Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 15, 2021

1,151 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $145.83/cwt -1.47 vs last sale · ≈ $824/hd at 565 lb · 169 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $139.20/cwt +27.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,047/hd at 752 lb · 83 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $140.05/cwt +19.36 vs last sale · ≈ $947/hd at 676 lb · 64 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,151 1,084 761
Feeder cattle 1,061 976 683
Slaughter cattle 73 85 48
Replacement cattle 17 23 30

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold unevenly steady with moderate demand. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 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
313 313 4 161.00 $161.00 $504 +1.00
357–398 value added 388 10 177.50–197.00 $192.01 $745 —
400–415 402 7 162.50–169.00 $168.04 $676 +16.75
405–446 value added 425 22 177.50–200.00 $191.81 $815 +20.58
454–492 value added 471 24 175.00–193.00 $179.46 $845 +10.08
450–495 474 8 160.00–167.00 $163.14 $773 +6.08
500–545 value added 514 21 161.00–185.00 $167.71 $862 +5.38
500–535 518 2 159.00–160.00 $159.48 $826 +19.48
550–560 value added 558 9 161.00–165.00 $164.12 $916 +4.31
560–570 567 3 152.00–160.00 $155.35 $881 +9.49
615–632 622 5 133.00–139.00 $136.56 $849 -4.44
600–646 value added 625 36 139.00–150.00 $143.69 $898 -6.85
662 value added 662 11 140.00 $140.00 $927 -9.18
660–685 679 4 132.00–133.00 $132.24 $898 -8.76
716 value added 716 20 143.75 $143.75 $1,029 +3.75
713–735 722 10 126.00–130.00 $127.69 $922 —
750–791 778 5 123.00–128.00 $124.36 $968 -12.64
836 836 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,112 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
261 261 3 160.00 $160.00 $418 —
485 485 3 140.00 $140.00 $679 —
600–638 625 10 127.00–130.00 $128.16 $801 -3.84
652–675 660 3 125.00–130.00 $126.71 $836 —
747 747 2 121.00 $121.00 $904 —
825 825 1 120.00 $120.00 $990 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412 412 2 112.00 $112.00 $461 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 149.00 $149.00 $767 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–215 208 2 124.00–125.00 $124.48 $259 -11.02
270–285 278 2 132.50–138.00 $135.32 $376 +7.63
292 fancy 292 2 141.00 $141.00 $412 —
305–320 311 4 130.00–139.00 $135.71 $422 +5.13
320 fancy 320 2 145.00 $145.00 $464 +1.00
365 value added 365 1 143.00 $143.00 $522 -3.66
355–395 373 5 133.00–137.50 $135.58 $506 -3.80
372–397 fancy 388 14 140.00–145.00 $143.57 $557 -0.37
400–445 424 8 129.00–135.00 $131.34 $557 +2.60
400–445 value added 431 31 139.00–151.00 $143.36 $618 -2.43
462–493 value added 475 15 137.00–143.00 $139.23 $661 +0.46
450–497 482 12 125.00–135.00 $130.43 $629 -0.72
502–542 519 27 125.00–134.00 $131.18 $681 —
507–545 value added 530 33 135.00–141.00 $138.11 $732 +0.80
551–597 value added 565 159 135.00–154.25 $146.83 $830 -0.47
550–590 567 10 127.00–134.00 $129.91 $737 —
600–645 value added 623 40 127.00–142.00 $135.47 $844 +3.31
657–675 663 3 115.00–119.00 $117.64 $780 -3.05
660–687 value added 677 61 135.00–141.75 $141.15 $956 —
705 value added 705 2 126.00 $126.00 $888 —
727 727 2 120.00 $120.00 $872 +2.01
751 value added 751 70 144.00 $144.00 $1,081 +13.00
750–765 757 13 104.00–115.00 $113.37 $858 +11.37
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 2 120.00 $120.00 $306 -3.97
355–385 375 4 120.00–130.00 $127.50 $478 +11.13
415 415 1 122.50 $122.50 $508 —
545 545 1 121.00 $121.00 $659 +8.95
555–595 575 2 120.00 $120.00 $690 +4.00
600–637 627 4 101.00–106.00 $102.20 $641 -7.80
665–680 675 4 91.00–101.00 $98.54 $665 -6.46
725 725 1 93.00 $93.00 $674 +12.58
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 2 105.00 $105.00 $412 +5.00
405 405 1 100.00 $100.00 $405 —
475–495 485 2 100.00–103.00 $101.47 $492 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 125.00 $125.00 $600 —
565 565 1 115.00 $115.00 $650 —
645 645 1 105.00 $105.00 $677 +5.00
755 755 1 100.00 $100.00 $755 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
241 241 3 156.00 $156.00 $376 —
317–345 332 7 155.00–172.00 $164.78 $547 +14.04
375 fancy 375 1 179.00 $179.00 $671 —
355–395 380 3 155.00–167.50 $160.63 $610 +15.63
410–430 418 3 143.00–146.00 $144.33 $603 -8.30
486 value added 486 3 162.50 $162.50 $790 —
490 490 3 139.00–156.00 $150.33 $737 +9.83
510–547 533 8 140.00–145.00 $141.72 $755 +2.96
551–595 562 16 135.00–148.50 $142.22 $799 +6.22
615–642 626 9 116.00–126.00 $121.96 $763 -6.97
650–685 665 7 116.00–127.00 $123.23 $819 -4.99
722 722 2 113.00 $113.00 $816 -2.20
765–790 778 2 110.00–112.00 $110.98 $863 —
805–848 839 5 117.00–118.00 $117.81 $988 +5.31
910–945 928 2 92.00–116.00 $104.23 $967 -1.77
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 147.50 $147.50 $509 +10.00
350–395 364 7 135.00–147.50 $140.46 $511 —
520 520 1 121.00 $121.00 $629 -4.06
565–595 575 7 110.00–130.00 $124.21 $714 -2.79
600–645 617 9 100.00–115.00 $106.92 $660 -4.08
660–670 666 12 93.00–112.00 $109.76 $731 —
705 705 1 97.00 $97.00 $684 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 122.00 $122.00 $293 —
475–485 480 2 102.50–114.00 $108.31 $520 —
585 585 1 104.00 $104.00 $608 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
642 642 2 120.00 $120.00 $770 -1.32
650 650 1 121.00 $121.00 $786 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1210–1835 1523 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 1,650.00–1,700.00 $1,680.13 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1270 1184 80-85% 5 49.00–52.00 $50.33 $596 —
1070–1355 1238 80-85% 10 54.00–58.50 $56.83 $704 +1.37
1220–1530 1359 80-85% 7 61.00–70.50 $65.34 $888 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1045 1023 85-90% 2 62.00–63.00 $62.49 $639 +12.16
945–1160 1053 85-90% 2 49.00–50.00 $49.55 $522 —
920–1300 1072 85-90% 6 40.00–49.00 $45.59 $489 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1640 1436 75-80% 4 60.00–67.00 $63.56 $913 +6.99
1590–1685 1638 75-80% 2 58.00 $58.00 $950 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1785 1366 8 84.50–92.00 $87.74 $1,199 —
1270–1850 1520 5 60.00–79.00 $73.41 $1,116 -11.82
1320–2030 1708 6 94.00–103.00 $99.29 $1,696 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1175–1340 1248 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 825.00–1,035.00 $944.56
1400 1400 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 810.00 $810.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
975–1115 1035 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 630.00–725.00 $688.56
1180 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 630.00 $630.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
975 975 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 550.00 $550.00
1010 1010 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00

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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
1495 1495 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,135.00 $1,135.00 —

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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.