Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 6, 2023

639 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $253.60/cwt -3.40 vs last sale · ≈ $2,092/hd at 825 lb · 157 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $250.90/cwt ≈ $1,809/hd at 721 lb · 49 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $245.50/cwt +20.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,704/hd at 694 lb · 47 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 639 1,203 1,382
Feeder cattle 639 1,140 1,382
Slaughter cattle 57
Replacement cattle 6

Trade activity and demand light to moderate. No trend available as this market was last covered in early August. Today's supply comprised of yearling steers and heifers coming off grass. The next available report will be as receipts warrant coverage.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–745 721 49 246.00–253.00 $250.90 $1,809
769 769 34 253.00 $253.00 $1,946 -12.00
802–841 825 157 248.00–256.00 $253.60 $2,092 -3.40
879 879 22 233.00 $233.00 $2,048 -16.20
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770–771 771 30 242.00–242.50 $242.32 $1,868
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
574 574 4 247.00 $247.00 $1,418
621 621 11 247.00 $247.00 $1,534
784 784 4 239.00 $239.00 $1,874
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
773 773 6 232.00 $232.00 $1,793
1001 1001 8 209.00 $209.00 $2,092

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Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
562 562 8 241.00 $241.00 $1,354
636 636 13 244.50 $244.50 $1,555
684 684 16 241.00 $241.00 $1,648
714 714 8 241.00 $241.00 $1,721
750–766 754 32 237.00–239.00 $237.51 $1,791
864 864 9 227.50 $227.50 $1,966
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
694 694 47 245.50 $245.50 $1,704 +20.50
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
656 656 7 248.00 $248.00 $1,627
953 953 16 226.00 $226.00 $2,154
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
623 623 6 225.00 $225.00 $1,402
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220 1220 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,964

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Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250 1250 11 160.00 $160.00 $2,000 +2.50
Large 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1071 1071 4 158.00 $158.00 $1,692

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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.