Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 22, 2023

842 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $184.45/cwt +4.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,500/hd at 813 lb · 76 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $206.83/cwt -6.48 vs last sale · ≈ $896/hd at 433 lb · 51 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $193.47/cwt +3.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,117/hd at 577 lb · 44 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 842 1,140 969
Feeder cattle 716 1,084 800
Slaughter cattle 94 52 115
Replacement cattle 32 4 54

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady on similar quality with good demand for weaned packages suitable for grass. 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
302–345 value added 320 8 220.00–222.50 $221.24 $708 -15.86
355–390 value added 374 7 220.00–257.00 $237.48 $888 -2.49
390 390 1 200.00 $200.00 $780 —
406–445 value added 427 20 220.00–253.00 $236.93 $1,012 +6.96
445 445 2 196.00 $196.00 $872 -15.17
462–495 value added 479 8 221.00–253.00 $229.14 $1,098 -4.10
495 495 1 190.00 $190.00 $940 -19.38
515 515 2 194.00 $194.00 $999 +4.00
500–548 value added 519 28 206.00–259.00 $233.80 $1,213 +4.45
550–595 value added 577 30 201.00–223.00 $216.16 $1,247 -1.55
600–636 value added 625 21 191.00–200.00 $194.74 $1,217 -13.54
692 value added 692 4 182.00 $182.00 $1,259 —
710–716 value added 713 23 181.00–187.75 $183.92 $1,311 +1.39
759–777 value added 762 25 178.00–184.50 $183.44 $1,398 -3.41
813–818 value added 813 76 183.50–184.50 $184.45 $1,500 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 192.00 $192.00 $643 —
350–390 370 2 175.00 $175.00 $648 -26.71
435 435 1 161.00 $161.00 $700 -4.00
475 475 2 170.00–180.00 $175.00 $831 +10.00
555–575 565 2 170.00–181.00 $175.60 $992 +14.56
675 675 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,148 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 191.00 $191.00 $926 —
580 580 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,102 —
620 620 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,141 —
702 702 2 171.00 $171.00 $1,200 +3.34

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–295 value added 293 2 200.00–216.00 $207.93 $609 -21.08
320–330 325 2 195.00–200.00 $197.54 $642 +12.54
325–335 value added 330 4 210.00–217.00 $213.55 $705 -6.72
355–390 371 10 181.00–195.00 $189.41 $703 +0.68
355–382 value added 372 27 201.00–217.00 $209.87 $781 -8.57
410–445 421 4 186.00–189.00 $187.29 $788 —
405–448 value added 434 47 192.00–219.00 $208.49 $905 -4.82
450–495 value added 471 26 190.00–214.00 $201.05 $947 -10.01
450–490 476 5 180.00–190.00 $184.87 $880 -4.00
510–547 value added 528 35 182.00–199.00 $192.95 $1,019 -4.59
540 540 2 182.00 $182.00 $983 +1.70
555–570 563 2 178.00–181.00 $179.48 $1,010 +4.97
560–594 value added 578 42 185.00–199.50 $194.14 $1,122 +2.83
605–640 value added 631 40 152.00–185.00 $179.11 $1,130 -0.86
723 value added 723 3 150.00 $150.00 $1,084 -15.00
780 780 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,100 -3.00
815–845 830 2 138.00–149.00 $143.60 $1,192 +6.60
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 155.00 $155.00 $310 —
300–345 323 6 142.00–184.00 $171.40 $554 +1.40
360–395 375 13 139.00–207.00 $176.25 $661 +7.68
445 445 2 155.00–157.00 $156.00 $694 -24.00
470–495 483 2 160.00–174.00 $166.82 $806 +14.75
510–545 528 3 131.00–170.00 $154.11 $814 —
555–595 575 2 151.00–163.00 $157.21 $904 +5.87
620 620 1 140.00 $140.00 $868 —
685 685 1 130.00 $130.00 $890 -5.74
715–735 728 4 125.00–132.00 $129.74 $945 -0.46
750–760 755 2 120.00–122.00 $121.01 $914 -9.24
820 820 1 112.00 $112.00 $918 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 185.00 $185.00 $796 —
455–490 475 3 164.00–184.00 $176.58 $839 -4.42
540 540 1 162.00 $162.00 $875 -3.29
570 570 1 170.00 $170.00 $969 -5.29
615–630 623 2 140.00–150.00 $145.06 $904 -4.94
662 662 2 166.00 $166.00 $1,099 +16.00
765 765 1 125.00 $125.00 $956 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 135.00 $135.00 $331 —
325 325 1 130.00 $130.00 $422 —
455–485 470 2 132.00–140.00 $135.87 $639 —
590 590 1 128.00 $128.00 $755 —
672 672 2 115.00 $115.00 $773 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–385 368 2 195.00–200.00 $197.62 $727 -9.88
355–390 value added 373 2 221.00–230.00 $225.71 $842 —
405–447 value added 433 6 210.00–235.00 $216.38 $937 -18.98
480–490 485 2 194.00–208.00 $201.07 $975 -2.75
460–497 value added 486 17 190.00–234.00 $208.91 $1,015 -4.09
520–530 525 2 188.00–196.00 $191.96 $1,008 -9.50
500–545 value added 527 10 191.00–210.00 $198.79 $1,048 -14.21
562–595 576 5 174.00–189.00 $182.07 $1,049 -18.25
565–582 value added 576 8 181.00–192.00 $184.73 $1,064 -22.96
605–645 620 3 162.50–172.00 $167.60 $1,039 +3.60
625 value added 625 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,100 ±0.00
680 680 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,129 ±0.00
702–735 720 6 151.00–169.00 $161.39 $1,162 —
705–730 value added 722 5 153.00–159.00 $155.99 $1,126 —
1030 1030 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,184 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 170.00 $170.00 $493 ±0.00
335 335 1 180.00 $180.00 $603 -5.04
390 390 1 180.00 $180.00 $702 -14.00
405 405 1 180.00 $180.00 $729 +29.00
480 480 1 170.00 $170.00 $816 -10.00
500 500 1 180.00 $180.00 $900 —
590 590 1 169.00 $169.00 $997 -12.00
635 635 1 140.00 $140.00 $889 -9.00
685 685 1 130.00 $130.00 $890 —
985 985 1 99.00 $99.00 $975 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 155.00 $155.00 $364 —
343 343 3 158.00 $158.00 $542 —
375 375 1 130.00 $130.00 $488 —
420 420 1 140.00 $140.00 $588 +7.50
500–537 519 4 142.00–151.00 $148.59 $771 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 190.00 $190.00 $484 —
555 555 1 170.00 $170.00 $944 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1510 1510 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,960.00 $1,960.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765–980 869 85-90% 5 49.00–71.00 $61.77 $537 —
840–1185 1022 85-90% 7 58.00–75.00 $70.06 $716 +7.76
865–1420 1033 85-90% 19 72.50–83.00 $78.47 $811 +16.17
905–1330 1077 85-90% 12 84.50–93.00 $88.87 $957 +2.97
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1265 1173 80-85% 3 86.00–89.00 $87.78 $1,030 —
965–1400 1245 80-85% 13 93.00–110.00 $102.10 $1,271 +1.02
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1645 1396 75-80% 6 101.50–108.00 $104.18 $1,454 —
1320–1630 1450 75-80% 5 82.00–89.00 $85.49 $1,240 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315 1315 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,236 —
1295–2110 1723 8 101.00–119.00 $112.99 $1,947 —
1555–2290 1843 8 122.50–135.50 $128.01 $2,359 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1020–1055 1038 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 92.00–95.00 $93.53 $971

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1110 1110 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
840–1315 1116 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 950.00–1,375.00 $1,107.21
1185 1185 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
795–835 815 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 660.00–850.00 $752.67
1005 1005 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 875.00 $875.00
1040–1080 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 810.00–850.00 $830.38

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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
1205–1540 1402 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,425.00–1,525.00 $1,468.88 —

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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.