Sale reports / Colorado / Winter - La Junta / 2024-05-14

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Winter - La Junta

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · La Junta, Colorado · Tue, May 14
● Final58 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1901
← May 7May 14Aug 6 →
Feeder Cattle receipts
497 head
▼ 1,121 vs last sale 1,618▲ 497 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
214 head
▲ 33 vs last sale 181▲ 214 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
378 head
▲ 188 vs last sale 190▲ 378 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower across all weight classes on a light test and feeder heifers were too light for an accurate trend. Slaughter breaker cows sold 9.00 higher, boner cows sold 7.00 higher and lean cows sold 4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 9.00 higher. Bred heifers had a higher trend noticeable along with cow calf pairs. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be next Tuesday May 21, 2024.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $299.15/cwt on 34 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −164.23 against this barn's trailing median of $463.38.
Average price
$299.15
34 head · 535 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,601
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$72
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$23.72/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−14.87
vs CO average
−11.62 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1513306.821,57222
Large 1553295.001,6312thin
Medium and Large 1-2581283.101,64510thin
One grade step is worth $23.72/cwt here — about −$72 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

13 sales
513486459433median 463.3812/1601/2002/1003/0303/24
Steers 500–600 lb: high $498.81, low $446.57, median $463.38 across 13 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 sale34 hd
299.15
—
CO average3 barns · 82 hd
314.01
−14.87
National average163 barns · 10,302 hd
310.77
−11.62
This barn, trailing median13 sales
463.38
−164.23
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
Bulls—High1,736148.332,57524
CowsPremium White 65-75%High1,725153.002,6391thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,573140.322,20717
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,398136.511,90864
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,122127.841,43499

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)1,316$2,1665
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,063$2,0752thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,197$1,9755
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,154$1,9515
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,182$1,6133thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,238$1,6033thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,030$2,2647
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,000$1,9501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,278$2,46338
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,193$2,3816
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,480$2,1001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,269$1,9528
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,334$1,69523
Heifer PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,050$2,995212
Heifer PairsOpen(<2 yrs)895$2,4001thin

Every lot, as filed

58 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,2782,463.30/head2,000.00–2,900.002,46338
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,3022,634.33/head2,550.00–2,900.002,6344
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1—1,0443,033.01/head2,800.00–3,150.003,033199
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400393347.50/cwt347.50–347.501,3663
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600593282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,6728
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500464342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,5898
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,1602,088.54/head2,000.00–2,150.002,0894
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1—1,0001,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9501
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy—1,3522,750.00/head2,750.00–2,750.002,7503
SteersMedium and Large 1900–950911218.00/cwt218.00–218.001,98620
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600560290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,6243
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,2852,011.44/head1,800.00–2,100.002,0114
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,1102,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,4802,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,0982,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5002
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,3012,043.61/head1,900.00–2,150.002,04410
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1—1,3001,990.13/head1,900.00–2,050.001,9903
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,0632,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,0752
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1—1,3403,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,1001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,3162,165.52/head2,050.00–2,200.002,1665
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1—7881,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9004
HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed400–450410327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,3434
BullsMedium and Large 1500–550548302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,6582
CowsPremium White 65-75%—1,725153.00/cwt153.00–153.002,6391
CowsLean 85-90%—88094.85/cwt92.00–98.008352
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,573140.32/cwt129.00–144.002,20717
Bulls——1,736148.33/cwt134.00–167.002,57524
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,398136.51/cwt125.50–145.001,90864
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—1,127128.52/cwt101.00–150.001,44897
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed—822212.03/cwt201.00–223.001,7439
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400388330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,2802
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600573268.57/cwt265.00–270.001,53917
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550520286.23/cwt285.00–290.001,4888
HeifersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed550–600587281.00/cwt281.00–281.001,64912
SteersLarge 1550–600553295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,6312
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—8401,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6501
HeifersMedium and Large 2450–500465247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,1512
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,2101,732.02/head1,600.00–1,825.001,7322
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,1101,600.00/head1,600.00–1,600.001,6001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 2—1,1051,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4001
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1—957170.41/cwt160.00–186.001,63122
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550505300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,51513
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,1662,464.73/head2,100.00–2,600.002,46511
Bred CowsMedium and Large 2—1,1251,375.00/head1,375.00–1,375.001,3751
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 2—6151,110.00/head1,110.00–1,110.001,1101
HeifersMedium and Large 2350–400375277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,0412
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,025153.91/cwt147.50–158.001,57819
Heifer PairsMedium and Large 1-2—8952,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,0781,636.77/head1,625.00–1,650.001,6372
SteersMedium and Large 2450–500493297.50/cwt297.50–297.501,4672
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,3051,704.60/head1,550.00–1,850.001,7052
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,1301,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4001
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550533287.50/cwt287.50–287.501,5322
SteersMedium and Large 1Thin Fleshed500–550505330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,6676
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700654273.00/cwt273.00–273.001,7855
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,3981,489.84/head1,475.00–1,525.001,4903
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,4151,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3508
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,2631,625.00/head1,625.00–1,625.001,6253

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.
Colorado feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →