Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 8, 2023

961 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $207.34/cwt -1.19 vs last sale · ≈ $972/hd at 469 lb · 56 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $205.71/cwt +1.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,076/hd at 523 lb · 51 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $205.35/cwt +4.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,170/hd at 570 lb · 39 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 961 421 936
Feeder cattle 773 293 788
Slaughter cattle 141 114 117
Replacement cattle 47 14 31

Compared to last Wednesday steer and heifer calves sold unevenly steady with good demand for weaned and attractive quality packages; light demand for fleshy, off-color and bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 1.00 lower with good 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
341 341 4 257.50 $257.50 $878 —
370–395 384 4 247.50–255.00 $250.68 $963 —
400–435 422 18 242.00–247.50 $245.70 $1,037 —
450–495 459 12 241.00–250.00 $244.09 $1,120 -5.23
470 value added 470 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,210 -10.00
500–548 522 15 241.00–248.00 $245.12 $1,280 —
560–591 579 13 237.50–247.50 $242.33 $1,403 —
715 715 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,566 +22.01
820 820 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,681 —
905 905 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,792 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 212.50 $212.50 $839 —
420 420 1 232.50 $232.50 $976 +7.50
455–482 470 4 210.00–231.00 $224.41 $1,055 —
515–542 533 3 220.00–227.00 $222.25 $1,185 -6.75
580–595 590 4 224.00–234.00 $230.54 $1,360 +1.13
660–670 664 4 202.00–218.00 $209.47 $1,391 —
710–735 723 2 180.00–181.00 $180.49 $1,305 —
750–785 768 2 182.00–183.00 $182.49 $1,402 —
801–815 806 5 177.00–186.00 $184.18 $1,484 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
552 552 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,270 —
615 615 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,230 -22.00
668 668 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,303 -26.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 201.00 $201.00 $593 —
300–345 323 4 202.50–217.00 $208.76 $674 +6.26
347 value added 347 5 245.00 $245.00 $850 +25.00
360–395 381 13 195.00–215.00 $202.91 $773 —
415–447 433 20 201.00–214.00 $205.71 $891 -3.04
459–485 value added 461 17 215.00–219.00 $218.75 $1,008 +7.00
450–495 472 39 190.00–207.50 $202.36 $955 -4.73
500–535 511 26 186.00–205.00 $198.01 $1,012 -0.87
505–547 value added 536 25 206.00–216.00 $213.72 $1,146 -0.08
553–585 569 18 190.00–205.00 $198.27 $1,128 -0.63
550–588 value added 570 21 206.00–214.00 $211.42 $1,205 +7.42
600–648 614 17 199.00–206.00 $201.46 $1,237 -4.19
605–648 632 12 181.00–197.00 $191.54 $1,211 -3.39
668–680 671 7 171.00–191.00 $184.38 $1,237 -0.62
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 2 162.50 $162.50 $447 —
300–335 314 4 170.00–191.00 $178.31 $560 —
360–370 367 3 172.50–180.00 $177.48 $651 —
402–445 423 11 170.00–191.00 $186.34 $788 +3.84
450–495 469 16 170.00–198.00 $182.83 $857 —
500–518 514 5 166.00–185.00 $178.76 $919 -10.91
567–595 579 6 168.00–187.00 $181.11 $1,049 -7.62
600–640 617 8 141.00–181.00 $162.41 $1,002 —
650–695 671 10 141.00–165.00 $153.33 $1,029 -19.90
705–732 728 7 132.00–156.00 $150.53 $1,096 +12.53
750–760 755 3 139.00–145.00 $142.01 $1,072 +1.01
830 830 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,004 —
852 852 2 125.00 $125.00 $1,065 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–360 358 2 162.50–165.00 $163.74 $586 +10.91
405–440 423 3 150.00–175.00 $164.67 $697 —
500–547 531 3 160.00–165.00 $161.57 $858 —
565 565 2 150.00 $150.00 $848 —
695 695 1 130.00 $130.00 $904 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 2 192.50 $192.50 $732 —
495 495 1 200.00 $200.00 $990 —
566–585 571 4 192.00–200.00 $197.95 $1,130 +14.95

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 3 230.00–251.00 $244.00 $842 -1.00
350–385 370 6 240.00–257.00 $248.68 $920 +11.02
400–447 429 24 221.00–242.50 $234.35 $1,005 -1.59
463–490 472 12 221.00–243.00 $232.64 $1,098 -6.93
502–541 521 15 220.00–230.00 $224.11 $1,168 -6.89
560 value added 560 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,389 —
550–575 563 2 222.50–230.00 $226.17 $1,273 -4.85
600–640 615 3 190.00–191.00 $190.35 $1,171 -7.77
627–635 value added 632 6 210.00–212.50 $211.67 $1,338 —
655–676 669 16 185.00–193.00 $187.00 $1,251 -20.00
710–735 719 9 167.00–173.00 $168.81 $1,214 —
775–780 778 2 165.00–183.00 $174.03 $1,354 —
800–825 810 5 156.00–157.00 $156.60 $1,268 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–290 282 3 186.00–210.00 $199.04 $561 —
305–345 333 5 201.00–228.00 $212.22 $707 +9.72
350–395 375 4 220.00–235.00 $224.23 $841 +3.14
440 440 1 220.00 $220.00 $968 —
450–495 480 26 170.00–225.00 $205.67 $987 -7.95
500–546 531 19 171.00–212.50 $194.60 $1,033 -30.40
550–595 570 28 170.00–210.00 $193.77 $1,104 -9.23
600–622 615 3 166.00–181.00 $176.12 $1,083 -1.74
660–690 675 5 160.00–181.00 $167.21 $1,129 -13.81
700–745 723 2 159.00–162.00 $160.45 $1,160 -1.55
762 762 2 162.00 $162.00 $1,234 —
800 800 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,120 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–345 333 3 182.50–200.00 $192.76 $642 —
355–380 363 3 190.00–197.50 $194.89 $707 +37.39
450–495 473 2 165.00–170.00 $167.38 $792 +22.38
501 501 3 163.00 $163.00 $817 —
550–575 567 5 157.00–170.00 $165.45 $938 +25.45
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 2 207.50–220.00 $213.75 $1,026 —
590 590 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,092 -18.75
615 615 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,039 —
720 720 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,159 -1.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1160 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,210.00 $1,210.00 —

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1625 1326 75-80% 18 92.00–98.00 $95.04 $1,260 +6.48
1215–1700 1405 75-80% 10 84.00–92.00 $87.46 $1,229 —
1285–1885 1511 75-80% 21 98.50–112.00 $104.15 $1,574 +1.03
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765–1345 984 85-90% 4 67.00–73.00 $70.03 $689 -23.39
890–1240 1024 85-90% 12 74.00–81.00 $77.21 $791 +0.56
945–1265 1074 85-90% 4 90.00–94.50 $92.81 $997 +26.81
865–1345 1100 85-90% 20 82.00–90.00 $85.35 $939 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1555 1240 80-85% 13 92.00–99.00 $95.31 $1,182 +0.87
1045–1560 1263 80-85% 11 86.00–92.00 $89.51 $1,131 —
1040–1475 1318 80-85% 6 100.50–109.50 $105.43 $1,390 +1.77

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1430 1328 7 94.00–109.00 $103.01 $1,368 —
1605–1865 1763 3 123.00–127.00 $124.56 $2,196 —
1495–2175 1841 7 110.00–123.00 $116.01 $2,136 -12.11

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945–1160 1076 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,025.00–1,210.00 $1,136.38
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025–1040 1032 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 800.00–1,000.00 $908.24
1100 1100 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
810 810 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00

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Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1125–1465 1241 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 1,125.00–1,285.00 $1,208.95 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1390–1665 1510 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,410.00–1,660.00 $1,506.49 —

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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.