Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 25, 2023

629 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.70/cwt +2.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,014/hd at 472 lb · 43 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $201.08/cwt -3.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,053/hd at 524 lb · 43 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $216.19/cwt -8.16 vs last sale · ≈ $916/hd at 424 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 629 598 799
Feeder cattle 521 468 615
Slaughter cattle 88 108 145
Replacement cattle 20 22 39

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 3.00 to 6.00 lower with moderate demand for good quality weaned calves; light demand for fleshy bawling calves. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher with good demand for weaned packages; light demand for fleshy bawling calves. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower with 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
400–416 407 7 242.00–242.50 $242.28 $986 -13.64
483 483 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,208 +2.41
504 value added 504 5 260.00 $260.00 $1,310 —
500–545 532 4 235.00–240.00 $237.30 $1,262 -7.93
565–595 574 4 234.00–239.00 $236.99 $1,360 -16.24
576 value added 576 5 249.00 $249.00 $1,434 -26.17
602–610 value added 608 8 241.00–246.00 $242.24 $1,473 -4.51
608–648 628 6 226.00–230.00 $227.94 $1,431 -2.39
650–663 660 4 225.00–230.00 $228.77 $1,510 -6.23
653–680 value added 665 9 238.00–247.00 $241.97 $1,609 +1.97
767 767 2 202.00 $202.00 $1,549 -22.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 2 200.00 $200.00 $680 —
380 380 1 200.00 $200.00 $760 -47.50
407–445 420 3 170.00–220.00 $202.33 $850 -34.34
465 465 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,070 -1.00
501–525 506 7 230.00–231.00 $230.71 $1,167 +16.85
553 553 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,272 —
625 625 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,375 +9.29
660 660 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,148 —
700–707 705 3 168.00–186.00 $173.96 $1,226 —
765 765 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,385 -10.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 170.00 $170.00 $544 —
420 420 1 142.50 $142.50 $598 —

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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 2 200.00 $200.00 $560 —
330–345 340 5 200.00–202.50 $200.51 $682 +5.51
361–380 368 7 192.00–202.50 $198.68 $731 -20.32
372 value added 372 3 248.00 $248.00 $923 —
400–425 value added 416 7 217.50–238.00 $233.42 $971 +6.86
400–445 428 12 195.00–213.00 $206.14 $882 +6.14
450–495 471 16 194.00–211.00 $204.04 $961 +1.85
455–485 value added 473 27 215.00–230.00 $221.01 $1,045 +0.45
500–547 521 29 190.00–203.00 $197.30 $1,028 -1.02
505–546 value added 529 14 203.00–217.00 $208.91 $1,105 -2.56
555–595 578 7 191.00–202.00 $197.23 $1,140 +2.48
563–595 value added 578 7 205.00–207.00 $206.42 $1,193 -0.58
600–640 613 18 179.00–210.00 $193.55 $1,186 -6.99
655–662 660 3 184.00–185.00 $184.33 $1,217 -9.67
870 870 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,327 —
1130 1130 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,582 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 160.00 $160.00 $416 —
315 315 1 170.00 $170.00 $536 —
390 390 1 157.00 $157.00 $612 -30.00
442–445 443 3 160.00–180.00 $173.30 $768 —
459–475 461 7 160.00–180.00 $175.68 $810 —
510–535 528 4 177.50–188.00 $183.67 $970 +11.46
616 616 5 176.00 $176.00 $1,084 +7.69
715–745 726 7 120.00–151.00 $142.89 $1,037 —
795 795 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,133 —
810–825 818 3 130.00–135.00 $132.00 $1,080 —
865 865 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,038 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–265 260 2 140.00–147.00 $143.43 $373 —
335 335 1 160.00 $160.00 $536 —
360 360 1 137.50 $137.50 $495 —
425 425 1 106.00 $106.00 $450 —
470–485 478 2 140.00–157.50 $148.89 $712 —
525–547 537 4 100.00–171.00 $137.20 $737 -1.66
580–590 585 2 120.00–124.00 $122.02 $714 -7.98
605–645 632 3 112.50–120.00 $114.89 $726 —
650–695 665 3 120.00–135.00 $124.89 $831 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 147.50 $147.50 $450 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 220.00 $220.00 $671 —
352–375 366 5 206.00–229.00 $220.15 $806 -43.55
400–445 416 5 220.00–245.00 $226.89 $944 -7.98
480 480 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,128 +8.31
510–540 value added 523 10 230.00–237.00 $231.32 $1,210 -13.28
515–547 538 7 192.00–225.00 $210.03 $1,130 —
560–595 569 8 219.00–241.00 $226.44 $1,288 +7.73
600–615 value added 603 6 210.00–214.00 $211.33 $1,274 -12.08
605–635 622 10 190.00–201.00 $196.43 $1,222 +1.01
650–685 662 13 177.00–208.00 $191.48 $1,268 -3.66
720–730 723 3 178.00–179.00 $178.34 $1,289 -2.94
780 780 3 164.00 $164.00 $1,279 -22.00
875 875 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,584 +22.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 200.00 $200.00 $440 —
265 265 1 181.00 $181.00 $480 —
345 345 1 172.50 $172.50 $595 -24.50
390–395 392 3 214.00–215.00 $214.34 $840 +21.84
402–445 422 7 172.50–215.00 $202.05 $853 -7.07
460–485 473 11 165.00–211.00 $187.67 $888 -28.00
510–530 525 5 180.00–182.50 $182.00 $956 -3.47
567–595 578 7 165.00–186.00 $181.49 $1,049 -4.65
610 610 1 151.00 $151.00 $921 -35.07
735 735 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,102 -9.39
880 880 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,056 —
905 905 2 93.00 $93.00 $842 —
970 970 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,116 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 107.50 $107.50 $301 —
312 312 2 170.00 $170.00 $530 +5.00
400–445 422 7 105.00–212.50 $160.28 $676 +1.46
455–490 479 5 102.00–152.50 $139.79 $670 -15.21
565–575 572 3 151.00–160.00 $153.97 $881 —
835 835 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,002 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433 433 3 210.00 $210.00 $909 —
631 631 4 178.00 $178.00 $1,123 -10.01
685 685 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,247 +6.00
700–720 707 3 163.00–169.00 $165.04 $1,167 —
762 762 2 167.00 $167.00 $1,273 +15.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835 835 85-90% 1 91.00 $91.00 $760 —
730–1220 980 85-90% 5 55.00–74.00 $69.00 $676 -6.84
870–1315 1127 85-90% 8 75.00–90.00 $81.97 $924 -15.31
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440 1440 75-80% 1 86.50 $86.50 $1,246 —
1305–1810 1484 75-80% 6 92.00–98.50 $95.52 $1,418 +8.01
1220–1785 1576 75-80% 4 101.50–111.50 $105.24 $1,659 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1355 1219 80-85% 4 87.00–90.50 $89.07 $1,086 +2.00
1105–1365 1237 80-85% 6 92.00–100.50 $95.97 $1,187 +8.90

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1750 1546 4 90.00–109.50 $101.55 $1,570 —
1410–2260 1621 6 110.00–124.00 $118.61 $1,923 —
1625–1865 1749 6 125.00–128.00 $126.78 $2,217 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1095–1230 1178 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,075.00–1,300.00 $1,186.81
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1305 1305 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 935.00 $935.00

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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.