Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2025-04-09

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Apr 9
● Final80 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
449 head
▼ 213 vs last sale 662▼ 430 vs year ago 879 · −48.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
88 head
▼ 32 vs last sale 120▼ 57 vs year ago 145 · −39.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
301 head
▲ 256 vs last sale 45▼ 186 vs year ago 487 · −38.2%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Feeder steers sold 5.00 to 7.00 higher across all weight classes with instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers under 550lbs sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher with instances of sharply higher while feeder heifers over 550lbs sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Breaker and boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold steady while lean cows sold 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 3.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cows sale will be next Wednesday April 16, 2025.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $356.96/cwt on 19 head. That ranks 1 of 8 comparable sales and sits −51.23 against this barn's trailing median of $408.19.
Average price
$356.96
19 head · 562 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,007
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$90
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$32.02/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+4.14
vs CO average
+2.66 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1558362.022,02016thin
Medium and Large 1-2585330.001,9313thin
One grade step is worth $32.02/cwt here — about $90 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale19 hd
356.96
—
CO average3 barns · 84 hd
352.82
+4.14
National average175 barns · 9,187 hd
354.30
+2.66
This barn, trailing median8 sales
408.19
−51.23
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—Low1,673168.002,81129
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,630152.452,4852thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,379145.832,01110
CowsLean 85-90%High1,084139.401,51243

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)1,091$2,85726
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,197$2,46612
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,219$2,3888
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,022$2,30821
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,143$2,2929
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,144$2,2455
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,223$2,15713
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,216$2,1258
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,189$2,1046
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,240$2,0001thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,007$1,89419
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,260$1,8752thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,060$1,7774thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)923$2,40517
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)710$1,5251thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,168$3,1253thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,105$2,52411
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,117$2,44713

Every lot

80 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 · Steers15 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1299450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,3465
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1346415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,4364
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1378430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,6259
Steers400–450Large 1430402.50/cwt402.50–402.501,7312
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1431401.00/cwt401.00–401.001,7286
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1458395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,8092
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Value Added553372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,0607
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1562353.87/cwt352.50–357.501,9899
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2585330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,9313
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2610285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,7392
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Value Added663332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,2046
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1664308.00/cwt308.00–308.002,04511
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2670272.50/cwt272.50–272.501,8262
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1744271.26/cwt271.00–274.002,01844
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1870249.00/cwt249.00–249.002,16619
Feeder Cattle · Heifers12 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1279435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,2148
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1340407.25/cwt402.50–415.001,38513
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1361396.00/cwt396.00–396.001,43010
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2392367.50/cwt367.50–367.501,4417
Heifers450–500Large 1496342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,6995
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1498342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,7064
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1524331.37/cwt327.50–342.501,73615
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1738263.00/cwt263.00–263.001,9416
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1787262.00/cwt262.00–262.002,0623
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1828256.83/cwt252.00–260.002,12713
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1871250.87/cwt249.00–252.502,1857
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1921244.00/cwt244.00–244.002,2479
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1568347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,9744
Bulls750–800Large 1788243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,9156
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1829248.00/cwt248.00–248.002,0565
Bulls800–850Large 1829236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,9565
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,370133.72/cwt116.00–146.001,8323
Bulls——1,457164.98/cwt155.00–170.002,40410
Bulls——1,865176.31/cwt171.00–190.003,28816
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%965119.19/cwt111.00–126.001,1508
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,032133.27/cwt130.00–139.001,3757
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,051146.74/cwt130.00–162.501,5424
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,125145.51/cwt140.00–151.001,63713
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,169148.09/cwt141.00–156.001,73111
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,379145.83/cwt140.00–151.002,01110
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,630152.45/cwt151.00–154.002,4852
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 27101,525.00/head1,525.00–1,525.001,5251
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-28972,186.26/head2,075.00–2,275.002,1868
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 19462,598.67/head2,525.00–2,725.002,5999
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs8 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-28421,625.00/head1,625.00–1,625.001,6253
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 19532,757.81/head2,725.00–2,850.002,7584
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 19602,340.63/head2,250.00–2,450.002,3413
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0452,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,0751
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1683,125.00/head3,125.00–3,125.003,1253
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1782,523.25/head2,300.00–2,700.002,5239
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3242,912.18/head2,750.00–3,000.002,9123
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,8403,125.00/head3,125.00–3,125.003,1251
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows24 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 26901,025.00/head1,025.00–1,025.001,0251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-28821,725.00/head1,725.00–1,725.001,7251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29231,949.52/head1,800.00–2,050.001,9506
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29301,353.61/head1,325.00–1,625.001,35411
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0102,026.86/head1,900.00–2,150.002,0272
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0601,777.15/head1,700.00–1,950.001,7774
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0622,451.76/head2,275.00–2,535.002,45215
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0631,981.58/head1,975.00–2,000.001,9823
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0701,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0722,841.75/head2,510.00–2,935.002,84213
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0731,975.00/head1,975.00–1,975.001,9752
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1132,637.77/head2,425.00–2,825.002,6388
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fancy1,1283,025.00/head3,025.00–3,025.003,02511
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1522,352.97/head2,010.00–2,475.002,3538
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1561,938.35/head1,675.00–2,025.001,9384
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1811,945.58/head1,925.00–1,975.001,9465
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2092,375.00/head2,375.00–2,375.002,3754
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2192,388.28/head2,325.00–2,475.002,3888
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2402,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2412,627.19/head2,425.00–2,725.002,6279
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2472,167.85/head2,025.00–2,300.002,1684
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2601,875.00/head1,875.00–1,875.001,8752
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2732,425.00/head2,425.00–2,425.002,4253
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3232,407.23/head2,300.00–2,525.002,4078
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed939212.17/cwt211.00–212.501,9924
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,008157.33/cwt151.00–164.001,5864
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,046204.21/cwt190.00–207.502,13635
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,101183.26/cwt172.50–186.002,01811

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.