Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 26, 2023

433 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $235.07/cwt ≈ $1,700/hd at 723 lb · 75 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $254.88/cwt +0.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,616/hd at 634 lb · 49 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $233.25/cwt +35.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,406/hd at 603 lb · 29 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 433 551 376
Feeder cattle 363 426 336
Slaughter cattle 45 98 31
Replacement cattle 25 27 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers limited comparison with several plain quality calves on offer. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 to 4.00 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
430 value added 430 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,107 —
480 480 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,104 -14.72
500 500 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,150 -9.63
563 value added 563 8 264.00 $264.00 $1,486 -4.15
617–636 value added 634 49 236.00–258.50 $254.88 $1,616 +0.06
690 value added 690 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,525 —
700–730 value added 723 4 221.00–225.00 $224.03 $1,620 -5.97
815 815 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,646 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,322 +40.66
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 187.50 $187.50 $909 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 207.50 $207.50 $550 -2.93
290 fancy 290 1 230.00 $230.00 $667 —
350–370 value added 364 4 220.00–230.00 $226.33 $824 -1.17
380–390 385 3 192.50–219.00 $204.60 $788 +5.85
415–448 value added 440 5 229.00–236.00 $230.52 $1,014 +0.75
450 450 1 217.00 $217.00 $976 +10.71
473–491 value added 484 11 234.00–235.00 $234.64 $1,136 +10.64
522 value added 522 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,206 +1.09
603 value added 603 29 233.25 $233.25 $1,406 —
655–667 658 7 202.00–205.00 $204.13 $1,343 +7.96
667 value added 667 17 235.00 $235.00 $1,567 +13.00
723 value added 723 74 236.00 $236.00 $1,706 —
745 745 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,237 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
763 763 9 180.00 $180.00 $1,373 —
920 920 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,352 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
175 175 1 160.00 $160.00 $280 —
260 260 1 175.00 $175.00 $455 —
355–375 366 4 170.00–190.00 $182.45 $668 —
475 475 1 182.00 $182.00 $864 +1.00
590 590 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,068 —
650–695 673 2 150.00–171.00 $160.15 $1,078 -28.85
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 3 120.00 $120.00 $696 -33.80

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 217.50 $217.50 $522 —
341–345 343 5 236.00–252.50 $248.67 $853 +18.67
385 385 1 230.00 $230.00 $886 +2.52
405–435 412 5 222.50–237.50 $228.51 $941 -0.89
455–490 466 4 220.00–238.00 $231.32 $1,078 +2.64
510–532 521 7 221.00–230.00 $225.21 $1,173 -3.90
560–590 569 5 200.00–226.00 $216.02 $1,229 -3.98
600–607 604 5 200.00–210.00 $204.42 $1,235 +8.75
775 775 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,348 -34.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
477–480 478 7 205.00–212.50 $207.15 $990 —
535 535 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,075 +6.44
555 555 1 177.50 $177.50 $985 -32.28
630 630 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,040 —
890 890 1 108.00 $108.00 $961 —
960 960 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,258 +9.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 167.50 $167.50 $704 —
480 480 1 152.50 $152.50 $732 —
630 630 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,008 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1240 1240 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,760.00 $1,760.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615–1115 956 85-90% 4 70.00–77.00 $73.37 $701 —
960–1040 1010 85-90% 3 93.50–96.00 $94.80 $957 -0.97
990–1135 1045 85-90% 4 98.00–105.50 $102.99 $1,076 +7.22
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1300 1161 80-85% 7 104.00–109.00 $106.25 $1,234 —
1255–1455 1369 80-85% 4 110.50–129.00 $117.99 $1,615 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1385 1303 75-80% 3 109.00–113.00 $110.58 $1,441 —
1310 1310 75-80% 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,415 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115 1115 1 109.50 $109.50 $1,221 —
1400–1540 1470 2 118.00–125.50 $121.57 $1,787 —
1325–2000 1692 5 130.00–141.00 $136.46 $2,309 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835 835 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
800–1065 922 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 900.00–1,025.00 $962.61
900–1015 958 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,050.00 $1,036.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1040 1040 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1197 1197 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1260 1260 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785–805 795 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,100.00–1,175.00 $1,137.97
967 967 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1065–1075 1068 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,400.00–1,425.00 $1,416.61

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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
965–1115 1040 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,040.00–1,350.00 $1,183.82 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1150 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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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.