Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 18, 2023

598 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $253.14/cwt +15.16 vs last sale · ≈ $2,045/hd at 808 lb · 47 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $204.89/cwt -11.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,063/hd at 519 lb · 32 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $244.99/cwt +0.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,530/hd at 625 lb · 28 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 598 734 702
Feeder cattle 468 593 546
Slaughter cattle 108 111 106
Replacement cattle 22 30 50

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher; some weaned packages sharply higher with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower with moderate demand. Fat bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady with 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
410–435 value added 425 9 270.00–290.00 $280.88 $1,194 +17.72
425–436 432 6 253.00–262.50 $255.92 $1,106 +13.99
462–468 466 5 246.00–250.00 $247.59 $1,154 +4.89
475–485 value added 478 3 265.00–275.00 $268.38 $1,283 +17.34
505–518 515 7 242.00–258.00 $245.23 $1,263 +6.85
522–548 value added 540 9 267.00–292.00 $273.57 $1,477 +31.12
562–575 value added 569 9 269.00–287.00 $275.17 $1,566 +29.41
565–577 574 4 248.00–257.00 $253.23 $1,454 +18.23
610–635 622 3 230.00–231.00 $230.33 $1,433 —
600–647 value added 625 25 240.00–251.00 $246.75 $1,542 +2.50
665 665 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,563 +5.00
675 value added 675 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,620 —
705 value added 705 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,657 —
700–715 708 2 228.00–231.00 $229.48 $1,625 —
765 765 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,714 +1.00
757–785 value added 769 9 231.00–236.00 $233.73 $1,797 —
800 800 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,760 —
808–810 thin fleshed 808 46 244.50–255.00 $253.86 $2,051 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
397 397 2 247.50 $247.50 $983 +12.50
405 405 3 230.00–240.00 $236.67 $959 —
462 462 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,067 +4.46
505–530 515 3 191.00–230.00 $213.86 $1,101 -21.13
605–635 625 3 187.00–222.00 $210.71 $1,317 +3.27
795 795 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,518 —
820 820 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,689 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,272 +10.00
568 568 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,335 —
750 750 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,598 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,040 —
590 590 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,204 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 195.00 $195.00 $663 —
395 395 1 219.00 $219.00 $865 -3.48
404–430 value added 412 11 221.00–238.00 $226.56 $933 -0.94
415 415 1 200.00 $200.00 $830 -0.36
450–470 value added 456 5 215.00–223.00 $220.56 $1,006 -3.28
460–491 483 4 201.00–206.00 $202.19 $977 -5.26
500–536 value added 518 16 208.00–218.00 $211.47 $1,095 -16.67
505–527 520 16 189.00–207.00 $198.32 $1,031 -1.56
552–585 566 14 185.00–200.00 $194.75 $1,102 -12.86
587 value added 587 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,215 —
601–638 614 9 186.50–210.00 $200.54 $1,231 +12.78
690 690 2 194.00 $194.00 $1,339 -6.00
710 value added 710 6 209.00 $209.00 $1,484 —
765–775 770 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,424 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–380 368 2 187.00 $187.00 $688 +16.72
510–530 520 2 161.00–183.00 $172.21 $895 -7.83
560–592 584 14 170.00–183.00 $177.29 $1,035 +1.83
605–615 609 4 152.00–181.00 $168.31 $1,025 -6.69
650–680 668 6 157.00–176.00 $167.48 $1,119 -2.52
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,027 —
600–607 605 6 180.00–185.50 $183.68 $1,111 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–532 525 3 134.00–149.00 $138.86 $729 +8.65
550 550 1 130.00 $130.00 $715 -25.26

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–360 355 2 260.00–267.50 $263.70 $936 +20.48
410–437 427 4 229.00–240.00 $234.87 $1,003 +9.26
422–447 value added 435 6 253.00–272.50 $264.49 $1,151 +21.99
450–475 value added 463 2 248.00–250.00 $249.03 $1,153 +5.03
477–485 480 3 225.00–230.00 $226.69 $1,088 -2.64
500–510 502 5 200.00–206.00 $202.80 $1,018 -22.69
525–545 value added 535 2 239.00–250.00 $244.60 $1,309 —
552–587 565 11 205.00–233.00 $218.71 $1,236 -4.63
565 value added 565 1 246.00 $246.00 $1,390 —
600–625 value added 611 5 221.00–224.00 $223.41 $1,365 —
600–632 623 7 193.00–199.00 $195.42 $1,217 -6.10
650–690 676 4 185.00–202.00 $195.14 $1,319 -2.86
700–720 706 4 175.00–186.00 $181.28 $1,280 -7.58
750 750 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,395 +14.16
815 815 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,353 —
880 880 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,399 -17.00
906 906 3 141.00 $141.00 $1,277 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 197.00 $197.00 $630 +7.00
370 370 1 192.50 $192.50 $712 -18.22
420–442 433 5 202.50–225.00 $209.12 $905 +9.38
470 470 3 210.00–227.00 $215.67 $1,014 +19.39
500–542 518 17 171.00–195.00 $185.47 $961 -15.26
560–590 574 10 181.00–197.50 $186.14 $1,068 -7.58
610–640 625 2 183.00–189.00 $186.07 $1,163 +20.45
700–745 725 3 155.00–164.00 $159.39 $1,156 +0.54
755–760 758 2 160.00–166.00 $162.99 $1,235 +2.99
840 840 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,235 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
512–520 515 3 200.00–204.00 $202.65 $1,044 —
610–615 613 2 186.00–190.00 $188.01 $1,153 +8.01
675 675 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,188 -15.00
785 785 2 152.00 $152.00 $1,193 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 165.00 $165.00 $561 -5.00
420–425 423 2 147.50–170.00 $158.82 $672 —
492 492 2 155.00 $155.00 $763 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1220 1220 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1560 1376 75-80% 21 93.50–100.50 $97.07 $1,336 +21.07
1485–1500 1493 75-80% 2 85.00–90.00 $87.51 $1,307 -13.28
1110–1795 1534 75-80% 12 101.00–116.50 $106.87 $1,639 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1235 983 85-90% 9 70.50–83.00 $75.84 $746 —
835–1290 1073 85-90% 17 84.00–92.00 $86.96 $933 +5.40
980–1275 1117 85-90% 3 92.50–105.50 $97.28 $1,087 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1365 1185 80-85% 7 93.50–100.50 $96.37 $1,142 +4.49
965–1390 1216 80-85% 5 85.50–89.00 $87.07 $1,059 —
1095–1435 1289 80-85% 8 102.00–112.00 $105.08 $1,354 +19.08

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–2005 1554 6 89.00–111.00 $98.46 $1,530 —
1605–2010 1788 6 128.00–133.00 $129.35 $2,313 +9.85
1630–2055 1830 6 118.50–125.00 $123.15 $2,254 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045–1305 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,050.00–1,375.00 $1,196.12
1185 1185 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1185 1185 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,285.00 $1,285.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 875 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
885 885 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 935.00 $935.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
660 660 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00

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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
1045–1180 1113 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,075.00–1,200.00 $1,141.29 —
1255 1255 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 985.00 $985.00 —

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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.