Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 8, 2024

467 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $273.54/cwt +15.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,614/hd at 590 lb · 99 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $241.00/cwt +10.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,950/hd at 809 lb · 65 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $291.11/cwt +2.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,657/hd at 569 lb · 22 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 467 486 593
Feeder cattle 400 347 476
Slaughter cattle 48 58 70
Replacement cattle 19 81 47

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold steady in a lite test with 400-500 lb weaned packages 4.00 higher with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for 400-500 lb weaned packages. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower with good demand. 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
230 230 2 312.00 $312.00 $718 —
335 value added 335 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,181 +23.14
370 value added 370 1 317.00 $317.00 $1,173 -7.00
405–430 value added 420 6 302.50–354.00 $331.55 $1,393 +4.18
472–492 value added 487 11 290.00–300.00 $297.35 $1,448 -10.26
507–520 value added 511 3 297.00–308.00 $304.27 $1,555 -0.33
555 555 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,554 -4.25
560–572 value added 570 21 290.00–301.00 $291.64 $1,662 -3.36
600–622 value added 607 17 271.00–293.00 $288.07 $1,749 +10.66
645 645 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,600 —
665–690 681 11 250.00–256.00 $251.07 $1,710 —
700 value added 700 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,736 —
809 value added 809 65 241.00 $241.00 $1,950 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 251.00 $251.00 $1,117 —
555–565 560 4 240.00–260.00 $253.47 $1,419 -14.53
600–632 616 4 220.00–246.00 $233.34 $1,437 -8.66
685 685 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,630 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
536 536 6 272.00 $272.00 $1,458 —
700 700 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,582 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 245.00 $245.00 $772 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 270.00 $270.00 $540 -20.00
260 260 1 282.50 $282.50 $734 -2.50
320–337 value added 331 3 310.00–317.00 $314.75 $1,042 —
340 340 1 292.50 $292.50 $994 +8.27
360–390 value added 380 3 301.00–302.00 $301.32 $1,145 —
395 395 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,114 +0.42
420–445 value added 433 10 280.00–297.00 $289.31 $1,253 +17.77
435 435 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,179 +9.18
450 450 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,192 +5.00
455–490 value added 480 6 269.00–279.00 $275.49 $1,322 +8.10
500–540 value added 519 8 266.00–273.00 $269.43 $1,398 —
550–595 value added 590 99 260.00–277.00 $273.54 $1,614 —
622 622 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,431 -8.50
955 955 4 184.00 $184.00 $1,757 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 243.00 $243.00 $984 —
500–540 515 4 238.00–252.00 $247.50 $1,275 —
565–580 573 2 251.00–255.00 $253.03 $1,450 +18.56
605–645 618 4 216.00–225.00 $222.11 $1,373 +47.11
652–685 662 8 205.00–220.00 $210.85 $1,396 +18.85
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,186 —
675 675 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,310 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,136 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 290.00 $290.00 $638 —
380 value added 380 1 322.00 $322.00 $1,224 +2.00
450–470 value added 457 3 274.00–320.00 $304.22 $1,390 +10.00
462 462 2 247.50 $247.50 $1,143 —
465–495 477 3 265.00–290.00 $275.30 $1,313 —
500–535 value added 514 14 280.00–294.00 $289.44 $1,488 -2.99
577 value added 577 2 284.00 $284.00 $1,639 —
605–635 value added 620 2 259.00–262.00 $260.46 $1,615 —
647 647 2 246.00 $246.00 $1,592 +2.87
700 700 3 221.00–234.00 $229.67 $1,608 —
780–790 785 2 216.00–218.00 $217.01 $1,704 —
805 805 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,570 -15.00
900–910 908 4 190.00–192.50 $190.62 $1,731 -10.38
1040 1040 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,794 -14.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,003 -24.00
465 465 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,093 -12.00
580 580 1 251.00 $251.00 $1,456 —
655–685 670 2 220.00–231.00 $225.38 $1,510 —
700–725 713 2 191.00–202.50 $196.85 $1,404 -22.06
765 765 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,454 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 235.00 $235.00 $576 —
560 560 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,330 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530–545 538 2 211.00–230.00 $220.37 $1,186 +0.37

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1455 1284 75-80% 9 112.00–121.50 $118.10 $1,516 —
1180–1415 1304 75-80% 6 123.50–130.00 $126.93 $1,655 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1240 1188 80-85% 2 102.00–107.00 $104.61 $1,243 -13.52
1165–1270 1222 80-85% 3 113.00–121.50 $116.37 $1,422 -9.35
1145–1415 1298 80-85% 8 122.00–135.50 $128.57 $1,669 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–1060 912 85-90% 3 97.00–100.00 $98.28 $896 —
935–1230 1045 85-90% 5 113.00–125.00 $117.92 $1,232 -0.86
1080 1080 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $994 —
1015–1150 1093 85-90% 3 110.00–111.00 $110.69 $1,210 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,542 —
1260–2150 1568 3 137.00–145.00 $142.03 $2,227 —
1695–2180 1885 4 156.00–178.00 $166.27 $3,134 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1105–1430 1263 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,550.00–1,685.00 $1,630.09
1375 1375 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,660.00 $1,660.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930 930 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1150–1195 1173 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,425.00–1,500.00 $1,461.78

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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
1175 1175 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00 —
1415 1415 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
850 850 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —

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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.