Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2023-02-22

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Feb 22
● Final50 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
544 head
▼ 469 vs last sale 1,013▲ 544 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
37 head
▼ 63 vs last sale 100▲ 37 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
7 head
▼ 8 vs last sale 15▲ 7 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

Compared to two weeks ago: Feeder steers weighing between 500-700 lbs traded 6.00 to 12.50 higher. No other weight ranges has a a comparison. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs traded 9.50 to 13.25 higher and those weighing between 600-700 lbs traded 2.50 to 8.00 higher on a light test. Slaughter cows traded 2.50 to 4.00 higher on a thin test and slaughter bulls were too thinly tested for any comparison. Trade activity and demand were moderate to good. Todays run consisted mostly of lighter weight calves with 30-120 wean periods and one to two rounds of vaccinations. The next available report will occur as receipts warrant.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $196.40/cwt on 297 head.
Average price
$196.40
297 head · 549 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,079
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$258
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$24.08/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+8.27
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1566199.631,130229
Large 1-2489194.509519thin
Medium and Large 1-2490190.4793434
Medium and Large 2497175.5587225
One grade step is worth $24.08/cwt here — about $258 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 sale297 hd
196.40
—
CO average5 barns · 1,081 hd
188.12
+8.27
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%Average1,71590.001,5441thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,29886.631,12414
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,02083.7885522

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,320$1,3251thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,222$9003thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,105$1,2752thin

Every lot, as filed

50 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—659204.01/cwt201.00–205.001,34448
SteersMedium and Large 1—595217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,29122
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—429182.00/cwt182.00–182.007814
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—443208.00/cwt208.00–208.009215
SteersMedium and Large 1—549220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,2084
SteersMedium and Large 2—360201.68/cwt200.00–202.507263
SteersMedium and Large 2—538192.00/cwt192.00–192.001,0335
SteersMedium 1—602192.00/cwt192.00–192.001,1565
SteersMedium and Large 2—348202.50/cwt202.50–202.507054
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—436207.54/cwt205.00–210.009058
SteersMedium and Large 1—323248.45/cwt248.00–249.008029
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—613198.00/cwt198.00–198.001,2146
SteersMedium and Large 1—613209.50/cwt200.00–210.501,28431
SteersMedium 1—699183.00/cwt183.00–183.001,2796
SteersMedium 1—508203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,0315
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—378225.00/cwt225.00–225.008513
SteersMedium and Large 2—255208.00/cwt208.00–208.005305
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—405200.00/cwt200.00–200.008103
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—481198.81/cwt198.00–199.0095611
HeifersMedium and Large 2—711134.00/cwt134.00–134.009536
HeifersMedium and Large 1—621184.43/cwt178.00–186.001,14546
HeifersLarge 1-2—489194.50/cwt194.50–194.509519
HeifersMedium and Large 2—630151.00/cwt151.00–151.009512
HeifersMedium and Large 2—378194.28/cwt192.00–198.0073410
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—516189.32/cwt184.00–192.0097712
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,27680.30/cwt77.00–84.001,0255
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,28286.77/cwt85.00–89.501,1123
CowsLean 85-90%—1,05550.00/cwt50.00–50.005281
CowsLean 85-90%—96670.13/cwt69.00–71.006774
CowsLean 85-90%—1,11178.72/cwt76.00–86.008757
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,71590.00/cwt90.00–90.001,5441
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,32491.84/cwt89.00–94.001,2166
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—95199.51/cwt91.50–111.009468
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—1,07082.79/cwt79.00–86.008862
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—1,1051,275.00/head1,275.00–1,275.001,2752
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,222899.92/head850.00–1,000.009003
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2—1,3201,325.00/head1,325.00–1,325.001,3251
SteersMedium and Large 1—381245.28/cwt239.50–247.009359
HeifersMedium and Large 1—577198.42/cwt193.00–203.501,145121
HeifersMedium and Large 2—343207.50/cwt207.50–207.507122
HeifersMedium and Large 1—672185.00/cwt185.00–185.001,2435
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—637162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,0323
HeifersMedium and Large 2—485185.00/cwt185.00–185.008975
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—596198.50/cwt198.50–198.501,1833
HeifersMedium and Large 1—478218.64/cwt209.00–219.001,04554
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—570174.00/cwt174.00–174.009924
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—393209.00/cwt209.00–209.008216
HeifersMedium and Large 1—700163.50/cwt163.50–163.501,1453
SteersMedium 1—586196.00/cwt196.00–196.001,14912
SteersMedium and Large 2—553186.49/cwt182.00–188.001,0314

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.