Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 27, 2021

740 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $153.80/cwt +18.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,247/hd at 811 lb · 65 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $135.12/cwt +6.46 vs last sale · ≈ $572/hd at 423 lb · 37 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $126.60/cwt -1.46 vs last sale · ≈ $600/hd at 474 lb · 36 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 740 715 557
Feeder cattle 594 522 464
Slaughter cattle 126 102 60
Replacement cattle 20 91 33

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold unevenly steady with moderate demand; good demand for weaned offerings in light supply. Feeder heifers sold steady to 2.00 lower with moderate demand. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 higher with moderate 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
290 fancy 290 1 180.00 $180.00 $522 —
290–295 294 5 170.00 $170.00 $500 -2.50
315–345 value added 333 4 172.00–176.00 $174.79 $582 —
310–345 335 7 160.00–167.50 $163.71 $548 —
370–375 373 4 162.00–164.00 $162.75 $607 +3.75
385–395 value added 392 5 167.00–177.00 $170.57 $669 —
400–445 value added 429 15 155.00–170.00 $160.45 $688 -3.56
460 460 1 150.00 $150.00 $690 -7.81
492 value added 492 2 168.00 $168.00 $827 +4.71
502–530 value added 513 17 160.00–170.00 $162.65 $834 +5.65
510–543 531 5 143.00–150.00 $145.59 $773 -4.35
599 value added 599 10 155.75 $155.75 $933 —
613–625 value added 620 7 145.00–148.00 $146.73 $910 +0.07
615–642 629 4 138.00–139.00 $138.49 $871 -0.51
657 value added 657 9 149.50 $149.50 $982 —
665 665 1 133.00 $133.00 $884 -3.40
705 705 1 133.00 $133.00 $938 -3.00
785 785 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,028 —
811 thin fleshed 811 65 153.80 $153.80 $1,247 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 140.00 $140.00 $630 +6.48
500 500 2 125.00 $125.00 $625 -9.00
550–580 563 3 127.00–139.00 $132.35 $745 —
625–635 630 2 114.00–128.00 $121.06 $763 -9.73
727 727 2 125.00 $125.00 $909 -4.00
760–775 768 3 117.00–122.00 $119.99 $922 —
800–810 803 4 121.00–126.00 $124.74 $1,002 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 150.00 $150.00 $570 —
508 508 3 131.00 $131.00 $665 —
675 675 1 129.00 $129.00 $871 -5.00
745 745 1 121.00 $121.00 $901 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 126.00 $126.00 $561 —
615 615 1 104.00 $104.00 $640 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–231 226 5 130.00–137.50 $135.39 $306 +11.39
270–295 285 5 120.00–140.00 $133.69 $381 -1.12
307–310 308 3 126.00–135.00 $129.02 $397 -0.23
340 value added 340 9 142.00–148.00 $145.11 $493 —
378–383 value added 381 13 138.00–142.00 $139.54 $532 —
370–397 383 10 127.00–137.00 $133.43 $511 +4.69
400–448 value added 423 27 130.00–146.00 $139.67 $591 —
400–438 424 10 119.00–133.00 $122.84 $521 -5.82
455–480 value added 469 12 128.00–135.00 $131.55 $617 —
450–495 476 24 120.00–128.00 $124.12 $591 -3.94
503–505 value added 504 7 130.00–131.00 $130.57 $658 +0.25
500–547 523 23 120.00–127.00 $122.47 $641 -2.95
555–570 value added 565 3 126.00–128.00 $126.65 $716 -2.35
550–592 576 14 119.00–124.00 $121.21 $698 -4.34
600 value added 600 1 130.00 $130.00 $780 -0.65
600–645 624 12 119.00–125.00 $122.50 $764 -3.97
660–680 668 7 115.00–125.00 $123.29 $824 +0.29
710–730 720 3 114.00–119.00 $116.31 $837 -2.49
720–740 733 3 117.00–122.00 $120.36 $882 +1.56
870 870 1 99.00 $99.00 $861 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 328 2 112.50–125.00 $118.42 $388 —
460–475 468 2 116.00–117.00 $116.51 $545 -1.80
530 530 2 116.00 $116.00 $615 +1.44
585 585 1 112.00 $112.00 $655 —
605–635 629 8 107.00–116.00 $110.36 $694 +2.36
695 695 1 102.00 $102.00 $709 —
735 735 1 108.00 $108.00 $794 —
890 890 1 83.00 $83.00 $739 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 106.00 $106.00 $493 —
550 550 1 100.00 $100.00 $550 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 235 2 150.00–157.00 $153.65 $361 —
335 335 1 163.00 $163.00 $546 +5.50
355–390 366 8 145.00–161.00 $155.26 $568 -2.74
415–445 fancy 432 7 154.00–156.00 $154.82 $669 -2.18
440–445 442 4 147.00–152.50 $149.63 $661 +6.63
455–495 483 10 140.00–151.00 $145.10 $701 -0.25
500 fancy 500 1 153.00 $153.00 $765 +3.96
500–546 526 19 131.00–149.00 $139.40 $733 +0.47
567–580 572 7 135.00–142.00 $138.14 $790 -2.98
600–612 fancy 608 3 131.00–132.00 $131.67 $801 -3.33
600–645 628 9 120.00–128.00 $124.97 $785 —
650–685 670 7 116.00–128.00 $122.70 $822 -5.06
738 738 3 111.00 $111.00 $819 —
755 755 2 120.00–122.00 $121.00 $914 +10.78
815 815 1 87.00 $87.00 $709 -11.45
1060 1060 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,113 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 140.00 $140.00 $441 +2.18
465–485 476 5 121.00–136.00 $129.26 $615 -3.24
505–542 523 7 121.00–128.00 $124.83 $653 -3.94
550–560 553 3 127.00–133.00 $129.02 $713 +0.02
610–630 619 4 116.00–119.00 $116.76 $723 —
665–695 680 2 107.00–116.00 $111.40 $758 —
735 735 1 106.00 $106.00 $779 —
750–760 755 2 101.00–107.00 $103.98 $785 —
872 872 2 80.00 $80.00 $698 —
920 920 1 81.00 $81.00 $745 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
488 488 4 135.50 $135.50 $661 —
670–685 678 2 115.00–120.00 $117.47 $796 —
770 770 1 92.00 $92.00 $708 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560–565 563 2 100.00–109.00 $104.48 $588 —
640 640 1 100.00 $100.00 $640 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1485 1263 80-85% 6 47.50–52.00 $50.15 $633 +2.26
1025–1560 1269 80-85% 11 52.50–58.00 $55.57 $705 +7.68
1060–1525 1288 80-85% 18 58.50–65.50 $61.17 $788 +13.28
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 75-80% 1 44.00 $44.00 $568 —
1240–1605 1423 75-80% 6 54.00–58.50 $57.34 $816 —
1290–1690 1550 75-80% 13 58.50–64.00 $60.88 $944 +0.91
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1140 1075 85-90% 2 40.00–47.00 $43.71 $470 —
1040–1190 1089 85-90% 4 48.00–52.00 $50.15 $546 —
1085–1135 1110 85-90% 3 52.50–57.00 $54.16 $601 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1690 1438 6 81.00–94.50 $88.31 $1,270 —
1640–1810 1756 4 96.50–107.50 $103.32 $1,814 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1185–1285 1235 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 700.00–730.00 $715.61
1290 1290 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 760.00 $760.00
1325–1345 1335 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 630.00–700.00 $665.26
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1180 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00
1250 1250 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00
1390 1390 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
780–925 853 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 520.00–600.00 $556.60

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1195–1330 1263 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 800.00–850.00 $823.66 -157.04

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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.