Cattle Market Pulse

Sterling Livestock Commission Market Report

Sterling, Colorado · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 18, 2024

1,227 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,227 1,659 771
Feeder cattle — 1,437 —
Slaughter cattle — 222 —
Replacement cattle 1,227 — 771

Market comments — USDA reporter

Trade activity and demand was good. No trend available on the Replacement cattle as this was the first bred cow special of the winter. Prices were strong with a couple large dispersals and some very high quality bred heifers. Next available report will be as receipts warrant.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1026–1176 1137 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 20 2,700.00–3,000.00 $2,961.40
1267 1267 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 9 1,725.00 $1,725.00
1251–1319 1302 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 23 1,800.00–2,000.00 $1,951.29
1327 1327 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1333 1333 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,550.00 $2,550.00
1268–1376 1340 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 108 2,700.00–2,900.00 $2,786.90
1249–1661 1344 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 103 1,925.00–2,375.00 $2,089.46
1264–1498 1399 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 81 1,850.00–2,500.00 $2,169.17
1320–1534 1415 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 71 2,350.00–2,750.00 $2,480.12
1392–1539 1462 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 39 2,850.00–3,150.00 $3,008.75
1461–1535 1481 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 2,200.00–2,225.00 $2,217.93
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1239 1239 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 21 1,550.00 $1,550.00
1248 1248 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 2,050.00 $2,050.00
1261 1261 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 19 1,525.00 $1,525.00
1320–1377 1331 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 2,275.00 $2,275.00
1334–1458 1402 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 29 2,150.00–2,500.00 $2,436.75
1331–1536 1429 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 12 1,900.00–2,250.00 $2,114.13
1440 1440 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1397–1556 1512 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 18 2,450.00–2,700.00 $2,635.83
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1108 1108 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 30 3,500.00 $3,500.00
1144–1260 1207 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 3,600.00–3,650.00 $3,621.54
1307 1307 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1335 1335 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 24 3,650.00 $3,650.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1051 1051 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 18 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1088–1092 1090 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 2,600.00–2,750.00 $2,675.14
1303 1303 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 15 2,650.00 $2,650.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1071 1071 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,225.00 $2,225.00
1214 1214 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1238 1238 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,475.00 $1,475.00
1305 1305 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 2,185.00 $2,185.00
1335 1335 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 11 1,735.00 $1,735.00
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1166 thin fleshed 1166 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,325.00 $1,325.00
Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1337 1337 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1561 1561 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,100.00 $2,100.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1017–1157 1063 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 97 3,000.00–3,100.00 $3,070.78
1130 1130 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 25 3,075.00 $3,075.00
1180 1180 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 3,400.00 $3,400.00
1102–1383 1182 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 149 3,000.00–3,300.00 $3,128.33
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
932–1081 1050 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 83 2,700.00–2,900.00 $2,805.70
1068–1142 1129 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 2,725.00–2,950.00 $2,911.29
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
971 971 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 2,600.00 $2,600.00

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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.