Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 12, 2023

1,152 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $183.70/cwt +7.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,274/hd at 694 lb · 146 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $213.18/cwt +18.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,103/hd at 517 lb · 143 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $232.15/cwt +16.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,553/hd at 669 lb · 114 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,152 738 526
Feeder cattle 1,030 653 378
Slaughter cattle 89 67 85
Replacement cattle 33 18 63

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher; some weaned thin-fleshed packages sharply higher. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages suitable for grass. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 3.00 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
300–320 value added 308 3 225.00–242.50 $232.39 $716 —
355–395 value added 380 17 235.00–252.50 $238.10 $905 +17.44
390 390 2 232.50 $232.50 $907 —
405 405 1 212.00 $212.00 $859 —
408–446 value added 427 21 221.00–270.00 $248.31 $1,060 +25.85
452–485 value added 464 4 245.00–261.00 $255.42 $1,185 +21.20
455–480 469 4 202.00–223.00 $211.11 $990 —
513–526 thin fleshed 516 62 266.00–275.00 $272.93 $1,408 —
500–547 value added 518 15 223.00–253.00 $236.89 $1,227 +27.42
555–580 value added 569 26 194.00–246.00 $233.09 $1,326 +12.09
600–645 value added 611 13 200.00–234.00 $225.74 $1,379 +25.74
653–670 value added 662 28 220.00–226.00 $224.92 $1,489 +9.56
671 thin fleshed 671 86 234.50 $234.50 $1,573 —
705–730 value added 718 2 191.00–192.00 $191.49 $1,375 +6.49
730 730 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,292 —
847 thin fleshed 847 17 202.50 $202.50 $1,715 —
945 945 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,625 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 176.00 $176.00 $581 —
560 560 1 170.00 $170.00 $952 —
650–690 659 5 167.00–186.00 $173.12 $1,141 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 211.00 $211.00 $770 —
365 value added 365 1 232.50 $232.50 $849 —
435 435 1 229.00 $229.00 $996 —
485 485 1 197.00 $197.00 $955 —
590 590 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,150 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 120.00 $120.00 $552 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 value added 280 1 221.00 $221.00 $619 +6.00
312–345 value added 327 8 210.00–235.00 $222.74 $728 +3.23
345 345 1 190.00 $190.00 $656 +0.01
352–395 value added 364 23 206.00–220.00 $214.90 $782 +5.86
375–397 387 5 196.00–205.00 $200.18 $775 +8.62
400–446 value added 423 48 192.00–220.00 $210.57 $891 +10.15
400–440 425 3 184.00–192.00 $188.56 $801 +4.42
460–490 475 3 189.00–199.00 $193.95 $921 —
450–498 value added 482 16 195.00–210.00 $201.49 $971 -1.00
500–548 value added 517 73 185.00–220.00 $206.93 $1,070 +10.78
517 thin fleshed 517 67 221.50 $221.50 $1,145 —
535–540 537 3 179.00–181.00 $179.67 $965 -1.34
570 570 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,003 +1.33
550–595 value added 576 98 183.00–206.75 $204.53 $1,178 +11.88
600–640 value added 619 10 184.00–193.00 $189.04 $1,170 -2.56
632–640 636 4 160.00–170.00 $166.99 $1,062 -2.34
680–691 thin fleshed 689 70 188.25–191.50 $188.71 $1,300 —
680–698 value added 698 76 179.00–185.00 $179.08 $1,250 +0.74
700 value added 700 3 176.00–184.00 $181.33 $1,269 —
735–747 743 3 151.00–171.00 $164.41 $1,222 +13.41
755 value added 755 2 174.00 $174.00 $1,314 —
760 760 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,155 +4.41
800 value added 800 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,360 +9.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–240 228 2 161.00 $161.00 $367 -9.00
262–295 271 4 150.00–159.00 $154.62 $419 -10.88
395 395 1 186.00 $186.00 $735 +36.73
410–430 420 2 131.00–171.00 $150.52 $632 -14.66
460–490 475 3 150.00–181.00 $167.21 $794 +4.03
500–545 523 2 155.00–160.00 $157.39 $823 —
561–570 565 6 150.00–172.00 $155.16 $877 -4.84
625 625 1 147.50 $147.50 $922 -4.50
785 785 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,020 ±0.00
845 845 2 125.00 $125.00 $1,056 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 170.00 $170.00 $722 —
465–495 473 4 184.00–193.00 $190.64 $902 —
535 535 1 180.00 $180.00 $963 —
595 595 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,029 —
685 685 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,192 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 2 144.00 $144.00 $432 +19.74

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 value added 295 2 229.00 $229.00 $676 +21.50
320–340 value added 330 3 207.50–237.50 $226.14 $746 —
365 365 1 210.00 $210.00 $766 +18.17
350–395 value added 378 6 235.00–260.00 $246.12 $930 +5.50
400–445 value added 428 14 220.00–270.00 $234.98 $1,006 +1.81
420–445 428 3 205.00–215.00 $211.54 $905 +21.27
455–498 value added 472 18 203.00–243.00 $219.39 $1,036 +0.43
475–495 486 10 193.00–204.00 $200.07 $972 +9.56
515 value added 515 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,133 +4.81
500–545 521 9 184.00–200.00 $190.07 $990 -0.42
572 value added 572 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,201 +9.81
560–592 575 10 190.00–200.00 $197.49 $1,136 +16.50
600–605 value added 604 4 184.00–192.00 $185.99 $1,123 -13.27
615–630 625 10 178.00–205.00 $195.14 $1,220 +35.14
665 665 2 171.00–186.00 $178.50 $1,187 +4.50
705–714 value added 713 8 170.00–192.00 $172.72 $1,231 —
715 715 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,151 —
767 767 2 153.00 $153.00 $1,174 +7.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–225 213 3 160.00–191.00 $179.91 $383 +36.55
255 255 2 191.00 $191.00 $487 +19.90
340 340 1 182.00 $182.00 $619 +15.63
350 350 1 200.00 $200.00 $700 +19.66
415–445 430 2 157.00–166.00 $161.66 $695 -12.27
480–495 488 2 154.00–172.50 $163.39 $797 -24.92
500 500 1 172.00 $172.00 $860 —
560 560 1 172.00 $172.00 $963 —
630 630 1 150.00 $150.00 $945 —
670 670 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,065 —
700–715 708 2 140.00–157.00 $148.59 $1,052 —
750 750 1 130.00 $130.00 $975 —
845 845 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,098 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 190.00 $190.00 $855 —
525 525 2 171.00 $171.00 $898 —
560–580 572 3 182.00–194.00 $188.64 $1,079 +22.64
770 770 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,217 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
452 452 2 150.00 $150.00 $678 +30.00
500 500 2 120.00 $120.00 $600 +19.00
560 560 1 130.00 $130.00 $728 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780–1100 925 85-90% 7 44.00–69.00 $61.61 $570 -18.95
945–955 950 85-90% 2 70.00–75.00 $72.49 $689 —
805–1155 965 85-90% 15 77.00–85.00 $81.16 $783 —
760–1210 1005 85-90% 13 85.00–106.00 $94.18 $947 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1425 1176 80-85% 5 84.00–89.00 $85.77 $1,009 -10.89
1110–1415 1224 80-85% 22 93.50–114.00 $103.28 $1,264 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1680 1478 75-80% 7 94.50–113.00 $101.93 $1,507 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1715 1345 5 94.00–101.00 $97.38 $1,310 —
1240–2495 1642 5 102.00–117.00 $108.08 $1,775 —
1345–2000 1775 8 120.00–145.50 $130.28 $2,312 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985–1080 1020 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,085.00–1,210.00 $1,150.25
1035–1475 1262 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 960.00–1,300.00 $1,168.32
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–1240 1024 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 775.00–1,150.00 $899.51

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905 905 Young (2-4 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
1055 1055 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
1270 1270 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —

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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.