Sale reports / Colorado / Sterling / 2025-02-12

Sterling

Feeder Cattle · Sterling, Colorado · Wed, Feb 12
● Final48 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1900
Receipts
1,288 head
1,253 vs last sale 2,541 570 vs year ago 718 · +79.4%
Also sold hereStock Show SpecialSat Jan 17, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate. Feeder steers traded mostly 4.00 to 12.00 lower, while feeder heifers traded mostly 3.00 to 10.00 lower. There was a wide variance in quality from last weeks sale as well. Next available report will be as receipts warrant.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $305.17/cwt on 214 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits 136.79 against this barn's trailing median of $441.96.
Average price
$305.17
214 head · 561 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,712
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$205
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$47.77/cwt at this weight
vs the market
6.82
vs CO average
+8.17 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1570313.771,78790
Medium and Large 1-2551306.321,688101
Medium and Large 2557266.671,48615thin
Large 1-2595266.001,5838thin
One grade step is worth $47.77/cwt here — about $205 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 sale214 hd
305.17
CO average4 barns · 794 hd
311.99
−6.82
National average157 barns · 11,394 hd
297.00
+8.17
This barn, trailing median2 sales
441.96
−136.79
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Every lot, as filed

48 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
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650630322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,03214
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500454377.61/cwt376.00–379.001,71426
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450405397.50/cwt397.50–397.501,6102
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700681298.83/cwt296.00–301.002,03571
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550528355.84/cwt355.00–362.501,87960
SteersMedium and Large 1750–800783273.68/cwt272.00–276.002,14340
SteersMedium and Large 2500–550534337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,8024
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650638315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,0106
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550536345.68/cwt345.00–350.001,85369
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750–800755266.00/cwt266.00–266.002,0088
SteersMedium 1-2550–600581317.50/cwt317.50–317.501,8459
SteersMedium and Large 1850–900890250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,22517
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned600–650645312.00/cwt312.00–312.002,01213
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned550–600581324.00/cwt324.00–324.001,88231
SteersMedium and Large 2Unweaned450–500455350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,59312
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600565341.69/cwt332.50–347.501,9318
SteersMedium and Large 2550–600569327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,86315
SteersMedium and Large 2650–700651271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,7644
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500482359.31/cwt355.00–361.001,73287
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600577311.67/cwt310.00–317.501,79881
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800755262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,97816
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450421372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,56814
HeifersMedium and Large 1850–900889221.00/cwt221.00–221.001,96511
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550503332.66/cwt332.00–333.001,6739
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500493348.00/cwt348.00–348.001,71621
HeifersLarge 1-2550–600595266.00/cwt266.00–266.001,5838
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750718267.74/cwt267.00–268.001,92238
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650629302.22/cwt298.00–304.001,90137
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700667283.89/cwt281.00–285.001,89430
HeifersMedium 1-2450–500491314.67/cwt312.00–316.001,54512
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700683272.03/cwt270.00–278.001,85859
HeifersMedium and Large 2450–500486324.16/cwt324.00–325.001,57512
HeifersMedium and Large 2500–550540267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,44510
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750–800753259.59/cwt255.00–260.001,95551
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550533318.20/cwt315.00–324.001,69651
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600577293.12/cwt287.00–300.001,69121
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned450–500489323.00/cwt323.00–323.001,57910
HeifersMedium and Large 2Unweaned550–600592265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,5695
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned550–600564295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,66429
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450429332.50/cwt332.50–332.501,4266
HeifersMedium and Large 2600–650634262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,6614
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800–850823222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,8313
SteersMedium and Large 1700–750737276.51/cwt276.00–281.002,03839
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500464391.00/cwt391.00–391.001,81420
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600583349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,03533
SteersMedium and Large 1800–850817269.50/cwt269.50–269.502,20229
SteersMedium and Large 1900–950911253.00/cwt253.00–253.002,30513
SteersMedium and Large 2Full550–600590302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,7855

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.