Sale reports / Colorado / Winter - La Junta / 2025-03-11

Winter - La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Tue, Mar 11
● Final112 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1901
Feeder Cattle receipts
6,937 head
▲ 5,362 vs last sale 1,575▼ 165 vs year ago 7,102 · −2.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
169 head
▲ 40 vs last sale 129▲ 113 vs year ago 56 · +201.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
66 head
▲ 8 vs last sale 58▲ 44 vs year ago 22 · +200.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was very good. Today was the anniversary sale and had high quality cattle and the buyer demand was very strong. Feeder steers sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 8.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows and boner cows sold steady while lean cows sold 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 5.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday March 18, 2025 along with a replacement cows sale.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $344.44/cwt on 1,100 head. That ranks 3 of 9 comparable sales and sits −21.28 against this barn's trailing median of $365.72.
Average price
$344.44
1,100 head · 551 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,899
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$128
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$46.45/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+5.52
vs CO average
+29.48 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1552346.451,913928
Large 1547339.651,856128
Medium and Large 1-2518326.941,69426
Large 1-2595300.001,78518thin
One grade step is worth $46.45/cwt here — about $128 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 sale1,100 hd
344.44
—
CO average3 barns · 1,386 hd
338.91
+5.52
National average179 barns · 17,787 hd
314.96
+29.48
This barn, trailing median9 sales
365.72
−21.28
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

9 sales
457400343285median 365.7203/0303/1709/2910/1311/03
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $443.49, low $299.37, median $365.72 across 9 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—Average1,729166.082,87119
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,535144.422,21710
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,339143.401,92165
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,080139.141,50366

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/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,160$2,5501thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,348$1,8713thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,020$1,5001thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)875$2,5001thin
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)925$2,3001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,157$2,9205
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,450$2,7384thin

Every lot

112 lots · USDA AMS · Winter Livestock (Tuesday) - 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 · Steers38 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1295485.00/cwt485.00–485.001,4312
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Fancy327489.64/cwt485.00–492.001,60120
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1335420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,4073
Steers350–400Large 1371432.50/cwt432.50–432.501,6054
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2374422.50/cwt422.50–422.501,5804
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1377442.31/cwt435.00–470.001,668114
Steers400–450Large 1432421.33/cwt415.00–424.001,82024
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1433427.60/cwt424.00–440.001,85263
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2442395.03/cwt385.00–399.001,74619
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1465401.89/cwt390.00–419.001,869201
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2487385.22/cwt376.00–387.501,87663
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Fancy521401.68/cwt391.00–415.002,093220
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1523358.67/cwt347.50–364.001,87638
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed528377.02/cwt371.00–389.001,99199
Steers500–550Large 1529374.77/cwt357.50–382.501,98319
Steers550–600Large 1560348.88/cwt340.00–358.001,95460
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Fancy569381.37/cwt369.00–387.002,170151
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1584345.74/cwt336.00–360.002,019187
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2588325.47/cwt320.00–327.001,91460
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Fancy616357.35/cwt351.00–364.502,201228
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1621325.71/cwt312.50–328.002,02384
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed630338.76/cwt332.00–342.002,13496
Steers600–650Large 1633321.30/cwt313.00–329.002,03434
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2640302.12/cwt296.00–307.501,93415
Steers650–700Large 1Thin Fleshed667315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,10119
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Fancy669321.19/cwt309.00–329.002,149153
Steers650–700Large 1674290.09/cwt280.00–300.001,95535
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1676294.01/cwt287.50–299.001,98827
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed714316.87/cwt310.00–320.002,262122
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1722293.90/cwt281.00–300.002,122187
Steers700–750Large 1731278.97/cwt272.50–281.502,03926
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1762286.86/cwt274.00–296.002,18662
Steers800–850Large 1801270.25/cwt270.25–270.252,16533
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1815270.80/cwt257.50–274.502,207100
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed816295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,4074
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1872259.68/cwt256.00–265.002,26498
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1908259.00/cwt259.00–259.002,3525
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1956252.00/cwt252.00–252.002,40916
Feeder Cattle · Heifers43 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 12311,225.00/head1,225.00–1,225.001,2253
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 12601,100.00/head1,100.00–1,100.001,1002
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1292392.50/cwt392.50–392.501,1462
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Fancy307436.52/cwt435.00–437.501,34013
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2309385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,1906
Heifers300–350Large 1320435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,3922
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1340395.26/cwt390.00–410.001,34426
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Fancy360409.69/cwt402.50–415.001,47524
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1365385.16/cwt382.50–389.001,40643
Heifers350–400Large 1382394.00/cwt394.00–394.001,5057
Heifers350–400Large 1-2398377.00/cwt377.00–377.001,5005
Heifers400–450Large 1Fancy414413.00/cwt413.00–413.001,7105
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Fancy419398.92/cwt390.00–408.001,67177
Heifers400–450Large 1431365.29/cwt357.50–377.501,57416
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed438379.42/cwt374.00–385.001,66299
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1443365.13/cwt357.50–370.001,61818
Heifers450–500Large 1454370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,6804
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2480343.68/cwt335.00–350.001,650131
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1481364.53/cwt357.00–377.501,75391
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Fancy484385.51/cwt380.00–391.001,86688
Heifers500–550Large 1513352.48/cwt337.00–372.501,80861
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2518326.94/cwt320.00–329.001,69426
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed523361.01/cwt354.00–367.501,888239
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Fancy535376.60/cwt372.50–387.502,015126
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1537342.29/cwt334.00–350.001,83889
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Fancy566346.81/cwt343.00–355.001,96398
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1576316.14/cwt301.50–325.001,821149
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed577335.76/cwt327.50–340.001,937227
Heifers550–600Large 1577327.97/cwt324.00–337.501,89267
Heifers550–600Large 1-2595300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,78518
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1617296.78/cwt282.50–300.001,831327
Heifers600–650Large 1621311.00/cwt311.00–311.001,93133
Heifers600–650Large 1-2622279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,73516
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed625312.99/cwt301.00–319.001,956367
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed662300.71/cwt296.00–303.001,99144
Heifers650–700Large 1672281.69/cwt266.00–283.001,89389
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1684270.13/cwt265.50–278.001,848173
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed716299.00/cwt299.00–299.002,14125
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1720266.26/cwt255.00–277.001,917545
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1783252.69/cwt245.00–267.001,979126
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1810247.00/cwt243.75–251.002,001195
Heifers800–850Large 1812245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,9897
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1896219.00/cwt219.00–219.001,96212
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1363429.00/cwt429.00–429.001,5573
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1428402.98/cwt392.00–410.001,72516
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1489362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,7737
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1532336.00/cwt336.00–336.001,7887
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1609316.20/cwt308.00–322.501,92614
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1663290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,9234
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——965130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,2551
Bulls——1,771168.08/cwt148.00–186.002,97718
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%768112.93/cwt111.00–115.008672
Cows—Lean 85-90%85597.00/cwt97.00–97.008291
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed954113.43/cwt113.00–115.001,0826
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,108143.51/cwt127.00–156.001,59057
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,338143.70/cwt132.00–148.001,92364
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,435124.00/cwt124.00–124.001,7791
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,535144.42/cwt144.00–146.002,21710
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2670117.50/cwt117.50–117.507871
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2685157.50/cwt157.50–157.501,0791
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed860239.45/cwt217.50–249.002,05928
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2903158.39/cwt152.50–165.001,4302
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2970141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,3681
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1979190.30/cwt182.50–206.001,86313
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs4 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,0253,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1902,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8004
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2952,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5022,750.00/head2,750.00–2,750.002,7503
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0201,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1451,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1602,550.00/head2,550.00–2,550.002,5501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4502,005.86/head1,900.00–2,100.002,0062
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 18752,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 19252,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001

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.