Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 24, 2024

1,029 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,029 1,376 0
Feeder cattle 69 267 0
Slaughter cattle 188 338 0
Replacement cattle 772 771 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

today's trade activity and demand was moderate. This was a Bred Cow Special so no trend available, as the last special was over a month ago. No trend available on slaughter cows and bulls or feeder calves. Next available report will be a receipts warrant.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 3 312.50 $312.50 $1,053 —
398 398 5 312.50 $312.50 $1,244 —
510 510 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,402 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 6 310.00 $310.00 $1,302 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790 790 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,718 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313 313 2 345.00 $345.00 $1,080 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
626 626 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,252 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1192 1192 3 167.00 $167.00 $1,991 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855–1105 997 85-90% 11 95.00–101.00 $97.39 $971 —
961–1185 998 85-90% 24 80.50–85.00 $84.82 $847 —
920–1255 1084 85-90% 47 87.00–97.00 $91.27 $989 +4.41
1285 1285 85-90% 1 40.00 $40.00 $514 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1245 1090 80-85% 3 103.00–105.00 $104.03 $1,134 —
1030–1320 1197 80-85% 3 95.50–107.00 $102.45 $1,226 +7.99
1165–1265 1225 80-85% 4 105.00–107.00 $105.51 $1,292 —
1100–1605 1328 80-85% 43 93.00–104.00 $97.73 $1,298 +9.63
1505–1620 1553 80-85% 3 86.00–89.00 $87.87 $1,365 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 75-80% 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,512 —
1600 1600 75-80% 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,520 +2.81
1365–1672 1611 75-80% 10 97.50–105.00 $98.69 $1,590 +6.50

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1780 1638 3 104.00–110.00 $107.55 $1,762 —
1230–2070 1650 2 94.00–98.00 $96.51 $1,592 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135–1250 1187 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 84 2,200.00–2,550.00 $2,394.03
1100–1440 1250 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 1,100.00–1,450.00 $1,348.04
1252 1252 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 19 2,525.00 $2,525.00
1313 1313 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 2,425.00 $2,425.00
1318 1318 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 10 1,350.00 $1,350.00
1309–1453 1370 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 40 1,500.00–1,575.00 $1,555.30
1351–1554 1401 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 82 2,010.00–2,400.00 $2,114.29
1360–1494 1434 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,700.00–1,825.00 $1,772.33
1435 1435 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,485.00 $1,485.00
1456 1456 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1544 1544 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 1,775.00 $1,775.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1062 thin fleshed 1062 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 1,060.00 $1,060.00
1130 1130 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1162 thin fleshed 1162 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1174 thin fleshed 1174 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 14 1,435.00 $1,435.00
1187 1187 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1132–1220 thin fleshed 1188 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 19 1,260.00–1,475.00 $1,399.50
1213 1213 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1226 thin fleshed 1226 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 20 1,550.00 $1,550.00
1207–1323 1249 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 107 1,650.00–1,975.00 $1,896.61
1390–1454 1430 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,875.00–1,950.00 $1,902.34
1486 1486 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,400.00 $1,400.00
Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1262 thin fleshed 1262 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 1,575.00 $1,575.00
1533 1533 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,550.00 $1,550.00
Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1253 thin fleshed 1253 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,260.00 $1,260.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1009–1330 1084 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 94 2,300.00–2,700.00 $2,499.11
1072–1139 fancy 1096 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 43 2,750.00–2,900.00 $2,809.75
1339 1339 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 2,200.00 $2,200.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 thin fleshed 875 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 1,250.00 $1,250.00
968–1142 1058 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 25 2,250.00 $2,250.00
950–1399 1063 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 37 1,850.00–2,050.00 $1,995.95
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1215 1215 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1225 1225 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 8 2,050.00 $2,050.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
998 998 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,625.00 $1,625.00

↑ Back to top

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.