Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 20, 2022

808 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $183.72/cwt +27.92 vs last sale · ≈ $947/hd at 516 lb · 115 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $170.65/cwt +19.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,006/hd at 590 lb · 111 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $164.56/cwt +18.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,174/hd at 713 lb · 82 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 808 624 704
Feeder cattle 697 474 519
Slaughter cattle 64 89 114
Replacement cattle 47 61 71

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady with good demand for long-weaned and yearling packages. Slaughter cows sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower with light demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 lower with moderate 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
285 285 1 165.00 $165.00 $470 —
380 380 1 160.00 $160.00 $608 —
405 405 1 159.00 $159.00 $644 -6.00
405–425 value added 410 5 165.00–177.50 $173.42 $711 +3.49
462–480 value added 469 6 169.00–173.00 $171.66 $805 -0.99
485 485 1 159.00 $159.00 $771 —
500 500 1 156.00 $156.00 $780 +0.04
503–543 value added 535 22 165.00–171.00 $169.63 $908 +6.22
552 552 2 161.00 $161.00 $889 +3.36
600–634 value added 611 35 155.00–168.00 $165.74 $1,013 +2.44
620 620 1 150.00 $150.00 $930 —
650–690 value added 663 7 155.00–160.00 $156.97 $1,041 -8.84
726–730 value added 727 4 158.00–169.00 $166.24 $1,209 +10.23
747 747 2 147.00 $147.00 $1,098 -0.50
770 value added 770 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,155 -8.63
825 825 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,196 —
853–870 857 4 149.00–157.00 $151.03 $1,294 +2.57
1020 1020 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,346 +5.00
1025 fancy 1025 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,486 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 155.00 $155.00 $829 —
572 572 2 158.00 $158.00 $904 —
660 660 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,003 —
743 743 7 145.50 $145.50 $1,081 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 141.00 $141.00 $691 —
513 513 3 159.00 $159.00 $816 —
555 555 2 150.00 $150.00 $832 —
650 650 2 129.00–139.00 $134.00 $871 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 145.00 $145.00 $312 -17.50
295 295 1 155.00 $155.00 $457 —
310–340 325 2 148.00–149.00 $148.48 $483 -17.52
328–340 value added 333 6 166.00–171.00 $168.04 $560 —
355–357 value added 356 3 167.00–171.00 $169.67 $604 —
350–395 373 2 150.00–152.50 $151.33 $564 -11.56
405–445 value added 424 17 153.00–161.00 $157.60 $668 -6.13
425 425 1 151.00 $151.00 $642 +1.43
452–487 471 14 141.00–151.00 $145.39 $685 -0.61
465–485 value added 475 5 153.00–169.00 $158.67 $754 +0.66
500–540 value added 511 14 148.00–157.00 $153.03 $782 -2.77
500–540 thin fleshed 516 100 186.60–189.75 $188.43 $972 —
545 545 1 142.00 $142.00 $774 —
553–585 value added 561 13 149.00–152.50 $151.47 $850 -2.09
560–582 574 8 142.00–145.00 $144.51 $829 -2.00
595 thin fleshed 595 90 175.75 $175.75 $1,046 —
600–616 value added 605 15 146.00–155.00 $153.00 $926 —
618 thin fleshed 618 55 167.75 $167.75 $1,037 —
661–680 670 7 135.00–139.00 $137.84 $924 +2.70
712 thin fleshed 712 71 169.00 $169.00 $1,203 —
707–735 716 6 124.00–133.00 $128.36 $919 —
730 value added 730 5 145.00 $145.00 $1,058 -1.01
865 865 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,107 -9.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 136.00 $136.00 $326 —
262 262 2 120.00 $120.00 $314 -5.00
545 545 1 130.00 $130.00 $708 -8.00
565 565 1 121.00 $121.00 $684 -13.00
600–630 619 6 122.00–130.00 $125.49 $777 -3.00
677 677 4 124.00–127.00 $125.50 $850 +1.86
750 750 1 114.00 $114.00 $855 -14.00
865 865 2 101.00 $101.00 $874 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 1 126.00 $126.00 $800 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
150 150 1 167.50 $167.50 $251 —
340 340 1 167.50 $167.50 $570 +6.50
355–395 365 9 161.00–172.50 $168.09 $614 —
412–438 value added 428 8 171.00–173.00 $172.57 $739 —
447 447 1 162.50 $162.50 $726 —
455–490 468 14 150.00–164.00 $160.60 $752 +9.25
505–515 508 4 143.00–151.00 $145.99 $742 -11.83
560–595 577 9 140.00–153.00 $145.93 $842 -11.55
580 value added 580 8 157.00 $157.00 $911 —
605–625 value added 613 3 149.00–156.00 $152.96 $938 +3.96
600–642 629 4 137.00–143.00 $141.26 $889 +2.77
650–667 664 5 135.00–138.00 $137.41 $912 —
700–725 711 5 132.00–135.00 $133.58 $950 -2.42
1155 1155 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,155 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 157.00 $157.00 $338 —
270 270 2 150.00 $150.00 $405 —
445 445 1 135.00 $135.00 $601 +5.00
495 495 2 151.00 $151.00 $747 —
510–545 528 2 128.00–141.00 $134.28 $709 -8.73
560 560 1 135.00 $135.00 $756 -6.38
625–645 633 3 130.00–134.00 $132.68 $840 +0.25
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 112.50 $112.50 $321 —
540 540 1 123.00 $123.00 $664 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1305 1168 80-85% 12 72.50–78.50 $75.88 $886 -6.99
1020–1430 1187 80-85% 3 67.50–72.00 $68.95 $818 -13.92
1015–1485 1314 80-85% 12 78.50–86.00 $81.78 $1,075 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1570 1333 75-80% 2 60.00–69.50 $63.90 $852 —
1175–1580 1363 75-80% 4 79.50–83.00 $81.20 $1,107 —
1130–1640 1419 75-80% 11 74.00–78.50 $76.30 $1,083 -11.99
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 85-90% 1 64.00 $64.00 $643 —
960–1065 1013 85-90% 2 67.00–68.00 $67.47 $683 -0.53
845–1255 1029 85-90% 8 43.00–61.00 $53.76 $553 -14.24
1075 1075 85-90% 1 76.00 $76.00 $817 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1770 1575 2 94.00 $94.00 $1,480 —
1385–1770 1608 4 118.00–130.00 $124.53 $2,002 —
1355–1975 1717 8 101.00–112.00 $107.97 $1,854 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00
830–1090 937 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 685.00–785.00 $740.04
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820 820 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 410.00 $410.00
900 900 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 585.00 $585.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1210 1210 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 975.00 $975.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1050–1385 1179 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 940.00–1,175.00 $1,059.90 -15.10
1225 1225 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 785.00 $785.00 —
1350 1350 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,120.00 $1,120.00 —
1230–1425 1352 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 985.00–1,110.00 $1,045.61 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1140 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00 —
1225 1225 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00 —
1320 1320 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,240.00 $1,240.00 —
1585 1585 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —
1680 1680 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,560.00 $1,560.00 —

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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.