Cattle Market Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report
Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock
Sale of Wednesday, December 8, 20212,372 head sold ·Official USDA report
This is an archived report. See the latest Sterling Livestock Commission report →
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers
$180.11/cwt
+20.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,210/hd at 672 lb · 324 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers
$200.01/cwt
+22.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,151/hd at 575 lb · 210 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers
$163.95/cwt
+21.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,021/hd at 623 lb · 160 head
Receipts
| Head | This sale | Last sale | Last year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total receipts | 2,372 | 1,385 | 3,252 |
| Feeder cattle | 2,099 | 962 | 2,915 |
| Slaughter cattle | 273 | 404 | 337 |
| Replacement cattle | — | 19 | — |
Market comments — USDA reporter
New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓
Feeder Steers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 415–432 | 423 | 11 | 207.00–216.00 | $212.07 | $897 | — |
| 450–493 | 487 | 18 | 205.50–210.50 | $209.22 | $1,019 | +18.92 |
| 475–497 | 490 | 10 | 218.00–220.50 | $219.77 | $1,077 | — |
| 505–524 | 512 | 28 | 214.00–215.00 | $214.63 | $1,099 | — |
| 509–548 | 539 | 48 | 186.00–200.00 | $195.23 | $1,052 | +14.33 |
| 553–562 | 559 | 78 | 200.00–211.50 | $209.88 | $1,173 | — |
| 554–598 | 585 | 132 | 187.00–198.00 | $194.17 | $1,136 | +16.96 |
| 618 | 618 | 15 | 173.00 | $173.00 | $1,069 | — |
| 600–636 | 619 | 120 | 179.00–190.00 | $185.82 | $1,150 | +22.03 |
| 664–683 | 672 | 324 | 171.00–182.50 | $180.11 | $1,210 | +22.15 |
| 709 | 709 | 14 | 158.00 | $158.00 | $1,120 | — |
| 700–718 | 711 | 112 | 168.50–180.00 | $173.05 | $1,230 | +21.46 |
| 751–766 | 758 | 100 | 164.50–175.75 | $173.12 | $1,312 | +24.59 |
| 770 | 770 | 12 | 150.50 | $150.50 | $1,159 | — |
| 801–809 | 805 | 39 | 159.50–163.50 | $161.99 | $1,304 | — |
| 855–885 | 880 | 11 | 146.00–148.00 | $147.73 | $1,300 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 524–535 | 526 | 9 | 172.00–181.00 | $174.01 | $915 | +9.36 |
| 550 | 550 | 10 | 174.00 | $174.00 | $957 | — |
| 611–636 | 624 | 61 | 163.00–174.00 | $173.05 | $1,080 | +19.83 |
| 638–647 | 644 | 15 | 151.00–154.00 | $153.41 | $988 | — |
| 658–697 | 680 | 26 | 158.00–165.00 | $160.60 | $1,092 | +10.60 |
| 702–749 | 733 | 16 | 150.00–163.00 | $156.25 | $1,145 | +13.60 |
| 756–764 | 759 | 17 | 149.00–153.00 | $151.34 | $1,149 | +16.60 |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 580–589 | 585 | 11 | 152.00–166.00 | $159.18 | $931 | — |
| 643 | 643 | 3 | 148.00 | $148.00 | $952 | — |
| 695 | 695 | 1 | 151.00 | $151.00 | $1,049 | — |
| 748 | 748 | 3 | 149.00 | $149.00 | $1,115 | — |
| 775–795 | 783 | 5 | 138.00–146.00 | $141.25 | $1,106 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 549 | 549 | 6 | 150.00 | $150.00 | $824 | — |
Feeder Heifers
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 412–441 | 431 | 37 | 179.00–189.00 | $184.38 | $795 | +17.83 |
| 453–470 | 459 | 10 | 171.00–181.00 | $177.94 | $817 | +16.83 |
| 505–515 | 512 | 17 | 177.00–181.50 | $178.31 | $913 | — |
| 515–533 | 519 | 66 | 168.00–175.00 | $171.69 | $891 | +12.95 |
| 551–594 | 574 | 97 | 156.00–166.00 | $161.37 | $926 | +9.97 |
| 606 | 606 | 10 | 146.00 | $146.00 | $885 | — |
| 602–646 | 624 | 150 | 154.00–168.00 | $165.15 | $1,031 | +22.49 |
| 661–678 | 668 | 39 | 153.00–165.00 | $161.51 | $1,079 | +19.59 |
| 706 | 706 | 26 | 165.00 | $165.00 | $1,165 | — |
| 712–730 | 717 | 10 | 156.00–158.00 | $157.39 | $1,128 | +16.75 |
| 794 | 794 | 8 | 163.00 | $163.00 | $1,294 | — |
| 959 | 959 | 5 | 145.50 | $145.50 | $1,395 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 409 | 409 | 8 | 173.00 | $173.00 | $708 | +19.00 |
| 450 | 450 | 1 | 162.00 | $162.00 | $729 | — |
| 505–548 | 541 | 42 | 152.00–165.00 | $158.59 | $858 | +15.30 |
| 570–593 | 581 | 24 | 150.00–153.00 | $150.97 | $877 | +11.35 |
| 616–649 | 637 | 15 | 144.00–148.00 | $144.79 | $922 | +9.44 |
| 650–698 | 664 | 40 | 140.00–149.00 | $146.37 | $972 | +13.37 |
| 730 | 730 | 3 | 141.00 | $141.00 | $1,029 | +13.00 |
| 750–787 | 785 | 19 | 140.00–153.00 | $152.35 | $1,196 | +19.36 |
| 860 | 860 | 6 | 139.00 | $139.00 | $1,195 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 516–528 | 520 | 6 | 143.00–149.00 | $145.03 | $754 | — |
| 608–615 | 613 | 9 | 134.00–138.00 | $134.88 | $827 | — |
| 747 | 747 | 13 | 134.00 | $134.00 | $1,001 | — |
Slaughter Cows
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Dressing | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1105–1565 | 1235 | 80-85% | 65 | 49.00–65.00 | $55.25 | $682 | — |
| 1140–1535 | 1300 | 80-85% | 27 | 41.00–51.00 | $48.26 | $627 | — |
| 1180–1500 | 1375 | 80-85% | 83 | 54.00–68.00 | $60.88 | $837 | -4.27 |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Dressing | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 979–1175 | 1016 | 85-90% | 30 | 37.00–48.00 | $46.86 | $476 | -22.38 |
| 974–1176 | 1110 | 85-90% | 27 | 49.00–55.00 | $52.54 | $583 | — |
| Weight (lb) | Avg wt | Dressing | Head | Price range | Avg $ | ≈ $/hd | Δ last sale |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1584–1653 | 1599 | 75-80% | 9 | 60.50–69.00 | $67.05 | $1,072 | — |
| 1255–1705 | 1605 | 75-80% | 12 | 52.00–68.50 | $65.00 | $1,043 | +10.00 |
| 1670–1725 | 1697 | 75-80% | 3 | 52.00–57.00 | $54.68 | $928 | -13.08 |
Reading this report
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.
Compared to last sale: Feeder steers under 600 lbs. traded 8.00 to 19.00 higher. Steers over 600 lbs. traded 13.00 to 24.50 higher. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs. were 6.00 to 18.00 higher while those over 600 lbs. were 12.00 to 22.00 higher. No trend in replacement cattle. Slaughter cows traded unevenly steady to 4.00 lower. Trade activity and demand were moderate to good. This weeks run consisted mostly of pre-conditioned calves with those being weaned over 30 days brought the highest interest. The next available report will be Wednesday, December 15, 2021.