Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2024-03-20

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Mar 20
● Final78 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
545 head
▼ 1,207 vs last sale 1,752▼ 364 vs year ago 909 · −40.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
181 head
▲ 32 vs last sale 149▲ 30 vs year ago 151 · +19.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
151 head
▲ 18 vs last sale 133▲ 151 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 600lbs sold mostly 7.00 to 10.00 higher while steers over 600lbs sold unevenly steady. Feeder heifer sold unevenly steady across all weight classes on a light test. Slaughter cows sold steady across all weight classes while slaughter bulls sold 13.00 to 17.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday March 27, 2024.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $258.64/cwt on 36 head. That ranks 1 of 8 comparable sales and sits −84.42 against this barn's trailing median of $343.06.
Average price
$258.64
36 head · 545 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,410
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$106
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1
$15.48/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−21.55
vs CO average
−18.58 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1549263.361,44522
Medium and Large 1-2538255.671,3766thin
Large 1540247.881,3398thin
One grade step is worth $15.48/cwt here — about $106 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale36 hd
258.64
—
CO average3 barns · 269 hd
280.19
−21.55
National average179 barns · 15,589 hd
277.22
−18.58
This barn, trailing median8 sales
343.06
−84.42
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

8 sales
437396355314median 343.0603/0403/2510/0710/2110/28
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $422.95, low $327.75, median $343.06 across 8 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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—High1,725141.752,44511
CowsPremium White 65-75%High1,798130.412,3452thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,380128.201,76921
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,627121.011,9696thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low996105.501,051134

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,078$1,8752thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,273$1,6753thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,375$1,6606
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,269$1,61711
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,258$1,5182thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,095$1,5001thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,012$1,3216
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)989$2,2754thin

Every lot

78 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 · Steers25 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Large 1323341.00/cwt341.00–341.001,1013
Steers300–350Large 1-2334322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,0775
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1339392.00/cwt392.00–392.001,3295
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Fancy348400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,3922
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Value Added368399.00/cwt399.00–399.001,4683
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1382382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,4613
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added422379.95/cwt372.00–382.001,60316
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1449362.55/cwt359.00–367.001,6289
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1474362.17/cwt362.00–362.501,7176
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1541327.99/cwt326.00–330.001,77410
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2545291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,5864
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Fancy550340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,8702
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Value Added563322.00/cwt322.00–322.001,8134
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1568307.55/cwt304.00–311.001,7474
Steers550–600Large 1Thin Fleshed583291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,6976
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2638272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,7392
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1649286.00/cwt286.00–286.001,8568
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Value Added665270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,7969
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1673258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,7364
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2684196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,3415
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1700253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,7712
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Fancy750251.00/cwt251.00–251.001,88317
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1780229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,7862
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Natural795226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,7974
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2873186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,6245
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2277322.00/cwt322.00–322.008923
Heifers300–350Large 1335315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,0555
Heifers350–400Large 1358281.00/cwt281.00–281.001,0062
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1434303.00/cwt303.00–303.001,3155
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2435290.84/cwt283.00–298.001,26514
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2444262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,1636
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1450292.00/cwt292.00–292.001,3145
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2477282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,3455
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2478259.48/cwt254.00–268.001,2405
Heifers450–500Large 1493246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,2133
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1512271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,3889
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2531258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,3704
Heifers500–550Large 1540247.88/cwt246.00–251.001,3398
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2553251.00/cwt251.00–251.001,3882
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Value Added571263.00/cwt263.00–263.001,5025
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1576255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,4698
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2603219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,3214
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1638248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,5823
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Value Added641254.99/cwt251.00–256.001,63415
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1679240.91/cwt240.00–241.001,63621
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2698218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,5223
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1740220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,6283
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2743199.00/cwt199.00–199.001,4796
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1470291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,3682
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Fancy551301.00/cwt301.00–301.001,6594
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1603287.50/cwt287.50–287.501,7344
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls——1,725141.75/cwt120.00–152.502,44511
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%76270.88/cwt66.00–84.0054031
Cows—Lean 85-90%98896.00/cwt96.00–96.009482
Cows—Lean 85-90%99093.00/cwt93.00–93.009212
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,070116.78/cwt101.00–131.001,25099
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,380128.20/cwt111.00–139.001,76921
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,627121.01/cwt119.00–123.001,9696
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,798130.41/cwt119.50–141.002,3452
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows11 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 2755775.00/head775.00–775.007752
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-28451,450.00/head1,450.00–1,450.001,4501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 29251,150.00/head1,150.00–1,150.001,1501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0951,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1401,594.23/head1,550.00–1,700.001,5944
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2461,594.76/head1,575.00–1,600.001,59510
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2731,675.00/head1,675.00–1,675.001,6753
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fancy1,3102,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3751,660.00/head1,660.00–1,660.001,6606
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5001,835.00/head1,835.00–1,835.001,8351
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5901,885.00/head1,885.00–1,885.001,8851
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1650183.24/cwt182.00–186.001,1917
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed689207.00/cwt207.00–207.001,42615
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fancy690216.00/cwt216.00–216.001,4901
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed798213.35/cwt209.00–218.001,70314
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2828169.90/cwt151.00–177.001,40728
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1863187.52/cwt180.00–204.001,61826
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2939134.60/cwt116.00–149.001,26421
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Fancy9892,275.00/head2,275.00–2,275.002,2754

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.