Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 7, 2024

1,220 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $232.32/cwt -20.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,791/hd at 771 lb · 127 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $234.03/cwt ≈ $2,076/hd at 887 lb · 122 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $253.15/cwt ≈ $2,081/hd at 822 lb · 110 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,220 1,213 1,140
Feeder cattle 1,220 1,213 1,140

Trade activity and demand was moderate. No trend available on feeder steers and heifers as the last reported sale was two weeks ago. Next available report when 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
650–675 669 12 255.00–259.00 $258.03 $1,726
732–749 747 67 252.00–253.00 $252.90 $1,889
817–823 822 110 253.00–254.00 $253.15 $2,081
867–885 876 30 236.00–237.00 $236.63 $2,073 -21.62
923–948 939 24 235.00–236.00 $235.63 $2,213 -20.37
980 980 25 234.00 $234.00 $2,293 -14.07
1003 1003 6 232.00 $232.00 $2,327
1088 1088 67 227.00 $227.00 $2,470 -7.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
734–746 740 73 244.00–248.00 $245.33 $1,815
802–826 809 70 237.50–241.00 $240.23 $1,943
878–890 887 122 232.00–234.50 $234.03 $2,076
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765 765 14 235.00 $235.00 $1,798
822 822 16 234.00 $234.00 $1,923 -21.83

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 10 247.00 $247.00 $1,581
653–688 667 31 239.50–242.00 $241.00 $1,607
727–733 731 65 232.00–236.00 $234.90 $1,717
770–776 771 127 232.00–234.50 $232.32 $1,791 -20.43
815–829 825 69 226.00–228.75 $227.92 $1,880 -14.83
854 854 7 223.00 $223.00 $1,904
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,270
680 680 3 238.00 $238.00 $1,618
753–772 757 32 228.00–230.00 $228.45 $1,729
879 879 14 215.00 $215.00 $1,890
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
602 602 13 239.00 $239.00 $1,439
732–734 733 17 226.00–228.00 $227.41 $1,667
1095 1095 2 169.00 $169.00 $1,851
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
822 822 14 210.00 $210.00 $1,726
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
521 521 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,094 -32.00
722 722 3 211.00 $211.00 $1,523
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
80–95 87 3 200.00–325.00 $261.06 -63.47
110–130 120 3 275.00–325.00 $308.33 -14.16
160 160 1 425.00 $425.00 +50.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
70–90 82 3 275.00–350.00 $308.16 -19.50
105–135 121 4 300.00–400.00 $364.18 -17.26
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 396 4 331.00 $331.00 $1,311

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Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
963 963 4 165.00 $165.00 $1,589
1044 1044 8 170.00–171.00 $170.50 $1,780
1052–1068 1057 14 167.00 $167.00 $1,765
1106 1106 9 170.00 $170.00 $1,880
1186–1189 1187 14 168.00–171.00 $169.71 $2,014
1228–1233 1232 9 169.00–170.00 $169.22 $2,085
1290 1290 12 170.00 $170.00 $2,193
1558 1558 2 155.00 $155.00 $2,415
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
871 871 5 154.00 $154.00 $1,341
933 933 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,502
968 968 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,549
1057 1057 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,681
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775 775 3 123.00 $123.00 $953

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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.