Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2021-12-15

Sterling

Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2021-12-15
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-12-15

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 15

● Final46 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900

← Dec 8Dec 15Dec 22 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

140 head

▼ 1,959 vs last sale 2,099▼ 100 vs year ago 240 · −41.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

280 head

▲ 7 vs last sale 273▼ 5 vs year ago 285 · −1.8%

Replacement Cattle receipts

606 head

▲ 606 vs last sale 0▼ 17 vs year ago 623 · −2.7%

Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Feeder cattle were too thinly tested to accurately trend. Replacement cattle had no comparisons from last week. Slaughter cows traded unevenly steady to 3.00 lower. Today's run was a cow special, with the majority of the cattle being bred four to six months. Demand for bred cows was good to very good. The next available report will be Wednesday, December 22, 2021.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $172.51/cwt on 78 head.

Average price

$172.51

78 head · 503 lb average

Value per head Derived

$868

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$64

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

$34.14/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+17.52

vs CO average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	497	175.14	871	72
Medium and Large 1-2	572	141.00	807	6thin

One grade step is worth $34.14/cwt here — about $64 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale78 hd

172.51

—

CO average4 barns · 2,925 hd

154.99

+17.52

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
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,649	63.24	1,043	50
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,290	54.56	704	158
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,093	44.94	491	52

Every lot

46 lots · USDA AMS · Sterling Livestock Commission - Sterling, 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers4 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	393	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	806	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	462	204.71/cwt	202.50–206.00	946	22
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	527	194.83/cwt	189.00–203.00	1,027	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	557	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,030	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers7 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	360	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	720	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	441	193.00/cwt	193.00–193.00	851	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	475	179.51/cwt	171.00–185.50	853	27
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	548	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	893	16
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	572	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	807	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	582	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	920	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	644	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	953	5
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	908	62.00/cwt	62.00–62.00	563	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,073	53.58/cwt	50.50–56.00	575	9
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,103	42.99/cwt	41.00–48.00	474	34
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,157	34.50/cwt	34.50–34.50	399	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,247	44.59/cwt	40.00–50.00	556	57
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,251	55.35/cwt	50.00–60.00	692	21
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,317	59.64/cwt	51.50–68.00	785	67
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,403	70.76/cwt	70.50–71.00	993	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,649	63.24/cwt	54.00–71.00	1,043	50
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows25 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	996	1,575.00/cwt	1,575.00–1,575.00	15,687	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium 1	1,025	1,275.00/cwt	1,275.00–1,275.00	13,069	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,045	1,608.88/cwt	1,500.00–1,775.00	16,813	110
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,058	1,394.52/cwt	1,375.00–1,425.00	14,754	14
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	1,119	1,873.26/cwt	1,850.00–1,900.00	20,962	10
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,125	1,675.11/cwt	1,475.00–1,750.00	18,845	37
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	1,127	2,314.07/cwt	1,850.00–2,500.00	26,080	34
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,157	1,450.00/cwt	1,450.00–1,450.00	16,777	10
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fancy	1,247	2,115.15/cwt	1,875.00–2,550.00	26,376	42
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 2	1,291	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	13,233	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,298	1,425.00/cwt	1,425.00–1,425.00	18,497	8
Bred Cows	—	Large 1	1,300	1,300.00/cwt	1,300.00–1,300.00	16,900	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 2	1,316	638.31/cwt	610.00–685.00	8,400	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,317	1,175.97/cwt	1,125.00–1,225.00	15,488	11
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,322	1,225.00/cwt	1,225.00–1,225.00	16,195	15
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 2	1,347	675.00/cwt	675.00–675.00	9,092	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,355	751.55/cwt	700.00–825.00	10,184	43
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,357	803.41/cwt	785.00–810.00	10,902	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,371	925.20/cwt	885.00–985.00	12,684	25
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,387	1,428.21/cwt	1,325.00–1,550.00	19,809	52
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,460	1,460.00/cwt	1,460.00–1,460.00	21,316	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,500	1,000.00/cwt	1,000.00–1,000.00	15,000	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,612	1,486.25/cwt	1,300.00–1,525.00	23,958	11
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,628	925.00/cwt	925.00–925.00	15,059	2
Bred Cows	—	Large 1-2	1,833	1,025.00/cwt	1,025.00–1,025.00	18,788	2
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,074	1,775.00/cwt	1,775.00–1,775.00	19,064	19

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.

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

Sterling Livestock Commission - Sterling, CO

Wed Dec 15, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 140Last week 2,099Year ago 240

Slaughter CattleReceipts 280Last week 273Year ago 285

Replacement CattleReceipts 606Last week 0Year ago 623

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	360	200.00	200.00
8	—	582	158.00	158.00
16	—	548	163.00	163.00
27	—	475	171.00–185.50	179.51
7	—	441	193.00	193.00
5	—	644	148.00	148.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	572	141.00	141.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	393	205.00	205.00
7	—	527	189.00–203.00	194.83
22	—	462	202.50–206.00	204.71
3	—	557	185.00	185.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	34	—	1,127	1,850.00–2,500.00	2,314.07
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	42	—	1,247	1,875.00–2,550.00	2,115.15
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,119	1,850.00–1,900.00	1,873.26

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	10	—	1,157	1,450.00	1,450.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	11	—	1,317	1,125.00–1,225.00	1,175.97
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	52	—	1,387	1,325.00–1,550.00	1,428.21
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	110	—	1,045	1,500.00–1,775.00	1,608.88
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	11	—	1,612	1,300.00–1,525.00	1,486.25
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	37	—	1,125	1,475.00–1,750.00	1,675.11
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	8	—	1,298	1,425.00	1,425.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,460	1,460.00	1,460.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	8	—	996	1,575.00	1,575.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	25	—	1,371	885.00–985.00	925.20

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	15	—	1,322	1,225.00	1,225.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	7	—	1,357	785.00–810.00	803.41
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	4	—	1,500	1,000.00	1,000.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	14	—	1,058	1,375.00–1,425.00	1,394.52
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	43	—	1,355	700.00–825.00	751.55
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,628	925.00	925.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	—	1,291	1,025.00	1,025.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	—	1,347	675.00	675.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	8	—	1,316	610.00–685.00	638.31

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,833	1,025.00	1,025.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	3	—	1,025	1,275.00	1,275.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,300	1,300.00	1,300.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,074	1,775.00	1,775.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
67	—	1,317	51.50–68.00	59.64

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,403	70.50–71.00	70.76
57	—	1,247	40.00–50.00	44.59
21	—	1,251	50.00–60.00	55.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	908	62.00	62.00
34	—	1,103	41.00–48.00	42.99
6	—	1,157	34.50	34.50
9	—	1,073	50.50–56.00	53.58

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
50	—	1,649	54.00–71.00	63.24

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.