Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2019-12-04

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 4
● Final52 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,946 head
1,517 vs last sale 429 1,946 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
367 head
40 vs last sale 327 367 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Trade activity and demand moderate to good. Feeder cattle did not have enough comparisons to accurately trend as the previous sale had a very thin test. Slaughter cows traded unevenly steady, while slaughter bulls traded 7.00 higher. Today's run consisted mostly of pre-conditioned calves with 30 to 60 days of weaning time along with a larger run of yearling cattle. The next available report will be Wednesday, December 11, 2019.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $153.49/cwt on 907 head.
Average price
$153.49
907 head · 640 lb average
Value per head Derived
$982
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$163
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$0.54/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.87
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2554153.92853186
Medium and Large 1662153.381,016721
One grade step is worth $0.54/cwt here — about −$163 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 sale907 hd
153.49
CO average3 barns · 4,039 hd
149.62
+3.87
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,62778.071,27118
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,63153.5787413
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,33250.47672152
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,11644.55497120

Every lot, as filed

52 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1434150.12/cwt146.00–155.0065237
HeifersMedium and Large 1381154.56/cwt153.00–156.0058918
HeifersMedium and Large 1735132.05/cwt130.00–133.5097119
HeifersMedium and Large 1909127.75/cwt127.75–127.751,16119
HeifersMedium and Large 1665132.73/cwt130.50–136.5088324
HeifersMedium and Large 11,085126.50/cwt126.50–126.501,37330
HeifersMedium and Large 1614138.10/cwt136.00–138.5084849
HeifersMedium and Large 1477144.65/cwt142.00–148.5069056
HeifersMedium and Large 1570138.58/cwt134.50–141.0079095
HeifersMedium and Large 1521142.10/cwt138.00–147.75740124
HeifersMedium and Large 11,010130.26/cwt129.00–130.501,316151
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2546131.00/cwt131.00–131.007157
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2587132.42/cwt130.00–134.0077715
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2369142.67/cwt140.00–147.0052623
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2631129.49/cwt125.00–131.5081725
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2673124.30/cwt121.00–126.5083725
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2467134.95/cwt133.00–136.0063049
HeifersMedium and Large 2389130.00/cwt130.00–130.005066
HeifersMedium and Large 2463131.00/cwt131.00–131.006077
HeifersMedium and Large 2551127.00/cwt127.00–127.007008
HeifersMedium and Large 2548127.00/cwt127.00–127.0069619
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy518175.71/cwt175.00–176.0091044
SteersMedium and Large 1873138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,20513
SteersMedium and Large 1416184.05/cwt176.00–186.0076615
SteersMedium and Large 11,064134.00/cwt134.00–134.001,42618
SteersMedium and Large 1991137.25/cwt137.25–137.251,36019
SteersMedium and Large 1775136.82/cwt134.00–138.001,06037
SteersMedium and Large 11,033135.75/cwt135.75–135.751,40248
SteersMedium and Large 1529167.24/cwt164.00–169.0088562
SteersMedium and Large 1733141.74/cwt136.00–145.501,03968
SteersMedium and Large 1476171.40/cwt168.00–177.0081672
SteersMedium and Large 1557162.50/cwt156.00–166.0090578
SteersMedium and Large 1627150.49/cwt148.00–152.00944113
SteersMedium and Large 1669146.81/cwt140.00–152.25982134
SteersMedium and Large 1-2430169.00/cwt169.00–169.007275
SteersMedium and Large 1-2679132.69/cwt130.00–135.0090111
SteersMedium and Large 1-2482161.97/cwt160.00–170.0078126
SteersMedium and Large 1-2392180.33/cwt170.00–183.0070728
SteersMedium and Large 1-2577152.09/cwt150.50–154.0087854
SteersMedium and Large 1-2625142.76/cwt137.50–145.0089262
Bulls1,89683.02/cwt80.00–85.001,5745
Bulls1,52476.17/cwt69.50–79.501,16113
CowsBoner 80-85%1,45564.50/cwt64.50–64.509381
CowsBoner 80-85%1,23540.50/cwt40.50–40.505002
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35753.73/cwt52.00–57.5072949
CowsBoner 80-85%1,32148.93/cwt43.50–51.50646100
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,46067.50/cwt67.50–67.509861
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,61849.70/cwt46.00–52.008045
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,66454.35/cwt53.00–55.509047
CowsLean 85-90%1,10126.85/cwt25.00–31.0029610
CowsLean 85-90%1,12949.42/cwt47.00–52.5055845
CowsLean 85-90%1,10943.90/cwt38.00–46.5048765

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.