Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 14, 2024

718 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $281.30/cwt +2.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,882/hd at 669 lb · 76 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $248.80/cwt -17.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,518/hd at 610 lb · 44 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $268.46/cwt -13.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,589/hd at 592 lb · 37 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 718 2,468 0
Feeder cattle 718 2,395 0
Slaughter cattle 73

Trade activity and demand was light to moderate. No trend available due to low receipts and large variance in quality and vaccination programs. Good quality cattle with vaccination program had steady tones. Next available report will be as receipts warrant.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458–462 461 18 340.00–348.00 $345.79 $1,594 -16.47
507 507 10 322.50 $322.50 $1,635 -16.99
562–593 587 31 318.00–319.00 $318.09 $1,867 +2.17
662–688 669 76 267.00–289.00 $281.30 $1,882 +2.50
730 730 14 266.50 $266.50 $1,945 +11.79
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429 429 9 305.00 $305.00 $1,308 -32.19
580 580 15 297.00 $297.00 $1,723 -8.00
625–633 630 5 274.00–288.00 $282.44 $1,779 -0.93
699 699 25 252.00 $252.00 $1,761 -14.86
725 725 2 242.00 $242.00 $1,754 -4.76
857 857 6 213.00 $213.00 $1,825
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
563 563 10 278.00 $278.00 $1,565
634 634 22 249.00 $249.00 $1,579
668 668 16 248.00 $248.00 $1,657
768 768 6 230.00 $230.00 $1,766 -10.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369 369 10 312.50 $312.50 $1,153 -8.61
426 426 10 297.50 $297.50 $1,267
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403 403 3 322.50 $322.50 $1,300
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
543 543 3 282.50 $282.50 $1,534

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427–432 431 10 310.00–317.50 $315.27 $1,359
525 525 22 299.00 $299.00 $1,570 +3.94
587–594 592 37 261.00–270.50 $268.46 $1,589 -13.57
602–639 610 44 245.00–254.00 $248.80 $1,518 -17.15
659–695 674 12 249.00–253.00 $250.72 $1,690 -10.07
739 739 13 223.00 $223.00 $1,648 -33.22
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–392 386 6 295.00–312.50 $303.61 $1,172 +26.11
411–412 411 11 297.50–299.00 $298.59 $1,227 +34.59
508–541 526 23 267.50–280.00 $275.73 $1,450 +0.29
728 728 24 228.00 $228.00 $1,660 -2.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
678 678 14 219.00 $219.00 $1,485 -15.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
599 599 8 242.50 $242.50 $1,453
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
603 603 3 237.00 $237.00 $1,429 -10.75

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458 458 5 300.00 $300.00 $1,374

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Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1126 1126 4 151.00 $151.00 $1,700 ±0.00
1160–1187 1181 9 153.00–157.50 $153.98 $1,819
1237 1237 12 152.50 $152.50 $1,886 -1.00
1311–1322 1314 11 154.50–156.00 $154.91 $2,036
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
988 988 12 147.00 $147.00 $1,452
1028 1028 7 142.00 $142.00 $1,460
1060 1060 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,579
1210 1210 6 149.00 $149.00 $1,803

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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.