Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 21, 2021

704 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $150.45/cwt +11.09 vs last sale · ≈ $895/hd at 595 lb · 96 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $156.38/cwt +12.95 vs last sale · ≈ $815/hd at 521 lb · 91 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $152.08/cwt +0.35 vs last sale · ≈ $944/hd at 621 lb · 25 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 704 766 333
Feeder cattle 519 668 271
Slaughter cattle 114 71 37
Replacement cattle 71 27 25

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand. Feeder heifers sold steady with good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady with good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–445 value added 423 2 157.00–161.00 $158.89 $672 -3.34
470 value added 470 7 156.00 $156.00 $733 -3.36
485 485 5 152.00 $152.00 $737 -2.30
505–525 515 2 150.00 $150.00 $772 -3.29
510–526 value added 522 6 154.00–156.00 $155.51 $812 -11.00
555–560 558 3 153.00–154.00 $153.67 $857 +4.65
600–626 value added 618 17 151.00–161.00 $155.56 $961 -3.04
613–645 627 8 140.00–149.00 $144.69 $907 +0.86
660 value added 660 6 150.00 $150.00 $990 -1.71
662–680 671 4 143.00–144.00 $143.49 $963 +3.00
705 705 3 137.00 $137.00 $966 -1.00
765 765 2 135.00 $135.00 $1,033 +0.82
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318–335 325 5 142.50–152.50 $148.37 $482 —
475–490 483 2 144.00–145.00 $144.49 $698 —
620 620 1 130.00 $130.00 $806 —
975 975 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,034 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700–730 712 3 128.00–133.00 $129.98 $925 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 value added 330 1 162.50 $162.50 $536 —
375 value added 375 1 162.50 $162.50 $609 +7.67
372–395 380 4 145.00–148.00 $146.27 $556 —
432 432 2 142.50 $142.50 $616 +0.88
425–439 value added 438 17 143.00–145.00 $144.89 $635 -11.38
450–485 value added 463 9 146.00–148.00 $146.72 $679 -4.19
460–485 472 6 137.50–144.00 $139.69 $659 +3.02
510–535 value added 521 83 139.00–160.00 $158.12 $824 +12.71
500–545 526 8 137.00–139.00 $138.36 $728 +5.08
560–595 586 4 130.00–139.00 $135.72 $795 +0.72
550–598 value added 595 92 139.00–152.00 $151.09 $899 +11.39
605–640 value added 618 11 132.00–139.50 $138.38 $855 +1.40
660 660 1 130.00 $130.00 $858 +0.98
660–685 value added 671 7 130.00–138.00 $134.71 $904 -2.94
705–715 710 2 119.00–121.00 $119.99 $852 -6.01
770 770 1 117.00 $117.00 $901 -11.00
808 808 3 110.00 $110.00 $889 —
935 935 1 104.00 $104.00 $972 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
642 642 2 129.00 $129.00 $828 —
785 785 7 118.00 $118.00 $926 +1.72
850 850 1 103.00 $103.00 $876 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 128.00 $128.00 $339 —
300 300 1 125.00 $125.00 $375 —
493 493 3 137.00 $137.00 $675 —
525 525 1 125.00 $125.00 $656 -2.01
600 600 1 118.00 $118.00 $708 —
685 685 1 114.00 $114.00 $781 -2.00
790 790 1 94.00 $94.00 $743 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 175.00 $175.00 $402 —
297 297 2 172.50 $172.50 $512 —
310 310 1 152.50 $152.50 $473 -5.00
365–380 374 4 151.00–162.50 $154.29 $577 —
425 425 3 147.00–157.50 $152.17 $647 -4.51
480–485 483 2 144.00–150.00 $147.02 $710 +2.11
500–542 520 11 140.00–145.00 $143.16 $744 -5.32
553–586 563 22 138.00–150.00 $146.49 $825 -0.06
610 value added 610 2 145.00 $145.00 $884 +4.50
600–635 615 5 136.00–139.50 $137.97 $849 +7.97
651 value added 651 3 147.00 $147.00 $957 —
670–672 671 4 133.00–136.00 $134.50 $902 —
705–740 724 8 120.00–126.00 $124.14 $899 +5.14
890 890 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,015 +4.50
925 925 1 104.00 $104.00 $962 —
980 980 1 92.00 $92.00 $902 —
1045 1045 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,045 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 132.50 $132.50 $384 —
315–325 322 3 137.50 $137.50 $443 —
382 382 2 135.00 $135.00 $516 -5.72
440 440 1 132.50 $132.50 $583 -13.34
465–485 475 2 132.00–137.00 $134.45 $639 -2.17
500–545 520 3 131.00–138.00 $135.43 $704 —
550 550 1 137.00 $137.00 $754 +6.24
610 610 1 116.00 $116.00 $708 —
660 660 1 118.00 $118.00 $779 —
725 725 1 110.00 $110.00 $798 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 145.00 $145.00 $478 -5.00
412–447 439 9 130.00–145.00 $141.87 $623 —
635 635 2 125.00 $125.00 $794 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 110.00 $110.00 $418 —
430 430 1 120.00 $120.00 $516 -10.00
455 455 1 114.00 $114.00 $519 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00 —

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–1475 1158 80-85% 6 54.00–63.00 $57.54 $666 -4.76
985–1460 1176 80-85% 12 69.00–72.50 $71.00 $835 +8.70
1015–1440 1187 80-85% 14 64.00–68.50 $65.93 $783 +3.63
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–1130 924 85-90% 14 52.00–59.00 $55.58 $514 —
850–1160 1012 85-90% 9 60.00–64.50 $62.70 $635 —
965–1120 1046 85-90% 4 66.00–70.00 $68.01 $711 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1410 1271 75-80% 7 64.00–68.00 $65.80 $836 +1.80
950–1660 1330 75-80% 11 69.50–76.00 $71.41 $950 —
1105–1490 1334 75-80% 4 61.00–63.50 $62.37 $832 —

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1370 1263 3 78.00–85.00 $81.89 $1,034 —
1155–2200 1717 17 97.00–112.50 $103.55 $1,778 —
1975 1975 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,837 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–1355 1067 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 6 900.00–1,075.00 $952.95
1031–1240 1113 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 11 800.00–1,050.00 $933.00
1050–1270 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 900.00–1,235.00 $1,081.46
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820–1050 898 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 650.00–775.00 $703.34
945–990 968 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 600.00–635.00 $617.09
955–1050 1003 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 600.00–800.00 $695.15
895–1270 1033 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 650.00–810.00 $722.77

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980–1070 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 925.00 $925.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1505–1525 1515 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,425.00–1,500.00 $1,462.25 —
1565 fancy 1565 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
1610 1610 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
1910 1910 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1070–1180 1125 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 800.00–840.00 $819.02 —

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Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 2 83.00 $83.00 $465 —
910 910 1 70.00 $70.00 $637 —

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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.