Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 26, 2021

353 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $139.93/cwt -2.07 vs last sale · ≈ $737/hd at 526 lb · 30 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $138.53/cwt -4.34 vs last sale · ≈ $918/hd at 663 lb · 19 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $129.65/cwt +6.36 vs last sale · ≈ $791/hd at 610 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 353 757 445
Feeder cattle 244 537 390
Slaughter cattle 64 109 38
Replacement cattle 45 111 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday steer calves were mixed with calves under 600 lbs trading steady to 2.00 lower; over 600 lbs trading 2.00 higher in a light test. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher with good demand. 3.00 to 5.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 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
320–335 value added 325 3 167.50 $167.50 $544 +7.34
330 330 1 162.50 $162.50 $536 —
370 value added 370 3 165.00 $165.00 $610 +2.50
425 value added 425 1 157.00 $157.00 $667 —
453–465 459 6 154.00–155.00 $154.51 $709 +0.22
450–475 value added 463 2 155.00–160.00 $157.43 $729 -6.42
550 value added 550 2 154.00 $154.00 $847 -14.00
560–574 571 8 144.00–146.00 $145.51 $831 —
622–632 value added 627 4 141.00–146.00 $143.48 $900 +1.13
645 645 1 140.00 $140.00 $903 —
651–667 value added 659 15 138.00–141.50 $139.48 $919 -9.52
676–685 678 4 132.00–136.00 $134.99 $915 +2.32
720 720 1 124.00 $124.00 $893 +1.00
718–731 value added 727 12 136.50–137.00 $136.84 $995 +8.84
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 2 141.00 $141.00 $768 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 131.00 $131.00 $694 -4.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 value added 342 2 149.00 $149.00 $510 —
350–375 362 4 135.00–137.50 $136.77 $495 -2.55
415 value added 415 2 144.00 $144.00 $598 +5.43
405–440 420 3 135.00–136.00 $135.35 $568 +3.10
460–497 475 5 135.00–141.00 $137.51 $653 +2.65
455–495 value added 482 5 136.00–141.00 $139.64 $673 -1.48
505–540 value added 525 25 135.00–145.00 $142.36 $747 -0.90
520–542 533 5 124.00–134.00 $127.80 $681 +2.80
565 value added 565 3 135.00 $135.00 $763 -1.62
555–580 568 2 133.00 $133.00 $755 +8.38
605 value added 605 7 135.50 $135.50 $820 +5.67
610–620 616 6 119.00–125.00 $122.83 $757 +4.99
675–695 value added 680 4 132.00 $132.00 $898 +2.49
705–715 708 3 114.00–115.00 $114.66 $812 +10.66
785 785 1 116.00 $116.00 $911 —
860 860 1 101.00 $101.00 $869 —
890 890 1 106.00 $106.00 $943 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–265 258 2 125.00 $125.00 $322 -0.30
305–345 318 5 110.00–132.00 $124.31 $395 +2.17
355–395 384 4 120.00–130.00 $124.63 $479 —
410 410 1 123.00 $123.00 $504 +6.26
480 480 1 123.00 $123.00 $590 —
500 500 1 121.00 $121.00 $605 +2.20
550 550 1 120.00 $120.00 $660 —
625–635 630 2 113.00–115.00 $113.99 $718 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
527 527 2 126.00 $126.00 $664 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 102.50 $102.50 $569 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
233 233 3 147.50 $147.50 $344 —
295 295 1 155.00 $155.00 $457 —
322 fancy 322 2 165.00 $165.00 $531 —
325 325 1 155.00 $155.00 $504 -0.34
355 355 1 158.00 $158.00 $561 +3.28
465–490 478 2 147.00 $147.00 $703 -1.34
500–548 527 11 137.00–144.00 $141.31 $745 -4.42
570 570 2 135.00 $135.00 $770 -6.80
617 value added 617 2 134.00 $134.00 $827 -0.58
655 value added 655 1 133.00 $133.00 $871 -1.00
652–688 676 8 128.00–133.00 $129.61 $876 +4.57
750–765 758 2 110.00–113.00 $111.49 $845 -4.51
1065 1065 1 88.00 $88.00 $937 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1175–1725 1390 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 3 1,185.00–1,800.00 $1,501.84 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
527 527 2 136.00 $136.00 $717 +7.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525–535 530 2 134.00 $134.00 $710 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 125.00 $125.00 $488 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–990 875 85-90% 7 52.50–61.50 $57.28 $501 —
870–1340 1006 85-90% 5 64.50–68.00 $66.41 $668 +1.08
945–1210 1106 85-90% 9 69.00–77.00 $72.52 $802 +1.14
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235 1235 80-85% 1 74.50 $74.50 $920 +21.50
1015–1545 1273 80-85% 16 75.00–83.00 $78.08 $994 +3.03
1285 1285 80-85% 1 65.00 $65.00 $835 -10.05
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1650 1483 75-80% 6 76.00–82.00 $78.26 $1,161 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405 1405 1 74.00 $74.00 $1,040 —
1250–1690 1470 2 88.50–92.00 $90.51 $1,330 —
1260–1915 1563 13 100.00–114.00 $107.05 $1,673 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080 1080 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00
1245 1245 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 870.00 $870.00
1260–1330 1291 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 880.00–1,030.00 $928.39
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 670.00 $670.00
835–970 903 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 600.00–700.00 $653.74
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
890 890 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 550.00 $550.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 875 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
665 665 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 540.00 $540.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1240–1705 1349 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 1,175.00–1,410.00 $1,293.43 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
970–1065 1005 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 950.00–1,100.00 $1,007.59 —
1045 1045 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 775.00 $775.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 72.50 $72.50 $156 —
351 351 4 83.00 $83.00 $291 —

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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.