Cattle Market Pulse

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) Market Report, La Junta, CO

La Junta, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 24, 2026

1,110 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $411.11/cwt +14.48 vs last sale · ≈ $2,592/hd at 631 lb · 84 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $438.83/cwt +14.42 vs last sale · ≈ $2,530/hd at 577 lb · 83 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $324.26/cwt -3.24 vs last sale · ≈ $2,730/hd at 842 lb · 65 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,110 1,483 842
Feeder cattle 853 950 486
Slaughter cattle 121 155 238
Replacement cattle 136 378 118

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 550 sold mostly 7.00 to 9.00 lower. Steers over 550 sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers sold mostly 4.00 to 6.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher and lean cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 10.00 higher. The next sale will be 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
417–434 421 21 567.50–570.00 $569.39 $2,397 —
444 unweaned 444 5 545.00 $545.00 $2,420 -7.50
463 463 2 537.50 $537.50 $2,489 -0.12
488 unweaned 488 2 512.50 $512.50 $2,501 —
500–539 517 30 489.00–500.00 $491.07 $2,539 -9.23
547 unweaned 547 3 470.00 $470.00 $2,571 —
550–553 552 22 479.00–481.00 $479.91 $2,649 —
550–592 unweaned 573 8 450.00–460.00 $453.85 $2,601 +17.85
643 unweaned 643 4 423.00 $423.00 $2,720 -7.93
658 658 15 426.00 $426.00 $2,803 —
685 unweaned 685 12 383.00 $383.00 $2,624 —
718–736 728 9 369.00–378.00 $372.95 $2,715 +5.88
778 778 6 362.50 $362.50 $2,820 +5.00
820–838 831 26 342.50–353.50 $351.93 $2,925 -1.07
985 985 3 305.00 $305.00 $3,004 +2.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416 416 9 555.00 $555.00 $2,309 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433 unweaned 433 6 441.00 $441.00 $1,910 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
411 unweaned 411 4 505.00 $505.00 $2,076 —
483 unweaned 483 2 485.00 $485.00 $2,343 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 7 520.00 $520.00 $1,872 —
393 unweaned 393 2 505.00 $505.00 $1,985 —
403–428 426 20 509.00–510.00 $509.09 $2,169 —
425–445 unweaned 434 17 476.00–492.50 $482.05 $2,092 +3.21
465 unweaned 465 6 478.00 $478.00 $2,223 +5.50
502–522 unweaned 511 19 440.00–449.00 $444.10 $2,269 +14.39
505–537 525 37 463.00–466.00 $464.09 $2,436 +3.18
554–584 576 80 436.00–446.00 $439.63 $2,532 +17.09
590 unweaned 590 3 417.50 $417.50 $2,463 +27.34
612–648 626 24 394.00–407.50 $399.08 $2,498 -10.92
632 fancy 632 48 423.00 $423.00 $2,673 —
620–641 unweaned 634 12 386.00–391.00 $387.63 $2,458 -0.65
678 678 41 393.00 $393.00 $2,665 +15.50
769 769 13 329.00 $329.00 $2,530 -3.00
805–844 842 65 324.00–330.00 $324.26 $2,730 -3.24
872 872 14 322.50 $322.50 $2,812 —
1023 1023 3 300.00 $300.00 $3,069 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
529–530 unweaned 529 7 427.00–430.00 $429.14 $2,270 —
580 unweaned 580 7 401.00 $401.00 $2,326 —
782 782 3 307.00 $307.00 $2,401 —
803–837 809 18 318.00 $318.00 $2,573 +13.98
869–898 888 12 306.00–310.00 $307.30 $2,729 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
414 414 4 510.00 $510.00 $2,111 —
511 unweaned 511 7 445.00 $445.00 $2,274 —
602 602 6 406.00 $406.00 $2,444 —
662–698 unweaned 676 13 350.00–351.00 $350.60 $2,370 —
700–713 707 7 327.50–330.00 $328.56 $2,323 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
404 404 7 554.00 $554.00 $2,238 —
566 566 12 450.00 $450.00 $2,547 —
600–630 620 7 415.00–417.50 $416.00 $2,579 —
635 unweaned 635 3 372.50 $372.50 $2,365 —
714 714 5 377.50 $377.50 $2,695 —
742 unweaned 742 3 350.00 $350.00 $2,597 —
813 813 2 330.00 $330.00 $2,683 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
257 257 3 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1094 1094 85-90% 5 159.50 $159.50 $1,745 +8.92
1030–1180 1125 85-90% 6 161.00–166.00 $163.89 $1,844 -0.03
910–1273 1143 85-90% 13 162.50–168.00 $164.71 $1,883 +0.79
1065–1285 1168 85-90% 9 141.00–158.00 $149.11 $1,742 —
1115–1290 1232 85-90% 6 173.00–176.00 $173.63 $2,139 -2.61
1265–1285 1274 85-90% 4 170.00–172.00 $170.63 $2,174 +4.51
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1390 1370 80-85% 2 145.00–153.00 $148.94 $2,040 -17.67
1303–1470 1379 80-85% 11 170.00–177.00 $173.12 $2,387 +6.51
1340–1500 1390 80-85% 20 160.00–169.50 $166.88 $2,320 +0.27
1415–1425 1420 80-85% 2 180.00–186.00 $183.01 $2,599 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1718 1718 65-75% 6 172.50 $172.50 $2,964 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1565–1635 1600 75-80% 2 170.00–174.00 $172.04 $2,753 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–2265 1801 7 190.00–208.00 $198.30 $3,571 —
1325–2160 1805 4 179.00–184.00 $181.89 $3,283 —
1765–2225 2036 11 210.00–236.00 $221.19 $4,503 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
805–1130 thin fleshed 1057 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 21 260.00–287.50 $265.56 $2,807
1030–1235 1097 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 212.50–241.00 $223.58 $2,453

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
918–1110 982 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 3,300.00–3,525.00 $3,440.22
1160 1160 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,150.00 $3,150.00
1130–1271 1226 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 2,850.00–3,100.00 $2,904.29
1350 1350 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 4,250.00 $4,250.00
1180–1410 1372 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 3,200.00–3,950.00 $3,842.47
1360–1458 1434 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 3,300.00–3,525.00 $3,353.37
1480 1480 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00
1555 1555 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
935 935 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00
1023 1023 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1005–1145 1075 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,400.00–2,450.00 $2,423.37

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
705 705 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00
835 835 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00
858–1195 903 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 38 3,650.00–3,960.00 $3,946.06
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
810–1190 1063 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 3,100.00–3,400.00 $3,323.82

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
970–1115 1043 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,200.00 $4,200.00 —
1070–1230 1110 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 3,500.00–3,750.00 $3,569.26 —
1260–1435 1348 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 3,700.00–4,450.00 $4,099.35 +521.70
1421 1421 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 5 3,450.00 $3,450.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1120–1130 1125 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
600 600 (<2 yrs)Open 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —
820–910 865 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,200.00–4,300.00 $4,252.60 —
1160–1260 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,100.00–4,600.00 $4,339.67 —

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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.