Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2021-12-15

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 15
● Final46 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
140 head
1,959 vs last sale 2,099 100 vs year ago 240 · 41.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
280 head
7 vs last sale 273 5 vs year ago 285 · 1.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
606 head
606 vs last sale 0 17 vs year ago 623 · 2.7%
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 was moderate to good. Feeder cattle were too thinly tested to accurately trend. Replacement cattle had no comparisons from last week. Slaughter cows traded unevenly steady to 3.00 lower. Today's run was a cow special, with the majority of the cattle being bred four to six months. Demand for bred cows was good to very good. The next available report will be Wednesday, December 22, 2021.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $172.51/cwt on 78 head.
Average price
$172.51
78 head · 503 lb average
Value per head Derived
$868
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$64
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$34.14/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+17.52
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1497175.1487172
Medium and Large 1-2572141.008076thin
One grade step is worth $34.14/cwt here — about $64 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 sale78 hd
172.51
CO average4 barns · 2,925 hd
154.99
+17.52
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
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,64963.241,04350
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,29054.56704158
CowsLean 85-90%High1,09344.9449152

Every lot, as filed

46 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 1360200.00/cwt200.00–200.007209
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2572141.00/cwt141.00–141.008076
HeifersMedium and Large 1582158.00/cwt158.00–158.009208
HeifersMedium and Large 1548163.00/cwt163.00–163.0089316
HeifersMedium and Large 1475179.51/cwt171.00–185.5085327
SteersMedium and Large 1393205.00/cwt205.00–205.008065
SteersMedium and Large 1527194.83/cwt189.00–203.001,0277
HeifersMedium and Large 1441193.00/cwt193.00–193.008517
HeifersMedium and Large 1644148.00/cwt148.00–148.009535
SteersMedium and Large 1462204.71/cwt202.50–206.0094622
SteersMedium and Large 1557185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,0303
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,1272,314.07/cwt1,850.00–2,500.0026,08034
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,2472,115.15/cwt1,875.00–2,550.0026,37642
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Fancy1,1191,873.26/cwt1,850.00–1,900.0020,96210
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1571,450.00/cwt1,450.00–1,450.0016,77710
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3221,225.00/cwt1,225.00–1,225.0016,19515
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3171,175.97/cwt1,125.00–1,225.0015,48811
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,357803.41/cwt785.00–810.0010,9027
Bred CowsMedium and Large 21,2911,025.00/cwt1,025.00–1,025.0013,2337
Bred CowsLarge 1-21,8331,025.00/cwt1,025.00–1,025.0018,7882
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3871,428.21/cwt1,325.00–1,550.0019,80952
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,5001,000.00/cwt1,000.00–1,000.0015,0004
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0451,608.88/cwt1,500.00–1,775.0016,813110
Bred CowsMedium and Large 21,347675.00/cwt675.00–675.009,0927
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0741,775.00/cwt1,775.00–1,775.0019,06419
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0581,394.52/cwt1,375.00–1,425.0014,75414
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,6121,486.25/cwt1,300.00–1,525.0023,95811
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,355751.55/cwt700.00–825.0010,18443
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,1251,675.11/cwt1,475.00–1,750.0018,84537
Bred CowsMedium 11,0251,275.00/cwt1,275.00–1,275.0013,0693
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2981,425.00/cwt1,425.00–1,425.0018,4978
Bred CowsMedium and Large 21,316638.31/cwt610.00–685.008,4008
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4601,460.00/cwt1,460.00–1,460.0021,3163
Bred CowsLarge 11,3001,300.00/cwt1,300.00–1,300.0016,9001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,628925.00/cwt925.00–925.0015,0592
Bred CowsMedium and Large 19961,575.00/cwt1,575.00–1,575.0015,6878
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,371925.20/cwt885.00–985.0012,68425
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,31759.64/cwt51.50–68.0078567
CowsBoner 80-85%1,40370.76/cwt70.50–71.0099313
CowsBoner 80-85%1,24744.59/cwt40.00–50.0055657
CowsLean 85-90%90862.00/cwt62.00–62.005633
CowsLean 85-90%1,10342.99/cwt41.00–48.0047434
CowsLean 85-90%1,15734.50/cwt34.50–34.503996
CowsLean 85-90%1,07353.58/cwt50.50–56.005759
CowsBoner 80-85%1,25155.35/cwt50.00–60.0069221
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,64963.24/cwt54.00–71.001,04350

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.