Sale reports / Colorado / Winter - La Junta / 2025-03-25

Winter - La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Tue, Mar 25
● Final69 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1901
Feeder Cattle receipts
486 head
▼ 6,451 vs last sale 6,937▼ 13 vs year ago 499 · −2.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
238 head
▲ 69 vs last sale 169▲ 93 vs year ago 145 · +64.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
118 head
▲ 52 vs last sale 66▲ 32 vs year ago 86 · +37.2%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 600lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder steers over 600lbs sold 3.00 to 4.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold mostly 1.00 to 5.00 higher with instances of sharply higher across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows sold steady. Boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher and lean cows sold 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday April 1, 2025.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $335.73/cwt on 60 head. That ranks 3 of 9 comparable sales and sits −29.99 against this barn's trailing median of $365.72.
Average price
$335.73
60 head · 553 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,855
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$239
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$18.88/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−1.90
vs CO average
+13.99 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1555342.061,90033
Large 1593334.001,98112thin
Medium and Large 1-2514323.181,66115thin
One grade step is worth $18.88/cwt here — about $239 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 700–800 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 sale60 hd
335.73
—
CO average2 barns · 118 hd
337.63
−1.90
National average178 barns · 15,613 hd
321.74
+13.99
This barn, trailing median9 sales
365.72
−29.99
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—High1,859170.703,17239
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,567144.132,2593thin
CowsLean 85-90%High1,142143.511,639138
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,450141.832,05743
CowsPremium White 65-75%High1,965138.002,7121thin

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,150$2,3001thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,440$2,1002thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,400$1,9751thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,130$1,9501thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,005$1,9002thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,147$1,8236
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,294$1,7965
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)845$1,6002thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,053$2,8716
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,324$3,8507
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,202$3,4919
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,301$3,47614
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,297$2,85928
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,063$2,2752thin

Every lot

69 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 · Steers10 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1390435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,6972
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2448390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,7472
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1455393.00/cwt393.00–393.001,7884
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1535361.00/cwt361.00–361.001,93111
Steers500–550Large 1-2535307.50/cwt307.50–307.501,6456
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1563353.00/cwt353.00–353.001,9873
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1649310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,01212
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1650320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,0802
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2713261.00/cwt261.00–261.001,8612
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1726290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,10510
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1408378.65/cwt370.00–381.001,54510
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1450357.60/cwt356.00–360.001,6095
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1512377.50/cwt377.50–377.501,9336
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2514323.18/cwt322.50–325.001,66115
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1561317.00/cwt317.00–317.001,77811
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed568346.00/cwt346.00–346.001,96516
Heifers550–600Large 1593334.00/cwt334.00–334.001,98112
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1610290.22/cwt283.00–294.001,77030
Heifers600–650Large 1647307.00/cwt307.00–307.001,9869
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1655278.00/cwt278.00–278.001,8212
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1700266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,8628
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed708300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,12416
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Replacement775305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,36412
Heifers750–800Large 1-2789246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,94118
Heifers750–800Large 1Replacement795250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,98810
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1813251.00/cwt251.00–251.002,0413
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1Replacement837287.00/cwt287.00–287.002,40212
Heifers850–900Large 1Replacement869245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,12910
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Replacement882278.00/cwt278.00–278.002,45212
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Replacement919264.50/cwt264.50–264.502,43112
Heifers900–950Large 1Replacement919238.40/cwt237.00–240.002,19122
Heifers1000–1050Large 1Replacement1,035223.00/cwt223.00–223.002,30810
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls150–200Medium and Large 1150850.00/head850.00–850.008502
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1478375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,7932
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1580347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,0162
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1662310.61/cwt306.00–318.002,05616
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,436148.69/cwt137.50–153.002,1357
Bulls——1,951175.51/cwt155.00–196.003,42432
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%942119.96/cwt116.00–124.001,1307
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed955125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,1941
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,089137.46/cwt131.00–139.001,49715
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,134148.57/cwt137.00–162.001,68551
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,186143.76/cwt140.00–159.001,70564
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,450142.21/cwt135.00–146.002,06242
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,455126.00/cwt126.00–126.001,8331
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,567144.13/cwt142.00–148.002,2593
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,965138.00/cwt138.00–138.002,7121
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 19352,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fancy1,0773,025.00/head3,025.00–3,025.003,0255
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows9 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-28451,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0051,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1301,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1441,872.07/head1,800.00–2,050.001,8725
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1502,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,1601,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,5751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2941,795.71/head1,700.00–1,825.001,7965
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4001,975.00/head1,975.00–1,975.001,9751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4402,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1002
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs8 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 21,0202,150.00/head2,150.00–2,150.002,1501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1001,925.00/head1,925.00–1,925.001,9251
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1052,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,1152,411.43/head2,150.00–2,700.002,4112
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2273,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8007
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3013,476.08/head3,300.00–3,650.003,47614
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3042,893.85/head2,800.00–3,000.002,89427
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,3243,850.00/head3,850.00–3,850.003,8507
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed834230.07/cwt217.50–237.501,91910
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1998187.61/cwt180.00–197.501,8726
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,146166.66/cwt165.00–172.501,91010

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.