Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 29, 2024

1,965 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $252.98/cwt +18.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,983/hd at 784 lb · 92 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $263.03/cwt ≈ $1,854/hd at 705 lb · 74 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $263.16/cwt ≈ $1,653/hd at 628 lb · 55 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,965 843 1,215
Feeder cattle 935 348 553
Slaughter cattle 722 330 412
Replacement cattle 308 165 250

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold 7.00 to 16.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Feeder heifers sold 2.00 to 12.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. Boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher and lean cows sold 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 3.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday November 5, 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
313 313 2 415.00 $415.00 $1,299 —
350–392 371 6 381.00–387.50 $384.07 $1,425 +49.07
415 thin fleshed 415 2 352.50 $352.50 $1,463 —
430–438 436 7 311.00–322.50 $319.26 $1,392 +6.76
474–480 476 10 326.00–328.00 $327.39 $1,558 —
518–527 524 7 293.00–302.50 $295.68 $1,549 +16.29
556 thin fleshed 556 21 282.00 $282.00 $1,568 —
565–585 576 11 250.00–258.00 $254.37 $1,465 -9.63
607–641 628 55 252.50–266.00 $263.16 $1,653 —
697 697 19 255.00 $255.00 $1,777 +20.65
701 thin fleshed 701 48 271.00 $271.00 $1,900 —
710–713 712 26 244.00–252.00 $248.32 $1,768 —
757–796 784 92 240.50–258.00 $252.98 $1,983 +18.67
834 834 17 230.00 $230.00 $1,918 —
850–880 868 21 224.50–243.00 $232.19 $2,015 +16.48
903–938 916 14 212.50–225.00 $217.64 $1,994 —
918 thin fleshed 918 10 234.00 $234.00 $2,148 —
987 987 7 223.00 $223.00 $2,201 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 6 323.00 $323.00 $1,269 —
404 404 16 274.00 $274.00 $1,107 —
487 487 3 309.00 $309.00 $1,505 —
534 534 7 273.00 $273.00 $1,458 —
585 585 2 209.00 $209.00 $1,223 —
673 673 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,588 —
723 723 5 222.50 $222.50 $1,609 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
486 486 7 276.00 $276.00 $1,341 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 2 345.00 $345.00 $949 —
343 343 2 332.50 $332.50 $1,140 +32.50
350–357 355 12 210.00–218.00 $215.37 $765 -64.63
365 thin fleshed 365 2 265.00 $265.00 $967 —
413–415 414 8 282.50 $282.50 $1,170 +41.50
451 thin fleshed 451 5 274.00 $274.00 $1,236 —
453 453 3 242.50 $242.50 $1,099 -13.50
500–534 518 33 240.00–255.00 $249.84 $1,294 +6.04
579–587 581 14 237.50–247.00 $243.45 $1,414 +11.45
643 643 16 240.00 $240.00 $1,543 +10.00
693 693 17 233.00 $233.00 $1,615 +1.00
738 738 16 229.00 $229.00 $1,690 +3.00
758–760 760 8 225.00–237.50 $234.38 $1,781 +14.50
800–825 815 33 220.00–234.00 $229.31 $1,869 +10.03
913–941 927 24 215.00–219.00 $217.03 $2,012 —
963–976 970 7 217.00–217.50 $217.21 $2,107 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 9 228.00 $228.00 $1,131 —
501 501 8 225.00 $225.00 $1,127 —
620 620 11 221.00 $221.00 $1,370 —
760 760 2 212.50 $212.50 $1,615 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 3 357.50 $357.50 $1,401 —
515–545 530 6 270.00–280.00 $274.86 $1,457 —
617–622 620 8 236.00–240.00 $237.49 $1,472 +4.99
650–673 662 4 222.50–233.00 $227.66 $1,507 +27.66
703–725 718 6 225.00–232.50 $227.45 $1,633 +7.45
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
448 448 6 312.50 $312.50 $1,400 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,455 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
111–1278 969 85-90% 100 120.00–144.00 $124.87 $1,210 —
1001–1145 1025 85-90% 74 110.00–116.00 $111.80 $1,146 +16.41
793–1296 1051 85-90% 123 70.00–109.00 $101.74 $1,069 —
1020–1295 1194 85-90% 183 110.00–119.50 $115.00 $1,373 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1485 1374 80-85% 129 110.00–119.50 $116.12 $1,595 +10.65
1305–1495 1379 80-85% 14 88.00–107.50 $102.06 $1,407 -3.41
1328–1458 1394 80-85% 15 120.00–122.50 $120.43 $1,679 +14.96
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505–1530 1520 75-80% 3 102.00–108.00 $105.66 $1,606 —
1500–1665 1528 75-80% 20 113.00–119.00 $118.16 $1,805 —
1575 1575 75-80% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,922 +14.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1730–1805 1773 65-75% 3 112.00–119.00 $115.05 $2,040 —
1868 1868 65-75% 2 123.00 $123.00 $2,298 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440–1735 1588 2 117.00 $117.00 $1,858 —
1115–2475 1615 16 116.00–137.50 $129.43 $2,090 -14.42
1115–2105 1674 26 140.00–172.50 $147.55 $2,470 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
805–1084 1002 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 59 150.00–173.00 $166.53 $1,669
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
708–1205 978 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 32 129.00–147.50 $141.85 $1,387
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
830–1010 911 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 180.00–207.50 $197.44 $1,799
940 thin fleshed 940 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 217.50 $217.50 $2,044

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
953–1028 983 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 10 2,450.00 $2,450.00
988–1375 1052 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 34 2,125.00–2,500.00 $2,294.74
1120 1120 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 9 2,460.00 $2,460.00
1193 1193 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 12 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1265 1265 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
1267 1267 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1341 1341 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 36 1,610.00 $1,610.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1112–1345 1160 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 11 1,450.00–1,775.00 $1,621.72
1157–1169 1168 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 24 1,325.00–1,460.00 $1,443.28
1158–1183 1171 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 12 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1070–1330 1177 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,310.00–1,525.00 $1,425.80
1234 1234 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,610.00 $1,610.00
1233–1315 1258 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 6 1,450.00–1,575.00 $1,480.39
1261 1261 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 10 1,585.00 $1,585.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1047 1047 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 9 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1115 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,260.00 $1,260.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
836 836 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1295 1295 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00

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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.