256.00 $251.44 $1,199 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 3 320.00 $320.00 $848 —
399 399 4 301.00 $301.00 $1,201 —
435 435 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,262 —
470–498 486 27 270.00–283.00 $276.71 $1,345 —
667 667 5 227.00 $227.00 $1,514 +29.50
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
464 464 7 238.00 $238.00 $1,104 —
500–534 525 19 262.00–268.00 $265.93 $1,396 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
526–528 527 5 307.00–317.50 $311.21 $1,640 +8.21
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 2 287.50 $287.50 $1,567 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1470 1397 80-85% 15 116.00–126.00 $120.63 $1,685 -0.83
1435 1435 80-85% 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,564 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955 955 85-90% 1 95.00 $95.00 $907 —
1000–1208 1073 85-90% 14 100.00–119.00 $108.20 $1,161 +12.25
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1565 1533 75-80% 2 103.00–123.00 $113.21 $1,736 -12.83
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1665 1665 65-75% 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,965 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1780–2175 1938 4 125.00–129.00 $127.21 $2,465 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
858–929 904 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 157.50–167.50 $161.23 $1,458

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1040 1040 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1153 1153 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,385.00 $1,385.00

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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.