Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2022-10-12

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Oct 12
● Final56 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,474 head
▲ 432 vs last sale 1,042▲ 25 vs year ago 1,449 · +1.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
200 head
▲ 20 vs last sale 180▲ 119 vs year ago 81 · +146.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
18 head
▼ 24 vs last sale 42▲ 6 vs year ago 12 · +50.0%
Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Trade activity and demand were moderate to good. Today's sale consisted of calves having multiple rounds of vaccinations and being weaned 30 or more days. Steers under 500 lbs traded steady to 5.00 lower and steers 500-600 lbs were 1.00 to 4.00 lower, while those over 600 lbs were 2.00 to 7.00 higher on a light test. Heifer calves under 500 lbs traded 1.00 to 2.50 lower, while those over 500 lbs traded steady to 10.00 higher on a thin test. Slaughter cows were steady to 1.00 higher. Replacement cattle were too light to test. The next available report will be October 19, 2022

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $191.14/cwt on 784 head.
Average price
$191.14
784 head · 590 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,127
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$66
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$14.13/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+14.09
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1587194.731,144585
Medium and Large 1-2597180.601,078199
One grade step is worth $14.13/cwt here — about $66 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 sale784 hd
191.14
—
CO average5 barns · 3,337 hd
177.06
+14.09
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—Low1,72689.491,54420
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,67882.941,39212
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,37871.4098498
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,14661.6370651

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,258$1,1004thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,300$9851thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,261$90511
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,385$9001thin

Every lot, as filed

56 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 1Fancy—578201.60/cwt200.00–202.001,16536
SteersMedium and Large 1—628182.62/cwt180.00–187.001,14774
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—622177.38/cwt172.00–178.501,10370
HeifersMedium and Large 1—373204.49/cwt200.50–209.507637
HeifersMedium and Large 1—522182.65/cwt178.00–187.0095363
HeifersMedium and Large 1—423197.94/cwt194.00–200.0083720
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—531186.33/cwt185.00–190.0098952
SteersMedium and Large 1—818178.19/cwt176.00–179.001,45838
SteersMedium and Large 1—295227.50/cwt227.50–227.506713
SteersMedium and Large 1—520194.21/cwt194.00–195.001,0105
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—644194.00/cwt194.00–194.001,2497
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—430225.00/cwt225.00–225.0096845
SteersMedium and Large 1—419211.09/cwt204.00–217.0088425
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—729170.44/cwt166.00–173.001,24326
SteersMedium and Large 1—490201.79/cwt197.00–207.00989105
SteersMedium and Large 1—674180.57/cwt179.50–182.501,21754
SteersMedium and Large 1—570189.06/cwt187.00–194.001,07844
SteersMedium and Large 1—724181.02/cwt178.00–181.501,31182
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—383205.00/cwt205.00–205.007853
SteersMedium and Large 1—775178.25/cwt178.00–178.501,38112
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—566186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,05320
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—675174.20/cwt172.50–176.001,17616
HeifersMedium and Large 1—661167.00/cwt167.00–167.001,1048
HeifersMedium and Large 1—482190.17/cwt185.50–193.0091729
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—532169.56/cwt166.00–176.5090256
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—750157.00/cwt157.00–157.001,17812
HeifersMedium and Large 1—766162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,2417
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy—385216.50/cwt216.50–216.508349
CowsLean 85-90%—1,15260.64/cwt58.00–63.5069930
CowsLean 85-90%—1,09770.56/cwt67.00–73.0077412
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,67882.94/cwt80.00–84.501,39212
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,27964.69/cwt60.50–68.0082732
CowsLean 85-90%—1,19153.03/cwt51.00–56.006329
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,41377.58/cwt75.50–80.001,09623
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,45172.85/cwt69.50–75.001,05728
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,39973.55/cwt70.00–75.001,02915
Bulls——1,63885.06/cwt81.00–88.001,39312
Bulls——1,930100.03/cwt98.00–103.501,9314
Bulls——1,78592.25/cwt91.00–94.501,6474
Bred CowsMedium and Large 2—1,385900.00/head900.00–900.009001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,300985.00/head985.00–985.009851
Bred CowsMedium and Large 2—1,272900.00/head900.00–900.009009
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,213925.00/head925.00–925.009252
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,2581,100.00/head1,100.00–1,100.001,1004
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—477177.50/cwt172.00–182.0084756
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—469211.00/cwt211.00–211.009908
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—525208.00/cwt208.00–208.001,09231
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—434191.50/cwt191.50–191.508314
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—383191.72/cwt190.00–197.007344
HeifersMedium and Large 1—613165.82/cwt165.00–169.001,01618
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—596155.62/cwt155.00–156.0092713
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—453190.00/cwt190.00–190.0086112
SteersMedium and Large 1—363224.07/cwt218.00–225.0081316
HeifersMedium and Large 1—560175.63/cwt170.00–181.0098471
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—626160.76/cwt150.00–168.001,00634
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—668158.13/cwt152.00–163.001,056100

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.