Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, June 21, 2023

518 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $207.93/cwt -15.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,091/hd at 525 lb · 28 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $223.84/cwt -4.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,043/hd at 466 lb · 23 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $221.77/cwt -1.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,366/hd at 616 lb · 22 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 518 726 509
Feeder cattle 394 546 348
Slaughter cattle 95 131 128
Replacement cattle 29 49 33

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady on similar quality with good demand for weaned packages. 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
350–395 value added 368 3 220.00–225.00 $221.79 $816 -30.71
425 425 1 225.00 $225.00 $956 —
405–447 value added 439 9 229.00–250.50 $244.24 $1,072 +0.98
450–463 460 7 211.00–226.00 $217.10 $999 -2.90
457–492 value added 481 13 229.00–253.00 $245.97 $1,183 +7.00
502 502 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,029 -15.00
500–535 value added 524 10 220.00–228.00 $223.30 $1,170 -16.32
555 555 2 219.00 $219.00 $1,215 +7.70
570 value added 570 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,268 -3.98
600–625 value added 612 15 220.00–232.00 $225.92 $1,383 +2.32
618–645 625 7 204.00–216.00 $212.88 $1,330 —
657–680 665 3 204.00–212.50 $206.90 $1,376 +16.90
671 value added 671 8 222.50 $222.50 $1,493 +0.57
706 value added 706 4 220.00 $220.00 $1,553 —
740–746 745 4 196.00–203.00 $197.74 $1,473 +1.97
915 915 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,766 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 210.00 $210.00 $872 —
505–540 522 3 186.00–202.50 $195.46 $1,020 +10.46
650–690 670 2 179.00–195.00 $186.76 $1,251 —
710 710 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,314 +1.00
855 855 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,402 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367–397 382 4 215.00–220.00 $217.60 $831 —
560 560 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,204 —
825 825 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,526 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 value added 270 1 220.00 $220.00 $594 -13.24
335 value added 335 3 221.00 $221.00 $740 -4.07
347 347 2 190.00 $190.00 $659 -20.00
355–395 374 5 190.00–207.50 $201.82 $755 -5.89
350–395 value added 381 7 211.00–247.00 $224.35 $855 -4.65
410–440 425 7 207.00–216.00 $213.52 $907 +4.41
402–445 value added 426 11 219.00–244.00 $231.16 $985 +0.88
450–472 value added 463 12 230.00–241.00 $235.97 $1,093 +5.73
457–490 469 11 203.00–216.00 $210.60 $988 -1.12
500–540 value added 522 12 211.00–219.00 $215.36 $1,124 -9.15
503–545 527 16 189.00–207.00 $202.35 $1,066 -2.27
556–586 value added 570 11 209.00–219.00 $214.42 $1,222 -2.66
555–595 575 5 188.00–197.00 $191.15 $1,099 -3.39
610–645 value added 621 15 195.00–209.50 $207.38 $1,288 +18.61
600–647 627 4 181.00–185.00 $181.96 $1,141 +7.79
655–680 667 5 169.00–179.00 $173.39 $1,157 -10.93
695 value added 695 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,293 +5.03
720 720 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,260 —
770 770 2 154.00 $154.00 $1,186 -13.22
765–785 775 3 162.00–163.00 $162.67 $1,261 -4.55
825 825 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,361 —
830 value added 830 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,494 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–265 255 4 170.00–185.00 $176.15 $449 -8.85
317 317 2 172.50 $172.50 $547 -12.63
365–373 371 4 185.00–186.00 $185.75 $689 +4.99
420 420 1 200.00 $200.00 $840 +31.65
530–535 533 2 142.00–160.00 $150.96 $805 -34.09
590 590 1 164.00 $164.00 $968 —
610–620 615 2 152.00–154.00 $153.01 $941 -6.03
652–690 665 4 155.00–167.00 $162.18 $1,078 +8.23
710–722 718 7 151.00–161.00 $157.01 $1,127 +6.01
830–845 838 2 142.00–145.00 $143.49 $1,202 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500–540 520 2 203.00–204.00 $203.48 $1,058 —
700–705 703 2 151.00–157.00 $154.01 $1,083 -12.99
775 775 1 162.00 $162.00 $1,256 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095 1095 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,522 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 157.00 $157.00 $597 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 205.00 $205.00 $594 —
320–345 value added 333 2 223.00–230.00 $226.37 $754 —
370 370 1 217.50 $217.50 $805 —
375 value added 375 1 227.50 $227.50 $853 -13.83
411–430 416 4 220.00 $220.00 $915 —
420–435 value added 425 3 225.00–240.00 $234.88 $998 +5.12
450–495 466 7 203.00–220.00 $217.20 $1,012 -0.30
470–475 value added 473 5 225.00–227.00 $225.79 $1,068 -8.20
500–545 518 12 210.00–220.00 $215.51 $1,116 +14.67
550–585 574 7 187.00–215.00 $206.34 $1,184 +3.84
605 605 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,228 +5.93
606 value added 606 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,303 —
660–662 661 3 188.00–190.00 $189.33 $1,251 +3.01
700–705 703 2 185.00–188.00 $186.49 $1,311 -5.51
820–845 835 4 140.00–168.00 $157.98 $1,319 -25.02
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 162.50 $162.50 $349 —
255 255 1 197.50 $197.50 $504 —
390 390 1 170.00 $170.00 $663 —
455–495 473 5 164.00–195.00 $183.80 $869 —
535 535 1 170.00 $170.00 $910 -9.46
565–595 577 3 167.00–190.00 $180.08 $1,039 -1.32
662 662 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,125 +4.21
855 855 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,206 +38.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 192.50 $192.50 $934 —
655–670 663 2 185.00–188.00 $186.52 $1,237 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 135.00 $135.00 $378 —
370 370 1 145.00 $145.00 $536 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1525 1525 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,735.00 $1,735.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1465 1228 80-85% 9 90.00–97.50 $93.01 $1,142 —
1035–1495 1269 80-85% 20 98.00–111.00 $103.60 $1,315 +24.60
1150–1450 1284 80-85% 4 84.00–88.00 $86.02 $1,104 +7.02
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1545 1349 75-80% 7 92.00–97.50 $95.36 $1,286 —
1305–2030 1538 75-80% 19 97.50–107.50 $101.80 $1,566 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–965 942 85-90% 3 67.00–71.00 $69.31 $653 —
745–1195 981 85-90% 7 82.00–87.50 $84.31 $827 +4.64
895–1090 1004 85-90% 5 90.00–97.50 $93.58 $940 —
975–1175 1045 85-90% 5 72.00–80.00 $76.66 $801 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1245 1195 3 101.00–104.00 $103.02 $1,231 —
1345–1785 1598 4 112.00–117.00 $113.50 $1,814 +9.50
1500–1735 1610 4 123.00–133.50 $127.46 $2,052 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
945–1080 1013 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 102.00–109.00 $105.27 $1,066

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1190 1190 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1197 1197 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,175.00 $1,175.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945 945 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
1070–1190 1130 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 885.00–925.00 $906.06

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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
1035 1035 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 910.00 $910.00 —
1075–1205 1132 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 1,160.00–1,210.00 $1,184.04 —
1230 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,285.00 $1,285.00 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1160 1160 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 825.00 $825.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 145.00 $145.00 $732 —

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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.