Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2023-04-12

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Apr 12
● Final63 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,533 head
890 vs last sale 643 482 vs year ago 1,051 · +45.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
281 head
281 vs last sale 0 202 vs year ago 79 · +255.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
179 head
98 vs last sale 81 134 vs year ago 45 · +297.8%
Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: No trend is available as the last sale for this market was five weeks ago. Trade activity and demand were good. The next available report will be as receipts warrant coverage.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb heifers averaged $218.06/cwt on 735 head.
Average price
$218.06
735 head · 574 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,251
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$368
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2
$23.89/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+9.48
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1578221.391,280536
Medium and Large 1-2566209.511,185192
Medium 1-2462197.509127thin
One grade step is worth $23.89/cwt here — about $368 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 sale735 hd
218.06
CO average5 barns · 1,628 hd
208.59
+9.48
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
BullsHigh1,788109.781,96334
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,629103.911,69316
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,27094.651,20291
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,07586.9493534

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,378$1,9745
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,519$1,82829
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,294$1,57126
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,413$1,49810
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,187$2,1568
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,261$1,97542
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,241$1,77122
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,251$1,70120

Every lot, as filed

63 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 1624217.82/cwt212.50–220.001,359106
SteersMedium and Large 1-2690213.81/cwt207.50–221.001,47570
SteersMedium and Large 1-2889171.00/cwt171.00–171.001,5207
SteersMedium and Large 11,045164.00/cwt164.00–164.001,7141
HeifersMedium and Large 1577218.29/cwt212.50–222.501,260101
SteersMedium and Large 1-2627229.73/cwt220.00–235.001,44024
SteersMedium and Large 1667243.27/cwt240.00–244.001,62344
SteersMedium and Large 1781206.49/cwt201.00–209.501,61339
SteersMedium and Large 1-2517256.18/cwt250.00–257.501,3246
SteersMedium and Large 1885178.46/cwt175.00–185.001,57913
SteersMedium and Large 1438265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,16123
SteersMedium and Large 1-2573237.46/cwt237.00–237.501,36144
SteersMedium and Large 1-2378249.26/cwt242.50–255.0094211
SteersMedium and Large 1-2420245.84/cwt245.00–250.001,03312
SteersMedium and Large 1625242.26/cwt240.00–245.001,51447
SteersMedium and Large 1727219.94/cwt216.00–220.501,59913
SteersMedium and Large 1822197.64/cwt193.00–204.001,62555
SteersMedium and Large 1471266.66/cwt260.00–275.001,25644
SteersMedium and Large 1585248.22/cwt245.00–252.501,45226
SteersMedium and Large 1-2476251.39/cwt250.00–257.501,19713
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added617254.26/cwt252.50–258.001,56929
SteersMedium and Large 1974170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,6564
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned521237.14/cwt235.00–239.001,23518
SteersMedium and Large 1542263.65/cwt257.50–270.001,42956
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned453242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,0993
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2427226.25/cwt223.00–227.5096633
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2480228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,09431
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2676198.62/cwt193.00–202.001,34333
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2734194.00/cwt194.00–194.001,42420
HeifersMedium and Large 1660214.01/cwt209.00–220.001,41241
HeifersMedium and Large 1716207.78/cwt202.50–215.001,48864
CowsLean 85-90%1,07586.84/cwt85.00–89.5093414
CowsLean 85-90%1,08180.84/cwt80.00–84.508748
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,629103.91/cwt98.00–108.001,69316
CowsBoner 80-85%1,29396.52/cwt91.50–101.501,24847
CowsBoner 80-85%1,21389.02/cwt83.50–91.001,08032
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,07191.13/cwt89.00–95.0097612
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,330102.32/cwt99.00–105.001,36112
Bulls2,018120.86/cwt116.00–128.002,43912
Bulls1,713107.48/cwt100.50–113.001,84116
Bulls1,52893.76/cwt87.00–100.001,4336
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2611,975.34/head1,800.00–2,075.001,97542
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2511,701.17/head1,600.00–1,875.001,70120
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3781,974.00/head1,860.00–2,000.001,9745
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,5191,827.90/head1,300.00–1,925.001,82829
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,4131,497.55/head1,400.00–1,600.001,49810
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2941,571.42/head1,300.00–1,900.001,57126
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,2411,770.84/head1,700.00–1,825.001,77122
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,1872,156.48/head2,000.00–2,350.002,1568
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned547192.50/cwt192.50–192.501,0534
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2587196.95/cwt194.00–200.001,15618
HeifersMedium and Large 1523227.73/cwt220.00–240.001,19197
HeifersMedium and Large 1429233.33/cwt230.00–237.501,00164
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2375229.88/cwt227.50–235.0086210
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2837181.00/cwt181.00–181.001,5156
SteersMedium and Large 1-2737208.89/cwt208.00–213.001,54058
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2512206.57/cwt205.00–207.501,05816
HeifersMedium 1-2462197.50/cwt197.50–197.509127
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2616202.50/cwt202.50–202.501,24721
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added483245.30/cwt244.00–247.501,18518
HeifersMedium and Large 1372243.19/cwt237.50–252.5090523
SteersMedium and Large 2540190.00/cwt190.00–190.001,02618
HeifersMedium and Large 1780201.21/cwt194.50–210.001,56922

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.