Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 11, 2023

734 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $237.98/cwt -5.02 vs last sale · ≈ $2,018/hd at 848 lb · 98 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $216.84/cwt -4.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,152/hd at 531 lb · 30 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.23/cwt +2.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,029/hd at 480 lb · 29 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 734 612 583
Feeder cattle 593 423 420
Slaughter cattle 111 119 123
Replacement cattle 30 70 40

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steer and heifer calves sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower with light demand on a mostly fleshy, average quality, offering. Yearlings limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower with moderate demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 value added 360 1 265.00 $265.00 $954 -6.93
370–385 380 3 250.00–255.00 $251.62 $956 -30.88
400–416 value added 410 6 254.00–267.50 $263.16 $1,079 -8.66
415–448 430 8 230.00–249.00 $241.93 $1,040 -9.67
450–470 462 3 240.00–245.00 $242.70 $1,121 -3.50
450–490 value added 479 5 247.50–263.00 $251.04 $1,202 -7.94
526–543 value added 532 10 242.00–245.00 $242.45 $1,290 —
523–548 535 10 236.00–242.00 $238.38 $1,275 +5.22
565–593 value added 577 10 242.50–248.00 $245.76 $1,418 —
585 585 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,375 +2.67
630 value added 630 4 244.00–245.00 $244.25 $1,539 -9.09
652 652 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,500 —
760 760 2 223.00 $223.00 $1,695 —
847–848 848 98 234.75–239.85 $237.98 $2,018 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 235.00 $235.00 $905 +42.50
455–485 468 6 210.00–230.00 $226.54 $1,060 +13.94
535–545 540 2 234.00–236.00 $234.99 $1,269 +34.99
550 550 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,282 +5.00
605–610 608 2 194.00–221.00 $207.44 $1,261 —
657–685 670 5 197.00–221.00 $216.23 $1,449 —
700–735 710 5 177.00–211.00 $203.70 $1,446 +2.70
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,162 +45.00
650 650 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,242 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 159.00 $159.00 $493 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–395 value added 380 4 240.00–241.00 $240.26 $913 —
375–395 385 3 220.00–225.00 $222.48 $857 +22.37
405 value added 405 3 227.50 $227.50 $921 —
410–440 431 8 190.00–215.00 $200.36 $864 -14.54
450–495 477 17 195.00–217.50 $207.45 $990 -5.86
480–497 value added 485 12 220.00–230.00 $223.84 $1,086 —
512–540 526 12 187.00–214.00 $199.88 $1,051 —
509–549 value added 535 18 220.00–234.00 $228.14 $1,221 +7.14
550–587 576 14 181.00–219.00 $207.61 $1,196 +2.61
600–612 608 8 184.00–193.00 $187.76 $1,142 -14.24
640 value added 640 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,344 —
665 665 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,330 -1.41
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–345 337 11 156.00–182.00 $165.82 $559 -10.85
370–395 387 4 150.00–180.00 $170.28 $659 -14.72
415–445 430 2 182.00–187.50 $184.65 $794 -2.87
462–492 479 5 180.00–190.00 $186.33 $893 +5.61
505–545 528 3 170.00–189.00 $180.04 $951 —
562–580 569 5 170.00–180.00 $175.46 $998 -3.48
610 610 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,068 +5.00
660 660 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,122 -12.00
775–790 783 2 132.00–140.00 $135.96 $1,065 —
802 802 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,315 —
880–882 881 3 121.00 $121.00 $1,066 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 130.00 $130.00 $410 +10.00
405–440 422 3 142.50–165.00 $149.97 $633 —
495 495 1 127.50 $127.50 $631 —
520–540 532 3 120.00–140.00 $130.21 $693 -35.79
577–595 582 4 147.00–158.00 $155.26 $904 —
670–675 673 2 133.00–140.00 $136.49 $919 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 2 190.00 $190.00 $745 —
495 495 1 181.00 $181.00 $896 —
533 533 3 170.00 $170.00 $906 —
662 662 2 151.00 $151.00 $1,000 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–395 375 9 240.00–252.50 $243.22 $912 -24.78
415–423 value added 421 4 242.50 $242.50 $1,021 —
420–445 437 3 220.00–237.50 $225.61 $986 -18.15
475 value added 475 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,159 —
462–495 476 5 220.00–239.00 $229.33 $1,092 +1.26
500–542 531 12 220.00–236.00 $225.49 $1,197 -4.65
550–587 574 18 211.00–231.00 $223.34 $1,282 —
605–635 620 12 187.50–214.00 $201.52 $1,249 +4.75
660 value added 660 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,373 —
665 665 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,317 —
725–740 733 2 175.00–203.00 $188.86 $1,384 +8.90
755–768 763 7 170.00–175.00 $171.84 $1,311 —
882 882 2 176.00 $176.00 $1,552 —
955 955 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,624 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–295 288 3 175.00–202.50 $192.77 $555 —
320 320 1 190.00 $190.00 $608 ±0.00
355–382 367 5 180.00–224.00 $210.72 $773 +5.65
400–415 413 6 181.00–220.00 $199.74 $825 —
452–495 472 6 180.00–215.00 $196.28 $926 +4.28
515–540 523 12 182.50–210.00 $200.73 $1,050 +3.18
550–582 571 6 180.00–210.00 $193.72 $1,106 +11.72
625–635 630 2 151.00–180.00 $165.62 $1,043 -3.49
655–685 672 5 162.00–180.00 $172.79 $1,161 +2.79
700–740 727 3 140.00–170.00 $158.85 $1,155 +1.86
780 780 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,248 —
860 860 3 153.00–163.00 $156.33 $1,344 +25.33
915 915 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,107 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,138 +17.52
620 620 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,116 -5.00
665 665 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,270 —
743 743 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,263 —
810 810 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,296 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 170.00 $170.00 $374 —
275 275 1 175.00 $175.00 $481 —
310 310 2 170.00 $170.00 $527 —
455 455 1 150.00 $150.00 $682 —
590 590 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,068 —

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1420 1311 75-80% 4 84.50–87.50 $86.53 $1,134 +0.12
1110–1560 1341 75-80% 10 93.00–96.50 $94.93 $1,273 +8.52
1365 1365 75-80% 1 76.00 $76.00 $1,037 —
1235–1750 1465 75-80% 17 97.50–105.50 $100.79 $1,477 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710–1195 926 85-90% 4 64.00–74.00 $67.15 $622 —
765–1240 1010 85-90% 12 84.00–93.00 $87.98 $889 —
855–1115 1020 85-90% 3 94.00–95.00 $94.64 $965 —
925–1390 1081 85-90% 11 78.00–83.50 $81.56 $882 -1.41
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1235 1174 80-85% 4 88.00–94.00 $91.88 $1,079 —
1230–1310 1270 80-85% 2 86.00 $86.00 $1,092 +2.30
1095–1550 1332 80-85% 9 97.00–110.50 $103.07 $1,373 +6.61

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1570 1353 7 103.00–110.50 $107.29 $1,452 —
1560–2050 1797 9 115.00–124.00 $119.50 $2,147 —
1835–2015 1895 4 127.00–134.00 $130.78 $2,478 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850–1000 910 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 103.00–124.00 $112.47 $1,023

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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 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1120–1280 1175 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,050.00–1,300.00 $1,147.59
1075–1335 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,025.00–1,150.00 $1,113.58
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020 1020 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
1035–1155 1085 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 875.00–950.00 $912.74

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1390–1680 1477 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 1,425.00–1,600.00 $1,519.59 -107.80

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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.