Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 6, 2023

1,281 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $267.20/cwt +21.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,809/hd at 677 lb · 151 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $224.00/cwt ≈ $1,799/hd at 803 lb · 113 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $249.66/cwt +4.41 vs last sale · ≈ $2,044/hd at 819 lb · 105 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,281 934 1,015
Feeder cattle 1,176 815 934
Slaughter cattle 89 92 64
Replacement cattle 16 27 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold steady to 5.00 higher on weaned packages and yearlings. Heifers sold mostly steady with good demand. Very good demand for yearling steer and heifer packages. Fleshy bawling calves facing discounts.

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
360 value added 360 6 269.00 $269.00 $968 -16.00
387 387 2 238.00 $238.00 $921 -27.00
405–427 value added 420 3 258.00 $258.00 $1,084 -8.79
420–425 423 2 250.00–254.00 $251.99 $1,066 —
450–480 466 4 249.00–259.00 $254.25 $1,185 +3.90
457–497 value added 490 20 251.00–281.00 $274.11 $1,343 +6.08
495 fancy 495 14 268.00 $268.00 $1,327 —
503–541 value added 528 19 253.00–270.00 $261.32 $1,380 -6.00
525–545 542 6 254.00–259.00 $258.19 $1,399 —
550–585 568 2 247.00–248.00 $247.52 $1,406 -8.48
550–569 value added 568 23 256.00–286.00 $282.50 $1,605 +12.41
600–611 value added 607 12 241.00–257.50 $252.84 $1,535 +0.57
625 thin fleshed 625 9 259.00 $259.00 $1,619 —
610–640 629 5 196.00–239.00 $226.93 $1,427 —
655–695 value added 677 151 245.00–269.75 $267.20 $1,809 +21.71
700 value added 700 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,610 -9.00
701 701 3 232.00 $232.00 $1,626 +9.00
733 thin fleshed 733 20 252.50 $252.50 $1,851 —
780 780 5 234.00 $234.00 $1,825 +9.74
818 thin fleshed 818 102 250.00 $250.00 $2,045 —
845 845 3 238.00 $238.00 $2,011 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 2 210.00–212.50 $211.25 $602 -16.25
305–340 325 5 221.00–241.00 $231.91 $754 —
350–380 361 15 210.00–242.50 $233.97 $845 -6.03
438–445 440 4 240.00–242.50 $241.87 $1,064 +5.58
450–490 474 11 181.00–242.00 $230.02 $1,090 -8.01
505–540 534 7 235.00–242.00 $240.34 $1,283 +7.90
575 575 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,265 —
600–645 623 2 217.00–220.00 $218.45 $1,361 -1.55
650 650 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,300 -28.00
700–735 718 2 188.00–191.00 $189.46 $1,360 —
825 825 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,485 —
850 850 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,470 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–435 433 2 220.00–245.00 $232.57 $1,007 +12.57
510–532 526 4 240.00–243.00 $241.52 $1,270 —
565 565 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,300 —
575 value added 575 2 258.00 $258.00 $1,484 —
600 600 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,356 —
625 value added 625 3 241.00 $241.00 $1,506 —
880 880 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,681 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 212.50 $212.50 $595 —
315–340 321 4 205.00–225.00 $219.71 $705 —
358–395 value added 370 16 220.00–231.00 $228.16 $844 -9.97
363–395 375 10 220.00–229.00 $223.98 $840 +10.98
405–447 value added 431 34 230.00–254.00 $241.35 $1,040 -4.73
405–442 433 9 223.00–229.00 $227.36 $984 -0.22
450–492 470 16 220.00–232.00 $225.99 $1,062 —
455–490 value added 473 26 230.00–241.00 $236.65 $1,119 -8.77
503–545 526 22 220.00–234.00 $226.69 $1,192 +2.05
527–532 value added 527 50 233.00–257.50 $256.51 $1,352 +20.83
555–575 565 3 223.00–227.00 $225.67 $1,275 +0.85
600–632 612 6 195.00–211.00 $202.37 $1,239 +8.37
645 value added 645 50 248.25 $248.25 $1,601 —
720 720 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,476 +25.02
734 value added 734 71 239.00 $239.00 $1,754 —
803 value added 803 113 224.00 $224.00 $1,799 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272–290 278 6 194.00–203.00 $199.87 $556 +9.26
300–330 318 3 181.00–191.00 $187.28 $596 -2.72
367–385 373 3 200.00–209.00 $203.10 $758 —
410–415 413 3 194.00–219.00 $210.30 $869 +2.30
462–490 475 6 187.00–220.00 $206.61 $981 +9.97
502–540 516 6 180.00–219.00 $207.00 $1,068 -1.00
550–556 555 4 200.00–216.00 $203.97 $1,132 +9.56
600–620 613 3 181.00–185.00 $183.70 $1,126 +7.70
650–655 651 4 168.00–181.00 $177.73 $1,157 +5.73
770–780 775 2 166.00–170.00 $167.99 $1,302 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 2 185.00 $185.00 $805 —
508 508 4 221.00 $221.00 $1,123 +10.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
185 185 2 191.00 $191.00 $353 —
205 205 1 211.00 $211.00 $433 -7.00
263–295 273 8 200.00–224.00 $215.83 $589 +15.83
305–330 321 7 200.00–231.00 $219.10 $703 +2.48
350–390 376 6 200.00–234.00 $224.31 $843 -14.15
400–435 415 4 181.00–230.00 $206.39 $857 -8.67
470–480 475 4 200.00–230.00 $218.74 $1,039 +2.54
520–530 522 7 200.00–224.00 $212.88 $1,111 -1.70
550–580 563 11 192.00–226.00 $216.51 $1,219 +6.12
620 620 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,277 —
670 670 2 181.00 $181.00 $1,213 —
755 755 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,291 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–390 378 6 239.00–256.00 $245.72 $929 -1.14
410–440 431 6 230.00–255.00 $246.95 $1,064 -3.05
453 value added 453 3 251.00 $251.00 $1,137 —
450–485 460 13 230.00–244.00 $235.39 $1,083 -5.89
500–515 510 9 230.00–249.00 $234.72 $1,197 +3.20
550–590 566 5 234.00–248.00 $242.17 $1,371 +14.37
602–625 610 3 196.00 $196.00 $1,196 -14.00
663 663 3 199.00 $199.00 $1,319 —
905 905 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,358 —
982 982 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,787 +18.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 2 220.00 $220.00 $946 —
512 512 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,024 -23.39
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 172.00 $172.00 $464 —
530 530 1 152.50 $152.50 $808 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1330 1093 80-85% 10 104.50–112.50 $108.54 $1,186 —
1070–1155 1113 80-85% 2 101.00–102.50 $101.78 $1,133 -10.09
1015–1505 1245 80-85% 10 114.00–129.00 $120.27 $1,497 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1650 1349 75-80% 15 103.00–112.00 $109.12 $1,472 —
1235–1960 1486 75-80% 7 112.00–127.50 $117.91 $1,752 -5.67
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1020 931 85-90% 6 80.00–90.00 $84.98 $791 —
855–1170 1013 85-90% 2 67.00–73.00 $69.53 $704 -30.84
830–1375 1030 85-90% 11 84.00–102.00 $94.65 $975 +19.05
975–1205 1090 85-90% 2 107.00–110.00 $108.66 $1,184 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415 1415 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,358 —
1280–1940 1544 9 113.00–128.00 $123.30 $1,904 —
1565–1995 1719 9 130.00–139.50 $135.49 $2,329 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045 1045 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,460.00 $1,460.00

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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
1070–1470 1250 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,350.00–1,635.00 $1,504.52 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
875 875 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00 —
1230 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —

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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.