Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2024-10-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-30

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Feeder steers and heifers traded uneven. Feeder steers and heifers traded mostly steady, with some sharply lower due to coming right off the cow and not receiving fall vaccinations. No trend available on slaughter cows and bulls due to no recent sale with comparable receipts. Next available report will be Wednesday, November 6, 2024.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $294.17/cwt on 466 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −206.93 against this barn's trailing median of $501.10.

Average price

$294.17

466 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,613

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$385

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

$57.88/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+6.99

vs CO average

−6.52 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	548	305.11	1,671	259
Medium and Large 2	557	292.50	1,628	16thin
Medium and Large 1-2	551	290.25	1,598	142
Medium 1	581	250.00	1,453	18thin
Medium 1-2	520	247.24	1,285	31

One grade step is worth $57.88/cwt here — about $385 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale466 hd

294.17

—

CO average5 barns · 3,265 hd

287.18

+6.99

National average185 barns · 40,108 hd

300.69

−6.52

This barn, trailing median2 sales

501.10

−206.93

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	—	Low	1,701	131.57	2,237	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,571	131.98	2,074	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Very Low	1,285	126.49	1,625	123
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,067	105.77	1,129	48

Every lot, as filed

96 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
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	550–600	583	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	1,329	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	481	326.07/cwt	325.00–330.00	1,568	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	579	278.99/cwt	272.00–293.00	1,615	9
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	600–650	607	227.51/cwt	222.00–235.00	1,381	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	602	285.93/cwt	280.00–292.50	1,721	19
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	550–600	578	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,532	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	477	298.37/cwt	295.00–300.00	1,423	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	674	256.20/cwt	255.00–264.00	1,727	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	396	378.00/cwt	378.00–378.00	1,497	24
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	697	225.50/cwt	225.50–225.50	1,572	47
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	512	321.16/cwt	320.00–322.50	1,644	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	625	273.00/cwt	273.00–273.00	1,706	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	807	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,953	20
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	417	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,480	11
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	581	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,453	18
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	547	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,668	11
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	643	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,575	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	321	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,252	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	560	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	1,663	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	437	318.30/cwt	317.50–319.00	1,391	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	621	238.17/cwt	233.00–241.00	1,479	82
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	485	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,319	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	600–650	615	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,544	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	378	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,332	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	294.78/cwt	294.00–299.00	1,683	127
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	459	344.03/cwt	337.50–345.00	1,579	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	720	251.00/cwt	248.00–252.00	1,807	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	508	323.78/cwt	322.00–326.50	1,645	89
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	669	270.17/cwt	267.50–275.00	1,807	79
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	413	363.00/cwt	363.00–363.00	1,499	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	567	280.92/cwt	272.00–289.00	1,593	77
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	409	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,575	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	784	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,968	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	346	369.75/cwt	368.00–375.00	1,279	12
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	400–450	407	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,119	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	483	334.50/cwt	332.00–337.50	1,616	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	388	363.31/cwt	362.50–365.00	1,410	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	624	268.78/cwt	263.00–274.00	1,677	146
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	500–550	513	249.30/cwt	244.00–253.00	1,279	28
Steers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	450–500	480	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,500	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	527	299.98/cwt	295.00–301.00	1,581	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	686	256.86/cwt	253.00–260.00	1,762	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	454	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,453	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	385	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,309	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,004	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	2,179	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	666	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,692	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	627	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,517	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	450–500	477	341.50/cwt	341.50–341.50	1,629	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,125	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,001	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,149	95.22/cwt	89.00–97.50	1,094	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,081	107.31/cwt	101.00–111.00	1,160	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	969	162.86/cwt	162.50–163.00	1,578	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,593	132.97/cwt	132.00–134.00	2,118	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,110	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	977	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,300	50.00/cwt	50.00–50.00	650	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,293	101.69/cwt	94.00–106.00	1,315	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,485	128.00/cwt	128.00–128.00	1,901	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,334	114.13/cwt	112.00–116.00	1,522	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,033	62.41/cwt	50.00–81.00	645	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,087	163.60/cwt	137.00–187.50	1,778	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,304	127.90/cwt	115.00–135.00	1,668	82
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,043	107.64/cwt	103.00–125.00	1,123	9
Bulls	—	—	1,710	121.97/cwt	114.00–125.00	2,086	3
Bulls	—	—	1,829	135.44/cwt	130.00–142.00	2,477	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,030	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,452	1
Heifers	Medium 1-2	500–550	549	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,394	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	557	251.12/cwt	250.00–252.00	1,399	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	619	238.29/cwt	238.00–239.00	1,475	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	757	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,802	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	338	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,141	10
Heifers	Medium 1-2	450–500	498	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	1,325	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	509	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,451	15
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	450–500	495	264.14/cwt	262.50–266.00	1,307	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	500–550	520	266.55/cwt	258.50–272.50	1,386	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	444	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	1,341	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	459	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,331	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	400–450	428	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,263	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	588	253.54/cwt	252.50–257.00	1,491	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	665	235.05/cwt	233.00–237.50	1,563	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	619	243.50/cwt	243.50–243.50	1,507	17
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	550–600	571	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,365	29
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	535	258.34/cwt	257.00–263.00	1,382	13
Heifers	Medium 2	350–400	382	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,089	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	588	247.64/cwt	246.00–250.00	1,456	11
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	350–400	379	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	1,179	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	412	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,360	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	325	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,097	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	359	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	1,194	17
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	473	271.94/cwt	270.00–272.50	1,286	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	345	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,130	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	700–750	715	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	1,423	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	540	270.87/cwt	270.00–274.50	1,463	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	492	288.88/cwt	281.00–291.00	1,421	37
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	540	263.18/cwt	259.00–266.00	1,421	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	523	288.61/cwt	281.00–293.50	1,509	44
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	787	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,842	46

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 Oct 30, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 2,143Last week 1,802Year ago 1,674

Slaughter CattleReceipts 192Last week 0Year ago 121

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	400–450	407	275.00	275.00
10	450–500	480	312.50	312.50
28	500–550	513	244.00–253.00	249.30
3	550–600	583	228.00	228.00
14	600–650	607	222.00–235.00	227.51
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
24	350–400	396	378.00	378.00
28	450–500	481	325.00–330.00	326.07
13	500–550	512	320.00–322.50	321.16
9	550–600	579	272.00–293.00	278.99
15	600–650	625	273.00	273.00
20	800–850	807	242.00	242.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
17	400–450	409	385.00	385.00
46	450–500	459	337.50–345.00	344.03
89	500–550	508	322.00–326.50	323.78
127	550–600	571	294.00–299.00	294.78
19	600–650	602	280.00–292.50	285.93
79	650–700	669	267.50–275.00	270.17
24	700–750	720	248.00–252.00	251.00
8	750–800	784	251.00	251.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	477	295.00–300.00	298.37
5	550–600	578	265.00	265.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	321	390.00	390.00
43	550–600	560	297.00	297.00
46	650–700	674	255.00–264.00	256.20
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
47	650–700	697	225.50	225.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	378	352.50	352.50
11	400–450	417	355.00	355.00
11	500–550	547	305.00	305.00
46	750–800	787	234.00	234.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
18	550–600	581	250.00	250.00
17	600–650	643	245.00	245.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
8	600–650	615	251.00	251.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	300–350	346	368.00–375.00	369.75
6	350–400	388	362.50–365.00	363.31
12	400–450	413	363.00	363.00
35	450–500	483	332.00–337.50	334.50
43	500–550	527	295.00–301.00	299.98
77	550–600	567	272.00–289.00	280.92
146	600–650	624	263.00–274.00	268.78
43	650–700	686	253.00–260.00	256.86
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	345	327.50	327.50
23	400–450	437	317.50–319.00	318.30
37	450–500	492	281.00–291.00	288.88
40	500–550	540	270.00–274.50	270.87
11	550–600	588	246.00–250.00	247.64
82	600–650	621	233.00–241.00	238.17
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	444	302.00	302.00
7	450–500	485	272.00	272.00
17	500–550	520	258.50–272.50	266.55
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	300–350	338	337.50	337.50
25	350–400	385	340.00	340.00
29	450–500	454	320.00	320.00
16	650–700	666	254.00	254.00
13	750–800	757	238.00	238.00
8	1000–1050	1,004	217.00	217.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
5	600–650	627	242.00	242.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
14	450–500	477	341.50	341.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
25	400–450	428	295.00	295.00
24	450–500	498	266.00	266.00
6	500–550	549	254.00	254.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	450–500	459	290.00	290.00
15	500–550	509	285.00	285.00
9	550–600	557	250.00–252.00	251.12
7	600–650	619	238.00–239.00	238.29
Heifers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
15	450–500	495	262.50–266.00	264.14
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	300–350	325	337.50	337.50
17	350–400	359	332.50	332.50
12	400–450	412	330.00	330.00
44	500–550	523	281.00–293.50	288.61
25	550–600	588	252.50–257.00	253.54
17	600–650	619	243.50	243.50
20	650–700	665	233.00–237.50	235.05
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	379	311.00	311.00
21	450–500	473	270.00–272.50	271.94
20	500–550	540	259.00–266.00	263.18
29	550–600	571	239.00	239.00
12	700–750	715	199.00	199.00
Heifers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	500–550	535	257.00–263.00	258.34
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	382	285.00	285.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,125	89.00	89.00
7	—	969	162.50–163.00	162.86
9	—	1,043	103.00–125.00	107.64
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,149	89.00–97.50	95.22
13	—	1,081	101.00–111.00	107.31
7	—	1,033	50.00–81.00	62.41
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,593	132.00–134.00	132.97
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,110	88.00	88.00
12	—	1,087	137.00–187.50	163.60
82	—	1,304	115.00–135.00	127.90
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,300	50.00	50.00
9	—	1,293	94.00–106.00	101.69
18	—	1,334	112.00–116.00	114.13
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,485	128.00	128.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,710	114.00–125.00	121.97
5	—	1,829	130.00–142.00	135.44
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,030	141.00	141.00

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.

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