Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 29, 2023

1,148 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $189.38/cwt +10.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,165/hd at 615 lb · 80 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $185.85/cwt ≈ $1,249/hd at 672 lb · 80 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $196.67/cwt +12.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,439/hd at 732 lb · 78 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,148 842 793
Feeder cattle 1,014 716 696
Slaughter cattle 95 94 81
Replacement cattle 39 32 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed 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
205–235 220 2 197.50–205.00 $201.51 $443 —
285 value added 285 3 221.00 $221.00 $630 —
342 value added 342 4 245.00 $245.00 $838 +23.76
385–390 value added 388 2 225.00–230.00 $227.48 $883 -10.00
415–447 value added 430 16 219.00–240.00 $228.90 $984 -8.03
450 450 1 198.00 $198.00 $891 —
450–484 value added 472 25 223.00–246.00 $233.37 $1,102 +4.23
510 510 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,025 +7.00
505–540 value added 520 23 206.00–246.00 $234.78 $1,221 +0.98
556–597 value added 572 63 214.00–230.00 $227.91 $1,304 +11.75
600–617 value added 610 6 197.00–216.00 $204.71 $1,249 +9.97
614–630 616 15 184.00–189.00 $188.46 $1,161 —
658–691 value added 686 35 192.00–198.25 $197.63 $1,356 +15.63
682–690 686 4 178.00–181.00 $179.49 $1,231 —
700–725 711 7 174.00–178.00 $175.57 $1,248 —
734 thin fleshed 734 71 198.75 $198.75 $1,459 —
765–770 768 2 179.00 $179.00 $1,375 —
762–781 value added 780 30 183.00–190.00 $189.44 $1,478 +6.00
820 820 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,410 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–240 220 2 180.00–187.50 $184.09 $405 —
740 740 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,191 —
761 761 5 159.00 $159.00 $1,210 —
972 972 2 149.00 $149.00 $1,448 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,134 +9.00
645 645 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,161 -4.00
663 663 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,193 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 value added 315 12 196.00–225.00 $208.40 $656 -5.15
355–377 364 5 195.00–199.00 $196.95 $717 +7.54
385–390 value added 387 8 200.00–209.00 $206.62 $800 -3.25
425–445 434 4 182.50–188.00 $185.63 $806 -1.66
405–445 value added 436 41 190.00–217.00 $211.21 $921 +2.72
450–480 value added 471 46 190.00–213.00 $204.75 $964 +3.70
478–490 481 4 184.00–190.00 $185.53 $892 +0.66
500–545 value added 517 37 189.00–209.00 $199.88 $1,033 +6.93
525 525 1 186.00 $186.00 $976 +4.00
566–580 570 4 179.00–187.00 $184.96 $1,054 +5.48
573–593 value added 582 14 189.00–199.00 $195.64 $1,139 +1.50
600–636 612 46 190.00–193.50 $192.52 $1,178 —
615–630 value added 620 34 175.00–186.00 $185.14 $1,148 +6.03
665–675 value added 672 80 179.00–186.00 $185.85 $1,249 —
703–739 value added 734 37 160.00–171.00 $169.61 $1,245 +19.61
754 value added 754 74 175.80 $175.80 $1,326 —
801–810 value added 801 64 156.00–170.00 $169.78 $1,360 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–230 215 2 165.00–172.50 $169.01 $363 +14.01
250–282 266 4 175.00–180.00 $177.65 $473 —
385 385 1 181.00 $181.00 $697 +4.75
415–420 417 3 150.00–176.00 $158.74 $662 +2.74
505–510 508 2 150.00–160.00 $155.02 $788 +0.91
585–590 588 2 161.00–170.00 $165.48 $973 +8.27
775 775 2 120.00 $120.00 $930 -1.01
815 815 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,011 +12.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 158.00 $158.00 $332 +23.00
270 270 1 140.00 $140.00 $378 —
425 425 1 140.00 $140.00 $595 —
475 475 1 148.00 $148.00 $703 +12.13
535 535 1 140.00 $140.00 $749 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
672 672 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,129 +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
215 value added 215 1 213.00 $213.00 $458 —
270 270 1 202.50 $202.50 $547 —
290 value added 290 2 215.00 $215.00 $624 —
300–330 319 4 190.00–210.00 $205.29 $655 —
375 375 1 208.00 $208.00 $780 +10.38
365–395 value added 385 3 216.00–223.00 $220.79 $850 -4.92
405–430 value added 414 5 225.00–231.00 $226.65 $938 +10.27
412–445 423 3 195.00–204.00 $200.84 $850 —
453–492 value added 468 14 206.00–226.00 $215.34 $1,008 +6.43
465–495 485 5 200.00–210.00 $202.41 $982 +1.34
500–515 value added 508 6 210.00–216.00 $213.02 $1,082 +14.23
505–525 512 6 182.50–201.00 $193.68 $992 +1.72
570 fancy 570 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,186 —
550–590 577 6 182.00–198.00 $193.60 $1,117 +11.53
600–640 618 3 156.00–178.00 $168.12 $1,039 +0.52
653–670 value added 656 5 165.00–187.50 $182.91 $1,200 —
650–687 675 3 155.00–170.00 $165.18 $1,115 -0.82
755 value added 755 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,151 —
790 790 2 147.00 $147.00 $1,161 —
805 805 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,240 —
855–865 860 2 136.00–148.00 $142.03 $1,221 —
945 945 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,143 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–285 278 2 167.50–190.00 $178.45 $496 +8.45
310–342 331 3 180.00–182.50 $181.72 $601 +1.72
355–360 358 2 187.50–188.00 $187.75 $672 +7.75
440–445 443 2 147.00–175.00 $161.08 $714 —
465 465 1 182.00 $182.00 $846 +12.00
500–525 513 2 157.50–160.00 $158.72 $814 -21.28
635–645 642 3 137.50–145.00 $142.53 $915 +2.53
680–695 688 2 142.00–149.00 $145.54 $1,001 +15.54
725 725 1 133.00 $133.00 $964 —
870 870 1 110.00 $110.00 $957 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 190.00 $190.00 $950 —
632 632 2 183.00 $183.00 $1,157 —
650–665 658 2 153.00–165.00 $159.07 $1,047 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 137.50 $137.50 $543 +7.50
420 420 1 125.00 $125.00 $525 -15.00
475 475 1 135.00 $135.00 $641 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155 1155 80-85% 1 78.00 $78.00 $901 -9.78
970–1490 1241 80-85% 24 92.00–115.00 $99.03 $1,229 -3.07
1045–1485 1257 80-85% 9 85.00–90.00 $87.17 $1,096 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–970 904 85-90% 5 73.00–75.00 $74.05 $669 —
935–990 963 85-90% 2 60.00–62.00 $61.03 $588 —
930–1195 1103 85-90% 7 76.00–86.00 $81.87 $903 —
935–1310 1120 85-90% 11 88.00–101.00 $93.05 $1,042 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1695 1441 75-80% 7 94.00–102.00 $97.11 $1,399 —
1470 1470 75-80% 1 81.00 $81.00 $1,191 -4.49

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1365 1295 2 81.00–92.00 $86.20 $1,116 —
1275–1805 1475 7 109.00–118.00 $111.56 $1,646 —
1700–2140 1826 6 119.50–139.00 $130.87 $2,390 +2.86

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
845 845 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 100.00 $100.00 $845

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1115 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
960–1255 1119 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 1,025.00–1,325.00 $1,233.61
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1065 1065 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00

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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
1545–1660 1583 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,375.00–1,600.00 $1,483.02 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
840–1005 930 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 925.00–1,175.00 $1,048.92 —
1335 1335 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,240.00 $1,240.00 —

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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.