Name: Winter - La Junta livestock auction prices — 2024-12-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-12-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was good. Feeder steers under 600lbs sold 4.00 to 9.00 higher with instances of sharply higher. Feeder steers over 600lbs sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold unevenly steady across all weight classes. Breaker slaughter cows of average dressing sold 2.00 higher. Boner cows sold 4.00 higher and lean cows sold 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls of average dressing sold 1.00 higher. The next feeder calf and slaughter cow sale will be January 7, 2025.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $324.73/cwt on 633 head. That ranks 1 of 13 comparable sales and sits −138.65 against this barn's trailing median of $463.38.

Average price

$324.73

633 head · 549 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,784

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$260

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2

$35.47/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.32

vs CO average

−1.90 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	552	326.60	1,804	532
Large 1	534	323.33	1,727	68
Large 1-2	542	305.00	1,653	15thin
Medium and Large 1-2	530	291.13	1,544	18thin

One grade step is worth $35.47/cwt here — about $260 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

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 sale633 hd

324.73

—

CO average4 barns · 1,677 hd

321.40

+3.32

National average173 barns · 17,754 hd

326.63

−1.90

This barn, trailing median13 sales

463.38

−138.65

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,714	142.78	2,448	35
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,629	119.51	1,946	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,320	119.02	1,571	78
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,110	114.02	1,266	325
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	High	1,733	111.33	1,930	3thin

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,214	$2,003	7
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,306	$1,764	19
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,145	$1,275	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,263	$2,550	2thin

Every lot, as filed

107 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	327	362.56/cwt	360.00–365.00	1,186	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	418	327.31/cwt	310.00–347.50	1,368	167
Heifers	Medium 1-2	300–350	308	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	932	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	450–500	459	401.00/cwt	401.00–401.00	1,841	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	995	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	2,015	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	617	238.56/cwt	236.00–241.00	1,472	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	720	224.45/cwt	220.00–226.00	1,616	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	487	267.15/cwt	260.00–275.00	1,301	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	434	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,285	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	215	1,025.00/head	1,025.00–1,025.00	1,025	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	524	293.18/cwt	266.00–312.00	1,536	256
Steers	Large 1	500–550	521	329.91/cwt	322.00–344.00	1,719	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	386	405.60/cwt	400.00–409.00	1,566	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	515	301.18/cwt	294.00–307.50	1,551	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	370.04/cwt	339.00–387.50	1,610	56
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	339	419.63/cwt	410.00–427.50	1,423	27
Heifers	Large 1	550–600	569	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,434	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	572	317.56/cwt	292.50–332.00	1,816	348
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	265.82/cwt	254.00–273.50	1,940	225
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	265	433.43/cwt	430.00–435.00	1,149	3
Steers	Large 1	600–650	629	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,856	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	624	294.68/cwt	285.00–316.00	1,839	266
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	772	257.07/cwt	240.00–263.75	1,985	207
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	867	251.75/cwt	251.75–251.75	2,183	83
Steers	Large 1	800–850	844	254.50/cwt	254.50–254.50	2,148	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	428	399.22/cwt	390.00–417.50	1,709	53
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	476	364.42/cwt	342.50–386.00	1,735	144
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	515	343.69/cwt	321.00–369.00	1,770	184
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	674	280.59/cwt	270.00–292.00	1,891	338
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	687	259.49/cwt	250.00–262.50	1,783	76
Steers	Large 1	400–450	413	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	1,621	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	386	420.92/cwt	412.50–426.00	1,625	63
Steers	Large 1	550–600	551	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,736	30
Steers	Large 1	700–750	738	256.69/cwt	251.00–258.50	1,894	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	823	250.99/cwt	247.00–254.50	2,066	134
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	330	402.25/cwt	397.50–406.00	1,327	11
Steers	Large 1	950–1000	972	233.75/cwt	233.75–233.75	2,272	96
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	369	365.48/cwt	362.50–377.50	1,349	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	718	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,809	4
Steers	Large 1-2	500–550	542	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,653	15
Steers	Large 1-2	350–400	397	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	1,519	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	750–800	752	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	2,038	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	492	321.72/cwt	320.00–323.00	1,583	7
Steers	Large 1	450–500	481	341.30/cwt	330.00–369.00	1,642	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	642	275.85/cwt	262.50–278.00	1,771	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,511	5
Steers	Large 1-2	400–450	430	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,376	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	434	361.00/cwt	361.00–361.00	1,567	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	844	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,815	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	712	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,816	41
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	309	388.20/cwt	385.00–400.00	1,200	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	611	285.61/cwt	269.00–288.00	1,745	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	554	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,676	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,170	121.24/cwt	120.00–125.00	1,419	103
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,137	117.63/cwt	111.00–119.50	1,337	139
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,409	102.84/cwt	93.00–112.00	1,449	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,004	100.05/cwt	91.00–108.00	1,005	52
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,643	117.40/cwt	117.00–118.00	1,929	10
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,745	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	2,094	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,292	118.62/cwt	114.00–120.00	1,533	50
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,611	122.14/cwt	120.00–124.00	1,968	8
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,745	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,745	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,362	122.56/cwt	121.00–127.00	1,669	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,079	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,273	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	912	71.73/cwt	45.00–88.00	654	13
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,710	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,949	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	875	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	1,059	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,001	109.00/cwt	109.00–109.00	1,091	6
Bulls	—	—	1,510	127.90/cwt	122.00–134.00	1,931	9
Bulls	—	—	1,846	146.61/cwt	136.00–159.00	2,706	24
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,055	163.79/cwt	162.50–165.00	1,728	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,111	152.17/cwt	145.00–157.50	1,691	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	871	194.80/cwt	172.50–207.50	1,697	61
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	789	125.02/cwt	122.00–140.00	986	32
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	895	218.74/cwt	210.00–225.00	1,958	26
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,095	1,600.00/head	1,600.00–1,600.00	1,600	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,234	2,070.10/head	2,000.00–2,225.00	2,070	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,306	1,764.00/head	1,625.00–1,925.00	1,764	19
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,145	1,275.00/head	1,275.00–1,275.00	1,275	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,263	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	754	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	1,666	4
Heifers	Large 1	900–950	914	225.60/cwt	225.60–225.60	2,062	109
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	378	328.90/cwt	317.50–335.00	1,243	6
Heifers	Large 1-2	350–400	395	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,294	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	488	285.86/cwt	271.00–292.50	1,395	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	679	241.07/cwt	236.00–255.00	1,637	168
Heifers	Large 1	450–500	469	302.27/cwt	287.50–309.00	1,418	51
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	809	231.04/cwt	212.00–233.00	1,869	163
Heifers	Large 1	500–550	524	292.24/cwt	260.00–302.00	1,531	81
Heifers	Large 1	350–400	380	346.68/cwt	344.00–347.50	1,317	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	727	240.40/cwt	227.00–245.00	1,748	212
Heifers	Large 1	700–750	703	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,659	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	255.87/cwt	244.00–264.00	1,602	299
Heifers	Large 1	650–700	683	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,673	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	781	235.25/cwt	232.00–237.00	1,837	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	473	309.69/cwt	295.00–336.00	1,465	258
Heifers	Large 1	750–800	798	236.50/cwt	236.50–236.50	1,887	57
Heifers	Large 1	800–850	823	236.50/cwt	236.50–236.50	1,946	57
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	327	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,226	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	387	351.87/cwt	336.00–362.00	1,362	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	580	268.51/cwt	250.00–285.00	1,557	247
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	481	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	1,599	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,403	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	376	374.00/cwt	374.00–374.00	1,406	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	595	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,458	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	687	228.50/cwt	227.50–232.50	1,570	5
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	642	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,566	9

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 →

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) - La Junta, CO

Tue Dec 17, 2024

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Greeley, CO (LS-GL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 5,742Last week 6,927Year ago 1,400

Slaughter CattleReceipts 475Last week 419Year ago 266

Replacement CattleReceipts 163Last week 400Year ago 55

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
35	300–350	327	360.00–365.00	362.56
6	350–400	378	317.50–335.00	328.90
7	400–450	434	296.00	296.00
22	450–500	488	271.00–292.50	285.86
2	550–600	595	245.00	245.00
25	600–650	617	236.00–241.00	238.56
5	650–700	687	227.50–232.50	228.50
4	700–750	720	220.00–226.00	224.45
4	750–800	754	221.00	221.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	327	375.00	375.00
40	350–400	387	336.00–362.00	351.87
167	400–450	418	310.00–347.50	327.31
258	450–500	473	295.00–336.00	309.69
256	500–550	524	266.00–312.00	293.18
247	550–600	580	250.00–285.00	268.51
299	600–650	626	244.00–264.00	255.87
168	650–700	679	236.00–255.00	241.07
212	700–750	727	227.00–245.00	240.40
28	750–800	781	232.00–237.00	235.25
163	800–850	809	212.00–233.00	231.04
3	950–1000	995	202.50	202.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	308	302.50	302.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	487	260.00–275.00	267.15
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
13	350–400	380	344.00–347.50	346.68
51	450–500	469	287.50–309.00	302.27
81	500–550	524	260.00–302.00	292.24
4	550–600	569	252.00	252.00
9	600–650	642	244.00	244.00
7	650–700	683	245.00	245.00
2	700–750	703	236.00	236.00
57	750–800	798	236.50	236.50
57	800–850	823	236.50	236.50
109	900–950	914	225.60	225.60
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	395	327.50	327.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
51	450–500	459	401.00	401.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
1	200–250	215	1,025.00	1,025.00
3	250–300	265	430.00–435.00	433.43
27	300–350	339	410.00–427.50	419.63
63	350–400	386	412.50–426.00	420.92
53	400–450	428	390.00–417.50	399.22
144	450–500	476	342.50–386.00	364.42
184	500–550	515	321.00–369.00	343.69
348	550–600	572	292.50–332.00	317.56
266	600–650	624	285.00–316.00	294.68
338	650–700	674	270.00–292.00	280.59
225	700–750	730	254.00–273.50	265.82
207	750–800	772	240.00–263.75	257.07
134	800–850	823	247.00–254.50	250.99
83	850–900	867	251.75	251.75
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	413	392.50	392.50
84	450–500	481	330.00–369.00	341.30
38	500–550	521	322.00–344.00	329.91
30	550–600	551	315.00	315.00
57	600–650	629	295.00	295.00
20	700–750	738	251.00–258.50	256.69
62	800–850	844	254.50	254.50
96	950–1000	972	233.75	233.75
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
11	300–350	330	397.50–406.00	402.25
26	350–400	386	400.00–409.00	405.60
56	400–450	435	339.00–387.50	370.04
7	450–500	492	320.00–323.00	321.72
13	500–550	515	294.00–307.50	301.18
5	550–600	570	265.00	265.00
10	600–650	642	262.50–278.00	275.85
76	650–700	687	250.00–262.50	259.49
4	700–750	718	252.00	252.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	369	362.50–377.50	365.48
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	350–400	397	382.50	382.50
3	400–450	430	320.00	320.00
15	500–550	542	305.00	305.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
54	750–800	752	271.00	271.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	300–350	309	385.00–400.00	388.20
6	350–400	376	374.00	374.00
4	400–450	434	361.00	361.00
7	450–500	481	332.50	332.50
11	550–600	554	302.50	302.50
40	600–650	611	269.00–288.00	285.61
41	700–750	712	255.00	255.00
5	800–850	844	215.00	215.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	435	322.50	322.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
103	—	1,170	120.00–125.00	121.24
139	—	1,137	111.00–119.50	117.63
52	—	1,004	91.00–108.00	100.05
13	—	912	45.00–88.00	71.73
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,409	93.00–112.00	102.84
50	—	1,292	114.00–120.00	118.62
24	—	1,362	121.00–127.00	122.56
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,643	117.00–118.00	117.40
8	—	1,611	120.00–124.00	122.14
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,745	120.00	120.00
1	—	1,745	100.00	100.00
1	—	1,710	114.00	114.00
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,079	118.00	118.00
4	—	875	121.00	121.00
6	—	1,001	109.00	109.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,510	122.00–134.00	127.90
24	—	1,846	136.00–159.00	146.61
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,055	162.50–165.00	163.79

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,111	145.00–157.50	152.17
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	61	—	871	172.50–207.50	194.80
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	32	—	789	122.00–140.00	125.02
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	26	—	895	210.00–225.00	218.74
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,095	1,600.00	1,600.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,234	2,000.00–2,225.00	2,070.10
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,306	1,625.00–1,925.00	1,764.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,145	1,275.00	1,275.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,263	2,550.00	2,550.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

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Winter - La Junta

Reporter comment USDA

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Winter Livestock (Tuesday) - La Junta, CO

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle