Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 8, 2024

2,236 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $243.38/cwt -5.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,404/hd at 577 lb · 119 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $284.77/cwt -10.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,504/hd at 528 lb · 115 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $264.26/cwt -0.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,551/hd at 587 lb · 114 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,236 3,188 2,071
Feeder cattle 1,751 2,761 1,741
Slaughter cattle 323 295 287
Replacement cattle 162 132 43

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 600lbs sold mostly 3.00 to 13.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Feeder steers over 600lbs sold 6.00 to 14.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers were too light to test. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. Boner cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher and lean cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 8.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday October 15, 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
303 fancy 303 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,212 —
330 330 2 377.00 $377.00 $1,244 +32.79
351–378 362 11 329.00–335.00 $332.36 $1,203 -24.53
370 fancy 370 11 373.00 $373.00 $1,380 —
403–421 408 52 359.00–375.00 $371.50 $1,516 +27.36
456 fancy 456 22 336.00 $336.00 $1,532 —
454–466 462 78 311.00–319.00 $314.63 $1,454 -12.94
510–543 528 115 282.00–301.00 $284.77 $1,504 -2.78
554–568 559 76 272.50–282.00 $278.66 $1,558 -11.34
602–644 626 51 251.00–262.00 $255.72 $1,601 +6.14
650 thin fleshed 650 35 272.50 $272.50 $1,771 —
665–699 685 44 256.00–263.50 $260.31 $1,783 +12.19
706–745 729 31 231.00–241.00 $236.95 $1,727 +13.20
736 thin fleshed 736 20 255.00 $255.00 $1,877 —
755–783 777 45 231.00–248.00 $244.63 $1,901 +20.37
802–840 813 40 239.00–247.00 $244.52 $1,988 —
856–863 856 59 238.00–248.00 $247.32 $2,117 —
916 916 6 226.00 $226.00 $2,070 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374 374 7 310.00 $310.00 $1,159 -28.67
408–443 418 15 320.00–331.00 $325.27 $1,360 -5.20
464–499 481 18 302.00–306.00 $304.12 $1,463 -4.84
518–545 543 23 270.00–278.00 $277.34 $1,506 +0.34
558–596 587 114 258.00–269.50 $264.26 $1,551 -0.05
608–642 635 23 241.00–247.00 $244.88 $1,555 —
660–691 669 38 241.00–247.00 $244.15 $1,633 +19.15
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422–449 437 42 297.50–317.50 $300.65 $1,314 +36.50
491–494 493 8 287.00–297.50 $292.27 $1,441 +18.64
586–593 588 19 241.00–251.00 $247.82 $1,457 +17.82
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 3 335.00 $335.00 $1,189 —
401 401 9 267.00 $267.00 $1,071 -53.64
480–493 483 14 284.00–287.00 $284.66 $1,375 —
546 546 7 261.00 $261.00 $1,425 —
667 667 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,574 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
474 474 13 240.00 $240.00 $1,138 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
225 225 1 900.00 $900.00 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 3 352.50 $352.50 $1,040 +31.25
305–344 334 8 297.50–302.50 $301.36 $1,007 -29.58
339 fancy 339 5 335.00 $335.00 $1,136 -17.00
356–383 376 31 319.00–328.00 $325.23 $1,223 +4.91
405 fancy 405 8 305.00 $305.00 $1,235 —
423–448 437 40 285.00–296.00 $290.47 $1,269 -14.64
454–498 488 88 272.00–283.00 $274.95 $1,342 -11.06
504–509 506 44 269.00–271.00 $270.02 $1,366 -0.13
556–598 577 119 240.00–250.00 $243.38 $1,404 -5.01
630–641 634 21 231.00–239.00 $235.90 $1,496 +0.30
655–693 680 26 234.00–241.00 $238.52 $1,622 +8.92
732 732 8 240.00 $240.00 $1,757 —
763–778 771 6 219.00–227.00 $223.04 $1,720 -7.31
825 825 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,650 —
888 888 2 202.50 $202.50 $1,798 -22.75
953 953 20 220.00 $220.00 $2,097 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353–393 386 13 295.00–307.50 $297.54 $1,149 -2.11
409–435 425 14 280.00–282.00 $281.44 $1,196 -0.24
533–536 534 27 249.00–257.00 $251.71 $1,344 -6.54
673 673 4 228.00 $228.00 $1,534 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 8 182.00 $182.00 $706 —
430 430 27 273.00 $273.00 $1,174 —
465–480 468 11 265.00–266.00 $265.81 $1,244 -9.45
505 505 5 268.00 $268.00 $1,353 —
639 639 4 231.00 $231.00 $1,476 —
723 723 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,562 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
446 446 17 227.00 $227.00 $1,012 —
502 502 3 243.00 $243.00 $1,220 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
205–225 215 2 725.00–800.00 $764.24 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
799–1295 1073 85-90% 100 67.00–109.00 $100.55 $1,079 —
1005–1905 1178 85-90% 15 121.00–142.50 $133.17 $1,569 +21.14
1010–1291 1207 85-90% 60 110.00–119.00 $114.08 $1,377 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1301–1450 1357 80-85% 57 110.00–119.00 $115.77 $1,571 +12.77
1300–1420 1362 80-85% 6 83.00–109.00 $102.96 $1,402 -12.18
1351–1470 1410 80-85% 15 122.00–124.00 $123.04 $1,735 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525 1525 75-80% 2 118.00 $118.00 $1,800 -4.51
1537 1537 75-80% 3 125.00 $125.00 $1,921 +2.49
1635 1635 75-80% 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,700 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1675–1785 1697 65-75% 5 113.00–117.00 $116.16 $1,971 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–2315 1537 17 122.50–140.50 $133.59 $2,053 —
1320–2430 1849 35 133.00–159.00 $146.62 $2,711 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820–1085 954 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 192.50–218.00 $204.68 $1,953
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
690–1075 844 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 172.50–185.00 $179.82 $1,518
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
845–1087 1027 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 151.00–157.00 $155.77 $1,600

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945–1107 1067 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,725.00–1,850.00 $1,822.31
1130–1238 1173 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 1,425.00–1,600.00 $1,498.87
1123–1218 1194 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,225.00–1,400.00 $1,358.86
1128–1331 1194 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 50 1,460.00–1,650.00 $1,624.59
1240 1240 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 20 2,425.00 $2,425.00
1360–1445 1394 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 1,635.00–1,900.00 $1,790.12
1530 1530 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
918–1085 1005 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 1,100.00–1,250.00 $1,144.40
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 6 1,800.00 $1,800.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1295–1438 1367 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 2,500.00 $2,500.00 -650.00
1385 1385 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 2,300.00 $2,300.00 -850.00
1380–1518 1484 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 1,900.00–2,125.00 $2,072.67 -427.33
1505 1505 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00 —
1575 1575 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 -400.00

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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.