Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 12, 2022

1,205 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $147.37/cwt +7.46 vs last sale · ≈ $876/hd at 594 lb · 205 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $139.97/cwt +32.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,125/hd at 804 lb · 83 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $156.09/cwt -3.88 vs last sale · ≈ $910/hd at 583 lb · 78 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,205 711 747
Feeder cattle 1,089 615 650
Slaughter cattle 92 80 66
Replacement cattle 24 16 31

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady with good demand; few featherweights under 400 lbs sharply higher. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 5.00 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
335–347 343 3 164.00–165.00 $164.33 $564 —
355–375 value added 362 3 191.00–204.00 $195.49 $708 +12.99
375 375 1 176.00 $176.00 $660 +7.74
400–415 value added 405 8 160.00–190.00 $170.74 $691 +2.69
400–423 413 6 150.00–158.00 $152.73 $631 -2.27
465–477 471 7 151.00–159.00 $154.84 $729 -2.30
450–491 value added 479 57 160.00–175.00 $165.93 $795 -7.96
510 510 1 151.00 $151.00 $770 -3.34
500–545 value added 531 55 154.00–170.00 $162.85 $865 -0.92
550–595 value added 583 78 153.25–161.00 $156.09 $910 -6.02
605 605 1 139.00 $139.00 $841 —
600–615 value added 610 18 142.00–153.00 $148.67 $907 +2.67
663–685 value added 669 11 145.00–149.00 $146.21 $978 +0.29
708 value added 708 5 150.00 $150.00 $1,062 +4.28
762–785 value added 774 8 145.00–149.50 $147.28 $1,140 —
781–795 785 4 139.00–140.00 $139.75 $1,097 -0.25
815 815 5 145.75 $145.75 $1,188 —
884 884 5 144.00 $144.00 $1,273 —
1000 1000 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,130 —
1053 1053 4 111.00 $111.00 $1,169 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 150.00 $150.00 $495 —
565–570 567 3 126.00–141.00 $135.01 $766 +4.01
645 645 1 127.00 $127.00 $819 -5.68
705–740 723 2 121.00–131.00 $126.12 $912 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 2 131.00 $131.00 $779 —
803 803 3 132.00 $132.00 $1,060 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 136.00 $136.00 $313 —
295 295 3 132.50–144.00 $140.17 $414 +0.68
302 fancy 302 2 155.00 $155.00 $468 —
305–340 318 7 137.50–142.00 $139.76 $444 +5.40
360–370 365 2 145.00–147.00 $145.99 $533 +9.95
375–395 value added 391 5 150.00–159.00 $156.61 $612 +13.36
400–447 value added 416 46 140.00–154.50 $150.22 $625 +6.52
406–445 417 8 132.00–139.00 $135.88 $567 -0.84
450–495 value added 476 48 139.00–149.00 $143.20 $682 +0.07
460–493 484 18 127.00–139.00 $131.44 $636 -7.24
500–515 510 3 135.00–138.00 $135.98 $693 +1.01
510–545 value added 519 34 138.00–142.00 $141.17 $733 -3.52
573–595 579 9 132.00–136.00 $133.02 $770 -3.47
570–598 value added 595 196 137.00–150.75 $148.03 $881 +4.70
611–635 value added 623 14 133.50–144.50 $138.89 $865 +0.47
605–642 631 12 119.00–131.00 $124.82 $788 -3.41
660–690 677 8 121.00–131.00 $126.48 $856 -0.20
700–738 value added 715 27 125.00–135.00 $130.24 $931 -3.51
716–745 723 4 111.00–121.00 $118.42 $856 -9.73
801 value added 801 72 142.25 $142.25 $1,139 —
812–831 821 11 121.00–128.50 $125.05 $1,027 +18.05
885 885 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,018 -1.00
895 895 3 118.00 $118.00 $1,056 +2.00
900 900 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,125 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 131.00 $131.00 $347 +1.00
300–345 318 3 112.50–131.00 $121.21 $385 —
377–395 381 5 121.00–127.50 $126.15 $481 +3.15
490 490 1 120.00 $120.00 $588 -12.37
520–545 531 5 115.00–129.00 $123.53 $656 +1.53
550–570 564 6 121.00–129.00 $127.20 $717 —
612–645 632 5 113.00–118.00 $115.45 $730 —
670 670 2 113.00 $113.00 $757 -7.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
487 487 2 130.00 $130.00 $633 —
505 505 2 131.00 $131.00 $662 —
620–640 630 2 120.00–122.00 $120.98 $762 —
710 710 3 118.00 $118.00 $838 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 102.50 $102.50 $477 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 161.00 $161.00 $378 —
300–345 324 8 150.00–165.00 $159.59 $517 -10.41
400–445 417 5 146.00–156.00 $150.25 $627 +0.25
459 value added 459 8 163.00 $163.00 $748 —
460–470 467 3 141.00–155.00 $150.40 $702 -2.66
526–546 540 10 146.00–151.00 $147.46 $796 +0.26
507–548 value added 542 13 155.00–161.00 $158.97 $862 —
563–592 573 16 140.00–153.00 $147.65 $846 +2.49
601–617 value added 609 11 134.00–137.00 $135.37 $824 —
600–633 617 6 125.00–126.00 $125.49 $774 -4.51
665 value added 665 2 135.00 $135.00 $898 —
650–685 668 6 122.50–129.00 $127.23 $850 +0.62
705–748 738 14 120.00–124.00 $122.55 $904 +2.55
777–785 780 3 117.00–124.00 $121.65 $949 —
800 800 1 112.00 $112.00 $896 —
875–895 885 2 94.00–106.00 $99.93 $884 -3.05
920–935 928 3 95.00–111.00 $100.37 $931 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 142.50 $142.50 $349 —
310 310 1 142.50 $142.50 $442 +3.57
400–425 410 4 134.00–145.00 $140.67 $577 +5.24
455–495 475 2 131.00–135.00 $133.08 $632 -4.67
510–515 512 3 129.00–131.00 $130.33 $667 +6.33
586–590 587 4 125.00–133.00 $127.01 $746 —
635 635 1 120.00 $120.00 $762 —
660 660 1 121.00 $121.00 $799 +6.04
755 755 1 111.00 $111.00 $838 +8.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 123.00 $123.00 $283 —
470 470 1 127.50 $127.50 $599 —
505 505 1 121.00 $121.00 $611 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 157.50 $157.50 $496 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1380 1223 80-85% 13 64.00–70.00 $67.36 $824 —
1050–1370 1228 80-85% 6 52.00–62.00 $56.93 $699 —
1175–1575 1372 80-85% 10 70.00–78.00 $72.43 $994 +6.20
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1510 1338 75-80% 8 64.50–69.00 $67.50 $903 —
1335–1950 1546 75-80% 15 69.00–77.00 $73.26 $1,133 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1155 954 85-90% 5 47.00–52.00 $49.78 $475 —
990 990 85-90% 1 38.00 $38.00 $376 —
1015–1190 1101 85-90% 4 61.00–64.00 $62.78 $691 —
920–1235 1104 85-90% 5 52.00–55.00 $53.84 $594 -6.53

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1545 1435 2 77.50–78.00 $77.73 $1,115 —
1220–1935 1629 8 88.00–96.00 $91.50 $1,491 —
1345–2205 1797 10 98.00–115.00 $104.55 $1,879 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1157–1390 1235 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 975.00–1,150.00 $1,084.33
1215–1330 1287 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 900.00–1,125.00 $1,001.83
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800–965 883 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 620.00–675.00 $644.93
1035–1255 1145 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 600.00–700.00 $654.80

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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
1420 1420 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —
1680 1680 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,390.00 $1,390.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1135–1315 1225 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 850.00–930.00 $892.94 -17.06

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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.