Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 3, 2024

837 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $235.70/cwt +35.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,268/hd at 538 lb · 110 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $231.27/cwt +13.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,341/hd at 580 lb · 67 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $248.96/cwt ≈ $1,504/hd at 604 lb · 65 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 837 103 458
Feeder cattle 747 62 324
Slaughter cattle 63 21 109
Replacement cattle 27 20 25

Market comments — USDA reporter

No market comparison with last week due to Holidays; however market active for all classes with very good demand for good quality 500-600 lb weaned calf packages.

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
395 value added 395 3 292.50 $292.50 $1,155 —
402–442 value added 432 24 265.00–290.00 $277.23 $1,198 —
480–495 value added 488 2 250.00–256.00 $252.95 $1,234 —
500–548 value added 522 53 242.00–261.00 $254.46 $1,328 —
555–565 value added 562 6 242.00–250.00 $247.00 $1,388 —
602–603 value added 603 55 240.00–252.20 $251.76 $1,518 —
600–635 610 10 228.00–235.00 $233.57 $1,425 —
662–688 682 27 220.00–225.50 $222.97 $1,521 —
703–732 708 12 203.00–211.00 $210.16 $1,488 —
712–722 value added 714 11 221.00–222.00 $221.82 $1,584 —
752 value added 752 6 212.50 $212.50 $1,598 —
762 762 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,524 —
800 800 7 194.00 $194.00 $1,552 —
855 855 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,616 —
885 885 14 175.00 $175.00 $1,549 —
978 978 4 175.00 $175.00 $1,712 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 215.00 $215.00 $634 —
305 305 1 228.00 $228.00 $695 —
445 445 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,046 —
455–460 458 2 229.00–233.00 $230.99 $1,058 —
520–548 543 8 225.00–239.00 $237.20 $1,288 —
583 583 3 237.00 $237.00 $1,382 —
630 630 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,228 —
650–680 675 6 187.00–210.00 $206.31 $1,393 —
891 891 3 162.00 $162.00 $1,443 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565–586 583 7 238.00–242.00 $238.55 $1,391 —
620 620 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,395 +20.00
675 675 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,519 —
775 775 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,318 —
851 851 3 172.00 $172.00 $1,464 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 220.00 $220.00 $737 —
530 530 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,060 —
590–595 593 2 210.00–213.00 $211.49 $1,254 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–283 280 4 195.00–214.00 $199.58 $559 —
330–335 333 2 209.00–217.00 $212.97 $709 —
350–385 368 4 200.00–218.00 $211.88 $780 +15.63
375–390 value added 383 3 220.00–244.00 $231.43 $886 +15.54
400–442 value added 412 15 219.00–229.00 $224.43 $925 —
427–445 433 3 200.00–210.00 $206.57 $894 —
450–470 457 3 201.00–206.00 $202.72 $926 —
450–497 value added 485 42 211.00–252.00 $232.62 $1,128 —
503–540 524 8 200.00–209.00 $201.85 $1,058 —
510–545 value added 539 102 216.00–246.00 $238.35 $1,285 +38.35
555–575 567 6 196.00–203.00 $199.85 $1,133 —
563–587 value added 581 61 219.00–240.00 $234.36 $1,362 +16.36
600–632 622 6 175.00–190.00 $181.53 $1,129 -18.47
616–630 value added 625 45 194.00–234.75 $231.47 $1,447 —
675 value added 675 7 200.00 $200.00 $1,350 —
679 679 8 180.00 $180.00 $1,222 —
660–696 688 17 185.50–200.00 $188.78 $1,299 —
705 705 7 170.00 $170.00 $1,198 —
780 value added 780 6 173.00 $173.00 $1,349 —
887 887 9 151.00 $151.00 $1,339 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–340 330 2 175.00–187.50 $181.06 $597 +10.51
365–375 370 2 190.00–196.00 $193.04 $714 —
500–525 512 3 180.00–191.00 $186.91 $957 —
560–580 570 2 170.00 $170.00 $969 -1.82
600–625 613 2 152.00–160.00 $155.92 $956 —
655–690 678 6 139.00–160.00 $143.73 $974 —
732 732 2 130.00 $130.00 $952 —
815–845 835 3 128.00–136.00 $130.60 $1,091 —
935 935 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,169 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,459 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 120.00 $120.00 $678 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 value added 370 1 270.00 $270.00 $999 —
430 430 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,010 -5.00
480–495 488 3 230.00–236.00 $233.67 $1,140 +3.67
517–535 526 4 225.00–236.00 $230.59 $1,213 —
565 565 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,277 -5.00
600 600 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,104 -6.00
610 value added 610 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,220 —
665 665 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,224 +25.00
700–745 730 3 160.00–177.00 $165.43 $1,208 -2.06
750–770 762 3 162.00–180.00 $170.60 $1,300 —
852 852 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,406 —
1110 1110 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,177 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 330 3 220.00–230.00 $225.47 $744 —
350 350 1 240.00 $240.00 $840 —
460–490 475 2 220.00–222.00 $221.03 $1,050 —
530 530 1 180.00 $180.00 $954 —
785 785 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,185 —
855 855 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,112 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 200.00 $200.00 $790 —
632 632 2 181.00 $181.00 $1,144 —
670 670 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,213 -19.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 210.00 $210.00 $630 —
465 465 1 200.00 $200.00 $930 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1350 1248 75-80% 4 87.00–92.50 $90.99 $1,136 —
1075–1715 1342 75-80% 14 94.00–98.00 $96.21 $1,291 —
1170–1485 1360 75-80% 10 98.00–110.00 $103.10 $1,402 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1220 1105 80-85% 3 93.00–98.00 $95.37 $1,054 —
1165–1195 1180 80-85% 2 87.50–92.00 $89.72 $1,059 —
1200–1375 1264 80-85% 7 98.50–104.00 $100.69 $1,273 +0.17
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–925 880 85-90% 2 66.00–67.00 $66.53 $585 —
985–1055 1020 85-90% 2 83.00–84.50 $83.72 $854 —
960–1235 1071 85-90% 4 73.00–78.00 $76.16 $816 -7.53

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1460–2015 1804 7 108.00–123.00 $117.27 $2,116 —
1735–2085 1880 3 125.00–127.50 $126.42 $2,377 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1125–1235 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,135.00–1,325.00 $1,225.57
1205 1205 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1255–1425 1353 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,225.00–1,435.00 $1,341.66
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015 1015 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
1005–1170 1104 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 950.00–1,025.00 $982.70
1280 1280 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1425 1425 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
1445 1445 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1270 1270 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —

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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.