Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 17, 2024

634 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $268.49/cwt -5.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,278/hd at 476 lb · 54 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $286.99/cwt +18.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,220/hd at 425 lb · 40 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $260.30/cwt -23.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,340/hd at 515 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 634 548 597
Feeder cattle 478 447 498
Slaughter cattle 117 80 78
Replacement cattle 39 21 21

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday good quality weaned feeder steers and heifers under 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher with good demand. Yearlings lightly tested. Fleshy, short-weaned and plain quality calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower with good 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
290 value added 290 1 323.00 $323.00 $937 —
320–331 value added 328 7 310.00–337.50 $328.26 $1,077 —
375 375 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,097 —
405–410 408 2 288.00–290.00 $289.01 $1,179 -2.99
412–437 value added 418 11 299.00–306.00 $304.12 $1,271 -15.19
459 value added 459 7 306.00 $306.00 $1,405 +6.44
455–495 468 3 286.00 $286.00 $1,338 +8.21
500 500 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,410 +1.62
502–513 value added 511 9 292.00–300.00 $298.25 $1,524 +5.24
556–590 value added 578 11 283.00–310.00 $292.45 $1,690 +5.95
605 605 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,467 -27.50
605 value added 605 2 256.00 $256.00 $1,549 -22.00
660 660 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,610 —
700 value added 700 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,750 -4.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 257.00 $257.00 $1,285 —
625 625 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,444 —
765 765 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,530 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–240 233 2 250.00–270.00 $260.32 $607 -26.81
243 value added 243 3 320.00 $320.00 $778 +3.00
305 fancy 305 1 305.00 $305.00 $930 —
335 335 1 301.00 $301.00 $1,008 +22.08
370 fancy 370 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,128 —
370–390 381 5 264.00–287.00 $273.96 $1,044 +4.88
400–403 fancy 402 15 299.00–302.00 $301.40 $1,212 —
400–448 value added 438 22 258.00–290.00 $281.66 $1,234 +11.51
440–447 445 3 250.00–256.00 $254.02 $1,130 +2.33
458–495 value added 475 43 258.00–275.25 $273.13 $1,297 -2.78
465–485 479 11 244.00–256.00 $250.36 $1,199 -3.64
500–545 value added 509 16 250.00–274.00 $267.60 $1,362 -17.00
507–542 528 7 240.00–250.00 $243.62 $1,286 -10.26
555–557 value added 556 7 256.00–269.00 $259.72 $1,444 -2.56
555–580 565 5 243.00–248.00 $246.17 $1,391 -7.41
600 600 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,392 —
600–647 value added 617 14 240.00–260.00 $248.91 $1,536 +5.18
696 696 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,670 +18.02
700–715 705 3 189.00–220.00 $209.52 $1,477 +6.34
837 value added 837 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,783 —
870 value added 870 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,522 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–345 338 2 231.00–275.00 $253.49 $857 -4.96
350–380 361 7 200.00–260.00 $239.08 $863 -10.92
402–425 411 5 200.00–232.50 $221.33 $910 -28.67
455–460 458 3 192.50–200.00 $194.98 $893 —
510–540 516 5 220.00–240.00 $235.81 $1,217 -3.80
565 565 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,266 -10.00
645 645 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,290 —
657–680 662 5 180.00–211.00 $197.25 $1,306 -17.81
760 760 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,398 —
810–840 825 2 155.00–164.00 $159.58 $1,317 —
955 955 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,337 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,045 ±0.00
540 540 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,188 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,040 -0.03
408 value added 408 4 307.00 $307.00 $1,253 -1.00
400–435 423 5 271.00–296.00 $284.07 $1,202 -1.74
460 value added 460 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,311 -1.00
455–492 482 19 247.00–308.00 $276.74 $1,334 -4.26
510–515 value added 512 5 274.00–277.00 $275.21 $1,409 -9.79
500–540 518 3 258.00–270.00 $264.98 $1,373 -1.56
550 value added 550 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,540 -1.00
560–580 567 3 263.00–269.00 $266.95 $1,514 +0.31
610 value added 610 2 247.00 $247.00 $1,507 -1.00
607–635 616 3 237.00 $237.00 $1,460 +2.40
681 681 4 232.00 $232.00 $1,580 +4.00
700 700 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,575 -2.96
765–786 778 6 209.00–229.00 $222.71 $1,733 —
825 825 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,815 +36.00
865 865 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,704 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 265.00 $265.00 $702 —
375 375 1 262.50 $262.50 $984 +4.10
430 430 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,010 -15.00
472 472 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,133 -12.50
500 500 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,095 —
565 565 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,232 —
625–630 628 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,413 —
651–660 653 4 210.00–220.00 $212.53 $1,388 +2.53
875–890 883 2 144.00–155.00 $149.45 $1,320 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 220.00 $220.00 $484 —
525 525 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,160 —
560 560 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,232 -1.00

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1625 1393 75-80% 18 109.00–122.50 $116.47 $1,622 -5.57
1215–1805 1452 75-80% 19 122.50–144.00 $129.32 $1,878 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1504 1217 80-85% 26 124.00–146.00 $131.09 $1,595 -1.33
1160–1375 1288 80-85% 9 112.00–121.00 $116.89 $1,506 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780–925 853 85-90% 2 89.00–95.00 $91.74 $783 —
740–1340 983 85-90% 10 103.00–115.00 $107.94 $1,061 —
995–1295 1141 85-90% 14 116.00–133.50 $122.79 $1,401 +13.86

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1340 1218 3 108.00–123.00 $116.75 $1,422 —
1205–2170 1603 9 132.00–149.00 $142.62 $2,286 —
1450–2270 1812 9 156.00–175.00 $163.99 $2,971 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1125 1125 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1050–1450 1242 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,420.00–1,825.00 $1,645.42
1000–1597 1306 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 1,500.00–1,785.00 $1,701.45
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920 920 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
980 980 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
1090 1090 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
1045–1155 1103 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,325.00–1,375.00 $1,357.55

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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
1125–1330 1228 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,900.00–2,000.00 $1,954.18 -302.49
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1015 1015 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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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.