Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 27, 2021

765 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Sterling Livestock Commission report →

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 765 863 0
Feeder cattle 87 240 0
Replacement cattle 678 623 0

Compared to last sale: Trade activity and demand were moderate to good. Feeder cattle were too thinly tested to accurately trend. Replacement cattle have not been reported in over a month, so there are no comparisons. The next available report will be Wednesday, February 3, 2021.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
529 529 9 153.50 $153.50 $812 -1.50
596 596 6 145.50 $145.50 $867 -6.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
967 967 6 132.00 $132.00 $1,276

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
421 421 5 152.00 $152.00 $640 +4.00
482 482 7 147.00 $147.00 $709
545 545 9 141.50 $141.50 $771 +7.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1158–1515 1349 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 44 1,000.00–1,125.00 $1,047.14
1376–1430 1394 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 1,425.00–1,475.00 $1,442.10
1293–1512 1431 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 38 700.00–850.00 $804.11
1533 1533 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 1,325.00 $1,325.00
1247–1860 1546 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 41 925.00–1,060.00 $1,021.03
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1073–1293 1161 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,000.00–1,100.00 $1,046.84
1152–1340 1236 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 1,110.00–1,175.00 $1,143.67
1158–1595 1436 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 30 700.00–900.00 $809.87
1348–1501 1457 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 57 775.00–885.00 $858.76
1495 1495 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 650.00 $650.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1078–1306 1128 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 173 1,225.00–1,550.00 $1,394.46
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965–988 983 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 850.00–925.00 $908.64
945–1192 1105 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 52 950.00–1,125.00 $1,060.12
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1147–1295 1207 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 64 1,650.00–1,900.00 $1,739.10
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
868–1032 977 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 900.00–925.00 $904.93

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1352–1403 1362 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 10 1,225.00–1,300.00 $1,284.55
1511–1629 1594 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 17 1,425.00–1,525.00 $1,470.90

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What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.