Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 16, 2022

1,399 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M 1-2 heifers $153.84/cwt ≈ $751/hd at 488 lb · 27 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $176.93/cwt -1.74 vs last sale · ≈ $860/hd at 486 lb · 26 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $163.00/cwt -3.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,381/hd at 847 lb · 26 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,399 1,866 0
Feeder cattle 376 1,538 0
Slaughter cattle 419 308 0
Replacement cattle 604 20 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too thinly tested for an accurate comparison. Slaughter cows traded unevenly steady, while feeding cows traded steady to 4.50 lower. There were no other classes of cattle with enough trades for comparison. Trade activity and demand were moderate to good. This week's run consisted of mostly bred heifers and cows, which had a very firm undertone, with a light run of feeder cattle that were mostly unweaned and a large set of slaughter cows. The next available report will be Wednesday, November 30, 2022.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
428 unweaned 428 3 206.00 $206.00 $882 +4.56
499 499 14 212.00 $212.00 $1,058 —
556 556 10 202.00 $202.00 $1,123 +5.20
633–640 unweaned 634 15 172.00–173.00 $172.80 $1,096 —
847 847 26 163.00 $163.00 $1,381 -3.60
981 981 8 158.50 $158.50 $1,555 —
1020 1020 2 148.00 $148.00 $1,510 -2.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
448 unweaned 448 6 192.00 $192.00 $860 —
500 500 3 196.00 $196.00 $980 +2.19
511 unweaned 511 13 182.00 $182.00 $930 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
512 unweaned 512 16 165.00 $165.00 $845 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 unweaned 436 4 179.00 $179.00 $780 -2.00
478–491 unweaned 486 26 176.00–177.50 $176.93 $860 +1.28
1062 1062 13 144.50 $144.50 $1,535 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
404–415 unweaned 408 16 160.00–175.00 $164.65 $672 -10.23
768 768 19 159.00 $159.00 $1,221 —
985 985 5 142.00 $142.00 $1,399 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
478–492 unweaned 488 27 151.00–155.00 $153.84 $751 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
798 798 7 132.00 $132.00 $1,053 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1640 1351 80-85% 40 65.00–72.00 $66.96 $905 +4.99
1235–1565 1375 80-85% 50 51.00–64.50 $60.68 $834 -1.29
1220–1600 1378 80-85% 70 65.00–77.50 $71.69 $988 +9.72
1430–1510 1460 80-85% 3 41.00–42.00 $41.33 $603 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
964–1115 1022 85-90% 9 83.00–99.00 $93.15 $952 +8.81
990–1340 1144 85-90% 18 31.00–47.00 $41.50 $475 -10.89
1052–1280 1146 85-90% 19 61.00–73.00 $68.06 $780 +15.67
935–1315 1153 85-90% 39 49.00–58.00 $53.41 $616 -14.69
835–1265 1174 85-90% 29 61.00–67.00 $63.46 $745 -4.64
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590 1590 75-80% 1 78.00 $78.00 $1,240 -2.57
1612–1675 1639 75-80% 6 65.50–71.50 $69.64 $1,141 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
888–1520 1202 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 15 1,525.00–1,600.00 $1,583.12
1243 1243 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,625.00 $1,625.00
1261–1264 1263 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 20 1,575.00–1,725.00 $1,695.06
1224–1375 1277 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 11 1,100.00–1,150.00 $1,126.67
1308 1308 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1317–1660 1357 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 18 1,025.00–1,150.00 $1,053.87
1360 1360 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 20 1,575.00 $1,575.00
1285–1431 1397 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 91 1,500.00–1,750.00 $1,610.80
1388–1402 1401 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 33 1,300.00–1,450.00 $1,388.65
1331–1528 1424 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 18 1,350.00–1,425.00 $1,375.98
1441 1441 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 5 1,050.00 $1,050.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1123 1123 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1211–1275 1229 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 925.00 $925.00
1262 1262 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 27 975.00 $975.00
1258–1337 1306 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 31 925.00–975.00 $950.33
1344–1416 1382 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 15 975.00–1,075.00 $1,029.63
1280–1585 1393 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 1,200.00–1,275.00 $1,222.74
1318–1870 1394 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 20 1,325.00–1,450.00 $1,402.10
1331–1493 1398 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 8 1,250.00–1,325.00 $1,282.63
1438 1438 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1104–1343 1194 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 1,025.00–1,125.00 $1,058.27
1206 1206 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 750.00 $750.00
1260 1260 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1271 1271 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1265–1398 1301 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 975.00–1,100.00 $1,013.91
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1180–1210 1196 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 21 925.00 $925.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1236 1236 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 12 835.00 $835.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
962–1099 1026 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 45 1,750.00–2,000.00 $1,897.07
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015–1040 1025 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 17 1,600.00 $1,600.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
661 661 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 860.00 $860.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1235 1235 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —
1137–1465 1268 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,650.00–1,725.00 $1,684.66 —

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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.