Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2024-11-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good, despite a moderate snow storm. Feeder steers and heifers traded mostly steady to 3.00 lower. A few fancy feeder steers and heifers with good vaccination programs traded 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Average dress slaughter cows traded steady to 3.00 lower, while average dress slaughter bulls traded 5.00 to 6.00 higher. Next available report will be Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $302.34/cwt on 371 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −198.76 against this barn's trailing median of $501.10.

Average price

$302.34

371 head · 555 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,679

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$206

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

$48.69/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+12.73

vs CO average

+0.49 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	553	311.67	1,723	207
Large 1	504	297.50	1,499	11thin
Medium and Large 1-2	560	293.92	1,646	134
Medium and Large 2	577	262.98	1,517	19thin

One grade step is worth $48.69/cwt here — about $206 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 sale371 hd

302.34

—

CO average4 barns · 1,453 hd

289.61

+12.73

National average187 barns · 26,509 hd

301.85

+0.49

This barn, trailing median2 sales

501.10

−198.76

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	—	High	1,843	140.32	2,587	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,595	127.28	2,030	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,316	124.34	1,637	61
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	999	121.64	1,215	22
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	2,040	121.02	2,469	2thin

Every lot, as filed

73 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 1-2Unweaned	600–650	637	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,516	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	650–700	652	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,447	5
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	631	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,552	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	350–400	387	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,384	9
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	478	277.00/cwt	277.00–277.00	1,324	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	596	296.71/cwt	292.00–297.00	1,768	65
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	567	289.33/cwt	289.00–290.00	1,641	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	654	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,713	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	300–350	323	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,147	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	365	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,478	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	517	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	1,665	50
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	649	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,687	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	662	272.84/cwt	268.00–276.00	1,806	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	472	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,628	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	556	291.77/cwt	290.00–294.00	1,622	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	545	302.11/cwt	299.00–310.00	1,646	82
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	431	372.37/cwt	369.00–380.00	1,605	48
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	550–600	590	259.76/cwt	252.00–264.00	1,533	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	423	347.77/cwt	345.00–352.00	1,471	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	700–750	717	241.50/cwt	241.50–241.50	1,732	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	715	245.30/cwt	241.00–250.00	1,754	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	632	261.25/cwt	260.00–262.00	1,651	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	630	269.81/cwt	268.50–276.00	1,700	90
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	504	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	1,499	11
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	700–750	706	222.00/cwt	222.00–222.00	1,567	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	473	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,632	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	671	248.47/cwt	239.00–251.00	1,667	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	341	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,313	8
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	650–700	663	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,578	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	589	278.50/cwt	269.00–283.00	1,640	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	484	284.53/cwt	283.00–286.00	1,377	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	478	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,410	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	600	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,506	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	511	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,339	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	677	231.73/cwt	231.00–232.00	1,569	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	589	248.83/cwt	248.00–250.00	1,466	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,002	93.96/cwt	91.00–97.00	941	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,340	104.36/cwt	100.00–108.00	1,398	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,179	162.42/cwt	157.50–167.50	1,915	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	959	168.48/cwt	162.00–170.00	1,616	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,007	112.39/cwt	112.00–114.00	1,132	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,245	115.13/cwt	110.00–119.00	1,433	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,032	105.20/cwt	103.00–109.00	1,086	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,598	124.50/cwt	123.00–126.00	1,990	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,020	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,326	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,594	128.39/cwt	128.00–129.00	2,047	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,362	125.14/cwt	110.00–130.00	1,704	39
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	2,040	121.02/cwt	120.00–122.00	2,469	2
Bulls	—	—	2,155	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	3,448	1
Bulls	—	—	1,728	142.25/cwt	138.00–147.00	2,458	2
Bulls	—	—	1,803	128.55/cwt	128.00–129.00	2,318	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	550–600	572	233.97/cwt	232.00–236.00	1,338	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	479	276.00/cwt	276.00–276.00	1,322	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	799	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,670	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	539	280.49/cwt	279.00–281.00	1,512	27
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	649	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,454	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	611	242.21/cwt	240.00–246.00	1,480	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	413	325.66/cwt	320.00–330.00	1,345	17
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	498	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,419	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	648	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,555	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	536	270.59/cwt	267.50–273.00	1,450	65
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	663	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,551	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	300–350	330	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	949	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	592	247.01/cwt	245.00–248.00	1,462	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	527	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	1,781	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	445	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,402	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	382	328.58/cwt	328.00–330.00	1,255	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	572	258.79/cwt	254.00–263.00	1,480	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	540	259.35/cwt	257.50–267.50	1,400	16
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	540	272.00/cwt	272.00–272.00	1,469	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	636	266.72/cwt	266.00–270.00	1,696	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	650–700	656	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,935	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	550–600	550	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,678	47

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 Nov 6, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,183Last week 2,143Year ago 2,027

Slaughter CattleReceipts 100Last week 192Year ago 245

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
16	400–450	445	315.00	315.00
14	450–500	479	276.00	276.00
16	500–550	540	257.50–267.50	259.35
13	550–600	592	245.00–248.00	247.01
3	600–650	637	238.00	238.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	650–700	652	222.00	222.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
20	450–500	484	283.00–286.00	284.53
5	500–550	511	262.00	262.00
12	550–600	589	248.00–250.00	248.83
8	600–650	611	240.00–246.00	242.21
11	650–700	677	231.00–232.00	231.73
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
10	350–400	382	328.00–330.00	328.58
17	400–450	413	320.00–330.00	325.66
5	450–500	478	295.00	295.00
65	500–550	536	267.50–273.00	270.59
24	550–600	572	254.00–263.00	258.79
2	600–650	648	240.00	240.00
12	650–700	663	234.00	234.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
27	500–550	539	279.00–281.00	280.49
2	600–650	600	251.00	251.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	330	287.50	287.50
6	550–600	572	232.00–236.00	233.97
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	750–800	799	209.00	209.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	649	224.00	224.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	478	277.00	277.00
5	600–650	631	246.00	246.00
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	350–400	387	357.50	357.50
11	500–550	504	297.50	297.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
36	500–550	527	338.00	338.00
65	550–600	596	292.00–297.00	296.71
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	472	345.00	345.00
12	550–600	567	289.00–290.00	289.33
22	600–650	636	266.00–270.00	266.72
13	650–700	662	268.00–276.00	272.84
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	350–400	365	405.00	405.00
48	400–450	431	369.00–380.00	372.37
34	450–500	473	345.00	345.00
50	500–550	517	322.00	322.00
9	550–600	556	290.00–294.00	291.77
90	600–650	630	268.50–276.00	269.81
6	650–700	654	262.00	262.00
39	700–750	715	241.00–250.00	245.30
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	323	355.00	355.00
14	550–600	590	252.00–264.00	259.76
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	498	285.00	285.00
5	500–550	540	272.00	272.00
6	600–650	649	260.00	260.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	341	385.00	385.00
17	400–450	423	345.00–352.00	347.77
82	500–550	545	299.00–310.00	302.11
40	550–600	589	269.00–283.00	278.50
16	600–650	632	260.00–262.00	261.25
24	650–700	671	239.00–251.00	248.47
7	700–750	717	241.50	241.50
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
5	650–700	663	238.00	238.00
4	700–750	706	222.00	222.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
47	550–600	550	305.00	305.00
4	650–700	656	295.00	295.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,002	91.00–97.00	93.96
3	—	1,032	103.00–109.00	105.20
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,340	100.00–108.00	104.36
14	—	1,245	110.00–119.00	115.13
1	—	1,020	130.00	130.00
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,179	157.50–167.50	162.42
39	—	1,362	110.00–130.00	125.14
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	959	162.00–170.00	168.48
11	—	1,007	112.00–114.00	112.39
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,598	123.00–126.00	124.50
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,594	128.00–129.00	128.39
Cows — Premium White 65-75%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,040	120.00–122.00	121.02
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,155	160.00	160.00
2	—	1,728	138.00–147.00	142.25
2	—	1,803	128.00–129.00	128.55

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

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