Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2025-03-26

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Mar 26
● Final124 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,788 head
▲ 3,865 vs last sale 923▲ 1,422 vs year ago 3,366 · +42.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
174 head
▲ 73 vs last sale 101▲ 102 vs year ago 72 · +141.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
83 head
▼ 35 vs last sale 118▼ 19 vs year ago 102 · −18.6%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was very good. This was the anniversary sale and quality and demand was high. Feeder steers sold 4.00 to 8.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Feeder heifers sold 6.00 to 8.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Breaker and boner slaughter cows sold steady while lean cows of average dressing sold 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 3.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday April 2, 2025.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $326.59/cwt on 530 head. That ranks 1 of 8 comparable sales and sits −16.47 against this barn's trailing median of $343.06.
Average price
$326.59
530 head · 540 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,763
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$249
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$46.71/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.01
vs CO average
+4.85 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1535340.271,821271
Large 1562324.331,82485
Medium and Large 1-2536311.721,672123
Large 1-2535293.561,57251
One grade step is worth $46.71/cwt here — about $249 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 sale530 hd
326.59
—
CO average3 barns · 648 hd
328.60
−2.01
National average178 barns · 15,613 hd
321.74
+4.85
This barn, trailing median8 sales
343.06
−16.47
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—Low1,617162.022,62023
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,349148.542,00424
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,580147.402,3297thin
CowsLean 85-90%High1,056140.181,480116

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)1,260$2,4751thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,520$1,9251thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,240$1,7251thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,010$1,7251thin

Every lot

124 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 · Steers48 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 12331,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4006
Steers250–300Large 1Fancy273525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,4336
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1277511.77/cwt505.00–520.001,41811
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed327493.15/cwt485.00–495.001,61311
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1337465.72/cwt460.00–475.001,56913
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Fancy342540.00/cwt540.00–540.001,84715
Steers300–350Large 1348500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,74012
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Fancy383489.13/cwt485.00–495.001,87381
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1387462.52/cwt450.00–475.001,79012
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Fancy409494.96/cwt490.00–500.002,02443
Steers400–450Large 1-2418392.50/cwt392.50–392.501,6413
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed422478.01/cwt470.00–485.002,01728
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1434447.47/cwt435.00–450.001,94233
Steers400–450Large 1434435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,88813
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Fancy451480.00/cwt480.00–480.002,1654
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2455387.50/cwt387.50–387.501,7634
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed478434.42/cwt420.00–445.002,077105
Steers450–500Large 1484410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,98482
Steers450–500Large 1-2485374.87/cwt370.00–385.001,81815
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1486399.40/cwt392.50–417.501,94167
Steers450–500Large 1Fancy488465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,2699
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Fancy504415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,09218
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed517397.77/cwt390.00–400.002,056128
Steers500–550Large 1530370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,96148
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1536382.23/cwt360.00–387.502,04962
Steers500–550Large 1-2536346.40/cwt315.00–355.001,85722
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed567375.38/cwt372.50–390.002,12869
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2572332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,90210
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1582354.26/cwt342.00–368.002,062125
Steers550–600Large 1589338.76/cwt335.00–348.001,99538
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed617347.23/cwt345.00–350.002,14289
Steers600–650Large 1624322.76/cwt317.50–330.002,01465
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2631302.45/cwt290.00–317.501,90855
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1640330.85/cwt322.50–332.502,11760
Steers650–700Large 1654323.02/cwt307.50–327.502,11368
Steers650–700Large 1-2655261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,7106
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1658298.25/cwt292.50–306.001,96219
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed673317.32/cwt312.00–330.002,13661
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Fancy679342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,3264
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2692280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,9383
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed713308.93/cwt305.00–313.002,203116
Steers700–750Large 1722292.04/cwt277.50–295.002,109138
Steers700–750Large 1-2730255.17/cwt246.00–261.001,86313
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1733295.00/cwt277.50–299.002,16225
Steers750–800Large 1767286.90/cwt286.00–287.002,201111
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1768284.00/cwt281.00–285.002,18143
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1818268.00/cwt268.00–268.002,1928
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1903242.50/cwt242.50–242.502,1902
Feeder Cattle · Heifers50 lots · lightest first
Heifers150–200Medium and Large 11881,250.00/head1,250.00–1,250.001,2503
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 12081,275.00/head1,275.00–1,275.001,2752
Heifers250–300Large 1250445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,1132
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1277445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,23311
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1316436.44/cwt425.00–440.001,37912
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2336408.63/cwt385.00–422.501,37349
Heifers300–350Large 1-2344385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,3244
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed363427.48/cwt425.00–435.001,55218
Heifers350–400Large 1-2365382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,3962
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2371397.06/cwt380.00–405.001,47339
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1390413.88/cwt410.00–420.001,61410
Heifers350–400Large 1394422.50/cwt422.50–422.501,6658
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Fancy403428.06/cwt420.00–440.001,72537
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2413310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,2806
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed417402.42/cwt395.00–407.501,67871
Heifers400–450Large 1420405.12/cwt402.50–407.501,70222
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1440382.85/cwt372.50–390.001,685102
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Fancy457396.07/cwt395.00–400.001,81043
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed459378.83/cwt375.00–385.001,73926
Heifers450–500Large 1480381.33/cwt365.00–390.001,830150
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1484364.65/cwt350.00–370.001,76554
Heifers450–500Large 1-2489337.94/cwt332.50–340.001,65311
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2490347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,70311
Heifers500–550Large 1508340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,72717
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed518343.80/cwt340.00–350.001,781126
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2524313.20/cwt289.00–318.001,64192
Heifers500–550Large 1-2527294.84/cwt277.00–315.001,55445
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1529333.45/cwt327.50–335.001,76445
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed558342.57/cwt342.00–345.001,91262
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1562332.91/cwt327.50–335.001,87138
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2573307.32/cwt292.50–312.501,76131
Heifers550–600Large 1576320.41/cwt315.00–332.501,84668
Heifers550–600Large 1-2598284.00/cwt284.00–284.001,6986
Heifers600–650Large 1Thin Fleshed611302.97/cwt300.00–310.001,85177
Heifers600–650Large 1Fancy613324.10/cwt322.00–325.001,98738
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed624300.62/cwt298.00–305.001,87683
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fancy625318.10/cwt310.00–320.001,98884
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1631288.55/cwt280.00–293.501,82172
Heifers600–650Large 1633287.63/cwt280.00–290.001,821103
Heifers650–700Large 1663281.04/cwt280.50–281.501,863193
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed664314.53/cwt312.50–315.002,08811
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1669288.90/cwt271.00–294.001,933109
Heifers650–700Large 1-2678269.00/cwt269.00–269.001,8243
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed709291.00/cwt291.00–291.002,06341
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1731273.17/cwt271.00–274.501,99777
Heifers700–750Large 1739260.56/cwt260.00–275.001,926127
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1762270.02/cwt264.00–272.002,05861
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1808257.29/cwt250.00–265.002,07925
Heifers800–850Large 1819262.50/cwt262.50–262.502,15012
Heifers850–900Large 1880251.00/cwt251.00–251.002,2094
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1430440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,8925
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1489390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,9074
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1521381.35/cwt380.00–385.001,98711
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed577352.50/cwt352.50–352.502,0343
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1596327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,9524
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1708287.50/cwt287.50–287.502,0362
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1915221.00/cwt221.00–221.002,0222
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,395132.63/cwt124.00–144.001,8505
Bulls——1,428159.81/cwt146.00–169.002,2829
Bulls——1,930180.56/cwt171.00–186.003,4859
Slaughter Cattle · Cows8 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%87091.00/cwt91.00–91.007921
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed974123.66/cwt123.00–126.001,2045
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,008111.13/cwt101.00–129.001,12011
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,060146.97/cwt141.00–153.001,55875
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,068137.15/cwt130.00–140.001,46516
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,133139.01/cwt136.00–140.001,5758
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,349148.54/cwt145.00–151.002,00424
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,580147.40/cwt141.00–151.002,3297
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed799235.21/cwt231.00–237.501,87910
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2924189.65/cwt180.00–192.501,7528
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1958208.25/cwt200.00–222.001,99546
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,025170.17/cwt158.00–175.001,74412
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2401,725.00/head1,725.00–1,725.001,7251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2602,475.00/head2,475.00–2,475.002,4751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5201,925.00/head1,925.00–1,925.001,9251
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,0101,725.00/head1,725.00–1,725.001,7251

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.