Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 2, 2022

1,161 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $159.66/cwt -0.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,083/hd at 678 lb · 90 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $155.43/cwt +15.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,195/hd at 769 lb · 89 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $159.39/cwt +7.83 vs last sale · ≈ $931/hd at 584 lb · 79 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,161 880 1,580
Feeder cattle 1,033 775 1,459
Slaughter cattle 112 75 92
Replacement cattle 16 30 29

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower with good demand for thin-fleshed weaned packages; soft fleshy bawlers facing some discounts. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 7.00 higher with very good demand for 400-600 lb weaned packages. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold steady 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
300 300 1 178.00 $178.00 $534 —
320 value added 320 1 195.00 $195.00 $624 -5.00
375 value added 375 3 185.00–190.00 $186.67 $700 —
375 375 1 180.00 $180.00 $675 —
400–442 419 14 168.00–176.00 $172.14 $721 +2.14
405–446 value added 430 25 177.00–206.00 $189.84 $816 -11.51
450–482 value added 470 18 176.00–202.00 $188.39 $885 -6.09
460–490 475 2 169.00–170.00 $169.48 $805 -7.69
505–545 527 7 157.00–165.00 $161.57 $851 -1.65
500–548 value added 536 32 172.00–185.00 $180.38 $967 -6.47
560–570 565 2 154.00–159.00 $156.52 $884 -12.48
550–591 value added 581 16 168.00–179.00 $170.27 $989 -7.92
600–640 value added 612 17 149.00–165.50 $159.80 $978 -10.58
600–638 621 10 141.00–158.00 $145.39 $903 -4.27
653–684 value added 678 89 159.00–162.50 $159.88 $1,084 -1.27
680 680 1 140.00 $140.00 $952 -10.00
720–741 value added 734 9 143.50–155.00 $147.26 $1,081 +0.28
754–799 value added 769 89 145.00–156.50 $155.43 $1,195 —
852 852 7 142.00 $142.00 $1,210 +1.50
902 902 2 132.50 $132.50 $1,195 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 3 160.00 $160.00 $690 —
502 502 2 142.00 $142.00 $713 —
645 645 2 141.00 $141.00 $909 —
692 692 2 134.00 $134.00 $927 —
725 725 2 134.00 $134.00 $972 —
780 780 2 137.50 $137.50 $1,072 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–345 335 2 155.00–160.00 $157.43 $527 -2.57
420–440 430 2 141.00–145.00 $142.95 $615 -17.05
475 475 1 138.00 $138.00 $656 —
535 535 1 145.00 $145.00 $776 —
860 860 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,084 -6.00
940 940 3 122.00 $122.00 $1,147 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 120.00 $120.00 $606 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 value added 240 1 168.00 $168.00 $403 —
275–277 value added 276 3 175.00–179.00 $177.67 $490 +5.15
300–340 327 3 152.00–159.00 $155.18 $507 +15.18
300–347 value added 336 11 167.00–180.00 $172.90 $581 —
355–395 value added 372 21 161.00–179.00 $167.69 $624 -5.60
380–385 383 4 145.00–152.00 $147.01 $563 -2.95
405–435 421 6 147.00–150.00 $148.68 $626 +5.72
405–446 value added 438 40 155.00–174.00 $164.83 $722 +7.86
454–495 value added 464 51 152.00–173.00 $168.58 $782 +9.72
450–495 467 12 140.00–151.00 $148.16 $692 +3.66
525 525 2 143.00 $143.00 $751 +3.50
505–545 value added 535 27 151.00–160.00 $155.94 $834 -1.53
555–590 571 4 140.00–145.00 $143.25 $818 —
550–595 value added 585 75 150.00–162.00 $160.25 $937 +8.69
600–611 value added 611 55 144.00–157.25 $156.79 $958 +15.61
615–640 631 9 130.00–139.00 $133.99 $845 +0.64
655 655 2 130.00 $130.00 $852 +6.00
654–688 value added 671 47 142.00–146.75 $144.26 $968 +4.26
700 value added 700 1 132.00 $132.00 $924 —
700–747 712 12 111.00–123.00 $118.42 $843 -3.92
757 value added 757 5 135.00 $135.00 $1,022 —
770 770 4 122.00 $122.00 $939 —
805 805 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,014 +4.50
835 835 1 116.00 $116.00 $969 +14.00
870–875 873 2 104.00–114.00 $108.99 $951 —
916 916 4 128.00 $128.00 $1,172 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–225 213 2 124.00–129.00 $126.35 $269 -3.65
265 265 1 142.50 $142.50 $378 +9.74
370–390 379 5 134.00–142.00 $137.97 $523 +17.97
425–440 433 3 121.00–138.00 $129.27 $560 —
450–495 471 4 128.00–137.50 $133.11 $627 -1.30
487 value added 487 4 126.00 $126.00 $614 —
535–547 540 5 134.00–135.00 $134.41 $726 +8.41
555–595 575 8 119.00–135.00 $124.02 $713 -11.94
605 605 1 120.00 $120.00 $726 -2.22
698 698 3 125.00 $125.00 $872 —
708–730 714 4 95.00–110.00 $98.84 $706 -18.16
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
418 418 3 142.00 $142.00 $594 —
465–491 485 4 134.00–141.00 $135.68 $658 —
545 545 1 136.00 $136.00 $741 —
570 570 1 131.00 $131.00 $747 —
690 690 1 126.00 $126.00 $869 —
700 700 1 115.00 $115.00 $805 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 120.00 $120.00 $480 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 181.00 $181.00 $534 —
305–320 313 6 157.50–180.00 $172.82 $541 +2.82
362–395 379 21 160.00–180.00 $170.15 $645 -0.43
375–395 fancy 381 4 181.00–185.00 $183.02 $697 —
400 value added 400 4 165.00–180.00 $171.75 $687 -5.08
400–420 414 6 150.00–162.50 $152.40 $631 -11.31
455–460 458 2 147.00–160.00 $153.54 $703 -14.01
465–495 value added 473 5 162.50–164.00 $163.40 $773 +2.40
515–535 523 13 145.00–154.00 $149.55 $782 -1.03
525–545 value added 535 5 162.00–165.00 $162.89 $871 +3.09
552–585 561 8 144.00–152.00 $150.96 $847 -14.04
557–595 value added 580 10 156.00–163.00 $158.19 $918 +0.90
605–620 value added 613 6 148.00–153.00 $149.85 $919 +7.85
640 640 1 136.00 $136.00 $870 -1.00
655–661 value added 660 5 141.00–146.00 $142.59 $941 -1.41
675–695 686 7 133.00–138.00 $135.84 $932 +4.38
710–740 732 5 125.00–133.00 $128.16 $938 -0.09
752 752 2 128.00 $128.00 $963 +6.66
865–895 882 5 108.00–117.00 $114.63 $1,011 +1.12
945 945 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,077 +9.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 157.00 $157.00 $565 -23.00
431 431 3 148.00 $148.00 $638 —
475–477 476 3 146.00–149.00 $147.00 $700 ±0.00
532–537 535 4 140.00–152.00 $146.03 $781 —
620 620 1 130.00 $130.00 $806 —
676 676 3 128.00 $128.00 $865 -11.50
780 780 1 120.00 $120.00 $936 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 310 3 146.00 $146.00 $453 -5.94
375 375 1 142.00 $142.00 $532 -13.00
445 445 3 130.00–141.00 $137.33 $611 —
470 470 1 145.00 $145.00 $682 —
500–545 520 3 130.00–133.00 $131.63 $684 -1.19
605–637 626 3 119.00–128.00 $125.10 $783 +4.10
685 685 1 129.00 $129.00 $884 —
730 730 1 106.00 $106.00 $774 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 124.00 $124.00 $335 —
350 350 1 121.00 $121.00 $424 —
445 445 1 124.00 $124.00 $552 —
575 575 1 132.00 $132.00 $759 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —
1860 1860 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)N/A 1 2,160.00 $2,160.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750–1030 935 85-90% 6 41.00–52.50 $49.90 $467 —
805–1195 1016 85-90% 9 64.00–69.00 $65.32 $664 -14.41
895–1165 1038 85-90% 12 54.00–63.50 $60.43 $627 -19.30
800–1440 1096 85-90% 12 70.00–88.00 $76.27 $836 +28.81
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1450 1188 80-85% 9 70.00–78.00 $75.11 $892 —
1100–1435 1315 80-85% 23 79.00–91.00 $83.19 $1,094 +8.92
1570 1570 80-85% 1 61.00 $61.00 $958 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1565 1373 75-80% 6 73.00–78.00 $75.98 $1,043 -0.22
1345–1520 1451 75-80% 7 78.50–89.50 $83.61 $1,213 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1265 1095 3 75.00–82.00 $78.99 $865 —
1265–1660 1486 8 90.00–102.00 $97.50 $1,449 —
1545–2155 1846 16 103.00–119.00 $113.30 $2,092 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015–1285 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 950.00–975.00 $963.97
1385–1430 1408 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,100.00–1,140.00 $1,119.68
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 785.00 $785.00
1060 1060 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655 655 1 86.00 $86.00 $563 —

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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.