Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 30, 2023

934 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $257.03/cwt +29.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,460/hd at 568 lb · 105 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $267.32/cwt +22.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,444/hd at 540 lb · 66 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $245.42/cwt +15.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,188/hd at 484 lb · 40 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 934 228 614
Feeder cattle 815 166 496
Slaughter cattle 92 33 82
Replacement cattle 27 29 36

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher in a limited comparison with very good demand for weaned packages and yearlings. Market active with good buyer participation. Slaughter cows sold 5.00 higher with very good demand. 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
375 375 1 265.00 $265.00 $994 +12.50
390 value added 390 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,112 —
412–441 value added 430 13 259.00–273.00 $266.79 $1,147 —
458–485 464 15 247.00–255.00 $250.35 $1,162 —
461–495 value added 471 12 265.00–271.00 $268.03 $1,262 —
532–547 value added 540 66 253.00–273.00 $267.32 $1,444 —
570–577 value added 574 11 266.00–274.00 $270.09 $1,550 —
585 585 1 256.00 $256.00 $1,498 +14.50
600–633 value added 621 13 241.00–258.00 $252.27 $1,567 —
656–667 value added 662 19 236.00–250.00 $245.49 $1,625 —
700 value added 700 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,673 —
725 725 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,617 —
762 value added 762 2 232.00 $232.00 $1,768 —
755–770 765 4 221.00–227.00 $224.26 $1,716 —
833 fancy 833 34 245.25 $245.25 $2,043 —
850 850 4 231.00 $231.00 $1,964 —
1035 fancy 1035 83 213.25 $213.25 $2,207 —
1045 1045 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,787 +5.00
1166 fancy 1166 129 205.00 $205.00 $2,390 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 227.50 $227.50 $626 —
395 395 1 240.00 $240.00 $948 +40.00
405–440 423 3 220.00–245.00 $236.29 $1,000 —
468–485 474 10 230.00–244.00 $238.03 $1,128 +14.63
520–547 536 4 210.00–244.00 $232.44 $1,246 +4.44
615 615 4 220.00 $220.00 $1,353 —
650 650 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,482 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 220.00 $220.00 $968 —
457 457 2 241.00 $241.00 $1,101 —
675 675 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,502 +9.50
795 795 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,789 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 value added 342 2 230.00 $230.00 $787 ±0.00
355 355 1 213.00 $213.00 $756 -0.24
355–375 value added 368 4 227.00–246.00 $238.13 $876 +9.73
400–443 value added 420 26 234.00–250.00 $246.08 $1,034 +10.46
415–442 435 5 222.50–230.00 $227.58 $990 +3.60
450–497 value added 484 40 232.00–250.00 $245.42 $1,188 +13.60
505–547 value added 526 16 231.00–240.00 $235.68 $1,240 +5.99
510–545 529 6 223.00–229.00 $224.64 $1,188 +3.37
560–568 value added 568 99 232.00–261.00 $258.98 $1,471 +30.98
565–575 569 6 222.00–229.00 $224.82 $1,279 —
610–630 625 5 187.00–202.00 $194.00 $1,212 -8.87
662–685 664 10 189.00–207.00 $205.14 $1,362 -5.36
715–722 719 4 175.00–185.00 $179.98 $1,294 —
760 760 3 183.00 $183.00 $1,391 —
1231 1231 3 125.50 $125.50 $1,545 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 185.00 $185.00 $370 —
255–290 270 3 182.00–200.00 $190.61 $515 —
345 345 1 190.00 $190.00 $656 —
430 430 1 208.00 $208.00 $894 —
465–485 475 2 177.50–215.00 $196.64 $934 -16.64
507–527 517 7 185.00–220.00 $208.00 $1,075 +3.00
550–585 566 4 177.00–206.00 $194.41 $1,100 -14.59
625 625 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,100 -1.00
680 680 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,170 —
840 840 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,176 —
880 880 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,232 —
910 910 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,192 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 2 215.00 $215.00 $731 —
540 540 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,139 —
561 561 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,150 —
625–645 635 2 175.00–189.00 $182.11 $1,156 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 150.00 $150.00 $360 —
430 430 1 180.00 $180.00 $774 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–380 369 4 240.00–250.00 $246.86 $911 +5.53
400–443 424 6 247.50–252.50 $250.00 $1,060 +5.03
455–493 472 11 237.50–245.00 $241.28 $1,139 -2.74
502–515 507 4 228.00–240.00 $231.52 $1,174 +2.56
550–580 565 6 225.00–231.00 $227.80 $1,287 —
627 627 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,317 +2.97
730 730 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,365 —
755 755 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,291 —
821 821 3 154.00 $154.00 $1,264 —
950 950 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,558 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232 232 2 218.00 $218.00 $506 +20.50
265 265 1 200.00 $200.00 $530 -17.50
300–320 305 4 204.00–227.00 $216.62 $661 -0.05
360–395 378 2 232.50–245.00 $238.46 $901 +37.10
415–425 420 2 210.00–220.00 $215.06 $903 -2.44
480–495 488 3 200.00–227.00 $216.20 $1,055 —
500–530 520 3 192.50–225.00 $214.58 $1,116 +14.42
567–575 571 6 195.00–219.00 $210.39 $1,201 +5.39
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 250.00 $250.00 $862 —
365–375 370 2 212.50–220.00 $216.20 $800 —
455 455 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,046 ±0.00
525–532 531 5 222.00–229.00 $223.39 $1,186 +43.39
557 557 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,175 —
642 642 2 209.00 $209.00 $1,342 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 177.50 $177.50 $355 —
370 370 1 172.00 $172.00 $636 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1165 1117 80-85% 5 106.00–114.00 $111.87 $1,250 +12.83
1240–1310 1275 80-85% 2 95.50–102.00 $98.66 $1,258 —
1020–1535 1297 80-85% 23 114.00–139.00 $123.09 $1,596 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1040 975 85-90% 4 84.00–89.00 $86.68 $845 -8.00
725–1200 1007 85-90% 11 93.00–105.50 $100.37 $1,011 +11.85
865–1365 1024 85-90% 4 74.00–79.50 $75.60 $774 -29.31
880–1325 1054 85-90% 8 105.50–121.50 $113.01 $1,191 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1610 1351 75-80% 7 104.00–114.00 $107.62 $1,454 —
1300–1620 1485 75-80% 11 115.50–131.50 $123.58 $1,835 +8.91

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320 1320 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,465 —
1435–1885 1664 8 133.00–142.00 $136.55 $2,272 —
1215–2205 1676 4 118.00–129.00 $124.30 $2,083 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
965 965 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 127.00 $127.00 $1,226

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1100 1100 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,110.00 $1,110.00
1115–1260 1188 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,050.00–1,525.00 $1,302.00
990–1455 1294 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,300.00–1,550.00 $1,470.43
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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
1240 1240 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,635.00 $1,635.00 —
1530–1690 1597 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,975.00–2,485.00 $2,206.04 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
710–1020 865 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 725.00–925.00 $842.92 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1325 1325 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —

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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.