Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2020-03-04

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Mar 4
● Final53 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,352 head
▲ 1,352 vs last sale 0▲ 1,352 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
122 head
▲ 122 vs last sale 0▲ 122 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
93 head
▲ 93 vs last sale 0▲ 93 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. Feeder cattle had no comparison as the last sale was too thinly tested. Replacement cattle did not have enough comparisons to accurately trend. Slaughter cows and bulls traded 1.00 to sharply lower.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $164.86/cwt on 638 head.
Average price
$164.86
638 head · 622 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,026
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$518
per head · Medium and Large 2 over Medium and Large 1
$27.49/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+7.16
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 2290190.005519thin
Medium and Large 1-2551169.40934182
Medium and Large 1658162.511,069447
One grade step is worth $27.49/cwt here — about −$518 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 sale638 hd
164.86
—
CO average3 barns · 1,673 hd
157.70
+7.16
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
Bulls—Average1,59070.801,1264thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,66761.171,02062
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,33349.9466627
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,13344.7450724

Every lot, as filed

53 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
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,66861.49/cwt58.00–63.501,02660
CowsLean 85-90%—1,17537.18/cwt31.00–42.004378
CowsLean 85-90%—1,11248.52/cwt45.00–52.0054016
SteersMedium and Large 1—355207.56/cwt203.00–213.0073725
SteersMedium and Large 1—472187.04/cwt186.00–190.0088328
SteersMedium and Large 1—869131.22/cwt130.50–131.251,14028
SteersMedium and Large 1—629167.76/cwt166.50–170.001,05532
SteersMedium and Large 1—673156.25/cwt156.25–156.251,05233
SteersMedium and Large 1—993116.40/cwt116.00–126.001,15635
SteersMedium and Large 1—422196.07/cwt194.00–202.0082746
SteersMedium and Large 1—560179.35/cwt174.00–182.001,00446
SteersMedium and Large 1—905122.50/cwt122.50–122.501,10951
SteersMedium and Large 1—516187.23/cwt181.00–191.0096667
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—635156.74/cwt155.00–159.0099513
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—372193.85/cwt193.00–195.0072119
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—682151.68/cwt149.00–154.001,03421
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—572165.76/cwt162.00–168.0094822
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—785136.52/cwt136.00–137.001,07228
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—430189.64/cwt187.50–192.5081534
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—478177.93/cwt175.00–184.0085145
SteersMedium and Large 2—290190.00/cwt190.00–190.005519
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,092925.00/cwt925.00–925.0010,1016
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,65051.57/cwt48.50–55.008512
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,33953.05/cwt50.00–59.0071017
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,32244.66/cwt40.00–49.0059010
Bulls——1,59070.80/cwt70.00–72.001,1264
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,35458.41/cwt56.50–61.507919
SteersMedium and Large 1—818138.90/cwt138.50–139.001,13624
SteersMedium and Large 1—792138.53/cwt138.00–140.501,09723
SteersMedium and Large 1—740151.25/cwt151.25–151.251,1199
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—639138.44/cwt137.50–140.0088555
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—688126.80/cwt125.00–127.5087218
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—319166.00/cwt166.00–166.0053018
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—379164.40/cwt163.00–167.0062314
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—466154.09/cwt153.00–155.007189
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—254177.50/cwt177.50–177.504516
HeifersMedium and Large 1—470159.98/cwt156.00–164.0075280
HeifersMedium and Large 1—731129.02/cwt126.00–132.5094379
HeifersMedium and Large 1—643142.00/cwt142.00–142.0091363
HeifersMedium and Large 1—569149.66/cwt147.50–151.0085262
HeifersMedium and Large 1—526154.66/cwt151.00–156.0081442
HeifersMedium and Large 1—395169.24/cwt168.50–170.0066836
HeifersMedium and Large 1—808124.72/cwt124.50–124.751,00833
HeifersMedium and Large 1—853113.45/cwt113.00–113.5096829
HeifersMedium and Large 1—408165.83/cwt160.00–167.0067726
HeifersMedium and Large 1—656145.75/cwt145.75–145.7595625
HeifersMedium and Large 1—789126.80/cwt125.25–127.501,00022
HeifersMedium and Large 1—942113.25/cwt113.25–113.251,06711
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,338950.00/cwt950.00–950.0012,7113
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,2641,037.56/cwt1,000.00–1,050.0013,11515
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,206767.89/cwt710.00–800.009,26132
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1—1,2721,134.80/cwt1,125.00–1,150.0014,43512
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-2—1,1221,100.00/cwt1,100.00–1,100.0012,34211

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.