Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2024-12-11

Sterling

Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2024-12-11
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-12-11

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 11

● Final86 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900

← Dec 4Dec 11Dec 18 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,437 head

▲ 62 vs last sale 1,375▲ 32 vs year ago 1,405 · +2.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

222 head

▼ 93 vs last sale 315▲ 73 vs year ago 149 · +49.0%

Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Feeder steers and heifers traded mostly 3.00 to 10.00 higher with a few sharply higher. Average dress slaughter cows traded steady to 3.00 lower, largely due to a high number of higher quality cows returning to feed. Next available report will be as receipts warrant.

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 $332.61/cwt on 197 head. That ranks 1 of 4 comparable sales and sits −97.88 against this barn's trailing median of $430.49.

Average price

$332.61

197 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,829

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$399

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

$62.63/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+15.48

vs CO average

+8.26 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	558	355.50	1,984	74
Medium and Large 1-2	563	334.91	1,886	26
Medium and Large 2	547	318.42	1,743	66
Medium 1	514	314.68	1,616	19thin
Medium 1-2	541	292.88	1,584	12thin

One grade step is worth $62.63/cwt here — about $399 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale197 hd

332.61

—

CO average4 barns · 2,656 hd

317.13

+15.48

National average185 barns · 29,268 hd

324.35

+8.26

This barn, trailing median4 sales

430.49

−97.88

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	—	Low	1,858	143.67	2,669	15
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,895	129.00	2,445	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,264	120.57	1,524	103
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,627	116.22	1,891	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,089	107.83	1,174	99

Every lot, as filed

86 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 · Steers36 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	325	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	1,422	4
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1	327	441.50/cwt	441.50–441.50	1,444	16
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	378	384.17/cwt	382.50–389.00	1,452	12
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	386	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,612	13
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	407	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	1,536	9
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	413	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,755	34
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	433	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,559	6
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	441	349.87/cwt	347.00–354.00	1,543	12
Steers	400–450	Medium 1-2	446	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	1,378	7
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	450	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,519	3
Steers	450–500	Medium 1	468	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,568	14
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	469	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,747	10
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	469	362.75/cwt	357.50–370.00	1,701	25
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	478	401.50/cwt	401.50–401.50	1,919	50
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	507	329.78/cwt	327.50–335.00	1,672	23
Steers	500–550	Medium 1Unweaned	511	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,533	7
Steers	500–550	Medium 1	515	323.25/cwt	320.00–325.00	1,665	12
Steers	500–550	Medium 1-2	523	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,582	9
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	558	355.50/cwt	355.50–355.50	1,984	74
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	563	334.91/cwt	327.50–338.50	1,886	26
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	569	312.35/cwt	312.00–312.50	1,777	43
Steers	550–600	Medium 1-2	595	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,571	3
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	605	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,845	10
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	607	316.61/cwt	314.00–318.00	1,922	56
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	635	284.98/cwt	282.00–286.00	1,810	15
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	639	299.09/cwt	293.00–307.00	1,911	32
Steers	600–650	Medium 1Unweaned	640	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,709	5
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	659	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,898	22
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	662	299.33/cwt	293.00–300.50	1,982	98
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	691	286.50/cwt	286.00–287.00	1,980	8
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	707	275.72/cwt	272.50–278.50	1,949	24
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	714	288.85/cwt	283.00–294.00	2,062	28
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	722	278.75/cwt	278.00–281.00	2,013	32
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	740	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,924	2
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	838	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,045	3
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2	957	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,938	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers34 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1	303	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,151	6
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	329	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,201	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	364	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,274	4
Heifers	350–400	Medium 1	394	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,182	5
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	395	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	1,313	4
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	401	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,263	7
Heifers	400–450	Medium 1-2	405	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,215	3
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	409	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,401	8
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	427	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,486	10
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	454	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	1,525	18
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1	468	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,629	6
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	482	336.43/cwt	327.50–340.00	1,622	27
Heifers	450–500	Medium 1	482	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,379	8
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	494	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	1,591	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium 1-2	494	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	1,349	4
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1	522	326.31/cwt	324.00–331.00	1,703	33
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	529	312.61/cwt	310.00–320.00	1,654	15
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	533	305.71/cwt	305.00–306.00	1,629	10
Heifers	500–550	Medium 1	537	273.79/cwt	272.50–274.00	1,470	28
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2	564	264.45/cwt	261.00–266.00	1,491	29
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	571	283.26/cwt	280.00–292.00	1,617	53
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	586	273.35/cwt	271.00–275.50	1,602	23
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	610	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,598	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	614	276.18/cwt	275.00–278.00	1,696	55
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	629	267.45/cwt	267.00–268.00	1,682	13
Heifers	600–650	Medium 1	644	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,610	4
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	650	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,807	2
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	665	262.65/cwt	260.00–264.00	1,747	21
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	676	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,595	9
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	682	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,664	6
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	708	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,756	5
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	737	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,769	5
Heifers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1	1,064	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	2,266	5
Heifers	1150–1200	Medium and Large 1-2	1,162	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,092	13
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,623	143.20/cwt	139.00–146.00	2,324	4
Bulls	—	—	1,626	132.98/cwt	128.00–137.50	2,162	5
Bulls	—	—	2,208	152.89/cwt	148.50–159.00	3,376	6
Slaughter Cattle · Cows13 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	865	52.00/cwt	52.00–52.00	450	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	948	147.61/cwt	142.50–167.50	1,399	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,054	146.70/cwt	140.00–165.50	1,546	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,081	103.95/cwt	98.00–108.00	1,124	42
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,101	91.59/cwt	85.00–96.50	1,008	14
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,111	105.64/cwt	91.00–107.00	1,174	21
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,120	109.24/cwt	109.00–113.00	1,223	18
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,188	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,414	12
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,254	110.47/cwt	109.00–112.00	1,385	10
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,283	104.85/cwt	104.00–107.00	1,345	7
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,325	124.73/cwt	116.00–129.50	1,653	62
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,627	116.22/cwt	114.00–119.00	1,891	3
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%	1,895	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	2,445	1

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 11, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,437Last week 1,375Year ago 1,405

Slaughter CattleReceipts 222Last week 315Year ago 149

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
16	300–350	327	441.50	441.50
34	400–450	413	425.00	425.00
50	450–500	478	401.50	401.50
74	550–600	558	355.50	355.50
56	600–650	607	314.00–318.00	316.61
98	650–700	662	293.00–300.50	299.33
28	700–750	714	283.00–294.00	288.85
3	800–850	838	244.00	244.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	400–450	446	309.00	309.00
9	500–550	523	302.50	302.50
3	550–600	595	264.00	264.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	350–400	378	382.50–389.00	384.17
9	400–450	407	377.50	377.50
25	450–500	469	357.50–370.00	362.75
26	550–600	563	327.50–338.50	334.91
32	600–650	639	293.00–307.00	299.09
8	650–700	691	286.00–287.00	286.50
32	700–750	722	278.00–281.00	278.75
5	950–1000	957	202.50	202.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
12	400–450	441	347.00–354.00	349.87
3	450–500	450	337.50	337.50
23	500–550	507	327.50–335.00	329.78
43	550–600	569	312.00–312.50	312.35
15	600–650	635	282.00–286.00	284.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	325	437.50	437.50
13	350–400	386	417.50	417.50
10	450–500	469	372.50	372.50
10	600–650	605	305.00	305.00
22	650–700	659	288.00	288.00
24	700–750	707	272.50–278.50	275.72

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	450–500	468	335.00	335.00
12	500–550	515	320.00–325.00	323.25

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	500–550	511	300.00	300.00
5	600–650	640	267.00	267.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	433	360.00	360.00
2	700–750	740	260.00	260.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	395	332.50	332.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	409	342.50	342.50
18	450–500	454	336.00	336.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	329	365.00	365.00
10	400–450	427	348.00	348.00
27	450–500	482	327.50–340.00	336.43
15	500–550	529	310.00–320.00	312.61
23	550–600	586	271.00–275.50	273.35
13	600–650	629	267.00–268.00	267.45
21	650–700	665	260.00–264.00	262.65
5	700–750	737	240.00	240.00
13	1150–1200	1,162	180.00	180.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	300–350	303	380.00	380.00
4	350–400	364	350.00	350.00
6	450–500	468	348.00	348.00
33	500–550	522	324.00–331.00	326.31
53	550–600	571	280.00–292.00	283.26
55	600–650	614	275.00–278.00	276.18
2	650–700	650	278.00	278.00
5	700–750	708	248.00	248.00
5	1050–1100	1,064	213.00	213.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	400–450	401	315.00	315.00
4	450–500	494	322.00	322.00
10	500–550	533	305.00–306.00	305.71
29	550–600	564	261.00–266.00	264.45
2	600–650	610	262.00	262.00
9	650–700	676	236.00	236.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
6	650–700	682	244.00	244.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	394	300.00	300.00
8	450–500	482	286.00	286.00
28	500–550	537	272.50–274.00	273.79
4	600–650	644	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	405	300.00	300.00
4	450–500	494	273.00	273.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,283	104.00–107.00	104.85
10	—	1,254	109.00–112.00	110.47

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
62	—	1,325	116.00–129.50	124.73
18	—	1,120	109.00–113.00	109.24
6	—	1,054	140.00–165.50	146.70

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	948	142.50–167.50	147.61
12	—	1,188	119.00	119.00
21	—	1,111	91.00–107.00	105.64

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,627	114.00–119.00	116.22

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,895	129.00	129.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	865	52.00	52.00
14	—	1,101	85.00–96.50	91.59
42	—	1,081	98.00–108.00	103.95

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,626	128.00–137.50	132.98
6	—	2,208	148.50–159.00	152.89
4	—	1,623	139.00–146.00	143.20

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.