Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2024-09-04

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Sep 4
● Final66 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
591 head
6 vs last sale 585 280 vs year ago 871 · 32.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
183 head
104 vs last sale 79 33 vs year ago 150 · +22.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
66 head
187 vs last sale 253 255 vs year ago 321 · 79.4%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate. Feeder steers sold mostly 7.00 to 13.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Feeder heifers under 450lbs sold 1.00 to 19.00 higher. Feeder heifers over 450lbs sold 8.00 to 15.00 lower. Boner slaughter cows sold 2.00 lower. Lean slaughter cows sold 8.00 lower and slaughter bulls sold 16.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday September 11, 2024.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $266.97/cwt on 133 head. That ranks 1 of 12 comparable sales and sits 176.01 against this barn's trailing median of $442.98.
Average price
$266.97
133 head · 552 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,475
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$198
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$26.85/cwt at this weight
vs the market
2.30
vs CO average
2.43 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1554269.591,494120
Medium and Large 1-2534242.741,29613thin
One grade step is worth $26.85/cwt here — about $198 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

12 sales
499466434401median 442.9812/1701/2102/1103/0403/25
Steers 500–600 lb: high $484.95, low $415.25, median $442.98 across 12 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale133 hd
266.97
CO average4 barns · 207 hd
269.27
−2.30
National average147 barns · 6,928 hd
269.40
−2.43
This barn, trailing median12 sales
442.98
−176.01
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

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
BullsLow1,679146.612,46222
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,387129.431,79531
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,115117.781,313118

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)Aged (>8 yrs)1,423$2,0325
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,455$2,0292thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,330$1,8632thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,095$1,8502thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,383$1,8103thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,376$1,7906
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,280$1,7293thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,075$1,7112thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,183$1,5432thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,195$1,5251thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)870$1,0251thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)987$1,6663thin
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)833$1,51712
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,830$2,7251thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,450$2,4103thin
Heifer PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,463$2,3182thin

Every lot, as filed

66 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500476249.95/cwt241.00–256.001,19015
SteersMedium and Large 1300–350342370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,2659
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450401295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,18315
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600590262.61/cwt256.00–267.001,54969
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700674252.99/cwt246.00–256.001,70513
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650604241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,45614
HeifersMedium and Large 1200–250213810.00/head810.00–810.008104
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550506279.04/cwt269.00–285.001,41251
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750704247.46/cwt245.00–248.001,74228
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750711234.31/cwt225.00–239.001,66630
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4552,029.18/head2,010.00–2,050.002,0292
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3831,810.00/head1,810.00–1,810.001,8103
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4432,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0002
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4232,032.42/head2,000.00–2,075.002,0325
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 11,6802,625.00/head2,625.00–2,625.002,6251
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400356370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,3174
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0951,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8502
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1818204.81/cwt201.00–213.001,6753
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,2102,110.00/head2,110.00–2,110.002,1101
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0751,711.16/head1,600.00–1,800.001,7112
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1951,525.00/head1,525.00–1,525.001,5251
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2801,729.48/head1,675.00–1,825.001,7293
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,4502,410.00/head2,410.00–2,410.002,4103
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 11,8302,725.00/head2,725.00–2,725.002,7251
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4602,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4552,310.00/head2,310.00–2,310.002,3101
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 18701,570.49/head1,475.00–1,610.001,57010
CowsLean 85-90%1,03896.58/cwt91.00–98.001,00310
CowsLean 85-90%1,169127.39/cwt120.00–151.001,48953
CowsLean 85-90%1,077112.38/cwt101.00–119.001,21055
CowsBoner 80-85%1,393130.56/cwt121.00–140.001,81929
CowsBoner 80-85%1,300113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,4692
Bulls1,155115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,3281
HeifersMedium and Large 1300–350305315.67/cwt315.00–317.009636
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600598240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4355
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400397296.00/cwt296.00–296.001,1753
SteersLarge 1650–700670226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,5142
Bulls1,770153.42/cwt141.00–161.002,71615
Bulls1,540134.84/cwt115.00–159.002,0776
Bred CowsMedium and Large 2910775.00/head775.00–775.007751
SteersMedium and Large 2300–350340265.00/cwt265.00–265.009014
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-28751,443.59/head1,210.00–1,625.001,4442
HeifersMedium and Large 1100–150142575.00/head575.00–575.005753
SteersMedium and Large 1150–200170800.00/head800.00–800.008004
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300294311.00/cwt311.00–311.0091413
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2001,525.00/head1,525.00–1,525.001,5251
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3421,684.26/head1,560.00–1,725.001,6844
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2452,010.00/head2,010.00–2,010.002,0101
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2300–350345276.00/cwt276.00–276.009525
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450443279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,2362
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-26451,250.00/head1,250.00–1,250.001,2502
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-28701,025.00/head1,025.00–1,025.001,0251
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2963168.23/cwt151.00–181.001,62010
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400369329.85/cwt328.00–332.501,21710
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450433314.11/cwt301.00–318.001,3609
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550510231.00/cwt231.00–231.001,1783
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750718207.50/cwt207.50–207.501,4902
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550534242.74/cwt230.00–251.001,29613
SteersMedium and Large 1-2300–350316325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,0274
SteersMedium and Large 1850–900871220.91/cwt218.00–225.001,92412
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650621245.70/cwt241.00–255.001,52612
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500467282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,31711
SteersMedium and Large 1250–300251377.00/cwt377.00–377.009469
SteersMedium and Large 1800–850826221.82/cwt217.00–225.001,8325
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450420335.66/cwt325.00–337.001,41026
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550520247.59/cwt240.00–250.001,28729

How this sale compares

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.