Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 4, 2023

612 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $255.88/cwt +11.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,220/hd at 477 lb · 33 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $211.65/cwt -10.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,020/hd at 482 lb · 24 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $253.34/cwt +8.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,540/hd at 608 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 612 1,301 1,096
Feeder cattle 423 1,078 912
Slaughter cattle 119 172 144
Replacement cattle 70 51 40

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers 300-500 lbs 3.00 higher; 500-600 lbs 5.00 lower and yearlings steady in a light test. Feeder heifers sold mostly 5.00 to 7.00 lower with light demand for fleshy offerings. Off-color, fleshy, and fat bawling calves facing deep discounts. Buyers concerned about potential health issues affecting un-weaned calves posed by seasonal October weather changes. Weaned calves are still in good demand but very light supply. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower with light to 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
370 370 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,045 +32.50
375–393 value added 389 4 270.00–278.00 $271.93 $1,058 —
420–430 425 2 243.00–260.00 $251.60 $1,069 —
400–430 value added 426 16 260.00–278.00 $271.82 $1,158 +2.87
450–470 458 8 240.00–251.00 $246.20 $1,128 +1.86
458–498 value added 483 25 255.00–265.00 $258.98 $1,251 —
500–530 510 3 238.00–245.00 $240.42 $1,226 -7.04
527–538 535 7 231.00–234.00 $233.16 $1,247 -14.30
550–570 563 3 232.00–233.00 $232.33 $1,308 -9.76
603–618 value added 608 24 249.00–255.00 $253.34 $1,540 -2.31
670–696 value added 687 9 240.00–242.00 $241.35 $1,658 —
820 thin fleshed 820 6 243.00 $243.00 $1,993 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–290 285 2 217.50–232.50 $224.87 $641 —
360 360 1 192.50 $192.50 $693 -35.00
437 437 2 227.50 $227.50 $994 -5.43
485–495 490 2 198.00–227.50 $212.60 $1,042 -27.40
538 538 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,076 -35.09
585 585 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,334 +1.00
735 735 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,477 -9.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 3 180.00 $180.00 $855 —
538 538 4 185.00 $185.00 $995 -62.33

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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 1 206.00 $206.00 $577 -10.92
300–325 312 3 205.00–226.00 $212.78 $664 +10.81
352–365 356 4 197.50–203.00 $200.11 $712 +1.64
409–436 416 17 205.00–221.00 $214.90 $894 -5.52
460–488 481 21 204.00–216.00 $213.31 $1,026 -7.60
488 488 3 200.00 $200.00 $976 -20.91
519 value added 519 5 221.00 $221.00 $1,147 -16.98
578 578 4 205.00 $205.00 $1,185 -15.00
602 602 4 202.00 $202.00 $1,216 -8.51
661–670 663 9 189.00–205.00 $201.41 $1,335 -4.75
705–735 720 2 174.00–176.00 $174.98 $1,260 -13.93
765 765 6 194.00 $194.00 $1,484 +8.83
780 780 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,326 -15.17
1085 1085 2 139.00 $139.00 $1,508 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345–347 346 3 175.00–177.50 $176.67 $611 +0.43
390 390 1 185.00 $185.00 $722 +0.92
408–445 425 12 172.00–195.00 $187.52 $797 -2.34
450–477 459 13 172.50–189.00 $180.72 $830 -4.75
552–595 567 7 168.00–190.00 $178.94 $1,015 -22.43
605 605 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,028 -0.44
675 675 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,228 +8.00
715–720 718 2 155.00–161.00 $157.99 $1,134 +4.33
955 955 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,194 -11.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–220 210 2 132.50–142.50 $137.74 $289 —
320 320 1 120.00 $120.00 $384 -17.23
375 375 1 165.00 $165.00 $619 +34.75
505 505 2 166.00 $166.00 $838 -4.00
620–645 633 2 151.00–157.00 $153.94 $974 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1415 1327 3 121.00–134.00 $127.51 $1,692 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 202.50 $202.50 $516 —
635 635 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,156 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 190.00 $190.00 $646 -11.42
360–390 375 7 192.50–215.00 $205.07 $769 -19.22
488 488 4 192.00 $192.00 $937 -18.82
530–547 541 5 187.50–200.00 $197.55 $1,069 -8.94
562 562 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,023 -9.99
600–648 629 16 161.00–182.00 $169.11 $1,064 -16.52
660 660 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,122 -10.00
722–725 724 4 152.00–161.00 $156.99 $1,137 +9.99
885 885 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,159 -11.00
950 950 3 121.00–129.00 $126.33 $1,200 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 3 268.00 $268.00 $1,040 +17.98
420–427 424 4 242.50–245.00 $243.76 $1,034 +1.58
456–490 473 6 226.00–230.00 $228.07 $1,079 +0.78
500–535 518 4 226.00–234.00 $230.14 $1,192 -4.58
620–635 630 3 184.00–203.00 $196.77 $1,240 +1.75
720–725 723 2 168.00–192.00 $179.96 $1,301 -7.91
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–390 372 3 147.50–162.50 $156.72 $583 +9.35
440 440 2 160.00 $160.00 $704 -24.02
517–535 525 5 160.00–172.00 $165.54 $869 +8.69
680 680 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,088 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 207.50 $207.50 $695 —
567–570 568 3 177.50–192.50 $187.48 $1,065 -12.52
632 632 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,169 -5.70
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1110 1110 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1465 1342 75-80% 3 84.50–87.50 $86.41 $1,160 —
1165–1965 1428 75-80% 21 88.00–93.50 $91.32 $1,304 +1.56
1110–1665 1446 75-80% 14 95.50–100.50 $97.63 $1,412 +7.87
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1530 1239 80-85% 21 85.00–94.00 $87.73 $1,087 —
1125–1345 1265 80-85% 3 83.00–84.00 $83.70 $1,059 +6.01
1025–1525 1310 80-85% 11 94.00–102.50 $96.46 $1,264 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1335 1056 85-90% 6 63.00–70.00 $66.65 $704 —
915–1220 1083 85-90% 12 80.00–87.00 $82.97 $899 —
1060–1210 1127 85-90% 8 74.00–80.00 $76.85 $866 -6.46

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1470 1348 6 98.00–112.00 $107.01 $1,442 —
1330–1995 1585 4 117.00–122.00 $118.84 $1,884 +13.41
1680–2005 1844 7 130.00–138.00 $133.65 $2,465 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955 955 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,070

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985–1190 1084 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,035.00–1,525.00 $1,353.81
1005–1265 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,035.00–1,175.00 $1,115.37
950–1295 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,150.00–1,450.00 $1,298.17
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950–1195 1074 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 900.00–1,010.00 $969.03
1095 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
635 635 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 520.00 $520.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
730–800 765 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 950.00 $950.00
755–800 778 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 935.00–985.00 $960.72

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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
1465 1465 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 —
1466 fancy 1466 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —
1225–1687 1485 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 8 1,485.00–1,750.00 $1,627.39 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1130–1370 1257 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,160.00–1,375.00 $1,260.03 —

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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.