Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 2, 2024

686 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $319.98/cwt +0.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,846/hd at 577 lb · 35 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $249.94/cwt -29.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,605/hd at 642 lb · 31 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $296.51/cwt -9.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,426/hd at 481 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 686 730 3,486
Feeder cattle 444 499 3,387
Slaughter cattle 158 145 99
Replacement cattle 84 86 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was moderate. Feeder steers under 550lbs sold 11.00 to 20.00 higher. Feeder steers over 550lbs sold mostly 4.00 to 5.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Feeder heifers sold mostly 8.00 to 10.00 lower with instances of sharply lower across all weight classes on a light test. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady on a light test. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday April 9, 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
408 408 3 365.00 $365.00 $1,489 —
478 478 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,530 —
508 fancy 508 9 354.00 $354.00 $1,798 +10.35
540–548 545 5 329.00–337.00 $332.17 $1,810 +11.31
551 thin fleshed 551 7 328.00 $328.00 $1,807 —
566 fancy 566 5 334.00 $334.00 $1,890 —
575–597 587 23 310.00–319.00 $314.49 $1,846 -4.64
695 695 7 257.00 $257.00 $1,786 -28.00
708 708 9 255.00 $255.00 $1,805 —
770 770 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,817 -3.00
1023 1023 2 197.00 $197.00 $2,015 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334 334 4 353.00 $353.00 $1,179 —
350 350 3 355.00 $355.00 $1,242 —
693 693 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,663 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 2 311.00 $311.00 $1,213 -26.00
630 630 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,449 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 2 307.50 $307.50 $846 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–390 376 14 322.50–330.00 $325.24 $1,223 -7.11
425 425 5 319.00 $319.00 $1,356 —
470–497 481 24 291.00–300.00 $296.51 $1,426 -9.49
505 505 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,439 —
563 thin fleshed 563 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,548 —
562–596 575 19 254.00–263.00 $259.56 $1,492 -28.44
620–644 642 31 249.00–250.00 $249.94 $1,605 -15.57
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313–323 319 5 312.50–316.00 $314.63 $1,004 —
365–397 388 7 306.00–308.00 $307.46 $1,193 —
525 525 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,418 —
598 598 2 252.00 $252.00 $1,507 —
639 639 8 232.00 $232.00 $1,482 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 9 248.00 $248.00 $1,458 —
591 thin fleshed 591 6 257.00 $257.00 $1,519 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 6 265.00 $265.00 $1,298 —
584 584 4 192.50 $192.50 $1,124 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
454 454 5 255.00 $255.00 $1,158 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
389 389 5 325.00 $325.00 $1,264 —
459 thin fleshed 459 9 331.00 $331.00 $1,519 —
528 thin fleshed 528 2 342.00 $342.00 $1,806 —
575 575 3 271.00 $271.00 $1,558 —
696 696 5 242.50 $242.50 $1,688 —
815 815 5 201.00 $201.00 $1,638 —
863 863 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,640 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1040 938 85-90% 2 67.00–80.00 $72.79 $683 —
1010 1010 85-90% 1 87.00 $87.00 $879 -13.00
1035–1215 1095 85-90% 3 94.00–100.00 $96.22 $1,054 —
865–1285 1144 85-90% 89 103.00–148.00 $124.18 $1,421 -1.58
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1495 1415 80-85% 16 113.00–144.00 $133.28 $1,886 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1520–1635 1576 75-80% 6 110.00–149.00 $127.76 $2,013 +3.04
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1820–2010 1880 65-75% 5 128.00–144.00 $139.24 $2,618 +4.24

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1545 1545 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,715 —
1005–2290 1645 27 114.00–190.00 $145.49 $2,393 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
710–838 thin fleshed 795 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 201.00–207.00 $205.21 $1,631
815–1011 932 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 170.00–187.50 $181.59 $1,692
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
765–1043 930 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 13 146.00–168.00 $156.76 $1,458
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–1224 1082 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 130.00–141.00 $133.01 $1,439

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,725.00 $1,725.00
930–1345 1147 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,700.00–1,850.00 $1,784.59
990–1365 1171 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,775.00–1,950.00 $1,866.20
1130–1380 1223 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,850.00–2,025.00 $1,971.12
1300–1400 1350 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,775.00–1,860.00 $1,819.07
1400 1400 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055 1055 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00
985–1270 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,200.00–1,550.00 $1,345.46
1105–1225 1145 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,210.00–1,285.00 $1,258.25
1166 1166 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 875 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1050 1050 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —
1110 1110 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00 —
1415 1415 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —

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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.