Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2022-12-07

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 7
● Final59 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,405 head
▲ 1,405 vs last sale 0▼ 694 vs year ago 2,099 · −33.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
180 head
▲ 180 vs last sale 0▼ 93 vs year ago 273 · −34.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
30 head
▲ 30 vs last sale 0▲ 30 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

No trend is available as the last reported sale for this market was three weeks ago. Today's run consisted primarily of pre-conditioned calves with the majority having multiple rounds of vaccinations and most being weaned between 30-90 days. Trade activity and demand were good. The next available report will be December 14, 2022.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $202.46/cwt on 535 head.
Average price
$202.46
535 head · 597 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,209
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$57
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$42.21/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+8.92
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1606204.211,237449
Medium and Large 1-2547194.491,06483
Large 1-2728162.001,1793thin
One grade step is worth $42.21/cwt here — about $57 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 sale535 hd
202.46
—
CO average5 barns · 5,909 hd
193.55
+8.92
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—Low1,90788.841,69411
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,62975.211,22534
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,30463.3182658
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,10852.0357745

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,172$9928
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,000$9851thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,231$78516
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,175$7002thin

Every lot, as filed

59 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—678187.95/cwt181.00–193.501,27451
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—481210.89/cwt203.00–216.001,01417
SteersMedium and Large 1—387245.00/cwt245.00–245.009487
HeifersMedium and Large 1—637178.52/cwt175.00–181.001,13748
SteersMedium and Large 1—511214.19/cwt210.00–220.501,09560
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—484189.45/cwt187.00–192.009174
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—483238.76/cwt235.00–240.001,15336
SteersLarge 1-2—728162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,1793
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—584180.54/cwt173.00–181.501,05412
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—530203.69/cwt200.00–208.001,08020
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—682172.00/cwt172.00–172.001,17313
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—667152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,0143
SteersMedium and Large 1Full—631188.00/cwt188.00–188.001,1864
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added—669195.59/cwt193.00–196.001,30837
SteersMedium and Large 1—802176.50/cwt176.00–177.001,4166
SteersMedium and Large 1—626198.71/cwt190.00–200.501,24445
SteersMedium and Large 1—578204.22/cwt201.00–211.001,18052
SteersMedium and Large 1—718186.14/cwt176.00–191.501,33650
SteersMedium and Large 1—423226.50/cwt222.50–232.509585
SteersMedium and Large 1—457227.00/cwt227.00–227.001,03710
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—621170.22/cwt170.00–172.001,0579
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—431212.42/cwt209.00–217.5091612
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—622186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,15711
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—888146.00/cwt146.00–146.001,2962
HeifersMedium and Large 1Full—492194.50/cwt194.50–194.5095710
HeifersMedium and Large 1—671171.39/cwt168.00–175.501,15052
HeifersMedium and Large 1—527189.94/cwt181.00–195.001,00127
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy—461215.00/cwt215.00–215.0099123
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy—442220.00/cwt220.00–220.009723
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,62975.21/cwt69.00–77.001,22534
CowsLean 85-90%—1,08444.71/cwt39.00–47.0048515
CowsLean 85-90%—1,11954.48/cwt50.00–57.5061023
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,34756.92/cwt55.00–58.507675
CowsLean 85-90%—1,12659.68/cwt58.00–61.006727
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,28261.90/cwt59.00–69.0079439
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,35169.52/cwt64.00–71.5093914
Bulls——1,79487.10/cwt84.00–89.001,5638
Bulls——2,20793.49/cwt91.00–98.002,0633
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,172991.94/head835.00–1,325.009928
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,175700.00/head700.00–700.007002
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,000985.00/head985.00–985.009851
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,231785.00/head785.00–785.0078516
HeifersMedium and Large 1—568181.56/cwt177.50–188.501,031119
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—305209.00/cwt209.00–209.006372
HeifersMedium and Large 1—720167.00/cwt163.00–168.001,2025
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—581175.48/cwt169.00–196.001,02044
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—424187.13/cwt185.00–191.0079311
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—527177.28/cwt175.00–179.009349
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—630163.32/cwt162.00–166.001,02923
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—665165.50/cwt165.00–167.001,10112
HeifersMedium and Large 1—470203.23/cwt200.00–209.0095552
HeifersMedium and Large 1—432214.29/cwt206.00–217.0092619
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—717154.01/cwt152.00–155.001,1043
HeifersMedium and Large 1—398214.00/cwt214.00–214.008528
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—600205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,23022
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—746197.27/cwt193.00–198.501,47222
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy—556217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,20731
HeifersMedium and Large 1—339213.70/cwt211.00–215.007243
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—393196.00/cwt196.00–196.007702

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.