Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

1,068 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $215.15/cwt +3.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,341/hd at 623 lb · 67 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $205.98/cwt +3.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,106/hd at 537 lb · 51 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $204.54/cwt +2.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,266/hd at 619 lb · 41 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,068 856 661
Feeder cattle 930 727 485
Slaughter cattle 118 100 128
Replacement cattle 20 29 48

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand; except good quality hard-weaned 400-500 lb steers traded 3.00 to 5.00 higher with good demand. Fleshy, off-color and plain quality offerings facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower with light demand. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 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
315 315 1 240.00 $240.00 $756 —
367–395 382 8 240.00–267.50 $252.54 $965 -20.79
400–410 402 6 240.00–245.00 $243.74 $980 -0.26
405–448 value added 434 15 249.00–262.50 $254.73 $1,106 -10.27
455–488 value added 476 16 249.00–257.00 $253.94 $1,209 +11.88
485 485 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,169 +2.96
500–517 value added 511 14 239.00–246.00 $240.19 $1,227 -1.13
520–549 540 14 230.00–239.00 $234.13 $1,264 +1.13
575–578 value added 577 27 230.00–231.00 $230.74 $1,331 -1.26
613–630 616 17 204.00–207.50 $207.08 $1,276 -1.11
601–643 value added 626 50 214.00–224.00 $217.89 $1,364 -3.48
656–682 678 19 205.00–205.50 $205.42 $1,393 -2.58
699 value added 699 11 208.00 $208.00 $1,454 -12.00
730 value added 730 10 202.50 $202.50 $1,478 —
758 value added 758 17 210.00 $210.00 $1,592 -6.23
771–790 778 7 187.00–190.00 $188.29 $1,465 —
820 820 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,542 -17.48
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
452–495 472 8 182.50–235.00 $223.19 $1,053 -2.43
505–545 523 8 217.00–226.00 $223.79 $1,170 -0.41
562–576 573 17 211.00–228.00 $223.85 $1,283 -1.04
635 635 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,283 +5.98
655 655 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,261 —
825–840 833 2 161.00–177.00 $168.93 $1,407 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440–441 441 6 222.50–225.00 $222.92 $983 —
510–540 525 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,102 +5.00
560–575 568 6 200.00–219.00 $209.63 $1,191 —
630–641 639 5 181.00–200.00 $184.75 $1,181 -9.25
800 800 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,440 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 150.00 $150.00 $615 —
560 560 1 142.50 $142.50 $798 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–370 365 2 201.00–205.00 $202.97 $741 +2.97
371 value added 371 4 212.00 $212.00 $787 -18.01
410–430 416 7 190.00–200.00 $196.34 $817 -4.10
419–448 value added 425 22 200.00–224.00 $217.22 $923 -4.43
465 465 1 190.00 $190.00 $884 -2.09
456–488 value added 468 18 200.00 $200.00 $936 -6.98
522–535 528 10 189.00–196.00 $191.33 $1,010 -2.41
522–547 value added 539 41 207.00–222.50 $209.55 $1,129 -2.01
555–578 value added 568 35 198.00–227.50 $204.16 $1,160 -4.93
555–582 569 4 183.00–185.00 $183.98 $1,047 -12.49
600–624 value added 619 41 201.00–205.50 $204.54 $1,266 -4.79
679 679 12 178.00 $178.00 $1,209 -12.53
675–690 682 18 182.00–188.50 $184.50 $1,258 -6.03
840 840 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,226 -14.00
960 960 3 139.00 $139.00 $1,334 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–347 330 6 156.00–180.00 $168.43 $556 -12.57
362–387 380 13 170.00–185.00 $173.62 $660 +5.86
400–440 422 9 180.00–187.00 $182.43 $770 +3.26
450–495 478 14 161.00–188.00 $177.90 $850 -2.97
500–545 528 26 160.00–182.00 $172.20 $909 -13.34
550–570 563 3 170.00–178.00 $172.60 $972 -7.68
605–640 622 13 142.50–161.00 $157.58 $980 +12.51
712–737 730 7 138.00–148.00 $140.79 $1,028 -5.25
802–810 805 3 133.00–139.00 $135.01 $1,087 +7.47
885 885 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,168 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–426 422 6 183.00–190.00 $184.15 $777 —
520–547 525 12 180.00–181.00 $180.17 $946 —
565 value added 565 12 189.50 $189.50 $1,071 —
588 588 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,000 -20.00
607 607 8 170.00 $170.00 $1,032 —
900 900 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,170 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 135.00 $135.00 $405 —
575 575 1 151.00 $151.00 $868 +21.00
600–615 608 2 120.00–130.00 $125.06 $760 —
800 800 1 116.00 $116.00 $928 —

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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 1 230.00 $230.00 $702 -15.00
357–398 387 9 229.00–242.00 $236.81 $916 +4.34
420–441 437 6 220.00–240.00 $231.42 $1,011 -0.59
450–495 473 3 227.50–236.00 $230.94 $1,092 +4.42
500–527 512 7 220.00–234.00 $225.98 $1,157 +5.52
550–581 570 8 217.50–228.00 $220.15 $1,255 -4.77
615–620 618 2 190.00–196.00 $192.99 $1,193 -3.92
615–636 value added 630 6 200.00–212.00 $201.97 $1,272 -6.03
650–695 673 2 176.00–185.00 $180.35 $1,214 -5.60
705–727 716 4 175.00–194.00 $184.65 $1,322 +11.82
755–777 770 3 157.00–165.00 $159.62 $1,229 -4.38
851–877 861 5 142.00–160.00 $149.33 $1,286 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 190.00 $190.00 $589 -41.00
367 367 2 194.00 $194.00 $712 -23.59
407–440 418 3 204.00–212.50 $206.98 $865 -3.86
477–485 481 6 180.00–220.00 $201.57 $970 -14.69
500–535 518 6 180.00–216.00 $190.38 $986 -13.13
552–590 572 6 197.00–210.00 $202.86 $1,160 +9.65
640–647 643 5 170.00–172.00 $171.19 $1,101 +10.69
665 665 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,071 —
700 700 1 141.00 $141.00 $987 —
780 780 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,053 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 210.00 $210.00 $945 —
501 501 6 213.00 $213.00 $1,067 +3.00
600–640 620 2 181.00–200.00 $190.19 $1,179 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 125.00 $125.00 $519 -7.50

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1680 1466 75-80% 12 76.00–85.00 $82.17 $1,205 -22.44
1170–1800 1513 75-80% 17 85.00–90.50 $87.57 $1,325 —
1475–1635 1566 75-80% 4 91.00–99.50 $95.57 $1,497 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1320 1241 80-85% 4 89.50–92.00 $90.54 $1,124 —
1120–1605 1349 80-85% 16 85.00–89.00 $86.53 $1,167 —
1200–1500 1354 80-85% 6 80.00–84.50 $82.57 $1,118 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1145 1035 85-90% 6 71.00–75.00 $73.57 $761 —
895–1275 1075 85-90% 13 78.00–84.00 $81.88 $880 +4.00
1010–1200 1120 85-90% 4 68.00–71.00 $69.87 $783 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1430 1334 4 87.00–99.00 $90.60 $1,209 -25.93
1405–1835 1666 7 110.00–121.00 $114.95 $1,915 —
1650–1900 1810 3 126.00–132.50 $127.98 $2,316 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920–1240 1121 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,010.00–1,225.00 $1,108.01
1320 1320 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000–1230 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 850.00–985.00 $924.46

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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.