Sale reports / Colorado / La Junta / 2025-02-05

La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Wed, Feb 5
● Final67 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1903
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,561 head
652 vs last sale 2,213 311 vs year ago 1,250 · +24.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
201 head
55 vs last sale 146 0 vs year ago 201 · +0.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
49 head
42 vs last sale 91 117 vs year ago 166 · 70.5%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Feeder steers under 500lbs sold 2.00 to 8.00 lower with instances of sharply lower. Feeder steers between 500 and 700lbs sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder steers over 700lbs sold 9.00 to 10.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 500lbs sold 4.00 to 7.00 lower. Feeder heifers over 500lbs sold unevenly steady. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. Boner slaughter cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher and lean cows sold 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Wednesday February 12, 2025.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $284.06/cwt on 302 head. That ranks 1 of 12 comparable sales and sits 118.39 against this barn's trailing median of $402.45.
Average price
$284.06
302 head · 561 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,593
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$447
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$92.54/cwt at this weight
vs the market
21.28
vs CO average
14.80 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1553296.541,641141
Large 1580280.741,628100
Medium and Large 1-2538272.691,46737
Large 1-2543265.001,43915thin
Medium and Large 2585204.001,1939thin
One grade step is worth $92.54/cwt here — about $447 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

12 sales
471426381336median 402.4512/1701/2102/1103/0403/25
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $456.58, low $350.42, median $402.45 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 sale302 hd
284.06
CO average3 barns · 878 hd
305.34
−21.28
National average192 barns · 21,303 hd
298.86
−14.80
This barn, trailing median12 sales
402.45
−118.39
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
BullsHigh1,598158.892,5397thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,594142.052,2645thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,362140.071,90860
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,140135.491,545122

Every lot, as filed

67 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
HeifersLarge 1-2500–550543265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,43915
HeifersLarge 1-2450–500497315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,56615
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550531316.18/cwt310.00–337.501,67966
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600558331.27/cwt312.50–342.001,84899
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450434376.56/cwt336.00–395.001,63441
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550522313.94/cwt292.00–330.001,63917
SteersMedium and Large 2600–650617201.00/cwt201.00–201.001,24010
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500470343.29/cwt332.50–360.001,61342
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400379345.87/cwt325.00–367.501,31123
SteersLarge 1-2400–450435365.00/cwt365.00–365.001,5882
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750714270.64/cwt267.00–274.001,93229
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500477379.91/cwt355.00–400.001,81221
SteersMedium and Large 1300–350330432.08/cwt430.00–435.001,4269
SteersLarge 1750–800777256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,98917
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450412406.68/cwt405.00–407.501,67615
SteersLarge 1550–600577336.97/cwt335.00–342.501,94466
SteersLarge 1650–700671284.41/cwt277.00–286.001,90864
SteersMedium and Large 1750–800770263.00/cwt263.00–263.002,0253
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400369423.11/cwt415.00–425.001,56117
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550517372.16/cwt352.50–390.001,92442
SteersLarge 1500–550509376.00/cwt376.00–376.001,91410
SteersLarge 1-2300–350349405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,4136
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700664290.30/cwt289.00–294.001,92825
SteersLarge 1-2550–600597292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,74614
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500465325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,5116
SteersMedium and Large 1-2300–350318419.95/cwt415.00–422.501,3356
SteersLarge 1450–500485376.00/cwt376.00–376.001,8247
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600590291.41/cwt272.00–310.001,71915
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400390400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,5602
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700667259.50/cwt256.00–266.001,73120
HeifersLarge 1400–450435360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,5664
BullsMedium and Large 1400–450435360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,5665
BullsLarge 1450–500463330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,5288
BullsMedium and Large 1600–650608273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,6602
BullsMedium and Large 1550–600583285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,6625
CowsLean 85-90%98083.69/cwt81.00–87.008202
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,594142.05/cwt138.00–151.002,2645
CowsBoner 80-85%1,363140.48/cwt126.00–146.001,91559
CowsBoner 80-85%1,315116.00/cwt116.00–116.001,5251
CowsLean 85-90%1,169138.89/cwt125.00–147.001,624106
CowsLean 85-90%978117.82/cwt116.00–122.001,15210
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed856115.34/cwt115.00–116.009874
Bulls1,598158.89/cwt147.00–191.002,5397
Stock CowsMedium and Large 21,236142.09/cwt131.00–146.001,7566
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,002188.73/cwt171.00–213.001,89129
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-21,033154.05/cwt150.00–168.001,59110
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2250–300261355.00/cwt355.00–355.009274
HeifersMedium and Large 1800–850813239.05/cwt238.00–240.001,94315
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750717254.00/cwt254.00–254.001,8217
HeifersMedium and Large 2550–600585204.00/cwt204.00–204.001,1939
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500467311.83/cwt305.00–325.001,45629
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2300–350312344.61/cwt325.00–365.001,07513
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600585254.80/cwt247.00–260.001,4919
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800798240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,9154
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650618270.95/cwt266.00–274.001,67438
HeifersLarge 1550–600580280.74/cwt269.00–310.001,628100
HeifersLarge 1450–500464363.87/cwt325.00–367.501,68863
HeifersLarge 1350–400393380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,4939
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650625302.31/cwt285.00–317.501,88970
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450425315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,3393
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450430350.41/cwt335.00–375.001,50730
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400385377.40/cwt375.00–380.001,45329
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900869237.26/cwt237.00–240.002,06257
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600573279.26/cwt266.00–312.501,60075
SteersMedium and Large 1800–850836248.00/cwt248.00–248.002,0734
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650630253.52/cwt251.00–256.001,5974
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550523278.44/cwt272.50–290.001,45628

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.