Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 18, 2020

892 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Bluegrass Stockyard report →

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $123.83/cwt +23.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,017/hd at 821 lb · 66 head

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $133.08/cwt +5.58 vs last sale · ≈ $981/hd at 737 lb · 62 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $117.45/cwt -3.57 vs last sale · ≈ $672/hd at 572 lb · 46 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	892	901	1,235
Feeder cattle	778	768	1,100
Slaughter cattle	80	108	120
Replacement cattle	34	25	15

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold steady to 2.00 lower; except 400-500 lbs sold 3.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 lower. Fleshy bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls sold 2.00 higher.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
310–332	326	4	147.50–152.50	$151.31	$493	-8.69
355–397	383	3	150.00–155.00	$151.54	$580	-0.42
387 fancy	387	2	160.00	$160.00	$619	-1.99
400–445 value added	423	24	149.00–160.00	$153.40	$649	+3.49
432	432	2	146.00	$146.00	$631	+4.67
460–498 value added	483	5	154.00	$154.00	$744	+0.37
472–495	485	11	139.00–148.00	$141.51	$686	+0.20
500–515	507	15	134.00–140.50	$138.93	$704	+1.20
502–546 value added	526	25	141.00–153.00	$143.51	$755	-3.87
570–571	570	12	136.00–139.00	$138.25	$788	+3.41
551–585 value added	571	14	140.00–147.00	$143.37	$819	-3.06
600–642 value added	615	19	130.00–135.00	$131.49	$809	-3.22
620–645	638	16	125.00–129.00	$126.66	$808	-1.77
660	660	1	128.00	$128.00	$845	+4.35
681 value added	681	6	132.00	$132.00	$899	-0.70
705–745	729	4	120.00–126.00	$124.03	$904	-0.96
714–744 value added	738	58	130.50–134.50	$133.70	$987	+1.20
765–795	781	4	124.00–127.00	$124.99	$976	-1.78

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
355	355	2	135.00	$135.00	$479	-8.00
405 fancy	405	1	148.00	$148.00	$599	—
462–480	468	3	138.00–139.00	$138.66	$649	+6.64
532–540	535	3	121.00–124.00	$122.99	$658	—
550–562	558	3	122.00–132.00	$125.29	$699	+0.29
670–673	672	4	120.00–123.50	$122.63	$824	—
720–735	725	3	107.00–118.00	$114.28	$829	—
880	880	1	110.00	$110.00	$968	—

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
595	595	7	125.00	$125.00	$744	-8.82
615–640	636	9	120.00–124.00	$122.34	$778	-1.66
682	682	2	110.00	$110.00	$750	±0.00

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
410	410	2	120.00	$120.00	$492	—
500–507	503	5	110.00–115.00	$112.98	$568	—
695	695	1	102.00	$102.00	$709	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
290 fancy	290	1	130.00	$130.00	$377	—
325–335	328	4	117.50–128.00	$125.31	$411	+1.67
325–340 fancy	335	3	133.00–134.00	$133.68	$448	+2.68
365–390	377	10	120.00–127.00	$123.61	$466	+0.02
375–395 fancy	388	3	130.00–131.00	$130.32	$506	-0.68
400 value added	400	5	129.00	$129.00	$516	-3.89
402–447	428	22	117.00–126.00	$122.18	$523	-2.43
455–495	474	29	116.00–126.00	$121.60	$576	-2.79
500–538	517	12	115.00–118.00	$117.35	$607	+1.49
510–545 value added	522	29	120.00–124.00	$121.43	$634	-3.57
550–585	572	42	113.00–119.00	$116.80	$668	+1.79
576–580 value added	577	4	122.00–125.00	$124.25	$717	+1.44
600	600	1	122.00	$122.00	$732	-2.24
600–646	614	19	107.00–117.00	$113.43	$696	-10.81
660–690	677	3	106.00–114.00	$108.60	$735	-10.89
710–740	729	5	99.00–109.00	$105.64	$770	+0.62
815	815	1	92.00	$92.00	$750	-10.49
821	821	64	125.00	$125.00	$1,026	+33.00
835	835	1	81.00	$81.00	$676	-11.00
895	895	1	90.00	$90.00	$806	—

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
330	330	1	107.50	$107.50	$355	+2.50
392	392	2	115.00	$115.00	$451	+5.97
415–437	432	5	109.00–112.50	$110.50	$477	-0.52
475–485	482	7	108.00–115.00	$112.56	$543	+1.94
500–536	524	7	105.00–112.00	$109.47	$574	+3.97
552–575	568	9	100.00–108.00	$102.45	$582	-2.53
622–645	630	3	99.00–100.00	$99.66	$628	-3.86
660–670	665	2	100.00–101.00	$100.50	$668	-7.01
760	760	1	92.50	$92.50	$703	-10.50
850	850	1	81.00	$81.00	$688	+6.00

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
460–490	475	12	105.00–118.00	$111.69	$531	-4.04
509–542	521	13	102.00–114.00	$109.19	$569	+2.19
570–597	586	10	105.00–114.00	$110.50	$648	—

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
475	475	1	101.00	$101.00	$480	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
245	245	1	142.50	$142.50	$349	—
287–290	288	3	142.50–147.50	$144.18	$415	+1.68
315–345	340	6	140.00–150.00	$141.88	$482	+1.88
395	395	1	147.50	$147.50	$583	+4.72
400–435	418	2	135.00–140.00	$137.40	$574	-8.77
425 fancy	425	1	148.00	$148.00	$629	—
455–487	474	4	133.00–145.00	$138.59	$657	+2.16
500–545	523	11	126.00–132.00	$128.14	$670	-5.59
550–587	571	5	125.00–137.50	$129.04	$737	-0.04
605–647	617	8	119.00–126.00	$122.98	$759	+1.66
730–745	738	2	113.00	$113.00	$834	—
850	850	1	103.00	$103.00	$876	+13.00
925	925	1	84.00	$84.00	$777	—
950–965	958	2	80.00	$80.00	$766	—

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
220	220	1	127.50	$127.50	$280	—
285	285	1	122.50	$122.50	$349	±0.00
360–390	375	2	127.50	$127.50	$478	—
427–442	433	8	122.50–129.50	$126.56	$548	-3.21
455	455	3	131.00	$131.00	$596	+7.21
500–530	513	5	114.00–122.50	$119.12	$611	-2.61
555–592	569	7	119.00–120.00	$119.15	$678	-1.46
600–625	611	4	95.00–109.00	$102.67	$627	-7.66
685	685	1	102.00	$102.00	$699	+3.99

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
515–530	523	9	119.00–126.00	$122.41	$640	—
555–575	565	2	109.00–114.00	$111.46	$630	-8.53
707	707	2	111.00	$111.00	$785	+12.00
800	800	1	93.00	$93.00	$744	—

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
290	290	1	122.50	$122.50	$355	+12.50
300–325	313	2	112.50–125.00	$118.50	$371	+16.50
375–390	383	2	115.00–119.00	$117.04	$448	+4.54
485	485	1	110.00	$110.00	$534	-5.50
500–540	529	7	108.00–112.50	$110.82	$586	+3.39

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1780	1780	Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	1,675.00	$1,675.00	—

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
740–1350	1006	85-90%	15	35.00–42.00	$39.86	$401	—
1050	1050	85-90%	1	51.00	$51.00	$536	+8.32
945–1280	1078	85-90%	6	43.00–49.00	$45.34	$489	+2.66

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1115–1380	1243	80-85%	5	46.00–51.00	$49.14	$611	—
1040–1470	1257	80-85%	9	51.00–55.00	$53.05	$667	—
1080–1350	1275	80-85%	4	55.00–62.00	$58.41	$745	+7.91

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1200–1380	1290	75-80%	2	49.00–51.00	$50.07	$646	—
1270–1595	1429	75-80%	6	52.00–57.00	$53.93	$771	—
1275–1550	1437	75-80%	3	58.00–60.00	$58.69	$843	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1145–1510	1302	5	70.00–81.00	$74.11	$965	—
1485–1700	1593	2	85.50–88.00	$86.83	$1,383	—
1625	1625	1	94.50	$94.50	$1,536	—

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1055	1055	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	750.00	$750.00
970–1840	1298	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	735.00–985.00	$853.81

Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
795	795	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	550.00	$550.00
905	905	Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	510.00	$510.00
940–1045	993	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	525.00–535.00	$530.26

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1155–1220	1182	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	625.00–725.00	$687.47

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1060	1060	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	860.00	$860.00

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
825	825	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	625.00	$625.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1160–1370	1230	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	1,050.00–1,125.00	$1,077.85	—

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1160	1160	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	900.00	$900.00	—

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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.