Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2023-02-08

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Feb 8
● Final49 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,013 head
1,187 vs last sale 2,200 103 vs year ago 1,116 · 9.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
100 head
100 vs last sale 0 63 vs year ago 37 · +170.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
15 head
15 vs last sale 0 87 vs year ago 102 · 85.3%
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 good. Feeder steers under 700 lbs traded 3.00 to 8.00 lower while steers weighing over 700 lbs traded 2.00 to 7.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 650 lbs traded 2.50 to 6.00 lower and heifers over 650 lbs traded steady to 2.00 higher. There were no other classes of cattle for comparison. The next available report will be Wednesday, February 15, 2023.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $179.70/cwt on 526 head.
Average price
$179.70
526 head · 585 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,050
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$355
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2
$31.38/cwt at this weight
vs the market
0.03
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1553192.341,063208
Medium and Large 2434176.007647thin
Medium and Large 1-2626172.351,079283
Medium 2439160.9770728
One grade step is worth $31.38/cwt here — about $355 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 sale526 hd
179.70
CO average5 barns · 3,802 hd
179.73
−0.03
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%Average1,69383.621,41512
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,41881.771,16065
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,18373.9987513

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)1,527$1,2784thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,398$1,2143thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,305$1,0192thin

Every lot, as filed

49 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 1406201.00/cwt201.00–201.008169
HeifersMedium 2563157.00/cwt157.00–157.008843
HeifersMedium and Large 1674177.00/cwt177.00–177.001,19337
HeifersMedium and Large 1603182.00/cwt182.00–182.001,0972
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2475191.15/cwt189.00–192.5090820
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2538175.67/cwt171.50–188.0094521
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added800186.00/cwt186.00–186.001,48810
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added517231.79/cwt231.00–235.001,19850
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned707174.00/cwt174.00–174.001,2309
SteersMedium and Large 1-2630193.00/cwt193.00–193.001,2163
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned601192.50/cwt192.50–192.501,15732
SteersMedium and Large 2561189.00/cwt189.00–189.001,0604
SteersMedium and Large 2413183.00/cwt183.00–183.007565
SteersMedium and Large 1686191.32/cwt189.00–194.001,31226
SteersMedium and Large 1778182.82/cwt181.00–184.001,42224
SteersMedium and Large 1-2590198.62/cwt197.00–199.001,1725
SteersMedium and Large 1-2663176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,1672
SteersMedium and Large 1-2852165.50/cwt165.50–165.501,41013
SteersMedium and Large 2458182.00/cwt182.00–182.008348
SteersMedium and Large 1725187.00/cwt187.00–187.001,35610
SteersMedium and Large 1503214.00/cwt214.00–214.001,07615
HeifersMedium and Large 2434176.00/cwt176.00–176.007647
SteersMedium and Large 1633202.60/cwt198.00–210.001,282102
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned587172.00/cwt172.00–172.001,01025
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned407196.00/cwt196.00–196.007989
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy716197.00/cwt197.00–197.001,41154
SteersMedium and Large 1Fancy575223.60/cwt223.00–223.751,28656
HeifersMedium 2340170.00/cwt170.00–170.005782
SteersMedium and Large 1-2711176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,2515
HeifersMedium 2432160.70/cwt160.00–161.0069423
HeifersMedium and Large 1477205.30/cwt202.00–209.0097945
HeifersMedium and Large 1535196.42/cwt193.00–202.501,05164
HeifersMedium and Large 1708175.00/cwt175.00–175.001,23916
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2724168.74/cwt166.50–169.001,22239
HeifersMedium and Large 1555188.93/cwt184.00–192.001,04926
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2666167.82/cwt164.00–169.001,11819
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2757162.81/cwt161.00–163.001,23221
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2581176.97/cwt176.00–181.001,02841
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2630170.30/cwt165.00–174.001,07397
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3051,019.40/head935.00–1,100.001,0192
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3981,213.80/head1,125.00–1,250.001,2143
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,9901,675.00/head1,675.00–1,675.001,6751
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3721,145.78/head1,125.00–1,185.001,1463
CowsBoner 80-85%1,42682.36/cwt78.00–87.501,17458
CowsLean 85-90%1,18975.63/cwt74.50–79.508999
CowsBoner 80-85%1,35676.87/cwt73.00–78.001,0427
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,79587.43/cwt85.00–89.501,5692
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,67282.86/cwt82.50–84.001,38510
CowsLean 85-90%1,16870.29/cwt69.00–72.508214

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.