Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2024-12-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-12-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Last reported feeder cattle sale was three weeks ago so no trend available, however feeder steers and heifers traded strong and appeared to be 2.00 to 8.00 higher than that sale three weeks ago with the majority of the calves being weaned and preconditioned. Last reported sale for slaughter cows and bulls was also three weeks ago. Average dress slaughter cows traded fairly steady to 2.00 higher than three weeks ago, while average dress slaughter bulls traded stronger at 4.00 to 6.00 higher than that sale three weeks ago. Next reportable sale will be Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $333.76/cwt on 171 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −167.34 against this barn's trailing median of $501.10.

Average price

$333.76

171 head · 556 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,857

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$25.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+18.47

vs CO average

+8.39 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	548	337.82	1,853	59
Medium and Large 2	534	333.88	1,783	9thin
Medium and Large 1-2	561	332.60	1,866	97
Medium 1	590	312.50	1,844	6thin

One grade step is worth $25.32/cwt here — about $9 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale171 hd

333.76

—

CO average3 barns · 1,484 hd

315.29

+18.47

National average187 barns · 33,494 hd

325.37

+8.39

This barn, trailing median2 sales

501.10

−167.34

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	1,806	142.90	2,582	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,684	125.05	2,105	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,305	120.70	1,575	148
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,093	118.01	1,290	96
Heifers	Choice and Prime	Average	1,518	180.00	2,732	4thin

Every lot, as filed

88 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	550–600	590	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,844	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	373	415.95/cwt	414.00–417.50	1,551	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	685	264.88/cwt	261.00–267.50	1,814	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	532	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,835	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	688	277.93/cwt	274.00–281.00	1,912	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	557	348.50/cwt	348.50–348.50	1,941	9
Steers	Medium 1	450–500	488	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,635	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1200–1250	1,223	192.00/cwt	192.00–192.00	2,348	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	456	377.15/cwt	375.00–380.00	1,720	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	586	322.78/cwt	319.00–328.00	1,891	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	395	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,541	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	766	277.17/cwt	274.00–279.00	2,123	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	568	324.00/cwt	324.00–324.00	1,840	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	666	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,911	42
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	907	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,141	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	627	307.66/cwt	302.50–314.00	1,929	72
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	626	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,747	16
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	534	333.88/cwt	332.50–335.00	1,783	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	757	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,817	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	411	344.00/cwt	344.00–344.00	1,414	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	719	278.41/cwt	275.00–281.00	2,002	72
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	951	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,216	4
Steers	Medium 1-2	350–400	355	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	1,234	4
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1050–1100	1,095	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,862	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	900–950	920	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	1,509	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	1050–1100	1,053	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,695	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	506	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	1,817	17
Steers	Medium 1-2	450–500	460	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,495	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	443	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,562	8
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1150–1200	1,183	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,011	3
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	1250–1300	1,270	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	2,096	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	1000–1050	1,008	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,673	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	750–800	795	244.45/cwt	242.00–245.50	1,943	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	542	339.92/cwt	339.00–345.00	1,842	40
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1250–1300	1,265	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	2,188	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	339	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,407	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	626	294.55/cwt	292.50–296.00	1,844	19
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	800–850	805	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,328	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	991	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,210	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	426	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	1,480	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	573	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,455	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	469	329.76/cwt	325.00–337.50	1,547	46
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	622	270.28/cwt	264.00–274.00	1,681	72
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Spayed	850–900	866	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,957	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,640	120.50/cwt	120.00–121.00	1,976	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,136	104.13/cwt	100.00–108.00	1,183	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,314	114.16/cwt	109.00–121.00	1,500	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,357	101.94/cwt	95.00–106.00	1,383	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,163	106.04/cwt	102.00–111.00	1,233	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	982	153.43/cwt	140.00–162.50	1,507	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,240	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	831	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	885	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,018	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,124	112.21/cwt	109.00–133.00	1,261	43
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,326	112.59/cwt	104.00–119.00	1,493	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	998	91.01/cwt	83.00–95.00	908	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,698	126.56/cwt	123.00–128.00	2,149	6
Heifers	Choice and Prime	—	1,518	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	2,732	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,069	154.69/cwt	152.50–155.00	1,654	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,317	121.19/cwt	114.00–136.00	1,596	101
Bulls	—	—	1,906	149.69/cwt	145.00–155.00	2,853	11
Bulls	—	—	1,717	133.42/cwt	115.00–144.00	2,291	14
Bulls	—	—	2,188	162.75/cwt	158.00–168.00	3,561	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,655	147.52/cwt	145.00–149.00	2,441	4
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	602	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,493	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	509	293.67/cwt	290.00–297.50	1,495	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	485	323.50/cwt	323.50–323.50	1,569	20
Steers	Medium 1-2	700–750	727	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,745	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	474	371.00/cwt	371.00–371.00	1,759	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	678	240.28/cwt	238.00–245.00	1,629	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	766	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,769	4
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	664	255.12/cwt	252.00–261.00	1,694	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	819	253.63/cwt	246.00–256.50	2,077	15
Steers	Medium 1	750–800	780	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	1,927	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	312.81/cwt	311.00–315.00	1,501	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	545	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,553	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	358	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,280	5
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	469	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,348	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	396	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,287	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	700–750	738	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,926	3
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	575	262.70/cwt	262.00–263.00	1,511	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	360	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,224	5
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	699	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,615	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	284.32/cwt	283.00–289.00	1,632	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	426	333.93/cwt	332.50–337.00	1,423	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	639	263.31/cwt	261.00–264.00	1,683	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	688	256.30/cwt	252.00–261.00	1,763	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,571	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	700–750	738	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	1,712	3

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 Dec 4, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,375Last week 1,336Year ago 1,634

Slaughter CattleReceipts 315Last week 172Year ago 224

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	488	335.00	335.00
6	550–600	590	312.50	312.50
16	600–650	626	279.00	279.00
12	650–700	664	252.00–261.00	255.12
4	750–800	780	247.00	247.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
12	350–400	373	414.00–417.50	415.95
7	450–500	456	375.00–380.00	377.15
17	500–550	506	359.00	359.00
9	550–600	557	348.50	348.50
42	650–700	666	287.00	287.00
72	700–750	719	275.00–281.00	278.41
40	750–800	766	274.00–279.00	277.17
15	800–850	819	246.00–256.50	253.63
5	900–950	907	236.00	236.00
4	950–1000	951	233.00	233.00
5	1200–1250	1,223	192.00	192.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	500–550	532	345.00	345.00
17	650–700	685	261.00–267.50	264.88
10	750–800	795	242.00–245.50	244.45
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	395	390.00	390.00
8	400–450	443	352.50	352.50
40	500–550	542	339.00–345.00	339.92
45	550–600	586	319.00–328.00	322.78
72	600–650	627	302.50–314.00	307.66
42	650–700	688	274.00–281.00	277.93
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	339	415.00	415.00
19	450–500	474	371.00	371.00
33	550–600	568	324.00	324.00
19	600–650	626	292.50–296.00	294.55
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	500–550	534	332.50–335.00	333.88
Steers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	355	347.50	347.50
5	450–500	460	325.00	325.00
10	700–750	727	240.00	240.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	738	261.00	261.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	411	344.00	344.00
20	450–500	485	323.50	323.50
6	750–800	757	240.00	240.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	358	357.50	357.50
7	400–450	426	347.50	347.50
46	450–500	469	325.00–337.50	329.76
34	500–550	509	290.00–297.50	293.67
62	550–600	574	283.00–289.00	284.32
72	600–650	622	264.00–274.00	270.28
40	650–700	688	252.00–261.00	256.30
5	950–1000	991	223.00	223.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	550–600	573	254.00	254.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Spayed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	850–900	866	226.00	226.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
10	550–600	575	262.00–263.00	262.70
8	600–650	602	248.00	248.00
12	650–700	699	231.00	231.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	360	340.00	340.00
9	400–450	426	332.50–337.00	333.93
11	450–500	480	311.00–315.00	312.81
4	500–550	545	285.00	285.00
4	550–600	563	279.00	279.00
22	600–650	639	261.00–264.00	263.31
12	650–700	678	238.00–245.00	240.28
4	750–800	766	231.00	231.00
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	469	287.50	287.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	350–400	396	325.00	325.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
3	700–750	738	232.00	232.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	1050–1100	1,095	170.00	170.00
3	1150–1200	1,183	170.00	170.00
1	1250–1300	1,265	173.00	173.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
3	800–850	805	165.00	165.00
1	900–950	920	164.00	164.00
3	1000–1050	1,008	166.00	166.00
2	1050–1100	1,053	161.00	161.00
1	1250–1300	1,270	165.00	165.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,640	120.00–121.00	120.50
6	—	1,698	123.00–128.00	126.56
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,136	100.00–108.00	104.13
1	—	1,240	67.00	67.00
1	—	885	115.00	115.00
3	—	998	83.00–95.00	91.01
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,314	109.00–121.00	114.16
3	—	1,357	95.00–106.00	101.94
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,163	102.00–111.00	106.04
21	—	982	140.00–162.50	153.43
43	—	1,124	109.00–133.00	112.21
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
19	—	1,326	104.00–119.00	112.59
8	—	1,069	152.50–155.00	154.69
101	—	1,317	114.00–136.00	121.19
Heifers — Choice and Prime$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,518	180.00	180.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
11	—	1,906	145.00–155.00	149.69
14	—	1,717	115.00–144.00	133.42
2	—	2,188	158.00–168.00	162.75
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,655	145.00–149.00	147.52

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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