Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 10, 2021

1,164 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $132.71/cwt -6.13 vs last sale · ≈ $630/hd at 474 lb · 46 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $129.01/cwt -7.31 vs last sale · ≈ $675/hd at 523 lb · 42 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $125.49/cwt -8.14 vs last sale · ≈ $723/hd at 576 lb · 40 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,164 1,854 901
Feeder cattle 949 1,679 768
Slaughter cattle 155 144 108
Replacement cattle 60 31 25

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold unevenly steady with good demand for weaned packages; fleshy, off-colored, and bawling calves facing deep discounts. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 lower with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher with moderate to 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
400–448 value added 432 18 155.00–172.50 $159.53 $689 -5.23
425–441 433 9 150.00–155.00 $151.64 $657 -1.60
460–475 value added 465 12 155.00–169.00 $164.94 $767 +4.54
495 495 2 152.50 $152.50 $755 +0.36
505–521 value added 510 13 151.00–159.00 $155.96 $795 -1.06
508–525 512 4 144.00–151.00 $149.21 $764 +3.50
555–559 value added 557 13 154.00–154.50 $154.19 $859 +0.82
550–588 573 15 138.00–144.00 $140.58 $806 -3.43
600–642 613 11 131.00–134.00 $132.82 $814 -3.06
600–625 value added 616 21 140.00–150.00 $148.29 $913 -7.83
656 value added 656 6 140.00 $140.00 $918 -1.50
660–690 671 12 129.00–134.00 $130.40 $875 -7.60
695 695 1 125.00 $125.00 $869 -13.00
712–720 715 3 122.00–126.00 $123.34 $882 -7.66
765–787 784 7 125.00–131.50 $130.59 $1,024 -3.41
891 891 4 132.50 $132.50 $1,181 —
1032 1032 2 122.50 $122.50 $1,264 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–420 410 2 135.00–137.00 $135.98 $558 -4.02
525–535 532 3 131.00–138.00 $133.68 $711 +0.95
555–570 562 3 130.00–140.00 $134.31 $755 +6.11
620 620 1 125.00 $125.00 $775 -4.29
700 700 5 118.00–121.00 $120.40 $843 —
755 755 1 110.00 $110.00 $830 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 3 135.50 $135.50 $705 —
590 590 1 139.00 $139.00 $820 +7.79
616 616 3 129.00 $129.00 $795 +3.00
675–690 683 2 117.00–121.00 $118.98 $813 -11.02
725 725 1 115.00 $115.00 $834 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 120.00 $120.00 $276 —
370 370 1 120.00 $120.00 $444 —
460 460 1 126.00 $126.00 $580 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 298 3 132.00 $132.00 $393 -3.44
315–337 fancy 329 4 131.00–140.00 $133.90 $441 —
335–345 344 8 125.00–129.00 $125.80 $433 -10.17
355–375 fancy 367 3 132.50–139.00 $135.82 $498 —
370–395 381 7 125.00–135.00 $129.71 $494 +0.67
400–420 404 8 125.00–133.00 $129.01 $521 +1.49
407–448 value added 433 28 130.00–140.00 $135.51 $587 +1.13
453–496 value added 471 34 129.00–147.00 $135.41 $638 -11.43
467–495 484 12 124.00–127.00 $125.07 $605 -0.45
506–543 value added 520 37 128.00–132.00 $129.96 $676 -11.89
543–545 544 5 122.00 $122.00 $664 -4.88
550–597 value added 569 19 124.00–135.00 $128.36 $730 -17.14
550–595 583 21 118.00–126.00 $122.90 $717 -0.23
600 value added 600 1 134.00 $134.00 $804 -14.29
616 616 3 120.00 $120.00 $739 -1.21
600–646 627 32 115.00–122.00 $116.95 $733 -4.26
660–685 669 4 115.00–121.00 $117.03 $783 -3.97
702–745 709 12 111.00–115.00 $114.31 $810 -2.69
700–742 718 9 108.00 $108.00 $775 -9.00
755 755 1 114.00 $114.00 $861 -7.00
765–795 789 5 110.00–112.50 $112.02 $884 —
870 870 2 99.00 $99.00 $861 -3.00
895 895 4 121.00 $121.00 $1,083 +19.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–220 207 3 110.00–115.00 $113.23 $234 -5.77
280 280 2 117.50 $117.50 $329 —
303–335 312 6 110.00–117.50 $114.62 $358 -4.54
385 385 2 119.00 $119.00 $458 +1.01
455–480 474 5 110.00–120.00 $115.86 $549 +4.21
520–540 532 5 106.00–118.00 $110.69 $589 +0.74
557–570 560 5 107.00–112.00 $110.98 $621 +0.76
780 780 3 81.00 $81.00 $632 -19.79
935 935 1 80.00 $80.00 $748 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 1 119.00 $119.00 $649 —
555–580 563 3 110.00–121.00 $117.22 $660 —
615–643 637 5 110.00–113.00 $112.42 $716 —
735 735 1 105.00 $105.00 $772 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 106.00 $106.00 $344 —
432 432 2 110.00 $110.00 $475 —
545 545 1 102.00 $102.00 $556 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–345 343 2 142.50–147.50 $145.02 $497 -7.40
350–395 378 6 140.00–155.00 $144.60 $547 -13.84
401–447 fancy 419 5 150.00–162.50 $157.17 $659 —
415–445 436 4 140.00–145.00 $141.77 $618 -2.23
455 fancy 455 2 158.00 $158.00 $719 +5.45
450–487 472 12 140.00–146.00 $144.10 $680 -1.59
500–525 514 5 136.00–141.00 $137.79 $708 +0.79
555–575 562 5 134.00–136.00 $134.80 $758 -1.04
600–645 628 16 123.00–127.00 $124.26 $780 -1.05
653–668 661 6 115.00–126.00 $120.44 $796 +0.03
725 725 1 110.00 $110.00 $798 -0.75
760 760 1 108.00 $108.00 $821 -4.27
845 845 5 105.50 $105.50 $891 —
850 850 1 102.00 $102.00 $867 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 2 124.00 $124.00 $341 —
305–345 332 3 127.50–130.00 $128.27 $426 -1.86
372–390 378 3 130.00–135.00 $131.72 $498 -0.76
445 445 1 135.00 $135.00 $601 +12.00
500–542 529 8 120.00–134.00 $128.20 $678 +7.72
550–595 573 10 120.00–131.00 $126.23 $723 +2.06
603–625 609 4 108.00 $108.00 $658 —
711 711 5 84.00 $84.00 $597 —
765 765 3 93.00 $93.00 $711 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
626 626 4 121.00 $121.00 $757 -2.00
661 661 3 109.00 $109.00 $720 -7.00
770 770 1 91.00 $91.00 $701 -11.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 120.00 $120.00 $390 —
420 420 1 120.00 $120.00 $504 —
515 515 1 107.50 $107.50 $554 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1520 1263 80-85% 31 52.00–58.50 $55.51 $701 -2.59
980–1600 1287 80-85% 5 45.50–51.50 $49.39 $636 -8.71
1215–1655 1407 80-85% 11 59.00–65.00 $61.98 $872 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710–1310 1075 85-90% 14 36.00–49.50 $45.81 $492 -14.26
972–1265 1086 85-90% 10 50.00–54.00 $52.12 $566 -7.95
910–1225 1104 85-90% 7 56.00–62.50 $59.12 $653 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1650 1345 75-80% 9 54.00–58.50 $56.76 $763 —
1095–1820 1433 75-80% 13 59.00–65.50 $61.23 $877 —
1420–1560 1490 75-80% 2 46.00–48.00 $46.95 $700 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1520 1330 5 82.00–89.00 $86.14 $1,146 —
1275–1685 1480 2 77.00–80.00 $78.71 $1,165 —
810–2060 1680 12 94.50–103.00 $97.45 $1,637 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
825–1080 953 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 590.00–650.00 $626.19
875–1060 963 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 550.00–800.00 $682.84
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–1310 1128 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 830.00–950.00 $886.31
940–1565 1253 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 710.00–830.00 $784.97
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
715–945 830 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 385.00–430.00 $404.38
765–1005 848 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 460.00–610.00 $560.96
955–1015 985 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 420.00–520.00 $471.52

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
740 740 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 680.00 $680.00

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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
1165–1385 1245 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —
1465 1465 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1080–1185 1133 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 900.00–950.00 $926.16 —
1135 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00 —
1385 1385 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 740.00 $740.00 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
825 825 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 670.00 $670.00 —
897 897 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 480.00 $480.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1105 1105 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 620.00 $620.00 —

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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.