Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 9, 2020

1,741 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $122.16/cwt -0.04 vs last sale · ≈ $712/hd at 583 lb · 139 head

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $125.53/cwt +1.71 vs last sale · ≈ $643/hd at 512 lb · 132 head

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $121.29/cwt +8.79 vs last sale · ≈ $806/hd at 664 lb · 108 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	1,741	795	1,087
Feeder cattle	1,597	684	976
Slaughter cattle	132	68	93
Replacement cattle	12	43	18

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with good demand on a a good quality offering; over 600 lbs sold unevenly steady to 2.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold unevenly steady to 2.00 lower with moderate demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 lower with moderate demand.

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
315–340	332	3	152.50–155.00	$154.15	$512	+3.15
337 fancy	337	7	179.00	$179.00	$603	+11.00
350–395 fancy	364	7	162.50–190.00	$174.18	$634	+7.18
370–395	389	7	150.00–160.00	$156.76	$610	+0.76
400–445 value added	420	17	150.00–170.00	$160.23	$673	+4.69
405–440	423	2	140.00–141.00	$140.48	$594	-3.76
457–497	478	7	141.00–150.00	$146.44	$700	+4.01
450–494 value added	484	41	150.00–162.50	$157.37	$762	+1.47
500–548 value added	524	96	147.00–160.75	$154.89	$812	+4.95
555–575 value added	567	7	146.00–151.00	$146.70	$832	-0.80
555–587	578	45	136.75–144.00	$138.60	$801	+1.16
606–645	625	47	122.25–126.50	$124.45	$778	-4.58
613–628 value added	626	45	129.00–135.00	$129.89	$813	-3.81
660–662 value added	662	41	135.00–135.10	$135.02	$894	+2.33
655–685	672	38	122.00–128.00	$124.78	$839	-2.67
703–740	719	34	120.50–126.00	$123.02	$885	+0.36
759 value added	759	26	127.00	$127.00	$964	-5.70
752–797	767	30	123.75–124.50	$124.03	$951	+3.03
810	810	1	102.00	$102.00	$826	-19.00
823	823	9	119.00	$119.00	$979	-2.00
938	938	3	118.50	$118.50	$1,112	-6.64
1035	1035	1	115.00	$115.00	$1,190	+2.50

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
250–280	265	2	137.50–147.50	$142.78	$378	—
305	305	1	140.00	$140.00	$427	±0.00
387	387	2	144.00	$144.00	$557	+6.50
455–460	458	7	127.50–131.00	$129.85	$595	—
505–525	517	3	130.00–134.00	$131.98	$682	+6.98
550–585	567	3	124.00–134.00	$129.06	$732	—
600–632	623	7	111.00–121.00	$116.48	$726	—
660–670	664	9	117.00–120.00	$118.66	$788	—

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
500	500	1	134.00	$134.00	$670	—
590	590	1	122.00	$122.00	$720	—
665	665	3	119.00	$119.00	$791	—
707	707	4	120.00	$120.00	$848	—
762	762	7	113.50	$113.50	$865	-5.50

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
455	455	1	122.50	$122.50	$557	—

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
255–280 fancy	263	3	135.00	$135.00	$355	-2.50
310–345 fancy	332	8	133.00–140.00	$136.69	$454	—
323–347	334	10	119.00–130.00	$125.78	$420	-5.71
355–395 fancy	376	10	131.00–137.50	$132.90	$500	—
365–397	388	9	119.00–126.00	$122.67	$476	-3.71
400–415 value added	407	5	129.00–132.00	$130.19	$530	-2.56
400–447	428	46	119.00–127.00	$123.52	$529	-3.55
450–481 value added	462	12	128.00–131.00	$128.98	$596	—
450–498	476	62	116.00–127.00	$121.84	$580	-2.06
500–542 value added	509	114	119.00–132.75	$127.11	$647	+2.74
505–547	531	18	110.00–119.00	$115.55	$614	-0.69
557–597	577	28	114.00–118.50	$116.01	$669	-2.17
555–595 value added	584	111	119.00–127.25	$123.71	$722	+0.92
604–647	619	25	118.00–120.50	$119.58	$740	-1.69
603–645	625	17	105.00–115.00	$111.83	$699	-3.85
651	651	12	119.00	$119.00	$775	-4.00
657 value added	657	57	127.50	$127.50	$838	—
653–699	679	39	109.00–117.00	$112.92	$767	+1.47
700–707	706	9	110.00–116.00	$115.34	$814	-0.66
705–740	720	22	100.00–110.00	$108.11	$778	-7.89
760–772	764	6	110.00–112.00	$110.67	$846	+5.79
781	781	13	108.00	$108.00	$843	+3.12
845	845	2	91.00	$91.00	$769	-5.00

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
265–290	280	3	100.00–112.50	$108.26	$303	—
305–325	315	3	107.50–115.00	$110.75	$349	—
370–380	375	2	109.00–110.00	$109.49	$411	-7.44
415–445	427	5	107.00–115.00	$112.01	$478	+2.01
460–495	473	5	108.00–114.00	$110.45	$522	+6.45
500–513	507	6	100.00–110.00	$106.21	$538	—
665–675	670	2	96.00–104.00	$100.03	$670	+5.03
700	700	2	84.00	$84.00	$588	—
755	755	1	89.00	$89.00	$672	-1.00
800	800	1	81.00	$81.00	$648	—

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
493	493	11	115.00	$115.00	$567	+2.55
518–530	520	6	109.00–112.50	$111.91	$582	—
710	710	1	95.00	$95.00	$674	—

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
300–340	329	9	141.00–153.00	$147.66	$486	+1.76
360–370	365	3	140.00–147.50	$142.47	$520	-3.20
400–445	425	4	137.50–142.00	$140.46	$597	+3.21
490	490	3	130.00	$130.00	$637	-12.00
515 fancy	515	1	144.00	$144.00	$742	—
500–545	525	4	132.00–134.00	$132.98	$698	+8.98
552–570	558	7	130.00–136.00	$132.13	$737	+0.17
600–640	618	16	113.00–125.50	$119.86	$741	-2.17
650–690	665	10	113.00–120.25	$117.55	$782	+2.02
700–742	723	26	104.00–115.00	$105.95	$766	-2.50
810	810	1	90.00	$90.00	$729	-10.98
869	869	11	100.00	$100.00	$869	—

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
220	220	1	132.50	$132.50	$292	-7.50
370	370	1	131.00	$131.00	$485	-4.86
420–425	424	4	130.00–136.00	$134.26	$569	—
475–480	477	6	122.50–129.00	$126.25	$602	—
515–531	528	7	119.00–125.00	$121.58	$642	+0.32
555–581	575	4	120.00–121.00	$120.24	$691	+4.24
610	610	1	105.00	$105.00	$640	-5.00
662	662	2	105.00	$105.00	$695	+0.06
730	730	1	86.00	$86.00	$628	-15.00

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
500	500	4	124.00	$124.00	$620	—
645	645	1	117.00	$117.00	$755	—
687	687	2	105.00	$105.00	$721	-6.27

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
425–435	430	2	122.50	$122.50	$527	—
485	485	1	105.00	$105.00	$509	-12.00
555–590	574	4	110.00–113.00	$111.24	$639	—

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
835–1240	1049	85-90%	24	34.00–45.00	$39.54	$415	-6.67
905–1200	1054	85-90%	12	45.00–50.00	$47.42	$500	-4.69
1095	1095	85-90%	1	53.50	$53.50	$586	+1.39

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1145–1285	1192	80-85%	3	42.00–44.50	$43.28	$516	-4.75
1055–1500	1257	80-85%	18	45.50–52.00	$49.52	$622	—
1165–1470	1281	80-85%	9	54.00–61.00	$55.68	$713	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1220	1220	75-80%	1	44.00	$44.00	$537	—
1200–1435	1310	75-80%	9	46.00–52.50	$49.19	$644	—
1190–1755	1441	75-80%	20	53.00–62.00	$56.51	$814	—

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1210–2055	1723	6	81.00–88.50	$83.56	$1,440	—
1725–1740	1733	2	57.00–67.00	$62.02	$1,075	—
1755–2000	1882	5	90.00–94.00	$91.48	$1,722	-5.20

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1025	1025	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	760.00	$760.00
1005–1225	1090	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	675.00–710.00	$693.71

Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
730	730	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	400.00	$400.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1295	1295	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	770.00	$770.00	—
1660	1660	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	740.00	$740.00	—

↑ Back to top

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.