Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 4, 2024

1,690 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $270.28/cwt +28.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,681/hd at 622 lb · 72 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $278.41/cwt +12.66 vs last sale · ≈ $2,002/hd at 719 lb · 72 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $307.66/cwt +27.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,929/hd at 627 lb · 72 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,690 1,508 1,858
Feeder cattle 1,375 1,336 1,634
Slaughter cattle 315 172 224

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was moderate to good. Last reported feeder cattle sale was three weeks ago so no trend available, however feeder steers and heifers traded strong and appeared to be 2.00 to 8.00 higher than that sale three weeks ago with the majority of the calves being weaned and preconditioned. Last reported sale for slaughter cows and bulls was also three weeks ago. Average dress slaughter cows traded fairly steady to 2.00 higher than three weeks ago, while average dress slaughter bulls traded stronger at 4.00 to 6.00 higher than that sale three weeks ago. Next reportable sale will be Wednesday, December 11, 2024.

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
339 unweaned 339 4 415.00 $415.00 $1,407 -2.50
356–396 373 12 414.00–417.50 $415.95 $1,551 —
456–457 456 7 375.00–380.00 $377.15 $1,720 +22.15
474 unweaned 474 19 371.00 $371.00 $1,759 +23.50
506 506 17 359.00 $359.00 $1,817 —
557 557 9 348.50 $348.50 $1,941 —
568 unweaned 568 33 324.00 $324.00 $1,840 +27.80
614–635 unweaned 626 19 292.50–296.00 $294.55 $1,844 +7.60
665–672 666 42 287.00 $287.00 $1,911 +14.64
716–725 719 72 275.00–281.00 $278.41 $2,002 +15.41
754–790 766 40 274.00–279.00 $277.17 $2,123 +41.17
800–831 819 15 246.00–256.50 $253.63 $2,077 —
907 907 5 236.00 $236.00 $2,141 —
951 951 4 233.00 $233.00 $2,216 —
1223 1223 5 192.00 $192.00 $2,348 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 5 390.00 $390.00 $1,540 +17.50
443 443 8 352.50 $352.50 $1,562 -1.83
500–543 unweaned 532 12 345.00 $345.00 $1,835 +23.00
533–545 542 40 339.00–345.00 $339.92 $1,842 —
577–592 586 45 319.00–328.00 $322.78 $1,891 +34.69
603–634 627 72 302.50–314.00 $307.66 $1,929 —
671–694 unweaned 685 17 261.00–267.50 $264.88 $1,814 -3.35
660–699 688 42 274.00–281.00 $277.93 $1,912 +25.43
738 738 3 261.00 $261.00 $1,926 —
792–796 unweaned 795 10 242.00–245.50 $244.45 $1,943 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
488 488 4 335.00 $335.00 $1,635 —
590 590 6 312.50 $312.50 $1,844 —
623–633 626 16 279.00 $279.00 $1,747 —
650–691 664 12 252.00–261.00 $255.12 $1,694 —
780 780 4 247.00 $247.00 $1,927 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 4 347.50 $347.50 $1,234 —
460 460 5 325.00 $325.00 $1,495 —
727 727 10 240.00 $240.00 $1,745 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530–539 534 9 332.50–335.00 $333.88 $1,783 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358 358 5 357.50 $357.50 $1,280 —
411 unweaned 411 8 344.00 $344.00 $1,414 —
426 426 7 347.50 $347.50 $1,480 —
454–492 469 46 325.00–337.50 $329.76 $1,547 —
485 unweaned 485 20 323.50 $323.50 $1,569 +24.50
505–516 509 34 290.00–297.50 $293.67 $1,495 +4.89
555–594 574 62 283.00–289.00 $284.32 $1,632 +25.70
612–646 622 72 264.00–274.00 $270.28 $1,681 —
682–695 688 40 252.00–261.00 $256.30 $1,763 —
757 unweaned 757 6 240.00 $240.00 $1,817 —
866 866 7 226.00 $226.00 $1,957 -7.00
991 991 5 223.00 $223.00 $2,210 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 5 340.00 $340.00 $1,224 —
407–435 426 9 332.50–337.00 $333.93 $1,423 —
477–482 480 11 311.00–315.00 $312.81 $1,501 —
545 545 4 285.00 $285.00 $1,553 —
563 563 4 279.00 $279.00 $1,571 —
636–649 639 22 261.00–264.00 $263.31 $1,683 —
662–688 678 12 238.00–245.00 $240.28 $1,629 —
738 738 3 232.00 $232.00 $1,712 —
766 766 4 231.00 $231.00 $1,769 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
469 unweaned 469 8 287.50 $287.50 $1,348 —
575 575 10 262.00–263.00 $262.70 $1,511 +11.70
602 602 8 248.00 $248.00 $1,493 —
699 699 12 231.00 $231.00 $1,615 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
573 573 9 254.00 $254.00 $1,455 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 unweaned 396 7 325.00 $325.00 $1,287 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1518 1518 4 180.00 $180.00 $2,732 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1080 1069 80-85% 8 152.50–155.00 $154.69 $1,654 -2.89
1030–1560 1314 80-85% 17 109.00–121.00 $114.16 $1,500 -1.64
1100–1625 1317 80-85% 101 114.00–136.00 $121.19 $1,596 +5.39
1235–1445 1326 80-85% 19 104.00–119.00 $112.59 $1,493 -3.21
1245–1455 1357 80-85% 3 95.00–106.00 $101.94 $1,383 -25.56
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885 885 85-90% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,018 —
915–1070 982 85-90% 21 140.00–162.50 $153.43 $1,507 -12.22
935–1065 998 85-90% 3 83.00–95.00 $91.01 $908 -74.64
910–1210 1124 85-90% 43 109.00–133.00 $112.21 $1,261 —
1020–1250 1136 85-90% 19 100.00–108.00 $104.13 $1,183 —
1130–1215 1163 85-90% 8 102.00–111.00 $106.04 $1,233 +55.04
1240 1240 85-90% 1 67.00 $67.00 $831 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1630–1650 1640 75-80% 2 120.00–121.00 $120.50 $1,976 -5.30
1545–1875 1698 75-80% 6 123.00–128.00 $126.56 $2,149 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590–1780 1655 4 145.00–149.00 $147.52 $2,441 +16.83
1263–2155 1717 14 115.00–144.00 $133.42 $2,291 -9.99
1700–2145 1906 11 145.00–155.00 $149.69 $2,853 —
2080–2295 2188 2 158.00–168.00 $162.75 $3,561 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805 805 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,328 —
920 920 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,509 —
1008 1008 3 166.00 $166.00 $1,673 —
1053 1053 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,695 —
1270 1270 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,096 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095 1095 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,862 —
1183 1183 3 170.00 $170.00 $2,011 —
1265 1265 1 173.00 $173.00 $2,188 —

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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.