Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2023-12-13

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Dec 13
● Final64 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,405 head
▼ 229 vs last sale 1,634▲ 1,405 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
149 head
▼ 75 vs last sale 224▲ 149 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

Trade activity and demand today was moderate. Today's feeder offering was primarily weaned 30 to 60 days with a few coming off the cow. Most of the calves were preconditioned and on a vaccination program. Compared to last week feeder steers traded mostly 1.00 to 7.00 higher while feeder heifers traded mostly 2.00 to 10.00 higher. The only exception was the 600 to 700 pound heifers traded 1.00 to 7.00 lower. Slaughter cows traded steady to 2.00 higher and slaughter bulls traded 3.00 lower. Next available report will be as receipts warrant.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
0–100 lb steers averaged $271.54/cwt on 683 head.
Average price
$271.54
683 head · 587 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,594
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$265
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1-2
$73.18/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+14.94
vs CO average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1588275.181,618571
Medium and Large 1-2588256.091,50693
Medium 1517247.501,28015thin
Medium 1-2670202.001,3534thin
One grade step is worth $73.18/cwt here — about $265 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 sale683 hd
271.54
—
CO average4 barns · 4,813 hd
256.60
+14.94
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—Low1,783105.601,88217
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,62295.471,5486thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,28387.111,11881
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,14775.1686244

Every lot, as filed

64 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 1Unweaned—400258.00/cwt258.00–258.001,0324
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—616206.00/cwt206.00–206.001,26910
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—612215.64/cwt214.00–219.001,32020
SteersMedium and Large 1—787229.88/cwt228.00–230.501,80959
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—335255.00/cwt255.00–255.008543
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—481253.00/cwt253.00–253.001,2177
SteersMedium and Large 1—715229.55/cwt228.00–230.001,6419
SteersMedium 1—534250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,33510
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—491271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,3315
SteersMedium 1—484242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,1745
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—467286.86/cwt284.00–294.001,3407
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—429248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,0644
SteersMedium and Large 1—615270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,66138
SteersMedium and Large 1—666246.36/cwt239.00–248.501,641105
SteersMedium and Large 1—569282.18/cwt267.50–288.501,606163
SteersMedium and Large 1—511299.60/cwt290.00–302.001,531109
SteersMedium and Large 1—432317.23/cwt310.00–320.001,37040
SteersMedium and Large 1—467306.87/cwt304.00–310.001,43334
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—517266.79/cwt263.00–270.001,37911
SteersMedium 1-2—670202.00/cwt202.00–202.001,3534
SteersMedium and Large 1—845216.00/cwt216.00–216.001,8252
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—714218.54/cwt216.00–221.001,5606
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—643248.71/cwt240.00–257.001,59928
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—296700.00/head700.00–700.007004
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—562257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,4479
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned—435282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,2293
HeifersMedium 1-2—413217.00/cwt217.00–217.008966
HeifersMedium and Large 1—373287.50/cwt287.50–287.501,0723
HeifersMedium 1—572193.00/cwt193.00–193.001,1043
HeifersMedium and Large 1—658210.99/cwt210.00–212.501,38843
HeifersMedium and Large 1—336277.50/cwt277.50–277.5093211
HeifersMedium and Large 1Fancy—423286.00/cwt286.00–286.001,2105
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,25976.71/cwt74.00–79.009664
CowsLean 85-90%—1,00554.16/cwt50.00–65.005445
CowsLean 85-90%—1,06567.38/cwt67.00–69.007185
CowsLean 85-90%—1,18278.76/cwt71.00–82.0093131
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,58297.36/cwt96.00–101.001,5405
CowsBreaker 75-80%—1,82086.00/cwt86.00–86.001,5651
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,32897.21/cwt95.00–100.001,2914
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,29486.54/cwt81.00–93.001,12069
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—1,055116.55/cwt107.00–125.001,2302
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed—880105.00/cwt105.00–105.009241
CowsBoner 80-85%—1,31051.00/cwt51.00–51.006681
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed—1,05090.00/cwt90.00–90.009451
CowsLean 85-90%—1,20584.00/cwt84.00–84.001,0122
Bulls——1,68591.02/cwt87.00–96.001,5343
Bulls——2,097111.18/cwt109.00–114.002,3315
Bulls——1,859102.80/cwt100.00–106.001,9116
Bulls—Return to Feed—1,203116.48/cwt109.00–127.501,4013
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—663204.00/cwt204.00–204.001,3532
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—485258.21/cwt244.00–265.001,25281
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—353262.50/cwt262.50–262.509273
HeifersMedium and Large 1—519258.80/cwt253.00–264.001,34363
HeifersMedium and Large 1—710207.05/cwt192.00–213.001,47045
HeifersMedium and Large 1—622217.66/cwt212.00–224.001,35422
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—590215.24/cwt211.00–222.001,27014
HeifersMedium and Large 1—1,155161.00/cwt161.00–161.001,8603
HeifersMedium and Large 1—457276.09/cwt265.00–278.001,26221
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned—522226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,1805
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—421260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,0958
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2—532241.14/cwt236.00–247.501,283103
SteersMedium and Large 1-2—583256.76/cwt255.00–264.001,49736
HeifersMedium and Large 1—424272.38/cwt265.00–276.001,15567
HeifersMedium and Large 1—567231.60/cwt227.00–237.001,31337

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.