Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2021-12-22

Sterling

Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2021-12-22
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2021-12-22

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 22

● Final49 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900

← Dec 15Dec 22Jan 26 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

763 head

▲ 623 vs last sale 140▲ 523 vs year ago 240 · +217.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

174 head

▼ 106 vs last sale 280▼ 111 vs year ago 285 · −38.9%

Replacement Cattle receipts

24 head

▼ 582 vs last sale 606▼ 599 vs year ago 623 · −96.1%

Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Trade activity was moderate to good. Feeder steers under 600 lbs traded 2.00 higher to 6.00 lower on a thin test. While feeder steers over 600 lbs had no comparisons from last week. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs traded sharply lower on a thin test and heifers over 600 lbs were 2.00 higher. Slaughter cows traded steady to 3.00 higher and bulls had no comparisons from last week. Bred cows were too light to accurately trend. Due to the holidays, the next available report will be January 05, 2021.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $170.04/cwt on 331 head.

Average price

$170.04

331 head · 624 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,062

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$24

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

$24.16/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.79

vs CO average

Price by quality 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	595	179.31	1,066	204
Medium and Large 1-2	672	155.15	1,043	127

One grade step is worth $24.16/cwt here — about $24 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 sale331 hd

170.04

—

CO average4 barns · 984 hd

168.24

+1.79

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	—	High	1,697	77.04	1,308	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,739	69.49	1,208	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,315	60.26	793	102
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,003	45.82	460	21

Every lot

49 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 · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	370	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	768	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	432	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	903	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	466	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	965	21
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	487	179.74/cwt	178.00–185.00	875	8
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	510	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	893	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	538	188.79/cwt	181.00–189.50	1,016	54
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	581	165.26/cwt	163.00–172.00	960	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	602	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,114	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	624	167.21/cwt	160.00–171.50	1,043	19
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	627	174.73/cwt	171.50–181.00	1,096	59
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	665	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,111	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	685	153.81/cwt	151.00–160.00	1,054	32
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	722	150.38/cwt	150.00–151.00	1,086	21
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	731	143.07/cwt	136.00–148.00	1,046	29
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	769	151.57/cwt	142.00–154.50	1,166	18
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	783	140.66/cwt	140.00–141.00	1,101	18
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	860	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	1,183	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers17 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	357	162.01/cwt	160.00–162.50	578	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	438	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	758	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Value Added	456	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	807	21
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	465	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	791	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	521	167.05/cwt	156.00–170.00	870	37
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	531	157.83/cwt	150.00–160.00	838	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	533	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	773	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	570	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	866	20
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	583	142.47/cwt	137.00–144.50	831	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	594	147.03/cwt	146.00–149.00	873	27
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	610	150.65/cwt	148.00–151.00	919	25
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	633	143.41/cwt	136.00–147.00	908	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	650	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	865	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	660	147.23/cwt	146.00–147.50	972	22
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	714	140.19/cwt	139.00–140.50	1,001	10
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	733	125.49/cwt	125.00–126.00	920	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	773	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	966	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,308	61.72/cwt	57.00–66.00	807	3
Bulls	—	—	1,738	75.85/cwt	70.00–83.00	1,318	18
Bulls	—	—	1,785	90.52/cwt	85.00–98.00	1,616	5
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	982	54.11/cwt	51.00–57.00	531	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	982	32.70/cwt	31.00–34.00	321	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,022	44.12/cwt	40.00–48.00	451	11
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,289	58.97/cwt	49.00–69.00	760	23
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,295	60.39/cwt	49.00–67.50	782	60
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,342	45.78/cwt	41.00–49.00	614	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,451	70.50/cwt	67.00–72.00	1,023	12
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,690	60.52/cwt	59.00–62.00	1,023	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,716	76.00/cwt	76.00–76.00	1,304	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,792	65.83/cwt	56.00–71.50	1,180	4
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,214	692.35/cwt	660.00–710.00	8,405	19
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,371	935.00/cwt	935.00–935.00	12,819	3

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 22, 2021

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 763Last week 140Year ago 240

Slaughter CattleReceipts 174Last week 280Year ago 285

Replacement CattleReceipts 24Last week 606Year ago 623

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	531	150.00–160.00	157.83
21	—	357	160.00–162.50	162.01
3	—	633	136.00–147.00	143.41
3	—	650	133.00	133.00
2	—	733	125.00–126.00	125.49
27	—	594	146.00–149.00	147.03

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	533	145.00	145.00
14	—	583	137.00–144.50	142.47
3	—	773	125.00	125.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	714	139.00–140.50	140.19
4	—	438	173.00	173.00
22	—	660	146.00–147.50	147.23
20	—	570	152.00	152.00
37	—	521	156.00–170.00	167.05
7	—	465	170.00	170.00
25	—	610	148.00–151.00	150.65

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
21	—	456	177.00	177.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	370	207.50	207.50
21	—	722	150.00–151.00	150.38
54	—	538	181.00–189.50	188.79
59	—	627	171.50–181.00	174.73
5	—	432	209.00	209.00
12	—	665	167.00	167.00
18	—	769	142.00–154.50	151.57
21	—	466	207.00	207.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	581	163.00–172.00	165.26
18	—	783	140.00–141.00	140.66
19	—	624	160.00–171.50	167.21
32	—	685	151.00–160.00	153.81
4	—	860	137.50	137.50
8	—	487	178.00–185.00	179.74
13	—	510	175.00	175.00
29	—	731	136.00–148.00	143.07

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	602	185.00	185.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	982	31.00–34.00	32.70
11	—	1,022	40.00–48.00	44.12
7	—	982	51.00–57.00	54.11

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,792	56.00–71.50	65.83
5	—	1,716	76.00	76.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
23	—	1,289	49.00–69.00	58.97
7	—	1,342	41.00–49.00	45.78
12	—	1,451	67.00–72.00	70.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
60	—	1,295	49.00–67.50	60.39

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,690	59.00–62.00	60.52

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,785	85.00–98.00	90.52
18	—	1,738	70.00–83.00	75.85
3	—	1,308	57.00–66.00	61.72

Replacement Cattle

As reported

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)	3	—	1,371	935.00	935.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	—	1,214	660.00–710.00	692.35

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.