Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 24, 2024

578 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $311.98/cwt +15.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,610/hd at 516 lb · 35 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $270.59/cwt +10.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,416/hd at 523 lb · 30 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $296.22/cwt +44.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,804/hd at 609 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 578 634 537
Feeder cattle 442 478 447
Slaughter cattle 110 117 48
Replacement cattle 26 39 42

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 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
325 325 2 317.00 $317.00 $1,030 —
385 385 2 317.00 $317.00 $1,220 +24.50
370–395 value added 389 11 312.00–330.00 $323.08 $1,257 —
405 value added 405 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,296 +15.88
445 445 6 305.00 $305.00 $1,357 —
500 thin fleshed 500 14 321.00 $321.00 $1,605 —
525 525 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,480 ±0.00
515–531 value added 527 20 303.00–317.00 $307.17 $1,619 +8.92
570–580 value added 577 3 290.00–314.00 $306.09 $1,766 +13.64
580–592 590 6 278.00–288.00 $286.36 $1,690 —
600–631 thin fleshed 605 19 296.00–302.00 $301.01 $1,821 —
620 value added 620 4 268.00–297.00 $282.50 $1,752 +26.50
640 640 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,664 +17.50
651–667 value added 659 7 271.00–294.00 $287.68 $1,896 —
707 707 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,697 —
715–730 value added 727 13 247.00–275.00 $258.18 $1,877 +8.18
815 value added 815 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,793 —
845 845 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,986 —
875 875 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,951 —
927 927 5 200.00 $200.00 $1,854 —
980 980 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,901 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 4 270.00–276.00 $273.00 $1,597 —
606 606 4 259.00 $259.00 $1,570 —
660 660 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,650 —
795 795 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,821 —
845 845 2 219.00 $219.00 $1,851 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,131 —
450 450 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,215 —
520 520 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,352 +3.00
570–590 580 4 250.00–271.00 $257.38 $1,493 —
747 747 2 234.00 $234.00 $1,748 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085 1085 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,964 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–235 230 2 270.00–302.50 $285.90 $658 +25.58
340 340 1 280.00 $280.00 $952 -21.00
385–395 390 2 279.00–280.00 $279.49 $1,090 +5.53
407–435 value added 418 10 281.00–296.00 $293.27 $1,226 +11.61
410–445 423 11 250.00–270.00 $264.34 $1,118 +10.32
450–458 value added 457 13 270.00–280.00 $277.55 $1,268 +4.42
457–495 471 6 258.00–270.00 $265.88 $1,252 +15.52
511–534 value added 521 24 268.50–279.00 $274.14 $1,428 +6.54
500–545 532 6 250.00–260.00 $256.39 $1,364 +12.77
550–580 567 5 256.00–260.00 $258.37 $1,465 +12.20
600–633 value added 619 17 240.00–252.00 $249.69 $1,546 +0.78
628 628 4 229.00 $229.00 $1,438 -3.00
660–670 value added 665 2 241.00–242.00 $241.50 $1,606 —
700–735 704 9 199.00–208.00 $206.96 $1,457 -2.56
715–731 value added 725 5 220.00–230.00 $223.95 $1,624 —
752 752 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,549 —
812–820 812 17 176.00–195.00 $193.87 $1,574 —
965–995 978 3 141.00–169.00 $154.08 $1,507 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 260.00 $260.00 $624 —
290 290 1 260.00 $260.00 $754 —
360–395 376 4 240.00–253.00 $245.99 $925 +6.91
430–445 438 2 246.00–250.00 $248.03 $1,086 +26.70
495 495 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,188 —
525–535 530 3 220.00–244.00 $235.40 $1,248 -0.41
565–580 575 8 227.00–249.00 $242.77 $1,396 +18.77
685 685 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,562 +30.75
700 700 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,138 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
549 549 5 268.00 $268.00 $1,471 —
660–672 666 4 220.00–228.00 $223.96 $1,492 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,034 ±0.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 fancy 210 1 350.00 $350.00 $735 —
215 215 1 315.00 $315.00 $677 —
275–290 283 2 300.00–327.50 $314.12 $889 —
315–345 328 6 310.00–315.00 $312.50 $1,025 —
410–445 431 7 288.00–305.00 $301.35 $1,299 +17.28
453–480 466 6 280.00–304.00 $287.71 $1,341 +10.97
500–530 515 2 270.00–274.00 $272.06 $1,401 +7.08
530–540 value added 534 5 276.00–297.00 $290.56 $1,552 +15.35
565–580 573 2 260.00–277.00 $268.61 $1,539 +1.66
600 value added 600 3 252.00–257.00 $255.33 $1,532 +8.33
610 610 1 249.00 $249.00 $1,519 +12.00
650–665 658 2 243.00–244.00 $243.51 $1,602 +11.51
670 value added 670 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,635 —
700 value added 700 4 237.50–244.00 $242.38 $1,697 —
765–787 776 4 224.00–234.00 $229.07 $1,778 +6.36
782 value added 782 2 239.00 $239.00 $1,869 —
845 value added 845 7 229.00 $229.00 $1,935 —
1055 1055 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,435 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–295 273 3 199.00–285.00 $240.07 $655 -24.93
300–335 323 3 280.00–327.00 $312.46 $1,009 —
460–482 475 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,140 ±0.00
540–545 543 2 250.00–259.00 $254.52 $1,382 —
565–595 580 2 247.00–250.00 $248.46 $1,441 +30.46
625 625 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,381 -4.00
675–690 683 2 209.00–227.00 $218.10 $1,490 +5.57
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
453 453 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,359 —
570 570 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,496 —
600–605 603 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,508 —
755 755 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,706 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 228.00 $228.00 $855 —
465 465 1 202.00 $202.00 $939 —
515–535 525 2 220.00–230.00 $225.10 $1,182 +4.10

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1420 1319 75-80% 4 104.00–109.50 $106.97 $1,411 —
1235–1740 1426 75-80% 22 113.00–123.50 $118.15 $1,685 —
1235–2015 1478 75-80% 7 125.00–143.50 $133.02 $1,966 +3.70
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–1250 1011 85-90% 4 94.00–101.00 $98.24 $993 —
915–1165 1040 85-90% 2 83.00–88.00 $85.80 $892 —
845–1250 1088 85-90% 17 115.00–132.00 $122.04 $1,328 —
895–1170 1096 85-90% 8 103.00–114.00 $109.27 $1,198 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1300 1178 80-85% 2 109.00 $109.00 $1,284 —
1020–1460 1198 80-85% 12 113.00–123.50 $120.35 $1,442 —
1030–1435 1255 80-85% 13 125.00–141.50 $130.12 $1,633 +13.23

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1310 1243 2 128.00–129.00 $128.53 $1,598 +11.78
1515–1945 1726 5 145.00–149.00 $147.43 $2,545 —
1340–2110 1753 7 155.00–165.00 $158.71 $2,782 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015 1015 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1085–1255 1178 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,400.00–1,575.00 $1,463.83
1205 1205 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,385.00 $1,385.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
765–1185 1018 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,275.00–1,350.00 $1,307.74
1135 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,310.00 $1,310.00

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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
1485 1485 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1175 1175 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,560.00 $1,560.00 —

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Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,267 —

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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.