Name: Sterling livestock auction prices — 2025-03-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-03-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. No trend available as last reported feeder steer and heifer sale was four weeks ago. No trend available on 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 $367.25/cwt on 194 head. That ranks 1 of 2 comparable sales and sits −133.85 against this barn's trailing median of $501.10.

Average price

$367.25

194 head · 565 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,074

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$299

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1

$59.47/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.50

vs CO average

+8.58 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	569	371.97	2,118	155
Medium and Large 1-2	525	369.00	1,937	12thin
Medium and Large 2	549	345.56	1,896	22
Medium 1	582	312.50	1,819	5thin

One grade step is worth $59.47/cwt here — about $299 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 sale194 hd

367.25

—

CO average4 barns · 1,172 hd

368.76

−1.50

National average173 barns · 15,162 hd

358.67

+8.58

This barn, trailing median2 sales

501.10

−133.85

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	1,869	169.27	3,164	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,644	143.23	2,355	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,290	142.65	1,841	73
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,032	142.48	1,470	15

Every lot, as filed

95 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 and Large 1	950–1000	984	264.65/cwt	264.00–265.00	2,604	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	970	253.00/cwt	249.50–260.00	2,454	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	621	326.35/cwt	320.00–327.00	2,027	22
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	481	376.69/cwt	372.50–380.00	1,812	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	875	262.07/cwt	259.50–264.00	2,293	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	766	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	2,126	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	590	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,859	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	453	410.47/cwt	405.00–415.00	1,859	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	379	437.09/cwt	435.00–440.00	1,657	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	916	264.81/cwt	263.00–266.50	2,426	153
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	657	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	2,152	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	879	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	2,356	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	727	290.06/cwt	286.00–293.00	2,109	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	577	312.93/cwt	310.00–315.00	1,806	34
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	650	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,836	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	752	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	2,121	5
Steers	Medium 1	750–800	758	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,895	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	593	367.44/cwt	357.50–368.00	2,179	91
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	831	276.50/cwt	276.50–276.50	2,298	63
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	671	271.62/cwt	269.00–275.00	1,823	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	715	304.75/cwt	303.00–306.00	2,179	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	617	341.05/cwt	337.50–347.00	2,104	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	536	378.40/cwt	377.50–387.50	2,028	64
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	832	266.83/cwt	266.00–267.00	2,220	48
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	634	310.30/cwt	308.00–314.00	1,967	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	525	369.00/cwt	369.00–369.00	1,937	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	482	390.30/cwt	387.50–397.50	1,881	21
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	636	288.44/cwt	282.50–290.00	1,834	23
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1050–1100	1,096	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	2,060	9
Dairy Heifers	Small 3	850–900	860	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,161	3
Dairy Heifers	Small 3	900–950	930	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,172	2
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	450–500	498	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	921	7
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	850–900	897	178.00/cwt	178.00–178.00	1,597	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	687	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	2,137	8
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1200–1250	1,205	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	2,253	1
Dairy Heifers	Large 2-3	1200–1250	1,239	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	2,218	6
Dairy Heifers	Large 2	1150–1200	1,168	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	2,208	4
Dairy Heifers	Large 2-3	950–1000	980	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,813	2
Dairy Heifers	Large 3	800–850	803	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,486	2
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	582	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,819	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	900–950	930	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,232	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	432	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,642	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	492	353.08/cwt	352.50–355.00	1,737	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	470	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,751	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	748	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,915	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	50–100	83	486.00/head	450.00–525.00	486	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	574	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,851	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	878	145.99/cwt	137.00–151.00	1,282	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,055	137.16/cwt	134.00–140.00	1,447	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,645	143.53/cwt	142.00–146.00	2,361	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,157	130.44/cwt	124.00–133.00	1,509	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	980	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	921	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,630	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	2,266	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,378	128.37/cwt	125.00–132.00	1,769	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	955	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,624	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,323	143.67/cwt	142.00–148.50	1,901	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,232	137.19/cwt	134.00–141.00	1,690	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,337	141.91/cwt	135.00–148.00	1,897	40
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,097	161.09/cwt	156.50–168.00	1,767	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,003	169.56/cwt	161.00–180.00	1,701	3
Bulls	—	—	1,900	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	3,021	1
Bulls	—	—	2,093	179.58/cwt	176.00–184.00	3,759	3
Bulls	—	—	1,729	165.14/cwt	162.00–168.00	2,855	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	978	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	2,259	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	672	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,875	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	50–100	75	350.00/head	350.00–350.00	350	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	872	241.42/cwt	240.00–245.00	2,105	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	565	319.74/cwt	317.00–323.00	1,807	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	610	303.40/cwt	300.00–305.00	1,851	22
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	595	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,696	3
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	375	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,388	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	736	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	2,042	69
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	431	412.26/cwt	410.00–413.50	1,777	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	369	421.77/cwt	420.00–425.00	1,556	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	700–750	711	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,884	10
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	592	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	1,794	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	868	234.50/cwt	234.50–234.50	2,035	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	427	392.61/cwt	390.00–397.50	1,676	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	813	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,073	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	741	260.25/cwt	257.50–264.00	1,928	19
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	474	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,650	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	345.04/cwt	342.50–347.00	1,794	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	921	238.50/cwt	238.50–238.50	2,197	65
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	330	412.00/cwt	412.00–412.00	1,360	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	772	253.11/cwt	252.00–257.50	1,954	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	455	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	1,831	13
Heifers	Medium 1	250–300	298	412.50/cwt	412.50–412.50	1,229	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	542	350.38/cwt	350.00–352.50	1,899	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	449	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,841	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	831	244.50/cwt	244.50–244.50	2,032	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	619	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	1,801	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	530	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,776	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	768	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	2,012	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	150–200	155	500.00/head	500.00–500.00	500	1
Steers	Medium 1	850–900	871	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	2,099	5

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 Mar 12, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,690Last week 1,288Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 131Last week 0Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	150–200	155	500.00	500.00
7	350–400	379	435.00–440.00	437.09
41	450–500	453	405.00–415.00	410.47
64	500–550	536	377.50–387.50	378.40
91	550–600	593	357.50–368.00	367.44
34	600–650	617	337.50–347.00	341.05
7	650–700	657	327.50	327.50
17	700–750	715	303.00–306.00	304.75
5	750–800	752	282.00	282.00
63	800–850	831	276.50	276.50
8	850–900	879	268.00	268.00
153	900–950	916	263.00–266.50	264.81
14	950–1000	984	264.00–265.00	264.65
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	449	410.00	410.00
21	450–500	482	387.50–397.50	390.30
12	500–550	525	369.00	369.00
22	600–650	621	320.00–327.00	326.35
8	650–700	687	311.00	311.00
18	700–750	727	286.00–293.00	290.06
7	750–800	766	277.50	277.50
48	800–850	832	266.00–267.00	266.83
38	850–900	875	259.50–264.00	262.07
29	950–1000	970	249.50–260.00	253.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	450–500	481	372.50–380.00	376.69
19	500–550	542	350.00–352.50	350.38
3	550–600	590	315.00	315.00
8	600–650	634	308.00–314.00	310.30
1	900–950	930	240.00	240.00
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	582	312.50	312.50
23	600–650	636	282.50–290.00	288.44
3	650–700	650	282.50	282.50
3	750–800	758	250.00	250.00
5	850–900	871	241.00	241.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	330	412.00	412.00
14	400–450	427	390.00–397.50	392.61
7	450–500	470	372.50	372.50
30	500–550	520	342.50–347.00	345.04
34	550–600	577	310.00–315.00	312.93
20	600–650	619	291.00	291.00
9	650–700	671	269.00–275.00	271.62
19	700–750	741	257.50–264.00	260.25
27	750–800	772	252.00–257.50	253.11
15	800–850	831	244.50	244.50
14	850–900	868	234.50	234.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	432	380.00	380.00
13	450–500	492	352.50–355.00	353.08
2	500–550	530	335.00	335.00
16	700–750	748	256.00	256.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	50–100	75	350.00	350.00
21	350–400	369	420.00–425.00	421.77
13	400–450	431	410.00–413.50	412.26
13	450–500	455	402.50	402.50
27	550–600	565	317.00–323.00	319.74
22	600–650	610	300.00–305.00	303.40
43	650–700	672	279.00	279.00
69	700–750	736	277.50	277.50
2	750–800	768	262.00	262.00
3	800–850	813	255.00	255.00
35	850–900	872	240.00–245.00	241.42
65	900–950	921	238.50	238.50
10	950–1000	978	231.00	231.00
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	595	285.00	285.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	298	412.50	412.50
4	350–400	375	370.00	370.00
4	450–500	474	348.00	348.00
14	550–600	592	303.00	303.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
10	700–750	711	265.00	265.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	1050–1100	1,096	188.00	188.00
4	1150–1200	1,168	189.00	189.00
1	1200–1250	1,205	187.00	187.00
Dairy Heifers — Small 3$ per cwt · actual wt
3	850–900	860	135.00	135.00
2	900–950	930	126.00	126.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
7	450–500	498	185.00	185.00
2	800–850	803	185.00	185.00
3	850–900	897	178.00	178.00
Dairy Heifers — Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	950–1000	980	185.00	185.00
6	1200–1250	1,239	179.00	179.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
3	50–100	83	450.00–525.00	486.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	550–600	574	322.50	322.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	878	137.00–151.00	145.99
1	—	955	170.00	170.00
3	—	1,003	161.00–180.00	169.56
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,055	134.00–140.00	137.16
5	—	1,157	124.00–133.00	130.44
1	—	980	94.00	94.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	1,645	142.00–146.00	143.53
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,630	139.00	139.00
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,378	125.00–132.00	128.37
6	—	1,323	142.00–148.50	143.67
13	—	1,232	134.00–141.00	137.19
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
40	—	1,337	135.00–148.00	141.91
9	—	1,097	156.50–168.00	161.09
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,900	159.00	159.00
3	—	2,093	176.00–184.00	179.58
5	—	1,729	162.00–168.00	165.14

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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