Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 15, 2023

810 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $208.78/cwt +3.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,089/hd at 522 lb · 39 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $232.95/cwt -9.38 vs last sale · ≈ $1,314/hd at 564 lb · 36 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $205.39/cwt +0.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,174/hd at 572 lb · 33 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 810 961 836
Feeder cattle 677 773 719
Slaughter cattle 111 141 67
Replacement cattle 22 47 50

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower on a mostly plain through average quality offering. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 lower on an average through good quality offering with moderate demand; good quality weaned 5-weight heifers sold steady with good demand. Fleshy, off-color, bawling, and plain quality calves facing deep discounts. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 2.00 lower with moderate 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
307–335 316 3 230.00–236.00 $233.88 $739 -23.62
400–434 424 10 230.00–235.00 $231.66 $982 -14.04
450–477 471 6 231.00–236.00 $235.04 $1,107 -9.05
500–540 512 10 226.00–232.00 $229.17 $1,173 -15.95
551–568 value added 561 24 234.00–237.00 $236.09 $1,324 —
565–585 570 12 226.00–228.00 $226.67 $1,292 -15.66
616–645 638 30 210.00–213.00 $210.72 $1,344 —
668–674 672 14 210.00–211.50 $211.07 $1,418 —
700–735 723 3 197.00–200.00 $197.97 $1,431 -21.03
750–775 766 15 190.00–212.00 $207.69 $1,591 —
980 980 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,793 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
207 207 5 210.00 $210.00 $435 —
383 383 3 228.00 $228.00 $873 +15.50
400–410 405 2 227.50–228.00 $227.75 $922 -4.75
520 520 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,165 +1.75
550–575 568 13 182.00–220.00 $204.01 $1,159 -26.53
620–640 630 3 182.00–200.00 $192.36 $1,212 —
657–690 675 9 177.00–197.00 $190.98 $1,289 -18.49
735 735 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,205 -16.49
755 755 2 158.00 $158.00 $1,193 -24.49
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 190.00 $190.00 $532 —
307 307 2 190.00 $190.00 $583 —
455 455 1 170.00 $170.00 $774 —
500–504 503 6 152.50–170.00 $155.40 $782 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,095 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–295 285 4 192.50–209.00 $200.47 $571 -0.53
310–341 328 7 200.00–209.00 $202.61 $665 -6.15
351–395 368 8 193.00–202.50 $200.22 $737 -2.69
400–435 418 18 191.00–210.00 $201.78 $843 -3.93
460–495 479 10 190.00–206.00 $193.91 $929 -8.45
500–535 514 9 190.00–205.00 $196.45 $1,010 -1.56
500–545 value added 524 30 209.00–219.00 $212.48 $1,113 -1.24
552–595 570 20 194.00–207.00 $201.01 $1,146 +2.74
561–587 value added 574 13 207.50–213.00 $212.14 $1,218 +0.72
619–625 fancy 620 7 203.50–204.00 $203.57 $1,262 —
602–645 625 6 185.00–199.00 $190.31 $1,189 -1.23
650–680 656 10 178.00–190.00 $184.08 $1,208 -0.30
705 705 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,107 —
750 750 6 183.00 $183.00 $1,372 —
840 840 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,100 —
859 859 12 145.00 $145.00 $1,246 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–292 286 4 188.00–197.50 $192.65 $551 +30.15
337 337 2 172.50 $172.50 $581 -5.81
355–385 368 9 171.00–187.50 $179.33 $660 +1.85
405–445 426 18 165.00–186.00 $174.43 $743 -11.91
455–485 472 13 172.50–190.00 $182.61 $862 -0.22
505–525 513 3 170.00–185.00 $178.72 $917 -0.04
555–592 579 4 181.00–189.00 $185.59 $1,075 +4.48
600–635 620 3 165.00–182.00 $175.52 $1,088 +13.11
653–685 668 6 146.00–163.00 $154.18 $1,030 +0.85
720 720 1 135.00 $135.00 $972 -15.53
795 795 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,026 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 162.50 $162.50 $431 —
310–315 313 2 150.00–165.00 $157.44 $493 —
365–375 370 2 130.00–162.00 $146.22 $541 -17.52
400–420 407 3 150.00–156.00 $152.07 $619 -12.60
505–535 523 3 140.00–151.00 $147.12 $769 -14.45
557 557 4 140.00 $140.00 $780 -10.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 190.00 $190.00 $618 —
525 525 2 196.00 $196.00 $1,029 —
560–583 578 5 162.00–163.00 $162.81 $941 -35.14
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210 1210 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,754 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285–295 290 3 210.00–237.50 $223.76 $649 +24.72
300–347 340 9 202.50–230.00 $211.92 $721 -0.30
395 395 2 225.00–227.50 $226.25 $894 +2.02
400–447 427 7 182.00–221.00 $201.86 $862 -18.14
450–485 477 9 180.00–212.50 $206.97 $987 +1.30
500–547 525 31 172.00–207.50 $189.90 $997 -4.70
550–585 573 5 175.00–197.00 $186.65 $1,070 -7.12
612 612 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,040 -6.12
655–686 676 8 148.00–170.00 $165.95 $1,122 -1.26
705–720 715 3 146.00–166.00 $157.27 $1,124 -3.18
755–795 779 5 134.00–149.00 $143.29 $1,116 -18.71
820 820 1 120.00 $120.00 $984 -20.00
855 855 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,000 —
900 900 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,089 —
965–990 978 2 110.00–114.00 $112.03 $1,096 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 3 230.00–242.50 $234.17 $808 -9.83
395 395 2 237.50–241.00 $239.25 $945 -9.43
410–445 429 12 220.00–235.00 $226.29 $971 -8.06
455–475 466 7 222.00–231.00 $229.41 $1,069 -3.23
500–539 533 7 215.00–224.00 $217.50 $1,159 -6.61
577 577 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,281 -4.17
600–645 617 11 175.00–202.00 $186.11 $1,148 -4.24
650–685 661 5 185.00–194.00 $191.35 $1,265 +4.35
725–740 735 4 169.00–180.00 $174.25 $1,281 +5.44
765 765 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,216 -15.03
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 3 147.50 $147.50 $425 —
310–345 326 9 165.00–192.50 $182.57 $595 -10.19
425 425 1 162.50 $162.50 $691 —
460–465 463 2 150.00–175.00 $162.43 $752 -4.95
517 517 2 142.50 $142.50 $737 -20.50
560 560 1 150.00 $150.00 $840 -15.45
645 645 1 150.00 $150.00 $968 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655–692 680 3 165.00–172.00 $167.25 $1,137 —
705 705 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,177 +6.00

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1730 1404 75-80% 14 86.00–92.50 $89.63 $1,258 +2.17
1180–1790 1491 75-80% 11 93.00–96.00 $94.72 $1,412 —
1155–1740 1501 75-80% 13 98.00–104.00 $99.95 $1,500 -4.20
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1075 1032 85-90% 3 57.00–73.00 $64.35 $664 -12.86
910–1235 1083 85-90% 11 73.00–81.00 $76.34 $827 -16.47
1035–1205 1136 85-90% 4 91.00–91.50 $91.11 $1,035 —
1020–1290 1163 85-90% 14 81.00–87.00 $84.06 $978 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1345 1158 80-85% 8 92.00–95.00 $93.92 $1,088 —
915–1415 1221 80-85% 10 86.50–92.00 $89.32 $1,091 -5.99
1140–1440 1284 80-85% 4 98.00–100.00 $99.06 $1,272 +9.55

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1520–1630 1575 2 97.00–98.00 $97.52 $1,536 —
1715–1835 1775 2 126.00–128.50 $127.21 $2,258 +2.65
1580–2105 1895 7 118.00–122.00 $119.44 $2,263 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080–1532 1322 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,150.00–1,475.00 $1,354.51
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945 945 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
850–1010 948 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 825.00–925.00 $886.47

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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.