Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2021-10-20

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Oct 20
● Final39 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
793 head
656 vs last sale 1,449 253 vs year ago 1,046 · 24.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
61 head
20 vs last sale 81 49 vs year ago 110 · 44.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
44 head
32 vs last sale 12 12 vs year ago 56 · 21.4%
Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 500 lbs traded 5.00 lower. Steers 500 to 700 lbs traded steady to 3.00 higher and steers over 700 lbs traded steady to 2.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs traded 2.50 higher, while those between 500 to 700 lbs traded 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Heifers over 700 lbs did were too thinly tested for any comparison. Trade activity and demand were moderate. The next available report will be Wednesday, October 27, 2021.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $163.09/cwt on 406 head.
Average price
$163.09
406 head · 603 lb average
Value per head Derived
$983
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$62
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$6.80/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.46
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1609166.061,010229
Medium and Large 1-2596159.26949177
One grade step is worth $6.80/cwt here — about $62 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 sale406 hd
163.09
CO average5 barns · 4,044 hd
159.63
+3.46
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
BullsLow2,01673.491,48111
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,47360.048845thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,31058.5176723
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,05749.7752615

Every lot, as filed

39 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
SteersMedium and Large 1-2668151.38/cwt151.00–152.501,01116
SteersMedium and Large 1773151.80/cwt147.00–153.501,17334
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2519145.64/cwt143.50–147.5075653
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2629136.20/cwt133.00–140.0085727
HeifersMedium and Large 2582133.33/cwt130.00–134.5077625
HeifersMedium and Large 2541135.29/cwt134.50–137.0073233
SteersMedium and Large 1488176.63/cwt175.00–184.5086230
SteersMedium and Large 1560169.51/cwt169.00–170.0094910
SteersMedium and Large 1-2541159.23/cwt158.00–160.0086113
SteersMedium and Large 1-2928131.53/cwt130.00–136.001,2214
SteersMedium and Large 1-2725146.99/cwt145.00–148.001,06632
SteersMedium and Large 1661160.64/cwt157.00–163.001,06211
SteersMedium and Large 1716159.83/cwt157.50–162.001,1449
SteersMedium and Large 1529173.71/cwt170.00–177.0091961
SteersMedium and Large 1-2437175.24/cwt170.00–180.5076628
SteersMedium and Large 1-2616154.67/cwt154.00–156.0095315
SteersMedium and Large 1-2495169.25/cwt167.00–170.008388
SteersMedium and Large 1-2580162.06/cwt153.00–165.0094061
HeifersMedium and Large 1577148.59/cwt145.75–154.0085720
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2387159.19/cwt157.00–162.006169
HeifersMedium and Large 1533149.00/cwt149.00–149.007942
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2482144.39/cwt142.00–148.0069635
HeifersMedium and Large 1454153.13/cwt151.00–154.5069518
SteersMedium and Large 1633163.12/cwt159.00–166.251,03374
HeifersMedium and Large 2691128.00/cwt128.00–128.0088410
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2437147.60/cwt147.00–150.0064514
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2574142.19/cwt139.50–144.5081626
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,226780.69/cwt710.00–840.009,57134
Bulls1,96270.10/cwt65.00–73.001,3757
Bulls2,11079.41/cwt77.00–83.001,6764
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,47360.04/cwt55.00–64.008845
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,08653.26/cwt50.00–55.005787
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,03246.72/cwt45.00–49.004828
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,30757.78/cwt54.00–61.0075511
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,37371.00/cwt71.00–71.009755
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,27549.70/cwt48.00–53.006346
CowsBoner 80-85%1,24057.00/cwt57.00–57.007071
HeifersMedium and Large 1676143.53/cwt141.00–146.0097024
HeifersMedium and Large 1983130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,2784

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.