Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2024-12-18

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Dec 18
● Final100 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,001 head
▼ 1,820 vs last sale 3,821▲ 655 vs year ago 1,346 · +48.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
304 head
▲ 304 vs last sale 0▼ 146 vs year ago 450 · −32.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
59 head
▲ 24 vs last sale 35▼ 308 vs year ago 367 · −83.9%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 500lbs sold 3.00 to 9.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Steers over 500lbs sold mostly 4.00 to 9.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers under 500lbs sold 10.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Heifers over 500lbs sold 5.00 to 7.00 higher with instances if sharply higher. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. Boner cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher and lean cows sold 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 8.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be January 8, 2025.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $272.26/cwt on 229 head. That ranks 1 of 8 comparable sales and sits −70.80 against this barn's trailing median of $343.06.
Average price
$272.26
229 head · 551 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,500
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$199
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$25.32/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−7.77
vs CO average
−12.69 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1552273.261,508220
Medium and Large 1-2528247.941,3099thin
One grade step is worth $25.32/cwt here — about $199 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale229 hd
272.26
—
CO average3 barns · 934 hd
280.03
−7.77
National average180 barns · 17,940 hd
284.95
−12.69
This barn, trailing median8 sales
343.06
−70.80
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—High1,507138.832,09140
CowsPremium White 65-75%High1,783122.752,1884thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,384119.141,64952
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,590117.441,8672thin
CowsLean 85-90%High1,085111.361,208197

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)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,370$1,8252thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)994$1,8143thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,085$1,7251thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,381$1,6466
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,196$1,5754thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,200$1,5753thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)815$1,6001thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)815$1,3251thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,140$1,7751thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,280$1,5501thin

Every lot

100 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 · Steers35 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Large 1-2260402.50/cwt402.50–402.501,0473
Steers250–300Large 1267460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,2286
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1291435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,26626
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Fancy311460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,43112
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1325438.34/cwt415.00–460.001,42534
Steers300–350Large 1328425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,3944
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2372300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,1166
Steers350–400Large 1-2373355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,3243
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1375414.77/cwt410.00–420.001,55542
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2375397.02/cwt385.00–407.501,48913
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1421394.05/cwt385.00–402.001,65942
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2429373.62/cwt362.50–380.001,60323
Steers400–450Large 2432305.61/cwt301.00–309.001,3209
Steers400–450Large 1440392.50/cwt392.50–392.501,72722
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2445321.31/cwt312.50–330.001,43012
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2464321.49/cwt311.00–329.001,4927
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1485352.84/cwt332.50–370.001,711131
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2506286.98/cwt281.00–301.001,45210
Steers500–550Large 1-2513282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,4493
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2513235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,2065
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1519330.04/cwt322.50–337.501,71355
Steers500–550Large 1532312.11/cwt305.00–327.501,6606
Steers550–600Large 1553312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,7283
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1575314.60/cwt288.00–322.001,809125
Steers600–650Large 1610292.00/cwt292.00–292.001,7813
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1624291.19/cwt281.00–302.001,81748
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2656249.27/cwt240.00–254.001,6356
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1686272.66/cwt261.00–277.001,87071
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1715257.23/cwt251.00–261.001,83924
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1787243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,9123
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1805249.00/cwt249.00–249.002,0043
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1913220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,0092
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1965227.00/cwt227.00–227.002,1916
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,013196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,9852
Steers1100–1150Medium and Large 11,105195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,1553
Feeder Cattle · Heifers28 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1-2245340.00/cwt340.00–340.008334
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1248375.00/cwt375.00–375.009307
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1256370.00/cwt370.00–370.009474
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2267337.50/cwt337.50–337.509013
Heifers300–350Large 2325291.00/cwt291.00–291.009463
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2332353.37/cwt340.00–367.501,17333
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2372316.31/cwt290.00–327.501,17729
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1381346.11/cwt330.00–360.001,31919
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2383247.71/cwt235.00–261.0094910
Heifers400–450Large 1-2400283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,1327
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1421318.31/cwt311.00–327.501,34037
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2424298.30/cwt297.50–301.001,26543
Heifers450–500Large 1-2464255.91/cwt251.00–261.001,18710
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2467281.79/cwt271.00–285.001,31638
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1469313.90/cwt295.00–322.501,47262
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2488252.50/cwt252.50–252.501,2322
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2528247.94/cwt233.00–261.001,3099
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1534277.24/cwt266.00–294.001,480116
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1572268.82/cwt253.00–282.501,538104
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1629263.64/cwt249.00–267.001,65848
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1673257.48/cwt241.00–266.001,73350
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1724242.39/cwt233.00–247.001,75567
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1791231.06/cwt213.00–242.501,82813
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2798213.00/cwt213.00–213.001,7005
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2820197.24/cwt180.00–204.001,6177
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1835219.33/cwt211.00–230.001,83149
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2889199.22/cwt195.00–201.001,77111
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1930191.55/cwt191.00–192.001,78111
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Large 1-2385310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,1947
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1442312.65/cwt310.00–320.001,38215
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1453341.00/cwt341.00–341.001,54514
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1508297.75/cwt292.00–300.001,5137
Bulls500–550Large 1528262.50/cwt262.50–262.501,3862
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1663247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,6418
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1780221.00/cwt221.00–221.001,7243
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1840203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,7058
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1872202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,76132
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,011183.00/cwt183.00–183.001,85010
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,468124.96/cwt120.00–133.001,83413
Bulls——1,491116.79/cwt116.00–118.001,7414
Bulls——1,531150.50/cwt137.00–175.002,30423
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%84177.79/cwt61.00–86.0065428
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,024101.21/cwt91.00–109.001,03620
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,109116.43/cwt111.00–119.501,29163
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,160120.94/cwt120.00–136.001,40386
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,352117.39/cwt111.00–119.501,58720
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,36591.00/cwt91.00–91.001,2421
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,405121.18/cwt120.00–126.001,70331
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,590117.44/cwt116.00–119.001,8672
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,777126.00/cwt126.00–126.002,2393
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,800113.00/cwt113.00–113.002,0341
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1913157.75/cwt150.00–166.001,44021
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2983143.99/cwt143.00–145.001,4152
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,029121.18/cwt112.50–124.001,2478
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 18151,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 18151,325.00/head1,325.00–1,325.001,3251
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 19941,813.86/head1,725.00–1,875.001,8143
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0851,725.00/head1,725.00–1,725.001,7251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1051,250.00/head1,250.00–1,250.001,2501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1961,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,5754
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2001,574.69/head1,525.00–1,660.001,5753
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3701,825.00/head1,825.00–1,825.001,8252
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4361,725.00/head1,725.00–1,725.001,7255
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1401,775.00/head1,775.00–1,775.001,7751
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2801,550.00/head1,550.00–1,550.001,5501

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.