Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2024-12-04

Sterling

Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2024-12-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-12-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 4

● Final88 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900

← Nov 13Dec 4Dec 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,375 head

▲ 39 vs last sale 1,336▼ 259 vs year ago 1,634 · −15.9%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

315 head

▲ 143 vs last sale 172▲ 91 vs year ago 224 · +40.6%

Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Last reported feeder cattle sale was three weeks ago so no trend available, however feeder steers and heifers traded strong and appeared to be 2.00 to 8.00 higher than that sale three weeks ago with the majority of the calves being weaned and preconditioned. Last reported sale for slaughter cows and bulls was also three weeks ago. Average dress slaughter cows traded fairly steady to 2.00 higher than three weeks ago, while average dress slaughter bulls traded stronger at 4.00 to 6.00 higher than that sale three weeks ago. Next reportable sale will be Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $333.76/cwt on 171 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits −96.72 against this barn's trailing median of $430.49.

Average price

$333.76

171 head · 556 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,857

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$25.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+18.47

vs CO average

+8.39 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	548	337.82	1,853	59
Medium and Large 2	534	333.88	1,783	9thin
Medium and Large 1-2	561	332.60	1,866	97
Medium 1	590	312.50	1,844	6thin

One grade step is worth $25.32/cwt here — about $9 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale171 hd

333.76

—

CO average3 barns · 1,484 hd

315.29

+18.47

National average187 barns · 33,494 hd

325.37

+8.39

This barn, trailing median4 sales

430.49

−96.72

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

4 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $445.30, low $396.50, median $430.49 across 4 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	1,806	142.90	2,582	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,684	125.05	2,105	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,305	120.70	1,575	148
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,093	118.01	1,290	96
Heifers	Choice and Prime	Average	1,518	180.00	2,732	4thin

Every lot, as filed

88 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 · Steers34 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	339	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,407	4
Steers	350–400	Medium 1-2	355	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	1,234	4
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	373	415.95/cwt	414.00–417.50	1,551	12
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	395	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,541	5
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	443	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,562	8
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	456	377.15/cwt	375.00–380.00	1,720	7
Steers	450–500	Medium 1-2	460	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,495	5
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	474	371.00/cwt	371.00–371.00	1,759	19
Steers	450–500	Medium 1	488	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,635	4
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	506	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	1,817	17
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	532	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,835	12
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	534	333.88/cwt	332.50–335.00	1,783	9
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	542	339.92/cwt	339.00–345.00	1,842	40
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	557	348.50/cwt	348.50–348.50	1,941	9
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	568	324.00/cwt	324.00–324.00	1,840	33
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	586	322.78/cwt	319.00–328.00	1,891	45
Steers	550–600	Medium 1	590	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,844	6
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	626	294.55/cwt	292.50–296.00	1,844	19
Steers	600–650	Medium 1	626	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,747	16
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	627	307.66/cwt	302.50–314.00	1,929	72
Steers	650–700	Medium 1	664	255.12/cwt	252.00–261.00	1,694	12
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	666	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,911	42
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	685	264.88/cwt	261.00–267.50	1,814	17
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	688	277.93/cwt	274.00–281.00	1,912	42
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	719	278.41/cwt	275.00–281.00	2,002	72
Steers	700–750	Medium 1-2	727	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,745	10
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Full	738	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,926	3
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1	766	277.17/cwt	274.00–279.00	2,123	40
Steers	750–800	Medium 1	780	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	1,927	4
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	795	244.45/cwt	242.00–245.50	1,943	10
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	819	253.63/cwt	246.00–256.50	2,077	15
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1	907	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,141	5
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	951	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,216	4
Steers	1200–1250	Medium and Large 1	1,223	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	2,348	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers27 lots · lightest first
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	358	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,280	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	360	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,224	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	396	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,287	7
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	411	344.00/cwt	344.00–344.00	1,414	8
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	426	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	1,480	7
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	426	333.93/cwt	332.50–337.00	1,423	9
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	469	329.76/cwt	325.00–337.50	1,547	46
Heifers	450–500	Medium 1Unweaned	469	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,348	8
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	480	312.81/cwt	311.00–315.00	1,501	11
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	485	323.50/cwt	323.50–323.50	1,569	20
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	509	293.67/cwt	290.00–297.50	1,495	34
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	545	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,553	4
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	563	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,571	4
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1-2	573	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,455	9
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	574	284.32/cwt	283.00–289.00	1,632	62
Heifers	550–600	Medium 1	575	262.70/cwt	262.00–263.00	1,511	10
Heifers	600–650	Medium 1	602	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,493	8
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	622	270.28/cwt	264.00–274.00	1,681	72
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	639	263.31/cwt	261.00–264.00	1,683	22
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	678	240.28/cwt	238.00–245.00	1,629	12
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	688	256.30/cwt	252.00–261.00	1,763	40
Heifers	650–700	Medium 1	699	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,615	12
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Full	738	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	1,712	3
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	757	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,817	6
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	766	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,769	4
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1Spayed	866	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,957	7
Heifers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1	991	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,210	5
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers8 lots · lightest first
Dairy Heifers	800–850	Large 3	805	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,328	3
Dairy Heifers	900–950	Large 3	920	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,509	1
Dairy Heifers	1000–1050	Large 3	1,008	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,673	3
Dairy Heifers	1050–1100	Large 3	1,053	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,695	2
Dairy Heifers	1050–1100	Large 2	1,095	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,862	1
Dairy Heifers	1150–1200	Large 2	1,183	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,011	3
Dairy Heifers	1250–1300	Large 2	1,265	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	2,188	1
Dairy Heifers	1250–1300	Large 3	1,270	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	2,096	1
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Heifers	—	Choice and Prime	1,518	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,732	4
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,655	147.52/cwt	145.00–149.00	2,441	4
Bulls	—	—	1,717	133.42/cwt	115.00–144.00	2,291	14
Bulls	—	—	1,906	149.69/cwt	145.00–155.00	2,853	11
Bulls	—	—	2,188	162.75/cwt	158.00–168.00	3,561	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows14 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	885	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,018	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	982	153.43/cwt	140.00–162.50	1,507	21
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	998	91.01/cwt	83.00–95.00	908	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,069	154.69/cwt	152.50–155.00	1,654	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,124	112.21/cwt	109.00–133.00	1,261	43
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,136	104.13/cwt	100.00–108.00	1,183	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,163	106.04/cwt	102.00–111.00	1,233	8
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,240	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	831	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,314	114.16/cwt	109.00–121.00	1,500	17
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,317	121.19/cwt	114.00–136.00	1,596	101
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,326	112.59/cwt	104.00–119.00	1,493	19
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,357	101.94/cwt	95.00–106.00	1,383	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,640	120.50/cwt	120.00–121.00	1,976	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,698	126.56/cwt	123.00–128.00	2,149	6

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 →

Sterling Livestock Commission - Sterling, CO

Wed Dec 4, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,375Last week 1,336Year ago 1,634

Slaughter CattleReceipts 315Last week 172Year ago 224

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	488	335.00	335.00
6	550–600	590	312.50	312.50
16	600–650	626	279.00	279.00
12	650–700	664	252.00–261.00	255.12
4	750–800	780	247.00	247.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	350–400	373	414.00–417.50	415.95
7	450–500	456	375.00–380.00	377.15
17	500–550	506	359.00	359.00
9	550–600	557	348.50	348.50
42	650–700	666	287.00	287.00
72	700–750	719	275.00–281.00	278.41
40	750–800	766	274.00–279.00	277.17
15	800–850	819	246.00–256.50	253.63
5	900–950	907	236.00	236.00
4	950–1000	951	233.00	233.00
5	1200–1250	1,223	192.00	192.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	500–550	532	345.00	345.00
17	650–700	685	261.00–267.50	264.88
10	750–800	795	242.00–245.50	244.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	395	390.00	390.00
8	400–450	443	352.50	352.50
40	500–550	542	339.00–345.00	339.92
45	550–600	586	319.00–328.00	322.78
72	600–650	627	302.50–314.00	307.66
42	650–700	688	274.00–281.00	277.93

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	339	415.00	415.00
19	450–500	474	371.00	371.00
33	550–600	568	324.00	324.00
19	600–650	626	292.50–296.00	294.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	500–550	534	332.50–335.00	333.88

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	355	347.50	347.50
5	450–500	460	325.00	325.00
10	700–750	727	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	738	261.00	261.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	411	344.00	344.00
20	450–500	485	323.50	323.50
6	750–800	757	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	358	357.50	357.50
7	400–450	426	347.50	347.50
46	450–500	469	325.00–337.50	329.76
34	500–550	509	290.00–297.50	293.67
62	550–600	574	283.00–289.00	284.32
72	600–650	622	264.00–274.00	270.28
40	650–700	688	252.00–261.00	256.30
5	950–1000	991	223.00	223.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	550–600	573	254.00	254.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	850–900	866	226.00	226.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	550–600	575	262.00–263.00	262.70
8	600–650	602	248.00	248.00
12	650–700	699	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	360	340.00	340.00
9	400–450	426	332.50–337.00	333.93
11	450–500	480	311.00–315.00	312.81
4	500–550	545	285.00	285.00
4	550–600	563	279.00	279.00
22	600–650	639	261.00–264.00	263.31
12	650–700	678	238.00–245.00	240.28
4	750–800	766	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	469	287.50	287.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	396	325.00	325.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	738	232.00	232.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,095	170.00	170.00
3	1150–1200	1,183	170.00	170.00
1	1250–1300	1,265	173.00	173.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Heifers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
3	800–850	805	165.00	165.00
1	900–950	920	164.00	164.00
3	1000–1050	1,008	166.00	166.00
2	1050–1100	1,053	161.00	161.00
1	1250–1300	1,270	165.00	165.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,640	120.00–121.00	120.50
6	—	1,698	123.00–128.00	126.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,136	100.00–108.00	104.13
1	—	1,240	67.00	67.00
1	—	885	115.00	115.00
3	—	998	83.00–95.00	91.01

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,314	109.00–121.00	114.16
3	—	1,357	95.00–106.00	101.94

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,163	102.00–111.00	106.04
21	—	982	140.00–162.50	153.43
43	—	1,124	109.00–133.00	112.21

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,326	104.00–119.00	112.59
8	—	1,069	152.50–155.00	154.69
101	—	1,317	114.00–136.00	121.19

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Choice and Prime$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,518	180.00	180.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,906	145.00–155.00	149.69
14	—	1,717	115.00–144.00	133.42
2	—	2,188	158.00–168.00	162.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,655	145.00–149.00	147.52

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.