Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 7, 2024

1,208 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $221.07/cwt +10.86 vs last sale · ≈ $1,459/hd at 660 lb · 116 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $224.46/cwt +12.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,404/hd at 626 lb · 85 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $247.45/cwt +4.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,539/hd at 622 lb · 69 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,208 743 1,069
Feeder cattle 1,067 632 791
Slaughter cattle 116 88 190
Replacement cattle 25 23 88

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 3.00 to 6.00 higher on good quality weaned packages. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher on good quality weaned packages; some 300-500 lbs traded sharply higher with very 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
355–360 value added 357 3 295.00–315.00 $301.73 $1,077 +11.73
390–395 393 2 267.50–280.00 $273.71 $1,076 -15.28
425 425 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,062 —
407–445 value added 428 29 265.00–305.00 $281.47 $1,205 -12.87
460–472 469 4 250.00–252.00 $251.26 $1,178 -7.49
457–498 value added 481 24 270.00–290.00 $283.55 $1,364 +7.63
500–528 515 8 245.00–263.00 $251.97 $1,298 —
500–542 value added 517 10 265.00–287.00 $275.22 $1,423 +7.25
555–572 value added 564 4 260.00–281.00 $270.34 $1,525 +2.73
550–580 566 16 240.00–251.00 $245.76 $1,391 —
600–646 value added 622 63 240.00–255.50 $248.80 $1,548 +1.66
605–647 622 6 230.00–234.00 $233.33 $1,451 +0.43
660–690 683 13 226.00–236.00 $232.34 $1,587 +2.07
695 value added 695 13 245.50 $245.50 $1,706 +10.05
700–701 value added 701 30 219.00–244.50 $242.02 $1,697 —
765–780 value added 771 46 218.00–237.00 $230.97 $1,781 —
855–860 858 3 209.00–210.00 $209.33 $1,796 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 240.00 $240.00 $888 -10.00
455–495 475 3 230.00–241.00 $233.51 $1,109 +3.51
500 500 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,138 -8.59
555–595 578 3 225.00–232.00 $229.09 $1,324 -6.53
625–636 633 4 212.00–220.00 $213.97 $1,354 -4.03
705–745 725 2 205.00–214.00 $209.38 $1,518 +16.38
760–770 765 4 181.00–211.00 $199.02 $1,523 +4.02
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,224 —
600 600 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,230 —
760 760 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,482 —
975 975 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,794 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–260 257 3 200.00 $200.00 $514 -2.50
300–302 301 3 227.00–227.50 $227.33 $684 +14.52
335 value added 335 1 240.00 $240.00 $804 +8.55
350–395 value added 371 11 245.00–267.00 $256.79 $953 +26.57
370–395 383 4 215.00–235.00 $225.59 $864 +17.04
400–442 value added 415 26 232.00–266.00 $254.88 $1,058 +11.42
400–445 419 6 223.00–230.00 $228.53 $958 —
452–495 value added 478 42 230.00–260.00 $245.97 $1,176 +8.48
485–495 489 5 220.00–230.00 $227.21 $1,111 +13.05
507–545 value added 531 36 222.00–236.00 $227.27 $1,207 -0.62
535 535 2 200.00–201.00 $200.50 $1,073 -2.50
570 570 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,140 -5.36
555–595 value added 573 27 220.00–231.50 $228.02 $1,307 -10.69
600–640 624 17 186.00–215.00 $205.64 $1,283 +3.09
615–649 value added 626 68 217.00–230.75 $229.16 $1,435 +11.03
652–658 value added 656 99 224.50–227.50 $225.28 $1,478 +2.45
650–696 681 13 180.00–211.00 $195.48 $1,331 -5.92
688 688 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,376 -6.00
700–735 712 10 151.00–172.00 $160.91 $1,146 -6.26
708–730 725 26 173.00–197.50 $194.17 $1,408 +11.10
782 value added 782 21 206.25 $206.25 $1,613 —
805–830 827 8 144.00–149.00 $148.39 $1,227 -17.61
885 885 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,261 -11.50
900 900 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,242 -17.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 202.50 $202.50 $648 —
360–380 370 2 197.00–200.00 $198.54 $735 —
460–467 465 3 200.00 $200.00 $930 -1.92
535–542 540 7 177.00–200.00 $193.49 $1,045 +4.67
560–595 581 10 170.00–200.00 $185.57 $1,078 —
610–630 620 2 175.00–177.50 $176.27 $1,093 —
665–675 672 3 150.00–172.50 $160.78 $1,080 -24.47
712 712 2 110.00 $110.00 $783 —
835 835 2 110.00 $110.00 $918 -13.49
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 1 150.00 $150.00 $990 —
715 715 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,144 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 1 120.00 $120.00 $840 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 281.00 $281.00 $885 —
365 value added 365 3 289.00 $289.00 $1,055 —
350–395 371 7 260.00–277.50 $268.52 $996 +2.52
412 412 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,112 ±0.00
440–447 value added 445 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,202 —
452–467 value added 461 5 272.50–287.50 $280.42 $1,293 —
487–495 490 3 237.00–241.00 $238.35 $1,168 -11.24
500 value added 500 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,200 —
502–545 515 9 227.00–234.00 $230.38 $1,186 -4.62
557 557 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,287 +1.99
551–597 value added 566 6 240.00–245.00 $241.76 $1,368 —
600–645 618 6 181.00–210.00 $197.08 $1,218 -14.82
622–645 value added 634 4 231.00–235.00 $233.04 $1,477 —
665–683 value added 674 6 203.00–237.00 $215.50 $1,452 —
665–695 675 3 182.50–198.00 $187.82 $1,268 -30.85
700–745 717 15 186.00–200.00 $191.66 $1,374 -14.34
750 value added 750 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,508 —
785 785 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,468 —
800 800 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,480 —
960 960 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,450 +20.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 2 250.00 $250.00 $712 —
332–345 336 3 225.00–240.00 $230.13 $773 -20.11
375 375 1 230.00 $230.00 $862 —
405–435 419 6 220.00–240.00 $228.23 $956 —
455–490 474 5 222.50–232.50 $226.34 $1,073 +3.76
510–542 529 8 205.00–220.00 $213.97 $1,132 —
555–585 571 8 190.00–227.50 $216.95 $1,239 +9.28
610 610 1 160.00 $160.00 $976 -29.00
745 745 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,192 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 200.00 $200.00 $540 +18.00
300 300 1 200.00 $200.00 $600 —
452–480 465 5 190.00–216.00 $203.30 $945 —
515–535 525 3 187.00–208.00 $198.25 $1,041 -11.75
565 565 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,017 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,276 -10.00
670 670 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,347 +1.00
711 711 3 179.00 $179.00 $1,273 -14.00
1100 1100 2 113.00 $113.00 $1,243 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1205 1205 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1650 1355 75-80% 17 105.00–111.00 $107.76 $1,460 —
1260–1580 1432 75-80% 8 95.00–102.00 $99.31 $1,422 -14.00
1280–1670 1489 75-80% 7 111.00–122.00 $116.05 $1,728 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1290 1210 80-85% 8 95.00–101.00 $99.18 $1,200 -6.21
1070–1445 1258 80-85% 15 103.00–111.00 $106.93 $1,345 —
1290–1670 1460 80-85% 6 113.00–133.00 $121.72 $1,777 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–990 983 85-90% 2 103.00–107.00 $104.98 $1,032 +20.00
850–1220 997 85-90% 5 74.00–80.00 $77.51 $773 -7.47
920–1245 1072 85-90% 10 90.00–97.00 $94.33 $1,011 +2.22
1010–1195 1103 85-90% 2 85.00–88.00 $86.63 $956 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–2475 1764 6 115.00–123.00 $119.37 $2,106 —
1555–2230 1941 7 124.00–141.00 $130.63 $2,536 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1265–1395 1330 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,125.00–1,400.00 $1,269.22
1025–1740 1383 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,125.00–1,675.00 $1,471.11
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865–980 923 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 825.00–1,025.00 $931.23
1140–1205 1173 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,000.00–1,075.00 $1,038.54

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1570 fancy 1570 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.