Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2022-12-21

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Dec 21
● Final31 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
982 head
▼ 1,491 vs last sale 2,473▲ 110 vs year ago 872 · +12.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
220 head
▼ 292 vs last sale 512▼ 130 vs year ago 350 · −37.1%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared with last Wednesday: Feeder steers and heifers lightly tested. Demand moderate. Slaughter cows steady. Slaughter bulls steady to 1.00 higher. Demand moderate to good.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $178.34/cwt on 125 head.
Average price
$178.34
125 head · 586 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,045
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$56
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2
$40.70/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−13.14
vs CO average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1564185.701,04857
Medium and Large 1-2552181.241,00051
Medium 1-2761145.001,10317thin
One grade step is worth $40.70/cwt here — about −$56 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale125 hd
178.34
—
CO average3 barns · 1,543 hd
191.48
−13.14
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,74197.131,69115
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,53371.871,10240
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,27267.7886246
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,11961.5368938

Every lot

31 lots · USDA AMS · La Junta Livestock Commision - La Junta, CO
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers10 lots · lightest first
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2321202.71/cwt201.00–204.0065117
Steers—Medium and Large 1366230.00/cwt230.00–230.008426
Steers—Medium and Large 1432203.24/cwt201.00–206.0087811
Steers—Medium and Large 1454200.00/cwt200.00–200.009085
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2509181.19/cwt180.00–182.0092216
Steers—Medium and Large 1580181.00/cwt181.00–181.001,05013
Steers—Medium and Large 1694163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,13112
Steers—Medium and Large 1708166.00/cwt166.00–166.001,17510
Steers—Medium 1-2761145.00/cwt145.00–145.001,10317
Steers—Medium and Large 1-2808161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,30118
Feeder Cattle · Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2363191.00/cwt191.00–191.006939
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2423178.13/cwt175.00–180.0075313
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2553156.25/cwt155.00–158.0086412
Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2662154.29/cwt150.00–156.001,02126
Heifers—Medium and Large 1709155.25/cwt154.00–156.001,10116
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,49589.54/cwt88.00–91.001,3392
Bulls——1,75697.33/cwt94.00–101.001,7095
Bulls——Return to Feed1,77096.35/cwt92.00–101.001,7056
Bulls——1,860106.53/cwt106.00–107.001,9812
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,00556.23/cwt51.00–58.0056510
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11566.00/cwt66.00–66.007361
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,11863.09/cwt61.00–64.0070520
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,24167.28/cwt65.00–70.0083511
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,25372.80/cwt72.50–73.0091213
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,26262.82/cwt61.00–65.007937
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,27065.50/cwt65.50–65.508329
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,28764.00/cwt64.00–64.008247
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,38867.00/cwt67.00–67.009306
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,46364.77/cwt62.00–70.0094817
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,56576.95/cwt71.00–79.001,20422
Cows—Breaker 75-80%2,01581.00/cwt81.00–81.001,6321

This sale against other markets

Colorado weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Colorado auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.