Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2024-05-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-05-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. No trends available on feeder cattle, slaughter cattle, or replacement cattle as the last reported sale was 04/10/24. There were upward tones on average dress slaughter cows and bulls. Next available report will be as receipts warrant.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $327.39/cwt on 42 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −173.71 against this barn's trailing median of $501.10.

Average price

$327.39

42 head · 549 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,796

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$82

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$19.65/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.18

vs CO average

+17.68 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	546	334.41	1,825	27
Medium and Large 2	554	314.76	1,743	15thin

One grade step is worth $19.65/cwt here — about $82 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale42 hd

327.39

—

CO average3 barns · 264 hd

324.21

+3.18

National average167 barns · 10,730 hd

309.71

+17.68

This barn, trailing median2 sales

501.10

−173.71

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,754	157.31	2,759	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,608	139.32	2,240	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,325	136.75	1,812	71
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,044	123.32	1,287	15
Heifers	Choice	Average	1,178	172.00	2,026	2thin
Steers	Choice	Average	1,347	169.00	2,276	3thin

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,135	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,600	$2,276	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,695	$2,250	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,580	$2,150	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,565	$2,125	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,525	$1,725	1thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,323	$2,700	2thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	995	$2,150	1thin
Bulls	N/A	(<2 yrs)	1,160	$2,650	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,574	$3,900	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,530	$3,316	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,558	$2,905	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,472	$1,943	13
Heifer Pairs	Open	(<2 yrs)	1,100	$2,600	1thin
Heifer Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,305	$2,500	3thin

Every lot, as filed

93 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	320	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,056	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	922	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	1,696	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	460	289.33/cwt	285.00–295.00	1,331	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	675	236.98/cwt	230.00–240.00	1,600	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	759	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	2,004	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	415	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,276	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	400	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,520	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	374	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,281	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	533	284.89/cwt	276.00–287.50	1,518	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	792	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	1,695	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	410	391.91/cwt	385.00–397.50	1,607	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	562	328.69/cwt	325.00–330.00	1,847	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	700	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,540	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	100–150	110	614.20/head	575.00–650.00	614	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	50–100	88	508.96/head	500.00–525.00	509	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	439	318.69/cwt	297.50–330.00	1,399	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	742	236.23/cwt	236.00–237.00	1,753	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	621	310.04/cwt	308.00–311.00	1,925	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	368	375.77/cwt	375.00–377.50	1,383	13
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,333	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	3
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,690	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	507	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,764	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,405	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	452	312.00/cwt	312.00–312.00	1,410	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	630	271.71/cwt	268.00–279.00	1,712	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,600	2,276.17/head	2,250.00–2,300.00	2,276	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,695	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	100–150	110	663.64/head	650.00–675.00	664	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,726	3,134.61/head	2,900.00–3,200.00	3,135	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	50–100	83	575.76/head	475.00–650.00	576	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,551	3,435.37/head	3,250.00–3,550.00	3,435	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	840	211.64/cwt	209.00–221.00	1,778	31
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,100	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,135	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,160	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,472	1,943.47/head	1,750.00–2,100.00	1,943	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,525	1,725.00/head	1,725.00–1,725.00	1,725	1
Dairy Heifers	Small 3	650–700	692	57.00/cwt	57.00–57.00	394	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,574	3,900.00/head	3,900.00–3,900.00	3,900	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	684	287.14/cwt	286.00–287.50	1,964	8
Bulls	—	—	1,996	161.83/cwt	155.00–167.00	3,230	7
Heifers	Choice	—	1,178	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	2,026	2
Steers	Choice	—	1,347	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	2,276	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	950	99.00/cwt	99.00–99.00	941	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,033	114.19/cwt	114.00–114.50	1,180	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	997	131.89/cwt	131.00–135.50	1,315	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,324	136.23/cwt	129.00–140.00	1,804	53
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,123	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	1,696	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,125	123.38/cwt	119.00–126.00	1,388	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,608	139.32/cwt	134.00–144.00	2,240	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,338	123.33/cwt	120.00–125.00	1,650	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,383	141.92/cwt	141.00–144.50	1,963	10
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1050–1100	1,086	173.50/cwt	173.50–173.50	1,884	15
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1000–1050	1,015	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,766	5
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1200–1250	1,226	171.50/cwt	171.50–171.50	2,103	11
Bulls	—	—	1,503	140.05/cwt	123.00–153.00	2,105	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,246	144.12/cwt	137.00–148.00	1,796	5
Bulls	—	—	2,073	174.52/cwt	168.00–180.00	3,618	5
Steers	Medium 1	750–800	780	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,716	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	1050–1100	1,095	169.00/cwt	169.00–169.00	1,851	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 4	1100–1150	1,115	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,617	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 4	750–800	753	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,167	4
Dairy Heifers	Large 4	1000–1050	1,015	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,462	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	650–700	685	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,117	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	850–900	869	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,020	21
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Medium 3	650–700	657	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	920	2
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	450	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,418	3
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	444	323.57/cwt	322.50–325.00	1,437	14
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	602	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,529	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	528	272.73/cwt	265.00–274.00	1,440	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	479	357.19/cwt	356.00–362.00	1,711	35
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	478	338.00/cwt	335.00–347.50	1,616	37
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	790	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,912	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	632	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,738	3
Heifer Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,113	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	2
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	995	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	673	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,548	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	250	1,000.00/head	1,000.00–1,000.00	1,000	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	628	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	1,492	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	598	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,441	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	538	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,305	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	470	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	1,281	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	576	308.39/cwt	307.50–309.00	1,776	10
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	666	259.44/cwt	257.50–267.50	1,728	16
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	509	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,667	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	200–250	207	925.00/head	925.00–925.00	925	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	335	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,173	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	559	273.91/cwt	271.00–282.50	1,531	30
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,323	2,700.00/head	2,700.00–2,700.00	2,700	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,565	2,125.00/head	2,125.00–2,125.00	2,125	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,580	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	330	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,205	4
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	473	257.55/cwt	252.50–262.50	1,218	6

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.

Colorado feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Sterling Livestock Commission - Sterling, CO

Wed May 8, 2024

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Greeley, CO (LS-GL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 806Last week 806Year ago 849

Slaughter CattleReceipts 134Last week 134Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 76Last week 76Year ago 103

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	320	330.00	330.00
1	400–450	415	307.50	307.50
41	450–500	460	285.00–295.00	289.33
7	500–550	528	265.00–274.00	272.73
2	650–700	673	230.00	230.00
3	700–750	700	220.00	220.00
7	900–950	922	184.00	184.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	50–100	88	500.00–525.00	508.96
2	100–150	110	575.00–650.00	614.20
4	300–350	335	350.00	350.00
10	350–400	374	342.50	342.50
33	400–450	439	297.50–330.00	318.69
29	450–500	452	312.00	312.00
9	500–550	533	276.00–287.50	284.89
30	550–600	559	271.00–282.50	273.91
25	600–650	630	268.00–279.00	271.71
12	650–700	675	230.00–240.00	236.98
30	700–750	742	236.00–237.00	236.23
7	750–800	792	214.00	214.00
31	800–850	840	209.00–221.00	211.64
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	470	272.50	272.50
3	500–550	538	242.50	242.50
11	550–600	598	241.00	241.00
2	600–650	628	237.50	237.50
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	473	252.50–262.50	257.55
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18	400–450	410	385.00–397.50	391.91
35	450–500	479	356.00–362.00	357.19
8	500–550	507	348.00	348.00
19	550–600	562	325.00–330.00	328.69
40	600–650	621	308.00–311.00	310.04
8	650–700	684	286.00–287.50	287.14
55	750–800	759	264.00	264.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
13	350–400	368	375.00–377.50	375.77
7	400–450	400	380.00	380.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
14	400–450	444	322.50–325.00	323.57
3	450–500	450	315.00	315.00
3	600–650	602	254.00	254.00
1	750–800	780	220.00	220.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
21	850–900	869	232.50	232.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	200–250	207	925.00	925.00
7	250–300	250	1,000.00	1,000.00
4	300–350	330	365.00	365.00
37	450–500	478	335.00–347.50	338.00
5	500–550	509	327.50	327.50
10	550–600	576	307.50–309.00	308.39
3	600–650	632	275.00	275.00
16	650–700	666	257.50–267.50	259.44
1	750–800	790	242.00	242.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
2	50–100	83	475.00–650.00	575.76
2	100–150	110	650.00–675.00	663.64
Dairy Heifers — Small 3$ per cwt · actual wt
3	650–700	692	57.00	57.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	1000–1050	1,015	174.00	174.00
15	1050–1100	1,086	173.50	173.50
11	1200–1250	1,226	171.50	171.50
Dairy Heifers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	685	163.00	163.00
1	1050–1100	1,095	169.00	169.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 4$ per cwt · actual wt
4	750–800	753	155.00	155.00
1	1000–1050	1,015	144.00	144.00
1	1100–1150	1,115	145.00	145.00
Beef/Dairy Heifers — Medium 3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	650–700	657	140.00	140.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,333	2,600.00	2,600.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,405	2,600.00	2,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,726	2,900.00–3,200.00	3,134.61
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	12	—	1,551	3,250.00–3,550.00	3,435.37
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	13	—	1,472	1,750.00–2,100.00	1,943.47
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,574	3,900.00	3,900.00
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,690	2,900.00	2,900.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,100	2,600.00	2,600.00
Heifer Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,113	2,300.00	2,300.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,600	2,250.00–2,300.00	2,276.17
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,695	2,250.00	2,250.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,135	2,900.00	2,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,525	1,725.00	1,725.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,565	2,125.00	2,125.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,580	2,150.00	2,150.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,160	2,650.00	2,650.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	995	2,150.00	2,150.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,323	2,700.00	2,700.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,996	155.00–167.00	161.83
3	—	1,503	123.00–153.00	140.05
5	—	2,073	168.00–180.00	174.52
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,246	137.00–148.00	144.12
Heifers — Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,178	172.00	172.00
Steers — Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,347	169.00	169.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	950	99.00	99.00
3	—	1,033	114.00–114.50	114.19
6	—	997	131.00–135.50	131.89
5	—	1,125	119.00–126.00	123.38
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
53	—	1,324	129.00–140.00	136.23
5	—	1,338	120.00–125.00	123.33
10	—	1,383	141.00–144.50	141.92
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,123	151.00	151.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,608	134.00–144.00	139.32

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Sterling

Reporter comment USDA

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Sterling Livestock Commission - Sterling, CO

Feeder Cattle

Replacement Cattle

Slaughter Cattle