Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 31, 2022

614 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $159.65/cwt +6.62 vs last sale · ≈ $997/hd at 624 lb · 55 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $168.17/cwt +0.79 vs last sale · ≈ $793/hd at 471 lb · 36 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $173.47/cwt +0.87 vs last sale · ≈ $733/hd at 423 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 614 638 563
Feeder cattle 496 541 487
Slaughter cattle 82 77 57
Replacement cattle 36 20 19

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers steady on similar quality; softer fleshy calves 3.00 lower. Yearling steers and heifers 5.00 higher in a limited comparison with very good demand in a light test. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower with moderate to good demand. 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
270 270 1 182.50 $182.50 $493 +8.50
385 385 1 190.00 $190.00 $732 -16.29
410 410 1 175.00 $175.00 $718 -14.56
410–435 value added 418 3 200.00–205.00 $203.27 $850 -8.57
453–482 value added 464 9 193.00–216.00 $208.09 $966 -5.80
462–468 466 5 186.00–190.00 $187.59 $874 -2.60
500–514 512 6 176.00–178.00 $176.33 $903 -10.01
570–591 value added 578 8 191.00–215.00 $203.32 $1,175 +5.32
567–595 582 6 168.00–186.00 $178.39 $1,038 -8.51
610 610 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,019 —
600–645 value added 632 20 177.00–201.00 $192.28 $1,215 +4.41
650–665 value added 660 3 170.00–181.00 $173.61 $1,146 —
665–690 677 3 151.00–168.00 $160.44 $1,086 +8.50
702–707 value added 707 25 170.00–194.50 $192.55 $1,361 —
825–842 value added 840 8 162.00–171.50 $170.33 $1,431 —
960 960 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,258 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 151.00 $151.00 $287 —
310–340 325 2 171.00–175.00 $172.91 $562 +7.91
370 370 1 172.50 $172.50 $638 +7.85
435 435 1 150.00 $150.00 $652 -21.20
625–630 628 2 130.00–131.00 $130.50 $820 -14.29
710 710 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,001 —
760 760 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,102 —
835 835 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,094 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 186.00 $186.00 $790 +14.00
530 530 1 169.00 $169.00 $896 —
700 700 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,029 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 140.00 $140.00 $287 —
265 265 1 122.50 $122.50 $325 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 274 4 160.00–175.00 $169.35 $464 —
280 fancy 280 1 185.00 $185.00 $518 —
300–317 fancy 311 3 182.50–185.00 $183.30 $570 —
300–330 315 3 160.00 $160.00 $504 -10.00
300–337 value added 325 11 177.50–197.00 $186.32 $606 +7.78
356–392 value added 373 15 175.00–200.00 $183.12 $683 +2.84
365–380 fancy 373 5 195.00–205.00 $199.94 $746 —
375–395 385 2 171.00–172.50 $171.77 $661 +10.09
400–446 value added 422 26 163.00–187.00 $176.65 $745 +0.20
405–442 426 6 157.50–161.00 $159.71 $680 -1.35
450–495 value added 471 34 159.00–180.00 $169.24 $797 -3.75
460–495 478 2 150.00 $150.00 $717 -6.66
500–541 value added 524 11 157.00–173.00 $163.50 $857 -0.84
500–545 526 7 145.00–154.00 $150.34 $791 +3.85
550–595 570 4 145.00–155.00 $150.61 $858 -2.04
555–590 value added 573 2 164.00–176.00 $169.82 $973 +7.62
600–630 value added 622 45 146.00–168.00 $163.87 $1,019 +10.84
600–642 635 10 140.00–143.00 $140.68 $893 —
660–682 value added 675 3 147.00–150.00 $149.02 $1,006 -5.98
725 725 1 125.00 $125.00 $906 —
757 thin fleshed 757 14 156.75 $156.75 $1,187 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–205 203 4 132.50–147.50 $140.09 $284 —
280 280 1 130.00 $130.00 $364 -17.50
355–360 358 2 137.50–150.00 $143.79 $515 —
485 485 1 130.00 $130.00 $630 -10.77
545 545 1 141.00 $141.00 $768 —
560–575 570 3 130.00–142.00 $137.29 $783 +2.22
600–640 620 2 111.00–131.00 $120.68 $748 -6.28
660–662 661 3 125.00–127.00 $125.67 $831 -3.72
730 730 1 111.00 $111.00 $810 +1.00
825 825 3 110.00 $110.00 $908 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466 466 3 145.00 $145.00 $676 —
535 535 4 137.00 $137.00 $733 -14.00
575 575 1 141.00 $141.00 $811 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–280 277 3 180.00–187.00 $184.64 $511 +5.64
290 value added 290 4 201.00 $201.00 $583 —
305–330 value added 324 5 202.00–210.00 $206.96 $671 —
320–330 325 2 180.00–201.00 $190.34 $619 -4.66
392 392 2 175.00 $175.00 $686 -22.50
400–440 423 3 165.00–185.00 $175.71 $743 +15.71
425–446 value added 440 5 191.00–201.00 $198.83 $875 —
455–460 458 2 186.00–190.00 $187.99 $861 +8.75
460–465 value added 463 4 200.00–217.50 $208.80 $967 —
500–541 526 9 151.00–162.00 $158.20 $832 -7.73
535 value added 535 1 166.00 $166.00 $888 —
550–587 561 13 154.00–164.00 $160.13 $898 -5.20
597 value added 597 2 177.00 $177.00 $1,057 —
630–645 640 3 131.00 $131.00 $838 -9.74
650 650 2 135.00 $135.00 $878 —
700 700 1 134.00 $134.00 $938 -0.69
760–762 761 3 123.00–129.00 $127.00 $966 ±0.00
810–835 823 4 103.00–119.00 $109.29 $899 -20.71
865 865 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,168 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–260 255 2 140.00–151.00 $145.39 $371 —
300 300 1 124.00 $124.00 $372 —
450 450 1 142.50 $142.50 $641 -23.50
505–520 515 5 132.00–145.00 $136.77 $704 -2.84
560–577 570 9 131.00–150.00 $146.23 $834 -4.77
645–647 646 3 127.00–129.00 $128.33 $829 —
690 690 1 128.00 $128.00 $883 -3.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 2 145.00 $145.00 $805 —
640 640 1 126.00 $126.00 $806 —
775 775 1 124.00 $124.00 $961 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1400 1400 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1490 1233 80-85% 14 78.00–84.50 $81.53 $1,005 -6.46
1050–1520 1257 80-85% 5 69.50–76.50 $74.12 $932 -26.09
1155–1360 1288 80-85% 13 85.00–97.00 $89.13 $1,148 -11.08
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–990 903 85-90% 4 38.00–65.00 $55.11 $498 —
850–1105 1002 85-90% 5 65.00–69.00 $66.77 $669 +0.86
855–1395 1138 85-90% 6 73.00–78.00 $75.42 $858 -13.87
1075–1290 1177 85-90% 9 79.00–90.00 $83.14 $979 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1640 1389 75-80% 10 85.00–92.50 $88.18 $1,225 —
1335–1755 1496 75-80% 6 77.00–83.50 $81.51 $1,219 -17.91

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155 1155 1 84.00 $84.00 $970 —
1150–1270 1217 3 101.00–105.50 $102.73 $1,250 -0.19
1425–2105 1799 10 118.00–131.00 $123.19 $2,216 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,185.00 $1,185.00
1115 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
1135 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
675 675 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 440.00 $440.00
890–930 910 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 650.00–675.00 $662.23
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950–965 958 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 785.00–800.00 $792.44

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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
1105–1165 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 850.00–950.00 $901.32 —
1195 1195 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 975.00 $975.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1510–1565 1538 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,320.00–1,350.00 $1,335.27 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
815–825 820 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 725.00–810.00 $767.24 —

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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.