Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 19, 2023

551 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $229.09/cwt +5.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,005/hd at 439 lb · 29 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $219.73/cwt -1.96 vs last sale · ≈ $1,040/hd at 473 lb · 29 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $230.00/cwt -6.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,709/hd at 743 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 551 476 808
Feeder cattle 426 370 697
Slaughter cattle 98 69 64
Replacement cattle 27 37 47

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday steer calves sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Heifer calves sold steady to 5.00 higher with good demand. Yearlings lightly tested. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 lower with moderate 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
276–290 283 6 245.00–260.00 $253.66 $718 —
348 348 4 238.00 $238.00 $828 —
421–430 423 5 232.00–240.00 $238.37 $1,008 +5.87
462–490 value added 466 9 254.00–271.00 $267.68 $1,247 +24.74
465–480 475 3 240.00–247.00 $244.72 $1,162 +23.72
500–515 506 5 220.00–247.50 $239.63 $1,213 —
508–530 value added 518 7 260.00–270.00 $264.80 $1,372 +4.47
560–578 572 6 245.00–247.00 $246.34 $1,409 +19.53
560–591 value added 583 6 257.00–276.00 $268.15 $1,563 +16.24
600–646 value added 628 14 245.00–275.00 $254.82 $1,600 +7.24
660–686 680 5 222.00–228.00 $223.57 $1,520 —
743 value added 743 25 230.00 $230.00 $1,709 -6.00
765 765 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,629 -5.00
830 thin fleshed 830 11 235.00 $235.00 $1,950 —
877 877 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,754 —
1050–1065 1053 5 156.00–172.00 $159.24 $1,677 —
1391 1391 3 123.50 $123.50 $1,718 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–420 418 2 202.00–210.00 $206.02 $861 +26.02
555–575 565 2 170.00–208.00 $189.34 $1,070 —
670 670 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,306 -11.81
710–735 728 5 190.00–199.00 $196.64 $1,432 —
830–845 838 2 187.00–190.00 $188.51 $1,580 —
895 895 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,647 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,018 —
455 455 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,051 —
715 715 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,537 —
755 755 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,653 +15.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 137.50 $137.50 $701 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
170 170 1 200.00 $200.00 $340 —
250–267 261 3 206.00–212.50 $210.43 $549 —
320–325 fancy 323 2 230.00–235.00 $232.48 $751 —
305–345 value added 324 8 210.00–229.00 $224.18 $726 —
300–349 341 8 198.00–217.50 $204.54 $697 +1.61
362–380 value added 374 8 220.00–234.00 $227.50 $851 +4.59
360–390 379 6 192.00–210.00 $198.75 $753 -2.09
400 400 1 210.00 $210.00 $840 -5.00
405–448 value added 440 28 220.00–235.00 $229.77 $1,011 +4.88
455 455 7 201.00–215.00 $206.29 $939 -6.28
465–490 value added 479 22 220.00–235.00 $224.00 $1,073 +0.36
505–542 value added 527 20 225.00–235.00 $229.91 $1,212 +7.84
542 542 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,192 +12.39
550–555 value added 553 2 227.00–234.00 $230.48 $1,275 +14.71
550–595 562 6 200.00–218.00 $212.40 $1,194 +7.33
605–626 617 10 184.00–206.00 $198.08 $1,222 +14.76
670 value added 670 11 222.00 $222.00 $1,487 +19.50
652–695 673 8 190.00–201.00 $196.17 $1,320 —
759 759 12 211.00 $211.00 $1,601 —
830 830 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,303 +6.00
965 965 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,438 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 171.00 $171.00 $368 —
405–435 422 3 189.00–202.50 $197.10 $832 -6.28
495 495 2 181.00 $181.00 $896 +0.83
545 545 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,144 +40.00
660 660 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,247 +41.50
710 710 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,349 +59.00
850 850 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,105 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 190.00 $190.00 $703 ±0.00
585 585 2 180.00–196.00 $188.00 $1,100 -14.00
640 640 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,158 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 159.00 $159.00 $747 —
550–580 560 3 150.00–161.00 $153.80 $861 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 255.00 $255.00 $714 —
325–345 335 2 230.00 $230.00 $770 +37.50
385–395 391 4 215.00–240.00 $227.48 $889 -0.79
410–445 425 8 220.00–238.00 $229.40 $975 +4.18
460–462 461 3 220.00–233.00 $228.68 $1,054 +5.06
510–540 523 8 220.00–239.00 $229.11 $1,198 +13.11
555–557 556 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,223 +20.00
620–637 631 3 195.00–196.00 $195.67 $1,235 +6.17
685 685 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,322 +3.56
770 770 2 208.00 $208.00 $1,602 —
910 910 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,329 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 197.50 $197.50 $543 -2.20
300–310 303 3 188.00–190.00 $189.32 $574 +0.87
415 415 1 193.00 $193.00 $801 -8.00
512–540 521 4 186.00–200.00 $194.56 $1,014 +32.06
550–595 567 9 200.00–219.00 $209.78 $1,189 —
680 680 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,258 —
720 720 3 185.00 $185.00 $1,332 +27.38
975 975 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,190 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 187.50 $187.50 $947 —
575 575 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,035 +2.50
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 155.00 $155.00 $356 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1360 1203 80-85% 13 98.00–107.50 $104.49 $1,257 —
980–1630 1276 80-85% 21 108.00–120.00 $112.70 $1,438 +2.32
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815 815 85-90% 1 70.00 $70.00 $570 -1.76
705–1110 938 85-90% 7 82.00–88.00 $84.81 $796 —
815–1160 1035 85-90% 11 92.00–98.00 $95.77 $991 +4.32
920–1295 1097 85-90% 9 101.50–111.00 $105.88 $1,162 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1520 1473 75-80% 3 96.50–104.00 $101.26 $1,492 —
1285–1725 1499 75-80% 19 107.00–121.00 $113.27 $1,698 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1570 1415 2 80.00–90.00 $85.55 $1,211 —
1380–2025 1640 5 115.00–125.00 $119.13 $1,954 -2.11
1590–2075 1788 4 126.50–128.00 $127.13 $2,273 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
995 995 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1000 1000 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,185.00 $1,185.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 985.00 $985.00

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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
1360–1490 1443 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,435.00–1,675.00 $1,565.21 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1085–1390 1193 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,200.00–1,425.00 $1,347.97 —

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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.