Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 10, 2024

548 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $284.07/cwt +22.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,488/hd at 524 lb · 115 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $268.24/cwt ≈ $1,142/hd at 426 lb · 29 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $273.82/cwt +18.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,315/hd at 480 lb · 21 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 548 306 1,152
Feeder cattle 447 254 1,030
Slaughter cattle 80 45 89
Replacement cattle 21 7 33

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher on good quality weaned packages with very good demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00 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
435 435 2 292.00 $292.00 $1,270 -35.50
420–444 value added 440 8 318.00–329.00 $319.31 $1,405 —
450–488 value added 473 13 290.00–320.00 $299.56 $1,417 —
461–488 473 7 275.00–280.00 $277.79 $1,314 -13.02
505–538 523 11 265.00–290.00 $280.38 $1,466 +13.17
538–540 value added 539 7 290.00–297.00 $293.01 $1,579 —
570 value added 570 2 284.00–289.00 $286.50 $1,633 —
560–597 585 3 270.00–274.00 $271.28 $1,587 —
630–631 value added 631 5 275.00–280.00 $278.00 $1,754 —
636 636 4 270.00 $270.00 $1,717 +20.00
665–687 value added 679 9 252.00–278.00 $258.39 $1,754 —
705 value added 705 1 254.00 $254.00 $1,791 —
720 720 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,656 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 262.50 $262.50 $801 —
370–390 380 2 270.00–280.00 $274.87 $1,045 -11.13
400 400 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,060 ±0.00
487 487 4 247.00 $247.00 $1,203 —
545 545 2 235.00–260.00 $247.50 $1,349 —
583 583 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,487 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,325 —
562 562 2 261.00 $261.00 $1,467 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–245 230 6 277.50–293.00 $287.13 $660 —
245 value added 245 1 317.00 $317.00 $777 —
280 280 2 285.00 $285.00 $798 —
305–330 321 5 277.00–280.00 $278.92 $895 -12.08
365–375 370 5 255.00–280.00 $269.08 $996 -6.27
405–445 value added 424 26 260.00–282.00 $270.15 $1,145 —
440–445 442 3 246.00–259.00 $251.69 $1,112 —
455 455 2 254.00 $254.00 $1,156 +4.33
453–498 value added 483 19 268.00–279.00 $275.91 $1,333 +12.97
500–520 510 2 248.00–260.00 $253.88 $1,295 —
500–542 value added 524 113 260.00–288.75 $284.60 $1,491 +23.27
557–591 value added 570 8 258.00–265.00 $262.28 $1,495 —
570–595 573 10 250.00–254.00 $253.58 $1,453 —
600–620 value added 618 9 236.00–248.50 $243.73 $1,506 —
665–680 677 5 221.00–226.00 $221.98 $1,503 —
700 700 6 208.00–210.00 $208.33 $1,458 +6.33
700–715 708 5 201.00–205.00 $203.18 $1,439 +1.18
755–777 769 8 199.00–211.00 $207.74 $1,598 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 333 3 255.00–260.00 $258.45 $861 -7.94
360 360 1 250.00 $250.00 $900 -1.06
440 440 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,100 —
495 495 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,138 —
515–545 533 5 239.00–240.00 $239.61 $1,277 —
555 555 3 234.00 $234.00 $1,299 +6.71
672–687 680 4 210.00–220.00 $215.06 $1,462 +53.36
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 200.00 $200.00 $770 -17.00
495 495 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,089 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 2 310.00 $310.00 $750 —
345 345 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,025 +12.00
380–385 383 4 280.00–290.00 $285.03 $1,092 —
400–435 411 8 270.00–295.00 $285.81 $1,175 —
435 value added 435 1 308.00 $308.00 $1,340 —
460 value added 460 7 286.00 $286.00 $1,316 —
470 470 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,321 —
500–545 516 4 263.00–270.00 $266.54 $1,375 +14.54
516 value added 516 3 285.00 $285.00 $1,471 —
565 value added 565 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,588 —
570–572 572 11 263.00–267.00 $266.64 $1,525 +6.64
605 value added 605 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,500 +7.00
615–645 627 3 230.00–237.00 $234.60 $1,471 +2.10
665 665 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,516 —
705–725 715 2 225.00–231.00 $227.96 $1,630 —
845 845 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,555 +3.00
990 990 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,703 —
1080 1080 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,912 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 282.50 $282.50 $848 +37.50
365–395 380 3 240.00–270.00 $258.40 $982 +3.40
440 440 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,100 —
490 490 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,237 +9.46
660 660 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,386 —
820 820 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,312 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 270.00 $270.00 $945 —
475 475 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,330 —
535 535 1 263.00 $263.00 $1,407 —
555 555 1 257.00 $257.00 $1,426 —
610 610 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,403 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 225.00 $225.00 $934 —
570 570 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,260 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1315 1196 80-85% 7 112.00–123.00 $118.46 $1,417 —
970–1425 1238 80-85% 19 125.00–153.00 $132.42 $1,639 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1445 1371 75-80% 4 121.00–123.00 $122.04 $1,673 —
1225–1845 1420 75-80% 15 125.00–144.00 $131.36 $1,865 +13.73
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–1145 945 85-90% 3 87.00–91.00 $88.92 $840 —
855–1255 1055 85-90% 2 94.00–97.00 $95.78 $1,010 —
945–1205 1079 85-90% 9 114.00–125.00 $119.37 $1,288 —
955–1190 1108 85-90% 3 108.00–110.00 $108.93 $1,207 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1690 1495 2 150.00–155.00 $152.83 $2,285 —
1610–2050 1772 9 162.00–180.00 $170.85 $3,027 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
885–1095 973 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,075.00–1,225.00 $1,141.71
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1250–1340 1295 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,500.00–2,075.00 $1,777.51
1420 1420 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860 860 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1140–1230 1200 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,225.00–2,325.00 $2,256.67 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 2 101.00 $101.00 $520 —
607 607 2 192.00 $192.00 $1,165 —
840 840 1 116.00 $116.00 $974 —

↑ 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.