Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, August 20, 2024

1,254 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 2 heifers $274.21/cwt ≈ $1,006/hd at 367 lb · 63 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $275.88/cwt +2.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,349/hd at 489 lb · 53 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $287.62/cwt ≈ $1,591/hd at 553 lb · 48 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,254 532 1,815
Feeder cattle 636 387 1,626
Slaughter cattle 267 97 189
Replacement cattle 351 48 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

No report available as there has been no recent sale for comparison. Next report will be available as receipts warrant.

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
252–284 273 14 372.50–397.50 $380.75 $1,039 —
321–349 337 40 352.50–387.50 $365.22 $1,231 —
377 377 3 332.50 $332.50 $1,254 —
433 433 42 331.00 $331.00 $1,433 —
489–492 491 19 306.00 $306.00 $1,502 —
507 507 15 301.00 $301.00 $1,526 —
550–562 553 48 284.00–289.00 $287.62 $1,591 —
706 706 17 255.00 $255.00 $1,800 +4.00
788 788 7 238.00 $238.00 $1,875 -15.00
805–836 823 14 231.00 $231.00 $1,901 -6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 4 318.00 $318.00 $1,371 —
644 644 22 256.00 $256.00 $1,649 —
708–748 736 9 232.00–242.50 $237.91 $1,751 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
150 150 1 700.00 $700.00 —
203 203 4 800.00 $800.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 2 332.50 $332.50 $1,247 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 2 283.00 $283.00 $1,344 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 298 9 367.50 $367.50 $1,095 +39.50
375 375 8 340.00 $340.00 $1,275 —
478–494 489 53 275.00–278.00 $275.88 $1,349 +2.88
535 535 5 257.00 $257.00 $1,375 —
632–640 634 41 236.00–246.50 $244.43 $1,550 —
662 662 15 240.50 $240.50 $1,592 +2.86
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–380 367 63 267.00–284.00 $274.21 $1,006 —
443 443 2 266.00 $266.00 $1,178 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 298 23 309.00 $309.00 $921 —
391–395 392 9 294.00–302.50 $300.60 $1,178 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
212 212 3 775.00 $775.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
579 579 4 247.50 $247.50 $1,433 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800–1130 1016 85-90% 10 91.00–109.00 $102.07 $1,037 —
875–1246 1096 85-90% 119 111.00–129.00 $117.59 $1,289 -16.87
938–1469 1168 85-90% 20 130.00–146.00 $135.04 $1,577 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1480 1373 80-85% 29 117.00–129.00 $126.12 $1,732 -0.39
1325–1425 1381 80-85% 10 132.00–134.00 $132.81 $1,834 +6.30
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540 1540 75-80% 2 130.00 $130.00 $2,002 —
1505–1640 1573 75-80% 2 121.00–125.00 $123.09 $1,936 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1335 1310 2 109.00 $109.00 $1,428 —
1070–2140 1466 31 119.00–149.00 $139.06 $2,039 —
960–2380 1667 31 150.00–178.00 $158.61 $2,644 +5.23

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–888 845 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 191.00–212.00 $203.06 $1,716
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1052 1052 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 162.50 $162.50 $1,710

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1076 1076 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1061–1111 1088 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 28 1,975.00–2,050.00 $2,016.04
1098 1098 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,825.00 $1,825.00
1206 1206 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 11 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1223–1233 1227 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 22 2,025.00 $2,025.00
1235 1235 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1257 1257 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1257 1257 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 1,725.00 $1,725.00
1145–1520 1292 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 53 1,850.00–2,035.00 $1,966.47
1430 1430 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
988 988 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 15 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1086 1086 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 14 1,350.00 $1,350.00
1091 1091 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1133 1133 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 20 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1165–1258 1225 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 31 1,450.00–1,600.00 $1,549.38
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1118 1118 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 875.00 $875.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1452 1452 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,650.00 $2,650.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1078 1078 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 2,500.00 $2,500.00 +386.31
1200–1338 1304 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 8 2,125.00–2,450.00 $2,375.20 —
1293–1372 1314 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 52 2,225.00–2,250.00 $2,232.03 —
1415 1415 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,550.00 $2,550.00 —
1545 1545 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00 —
1700 1700 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1020 1020 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —
1115 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
1235 1235 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00 —
1340 1340 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 1,885.00 $1,885.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1290 1290 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —
1321 1321 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —

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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.