Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2025-02-19

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Feb 19
● Final88 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,508 head
▲ 875 vs last sale 633▼ 1,393 vs year ago 2,901 · −48.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
108 head
▲ 41 vs last sale 67▼ 38 vs year ago 146 · −26.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
63 head
▲ 8 vs last sale 55▼ 98 vs year ago 161 · −60.9%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold under 500lbs sold mostly sharply higher. Steers over 500lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers sold 1.00 to 4.00 higher across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows sold steady. Lean cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday February 26, 2025

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $334.34/cwt on 74 head. That ranks 1 of 8 comparable sales and sits −73.85 against this barn's trailing median of $408.19.
Average price
$334.34
74 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,826
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$395
per head · Large 1 over Large 1-2
$72.93/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−3.73
vs CO average
−6.87 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Large 1532350.431,86316thin
Medium and Large 1530348.101,84433
Medium and Large 1-2589312.981,84320
Large 1-2529277.501,4685thin
One grade step is worth $72.93/cwt here — about $395 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale74 hd
334.34
—
CO average2 barns · 214 hd
338.08
−3.73
National average106 barns · 4,665 hd
341.21
−6.87
This barn, trailing median8 sales
408.19
−73.85
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
486447408370median 408.1903/0403/2510/0710/2110/28
Steers 500–600 lb: high $472.00, low $383.69, median $408.19 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—High1,413158.822,24428
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,379135.701,8714thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,035122.761,27172

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,483$2,2252thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,483$2,2252thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,428$1,9854thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,045$1,9501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,019$1,6764thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)837$1,50014
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)980$1,3501thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)727$1,1253thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)785$2,2427

Every lot

88 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 · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 12301,060.00/head1,060.00–1,060.001,0605
Steers250–300Large 1293413.44/cwt400.00–420.001,2116
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1294429.99/cwt420.00–435.001,26412
Steers300–350Large 1-2328390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,2792
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1380425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,6156
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2444385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,7096
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1473389.78/cwt385.00–392.001,84463
Steers450–500Large 1492380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,87012
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1524350.19/cwt340.00–360.001,83527
Steers500–550Large 1Thin Fleshed527372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,9637
Steers500–550Large 1-2529277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,4685
Steers500–550Large 1535333.26/cwt330.00–336.001,7839
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1556338.71/cwt332.50–345.001,8836
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2589312.98/cwt300.00–317.501,84320
Steers600–650Large 1615286.09/cwt281.00–287.501,75934
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1630313.32/cwt302.50–314.001,97449
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2632284.03/cwt270.00–286.001,79525
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2656255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,6734
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1668279.03/cwt266.00–286.001,8649
Steers650–700Large 1673270.34/cwt257.00–286.001,81916
Steers700–750Large 1-2701244.00/cwt244.00–244.001,7103
Steers700–750Large 1721264.00/cwt264.00–264.001,90320
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1723261.28/cwt255.00–268.001,889117
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1769259.39/cwt251.00–262.001,995210
Steers750–800Large 1793254.00/cwt254.00–254.002,0142
Steers800–850Large 1814240.72/cwt239.00–241.001,959105
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,018213.00/cwt213.00–213.002,1686
Feeder Cattle · Heifers30 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1200800.00/head800.00–800.008003
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1235395.00/cwt395.00–395.009286
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1303390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,18224
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2393355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,3954
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1427341.71/cwt330.00–352.501,45927
Heifers400–450Large 1434340.16/cwt330.00–350.001,47612
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1456350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,5967
Heifers450–500Large 1465340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,5816
Heifers500–550Large 1505297.50/cwt297.50–297.501,5024
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1516332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,71623
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2519277.98/cwt268.00–297.001,44322
Heifers500–550Large 1-2527270.78/cwt249.00–287.001,42729
Heifers550–600Large 1555267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,4853
Heifers550–600Large 1-2555231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,2822
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2556249.23/cwt247.00–251.001,3869
Heifers600–650Large 1-2619226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,3996
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2629243.48/cwt241.00–251.001,53118
Heifers600–650Large 1631272.00/cwt272.00–272.001,71612
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1631269.00/cwt269.00–269.001,6976
Heifers650–700Large 1-2676201.00/cwt201.00–201.001,3596
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2682230.97/cwt224.00–246.001,57518
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1691252.00/cwt252.00–252.001,7417
Heifers650–700Large 1691236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,63133
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1714250.83/cwt231.00–259.001,791121
Heifers700–750Large 1723236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,7062
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2723211.00/cwt211.00–211.001,5264
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1762237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,80628
Heifers750–800Large 1-2763201.00/cwt201.00–201.001,5342
Heifers750–800Large 1776233.75/cwt233.75–233.751,81473
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1864229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,97913
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1410390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,5994
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1478390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,8644
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1540337.94/cwt322.00–350.001,82514
Bulls650–700Large 1695226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,5714
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1700258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,8064
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1819232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,9008
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1888220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,9547
Bulls850–900Large 1888220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,9547
Bulls1100–1150Medium and Large 11,105199.00/cwt199.00–199.002,1992
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls——1,413158.82/cwt140.00–183.002,24428
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%79370.29/cwt61.00–81.005573
Cows—Lean 85-90%85297.46/cwt93.00–106.0083023
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,137114.44/cwt111.00–122.001,3013
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,143140.54/cwt125.00–149.001,60643
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,379135.70/cwt126.00–146.001,8714
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2845151.00/cwt151.00–151.001,2761
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2860110.00/cwt110.00–110.009461
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed898221.37/cwt214.00–229.001,9885
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1981191.71/cwt188.00–201.001,88113
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows9 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-26841,210.00/head1,210.00–1,210.001,21010
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 19751,760.13/head1,725.00–1,775.001,7603
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29801,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0451,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1501,425.00/head1,425.00–1,425.001,4251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2192,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,2254
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4281,985.00/head1,985.00–1,985.001,9854
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4832,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,2252
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4832,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,2252
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 17852,241.86/head2,025.00–2,400.002,2427
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 2680975.00/head975.00–975.009752
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 18201,425.00/head1,425.00–1,425.001,4251

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.