Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 16, 2022

547 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $178.93/cwt +15.43 vs last sale · ≈ $765/hd at 427 lb · 35 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $162.18/cwt -6.35 vs last sale · ≈ $853/hd at 526 lb · 26 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $175.36/cwt +12.48 vs last sale · ≈ $831/hd at 474 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 547 615 694
Feeder cattle 436 517 591
Slaughter cattle 81 77 77
Replacement cattle 30 21 26

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold mostly steady except 300-500 lbs 5.00 to 8.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages. Feeder heifers sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 higher with very good demand. Buyers showing preference for thin-fleshed long weaned calves. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 higher with very 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
320–345 value added 339 4 197.50–200.00 $198.09 $672 —
370 370 1 172.50 $172.50 $638 +5.50
375–387 value added 382 4 190.00–200.00 $197.51 $754 —
407–420 411 3 154.00–160.00 $157.96 $649 -7.04
404–447 value added 429 32 165.00–201.00 $180.90 $776 +17.90
450–477 468 3 159.00–177.50 $164.93 $772 +5.93
450–492 value added 475 20 160.00–192.00 $176.93 $840 +13.53
500–543 value added 525 20 158.00–174.00 $164.28 $862 -6.15
520–535 530 6 154.00–157.00 $155.16 $822 -3.84
562 562 2 156.00 $156.00 $877 +1.00
560–595 value added 574 13 152.00–167.00 $162.66 $934 —
605 605 1 147.00 $147.00 $889 +3.11
600–645 value added 637 17 148.00–166.00 $156.50 $997 -11.23
660 value added 660 3 154.00 $154.00 $1,016 -2.46
700–745 719 5 134.00–139.00 $136.37 $981 —
735 value added 735 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,036 ±0.00
755 value added 755 2 141.00 $141.00 $1,065 -1.00
1145 1145 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,214 -5.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312 312 2 170.00 $170.00 $530 —
455 455 1 153.00 $153.00 $696 —
542 542 2 143.00 $143.00 $775 —
715 715 1 134.00 $134.00 $958 —
760 760 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,003 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 158.00 $158.00 $498 —
455 455 2 130.00 $130.00 $592 -17.50
675 675 1 133.00 $133.00 $898 —
705 705 1 126.00 $126.00 $888 —
852 852 2 125.00 $125.00 $1,065 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 value added 235 1 166.00 $166.00 $390 —
285 value added 285 2 160.00 $160.00 $456 —
305–345 318 5 145.00–158.00 $151.41 $481 -2.41
305–345 value added 331 8 162.50–171.00 $167.52 $554 +5.02
355–390 value added 379 20 156.00–173.00 $165.97 $629 +4.80
405–435 415 3 142.00–150.00 $147.20 $611 +4.16
400–445 value added 422 6 155.00–162.50 $159.35 $672 +4.24
452–482 value added 466 13 150.00–161.00 $155.19 $723 +0.88
450–478 469 7 140.00–150.00 $144.83 $679 -3.81
500–532 507 9 145.00–149.00 $147.45 $748 +5.74
500–532 value added 523 7 151.00–159.00 $153.30 $802 +3.33
550–585 value added 565 14 141.00–154.00 $148.46 $839 —
562–595 581 6 135.00–140.00 $138.39 $804 -3.61
604 604 6 150.00 $150.00 $906 +15.88
600–620 value added 613 7 138.00–144.00 $140.84 $863 -8.62
610–620 614 4 126.00–134.00 $131.74 $809 -2.38
650–675 662 4 129.00–134.00 $130.27 $862 +6.02
675–687 value added 683 3 135.00–139.00 $137.68 $940 —
710–740 731 4 124.00–130.00 $125.71 $919 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 2 130.00 $130.00 $299 —
265 265 2 135.00 $135.00 $358 —
375 375 1 142.50 $142.50 $534 —
430 430 4 132.50–135.00 $133.75 $575 +12.75
470–490 480 2 123.00–129.00 $125.94 $605 -6.06
568–580 572 5 132.00–134.00 $132.81 $760 +10.20
700–745 723 2 93.00–102.00 $97.36 $704 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
462–465 463 3 131.00 $131.00 $607 —
542 542 2 136.00 $136.00 $737 —
585–595 588 3 121.00–133.00 $125.05 $735 —
665 665 1 123.00 $123.00 $818 -2.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–295 283 2 167.50–175.00 $171.08 $484 —
315–340 328 2 165.00–177.50 $171.49 $562 +14.58
367–390 373 6 157.50–165.00 $163.69 $611 -2.28
415–430 value added 420 3 161.00–167.50 $165.28 $694 —
420–440 435 4 150.00–160.00 $154.34 $671 +3.18
460–470 465 4 152.00–155.00 $153.52 $714 +4.81
512–535 value added 524 4 158.00–160.00 $159.02 $833 —
520–545 540 7 147.00–149.00 $148.43 $802 -6.10
560–575 567 3 145.00–153.00 $149.96 $850 +0.97
560–595 value added 578 2 158.00–164.00 $161.09 $931 —
605–645 value added 620 3 138.00–155.00 $145.50 $902 —
670 670 1 130.00 $130.00 $871 -4.76
690 value added 690 1 142.00 $142.00 $980 —
792 792 2 117.00 $117.00 $927 —
850–885 868 2 108.00–111.00 $109.53 $951 -4.47
920–925 924 4 106.00–109.00 $106.75 $986 —
955 955 1 103.00 $103.00 $984 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 153.00 $153.00 $314 +10.00
265–280 273 2 149.00–151.00 $150.03 $410 +3.03
315–320 318 2 140.00–142.50 $141.24 $449 +0.24
410–445 430 4 132.00–145.00 $139.52 $600 —
470 470 1 144.00 $144.00 $677 -1.48
615–640 628 2 125.00 $125.00 $785 -15.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 160.00 $160.00 $408 —
315 315 1 155.00 $155.00 $488 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1170 1170 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 125.00 $125.00 $581 -1.03

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1235 983 85-90% 6 46.00–59.00 $53.92 $530 —
885–1185 999 85-90% 9 60.00–68.00 $64.96 $649 —
890–1170 1009 85-90% 4 71.00–77.00 $73.91 $746 —
1015–1395 1171 85-90% 8 80.50–92.50 $85.89 $1,006 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1395 1226 80-85% 4 69.00–72.50 $70.20 $861 -7.53
1125–1650 1335 80-85% 10 87.00–103.50 $92.98 $1,241 —
1125–1600 1346 80-85% 6 73.00–84.00 $77.54 $1,044 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1625 1396 75-80% 4 78.00–84.00 $80.93 $1,130 —
1155–1675 1494 75-80% 8 87.00–95.00 $89.91 $1,343 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1905 1564 5 92.50–101.00 $96.92 $1,516 —
1335–2135 1788 16 105.50–126.50 $117.64 $2,103 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
870 870 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1095–1245 1170 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 975.00–1,050.00 $1,010.10
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
885 885 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
807–1080 884 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 925.00–1,300.00 $1,051.02
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
660 660 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00
715 715 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
815 815 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00

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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
1037 1037 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
1490 1490 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1075–1175 1125 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 825.00–830.00 $827.61 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
446 446 3 111.00 $111.00 $495 —
547 547 4 104.00 $104.00 $569 —

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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.