Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 7, 2025

3,552 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $325.72/cwt +8.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,866/hd at 573 lb · 354 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $292.75/cwt +12.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,956/hd at 668 lb · 338 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $281.09/cwt +12.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,628/hd at 579 lb · 243 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,552 6,380 4,446
Feeder cattle 3,063 5,742 4,196
Slaughter cattle 304 475 182
Replacement cattle 185 163 68

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold mostly 8.00 to 12.00 higher across all weight classes. Feeder heifers sold mostly 6.00 to 11.00 higher across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. Boner cows of average dressing sold 1.00 lower and lean cows sold 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 5.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday January 14, 2025.

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
457–496 471 91 336.00–355.00 $347.28 $1,636 -17.14
503 thin fleshed 503 11 360.00 $360.00 $1,811 —
519–548 540 230 318.00–347.00 $326.10 $1,761 -17.59
551–595 573 354 290.00–339.00 $325.72 $1,866 +8.16
601–642 627 67 287.50–318.00 $305.99 $1,919 +11.31
651–694 668 338 278.00–301.00 $292.75 $1,956 +12.16
702–749 731 174 267.50–281.00 $276.13 $2,019 +10.31
755–799 777 113 259.00–272.75 $267.12 $2,076 +10.05
800–848 844 71 258.00–258.50 $258.46 $2,181 +7.47
876–897 879 20 227.50–247.50 $243.71 $2,142 -8.04
900 900 5 238.50 $238.50 $2,146 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423–438 435 49 327.00–355.00 $346.84 $1,509 —
471 471 5 291.00 $291.00 $1,371 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 7 335.00 $335.00 $1,708 +5.09
565 565 3 307.50 $307.50 $1,737 -7.50
609–646 630 28 291.00–297.00 $293.49 $1,849 -1.51
723 723 6 269.50 $269.50 $1,948 +12.81
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
373–397 383 13 360.00–392.50 $379.38 $1,453 -26.22
403–442 419 23 366.00–375.00 $370.70 $1,553 +0.66
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 396 11 286.00 $286.00 $1,133 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 6 307.50 $307.50 $1,614 +2.50

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372–393 380 41 335.00–367.50 $349.28 $1,327 -2.59
404–449 424 49 326.00–346.00 $332.93 $1,412 +5.62
451–483 470 179 305.00–342.50 $327.15 $1,538 +17.46
506–548 531 107 275.00–297.00 $286.44 $1,521 -6.74
554–598 579 243 261.00–292.50 $281.09 $1,628 +12.58
600–642 617 199 257.00–289.00 $273.83 $1,690 +17.96
660–684 670 98 247.00–274.00 $262.46 $1,758 +21.39
700–748 720 180 236.00–264.00 $255.07 $1,837 +14.67
778 778 40 246.50 $246.50 $1,918 +11.25
855 855 23 235.00 $235.00 $2,009 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 2 327.50 $327.50 $1,244 -19.18
513–543 523 23 275.00–293.00 $286.51 $1,498 -5.73
558 558 17 289.00 $289.00 $1,613 +37.00
762 762 25 246.50 $246.50 $1,878 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
491 491 9 256.00 $256.00 $1,257 -11.15
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 2 333.00 $333.00 $1,066 -29.56
588 588 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,352 -15.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 4 280.00 $280.00 $980 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 7 356.00 $356.00 $1,477 -5.00
481 481 14 347.00 $347.00 $1,669 +14.50
645 645 21 278.00 $278.00 $1,793 -7.61
768 768 13 234.00 $234.00 $1,797 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1020 950 85-90% 3 73.00–87.00 $80.55 $765 —
830–1270 1050 85-90% 15 93.00–109.00 $102.77 $1,079 -15.23
1027–1415 1097 85-90% 32 110.00–119.00 $117.31 $1,287 -0.69
980–1290 1161 85-90% 63 111.00–119.00 $115.57 $1,342 -5.67
1020–1295 1196 85-90% 70 120.00–132.00 $124.97 $1,495 +3.73
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1355 1348 80-85% 2 105.00–109.00 $106.99 $1,442 —
1305–1370 1354 80-85% 12 112.00–119.00 $117.89 $1,596 -4.67
1405–1493 1466 80-85% 8 125.00–128.00 $126.24 $1,851 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535 1535 75-80% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,827 —
1513–1580 1560 75-80% 8 123.00–135.00 $125.95 $1,965 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1748 1748 65-75% 2 121.00 $121.00 $2,115 +1.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1925 1298 62 125.00–135.00 $132.46 $1,719 —
1375–1960 1738 15 141.00–159.00 $148.60 $2,583 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
746–1038 thin fleshed 897 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 32 222.50–233.00 $224.93 $2,018
730–1269 971 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 55 170.00–210.00 $192.58 $1,870
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
765–1385 1102 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 129.00–147.50 $134.12 $1,478
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–1100 1014 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 152.50–167.50 $158.17 $1,604

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
975–1215 1074 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,625.00–1,750.00 $1,655.83
1155–1180 1168 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1189 1189 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 31 1,725.00 $1,725.00
1197 1197 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1200–1520 1318 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,075.00–2,100.00 $2,082.81
1363 1363 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1375 1375 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,500.00 $2,500.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
745–1160 953 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,675.00 $1,508.79
1023 1023 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,325.00 $1,325.00
1040 1040 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00
1043 1043 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1095 1095 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1035–1216 1180 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 5 1,425.00–1,575.00 $1,548.68
1241 1241 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,525.00 $1,525.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
920 920 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,825.00 $1,825.00

↑ Back to top

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.