Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 1, 2024

486 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $272.86/cwt +31.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,780/hd at 652 lb · 83 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $266.69/cwt -7.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,247/hd at 468 lb · 21 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $257.63/cwt -0.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,468/hd at 570 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 486 578 421
Feeder cattle 347 442 323
Slaughter cattle 58 110 83
Replacement cattle 81 26 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady on similar quality in a lite test. Very good demand for yearling heifers. Yearling steers lightly tested. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower 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
327–346 value added 340 6 328.00–330.00 $329.36 $1,120 —
370 value added 370 1 324.00 $324.00 $1,199 +0.92
405–443 value added 431 11 317.00–336.00 $327.37 $1,411 +7.37
465–485 value added 478 4 295.00–316.00 $307.61 $1,470 —
500–523 value added 514 6 299.00–307.50 $304.60 $1,566 -2.57
515 515 2 284.00 $284.00 $1,463 +2.00
585 value added 585 3 295.00 $295.00 $1,726 -11.09
580–593 590 4 284.00–285.00 $284.25 $1,677 -2.11
620–640 value added 631 8 264.00–280.00 $277.41 $1,750 -5.09
670–695 value added 689 4 263.00–271.00 $269.05 $1,854 -18.63
705 705 1 246.00 $246.00 $1,734 +6.00
750–790 770 2 240.00–241.00 $240.49 $1,852 —
800–805 801 9 224.00–231.50 $230.66 $1,848 —
1020 1020 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,836 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 268.00 $268.00 $1,568 +10.62
642 642 2 242.00 $242.00 $1,554 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 290.00 $290.00 $609 +4.10
255 255 1 285.00 $285.00 $727 —
315–330 323 3 275.00–290.00 $284.23 $918 +4.23
350–385 365 7 270.00–295.00 $281.58 $1,028 +2.09
400–435 416 7 255.00–264.00 $261.82 $1,089 -2.52
415–425 value added 420 2 268.00–275.00 $271.54 $1,140 -21.73
450–480 value added 467 19 264.00–271.00 $267.39 $1,249 -10.16
460–485 473 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,230 -5.88
523–525 524 4 260.00–264.00 $261.00 $1,368 +4.61
550–595 570 15 250.00–260.00 $257.63 $1,468 -0.74
623 623 3 238.50 $238.50 $1,486 +9.50
605–637 value added 627 9 240.00–250.50 $247.42 $1,551 -2.27
651 value added 651 78 275.00 $275.00 $1,790 +33.50
673 673 5 239.50 $239.50 $1,612 —
723 723 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,591 +13.04
795 795 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,510 —
800 800 2 183.00 $183.00 $1,464 -10.87
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 2 230.00 $230.00 $775 —
350–395 376 4 230.00–256.00 $244.90 $921 -1.09
465–495 482 3 223.00–253.00 $239.39 $1,154 -0.61
560–575 568 2 232.00–237.00 $234.47 $1,332 -8.30
640 640 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,120 —
695 695 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,334 -36.00
735 735 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,242 +6.50
765–795 780 4 177.00–219.00 $197.60 $1,541 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 225.00 $225.00 $686 —
355 355 1 200.00 $200.00 $710 —
400 400 1 220.00 $220.00 $880 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 307.00 $307.00 $860 -7.12
335 335 1 312.00 $312.00 $1,045 -0.50
345 value added 345 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,147 —
390 value added 390 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,248 —
405–428 422 4 264.00–270.00 $265.44 $1,120 -35.91
425–435 value added 430 2 285.00–287.00 $286.01 $1,230 —
450–492 value added 474 6 290.00–304.00 $294.22 $1,395 —
500–545 value added 521 8 277.50–305.00 $292.43 $1,524 +1.87
570 570 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,482 -8.61
610–645 623 6 238.00–249.00 $243.13 $1,515 -5.87
660–685 675 4 239.00–242.00 $240.01 $1,620 -3.50
717 value added 717 2 237.00 $237.00 $1,699 -5.38
840 840 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,764 —
920 920 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,849 —
980 980 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,852 —
1007 1007 2 187.00 $187.00 $1,883 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 232.00 $232.00 $650 —
320 320 1 226.00 $226.00 $723 —
365–390 378 2 221.00–225.00 $223.07 $843 -4.93
522 522 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,148 -5.10
555 555 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,221 —
605 605 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,270 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 290.00 $290.00 $942 -22.46
445 445 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,157 —
450 450 1 247.00 $247.00 $1,112 +7.00
540 540 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,296 -14.52
635 635 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,448 +7.00
710–725 718 2 210.00–228.00 $218.91 $1,572 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1495 1495 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 80-85% 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,277 —
1070–1370 1174 80-85% 7 117.00–120.00 $118.13 $1,387 +9.13
1045–1555 1230 80-85% 12 121.00–136.00 $125.72 $1,546 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785 785 85-90% 1 100.00 $100.00 $785 —
840–1255 1008 85-90% 10 102.00–112.00 $106.21 $1,071 +7.97
940–1135 1023 85-90% 4 114.00–121.50 $118.78 $1,215 +20.54
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1635 1389 75-80% 7 113.00–120.00 $117.26 $1,629 —
1415–1675 1545 75-80% 2 131.50–132.00 $131.73 $2,035 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1945 1647 5 139.00–148.00 $145.03 $2,389 —
1545–2095 1839 5 153.00–173.00 $160.12 $2,945 —
1685–2660 2173 2 113.50–125.00 $117.96 $2,563 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1105 1105 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1025–1320 1214 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,650.00–2,525.00 $2,125.63
975–1406 1298 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,400.00–3,325.00 $2,963.58
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785 785 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
835–1155 1059 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 800.00–1,425.00 $1,202.67
1020–1130 1075 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,375.00 $1,309.30
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
755 755 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 600.00 $600.00

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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
1163–1636 1379 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 2,425.00–2,950.00 $2,726.35 —
1331–1660 1458 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 2,550.00–2,875.00 $2,691.63 +341.63
1486 fancy 1486 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 3,500.00 $3,500.00 —
1655–1665 1660 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,525.00–2,700.00 $2,612.24 —
1670 1670 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1320 1320 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
845 845 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —

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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.