Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2023-10-18

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Oct 18
● Final55 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
937 head
843 vs last sale 1,780 238 vs year ago 1,175 · 20.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
109 head
109 vs last sale 0 39 vs year ago 70 · +55.7%
Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, trade and demand on feeder cattle were steady. Todays supply was comprised mostly of preconditioned calves coming straight off the cow. Feeder steers traded mostly 8.00 to 18.00 higher with a few trades sharply higher. Feeder heifers weighing 400 to 600 pounds traded 7.00 to 10.00 lower, with a few trades sharply lower. While heifers weighing over 600 pounds were up 10.00 to 15.00 with a fairly light test. There is no comparable trend on the slaughter cows and bulls as the previous report was in September. Next available reports will be available as receipts warrant.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $309.06/cwt on 519 head.
Average price
$309.06
519 head · 538 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,663
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$552
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$79.82/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+34.80
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1551311.821,717435
Medium and Large 1-2492310.171,52553
Medium 1-2412285.711,17821
Medium and Large 2502232.001,16510thin
One grade step is worth $79.82/cwt here — about $552 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 sale519 hd
309.06
CO average4 barns · 3,325 hd
274.26
+34.80
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
BullsAverage1,784107.441,91716
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,30697.031,26726
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,15093.001,0701thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,18382.8598046

Every lot, as filed

55 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 1Value Added433375.16/cwt375.00–380.001,62488
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added495315.75/cwt312.50–320.001,56316
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Natural581236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,3714
HeifersMedium 1955212.50/cwt212.50–212.502,0291
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2583227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,3266
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added617257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,5893
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2430270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,1613
HeifersMedium and Large 11,053203.75/cwt202.50–205.002,1452
Dairy HeifersLarge 2-31,070160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,7124
Dairy HeifersLarge 3898156.00/cwt156.00–156.001,4013
Dairy HeifersMedium and Large 2-3938160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,5013
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added576292.43/cwt285.00–301.001,68435
SteersMedium 1-2Unweaned404295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,1929
SteersMedium and Large 2Natural502232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,16510
Dairy HeifersLarge 2-31,128162.00/cwt162.00–162.001,8276
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned713252.01/cwt242.00–253.501,79723
SteersMedium 1-2Unweaned330275.00/cwt275.00–275.009083
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added427337.25/cwt327.50–340.001,44014
Dairy HeifersLarge 2-31,191163.00/cwt163.00–163.001,9415
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added477328.02/cwt327.50–330.001,56519
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added385380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,4639
SteersMedium and Large 1777240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,86520
SteersMedium and Large 1-2595250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,4884
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added348400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,3928
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned684252.46/cwt245.00–257.001,7278
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added518317.03/cwt306.00–319.001,642140
SteersMedium and Large 1Value Added615276.43/cwt265.00–281.001,70076
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Natural480242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,16411
HeifersMedium 1-2Unweaned313278.00/cwt278.00–278.008703
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned651255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,66022
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added535284.60/cwt282.50–287.501,52312
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Full553267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,4794
SteersMedium and Large 1867226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,95912
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added474264.98/cwt262.50–269.001,25628
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added529262.68/cwt252.50–273.001,39037
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added579249.75/cwt245.00–253.001,44641
SteersMedium 1-2448280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,2549
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added399332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,3274
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added422296.74/cwt280.00–317.501,25225
HeifersMedium and Large 11,134187.94/cwt170.00–194.002,1314
HeifersMedium 1-2832227.50/cwt227.50–227.501,89340
HeifersMedium and Large 2742205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,5213
HeifersMedium 1-2Unweaned386255.00/cwt255.00–255.009847
HeifersMedium and Large 11,007221.50/cwt221.50–221.502,2315
HeifersMedium 1-2759229.00/cwt229.00–229.001,7388
Bulls1,733109.07/cwt106.00–113.001,8909
Bulls1,930117.50/cwt117.50–117.502,2681
Bulls1,836103.33/cwt101.00–105.001,8976
CowsBoner 80-85%1,265111.44/cwt109.50–112.001,4105
CowsBoner 80-85%1,31596.53/cwt92.00–100.001,26915
CowsBoner 80-85%1,31986.25/cwt85.00–89.001,1386
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,15093.00/cwt93.00–93.001,0701
CowsLean 85-90%1,22289.39/cwt87.00–94.001,09215
CowsLean 85-90%1,18282.98/cwt79.50–86.5098126
CowsLean 85-90%1,06762.52/cwt58.00–71.006675

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.