Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 7, 2021

717 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $157.73/cwt +3.04 vs last sale · ≈ $899/hd at 570 lb · 51 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $138.10/cwt +5.62 vs last sale · ≈ $797/hd at 577 lb · 45 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $141.44/cwt -1.72 vs last sale · ≈ $744/hd at 526 lb · 36 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 717 801 490
Feeder cattle 636 679 447
Slaughter cattle 70 83 35
Replacement cattle 11 39 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher with very good demand for thin-fleshed 400-600 lb calves suitable for grass. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 2.00 higher with good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–335 331 4 165.00–171.00 $166.52 $551 +8.19
355–388 377 10 162.50–180.00 $178.26 $672 +13.57
400–418 415 7 164.00–165.00 $164.14 $681 +4.14
400–440 value added 416 24 168.00–184.00 $174.34 $725 +3.97
455–486 value added 471 14 166.00–180.50 $173.91 $819 +6.46
455–490 473 2 157.00–165.00 $160.85 $761 +2.60
510 510 1 146.00 $146.00 $745 -9.60
515–545 value added 539 19 159.00–170.00 $163.03 $879 +1.99
550–580 567 10 147.50–156.00 $149.81 $849 -3.19
555–591 value added 571 41 157.75–165.50 $159.66 $912 +2.72
620 620 1 139.00 $139.00 $862 +3.00
600–647 value added 634 7 148.00–151.00 $150.19 $952 +4.55
656–680 value added 667 12 141.00–146.00 $144.57 $964 +2.57
700–723 value added 717 4 133.00–135.00 $134.51 $964 -13.49
720 720 1 124.00 $124.00 $893 —
755–775 771 9 127.00–130.00 $127.82 $985 —
788 value added 788 22 136.00 $136.00 $1,072 +3.00
855 855 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,035 —
974–990 977 6 115.00–120.00 $119.16 $1,164 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 158.00 $158.00 $324 —
330 330 1 155.00 $155.00 $512 —
405 405 1 140.00 $140.00 $567 -3.00
455 455 2 145.00 $145.00 $660 —
530–535 533 2 127.00–142.00 $134.54 $717 -7.96
585 585 1 135.00 $135.00 $790 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655 655 1 126.00 $126.00 $825 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 155.00 $155.00 $380 +20.00
270–295 287 8 140.00–152.00 $142.96 $410 +5.46
305–335 320 4 140.00–147.50 $143.10 $458 +13.10
350–395 value added 374 20 147.50–156.00 $152.74 $571 +4.08
370–390 382 3 137.50–145.00 $142.16 $543 +3.74
400–447 value added 424 25 144.00–155.00 $149.24 $633 +8.13
445 445 1 137.00 $137.00 $610 +2.58
457–497 value added 480 30 140.00–150.00 $144.89 $695 +4.89
480–492 489 4 134.00–139.00 $137.01 $670 +3.75
510–535 524 9 130.00–136.00 $132.66 $695 +12.66
503–540 value added 527 27 141.00–147.00 $144.37 $761 +1.00
550–595 value added 577 32 137.00–148.00 $142.18 $820 +9.70
560–590 578 13 124.00–135.00 $128.04 $740 —
606–638 value added 629 33 126.00–138.50 $135.44 $852 +10.34
653 value added 653 3 136.00 $136.00 $888 —
686–695 688 10 119.00–123.00 $120.60 $830 -1.40
700 700 1 119.00 $119.00 $833 -1.00
720–745 733 2 102.50–109.00 $105.81 $776 -14.19
755 755 1 103.00 $103.00 $778 -19.00
762 762 6 118.00 $118.00 $899 -4.00
913 913 3 109.50 $109.50 $1,000 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 2 133.00 $133.00 $501 —
417 417 2 133.00 $133.00 $555 +9.76
450–460 456 6 125.00–128.00 $125.49 $572 +16.18
540 540 1 116.00 $116.00 $626 +1.00
575 575 1 120.00 $120.00 $690 +7.39
672 672 2 115.00 $115.00 $773 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 130.00 $130.00 $416 —
552 552 4 114.00 $114.00 $629 —
625 625 1 113.00 $113.00 $706 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 155.00 $155.00 $364 —
275 275 1 162.50 $162.50 $447 +12.05
325 325 2 165.00 $165.00 $536 +11.31
352–395 371 8 155.00–165.00 $159.93 $593 +8.38
420–425 value added 422 4 155.00–161.00 $157.50 $665 -0.50
450–480 value added 473 4 156.00–167.00 $164.38 $778 +0.38
485 485 2 143.00 $143.00 $694 —
500–535 value added 516 5 153.00–160.00 $158.35 $817 +1.85
500–540 517 18 140.00–153.00 $148.78 $769 +3.78
585–595 591 7 142.00–148.00 $144.48 $854 +5.23
600–635 value added 616 11 134.00–142.00 $136.54 $841 —
660–665 663 2 124.00–128.00 $125.99 $835 -2.01
650–690 value added 673 5 128.00–136.00 $132.58 $892 —
700–720 710 2 115.00–119.00 $116.97 $830 +15.97
730–732 value added 731 3 120.00–124.00 $122.67 $897 —
755–772 value added 771 13 123.00–124.25 $124.16 $957 —
772 772 2 114.50 $114.50 $884 +7.50
875 875 2 113.00 $113.00 $989 —
927 927 2 98.00 $98.00 $908 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–388 382 4 142.50–148.00 $146.69 $560 —
425–435 430 2 143.00–147.50 $145.22 $624 +15.22
465–470 466 4 134.00–135.00 $134.75 $628 —
530–547 538 5 134.00–137.00 $135.62 $730 —
570–580 575 2 130.00–135.00 $132.52 $762 +3.52
605 605 1 109.00 $109.00 $659 —
675 675 1 120.00 $120.00 $810 —
725–737 733 3 102.00–102.50 $102.34 $750 —
785 785 1 101.00 $101.00 $793 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 3 136.50 $136.50 $730 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
467 467 2 126.00 $126.00 $588 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 1 108.00 $108.00 $675 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1295 1178 80-85% 3 62.00–64.00 $63.36 $746 —
1255 1255 80-85% 1 57.00 $57.00 $715 -4.70
1155–1550 1300 80-85% 21 65.00–75.50 $70.44 $916 +0.40
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1085 980 85-90% 2 52.00–55.00 $53.34 $523 —
780–1175 1022 85-90% 9 58.00–63.00 $60.84 $622 +10.32
910–1245 1124 85-90% 7 64.00–68.00 $65.92 $741 +2.59
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1455 1455 75-80% 1 65.00 $65.00 $946 —
1335–1660 1467 75-80% 11 67.00–76.00 $70.67 $1,037 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1635 1469 6 86.00–93.00 $89.57 $1,316 —
1790–2000 1907 5 95.00–103.00 $96.92 $1,848 —
2320 2320 1 76.50 $76.50 $1,775 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
835–885 855 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 73.00–80.00 $77.26 $661
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
985 985 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 69.00 $69.00 $680

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1250 1250 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
935 935 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
810 810 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 50.00 $50.00 $170 —
375 375 2 67.50 $67.50 $253 —

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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.