Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 24, 2024

677 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $296.68/cwt +31.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,667/hd at 562 lb · 92 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $257.35/cwt +24.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,705/hd at 663 lb · 68 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $261.75/cwt ≈ $2,128/hd at 813 lb · 62 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 677 303 433
Feeder cattle 579 260 363
Slaughter cattle 66 36 45
Replacement cattle 32 7 25

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady on similar quality with good demand for weaned packages and yearlings. Off-color, plain, and new crop fleshy bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher 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
235 235 1 315.00 $315.00 $740 —
355–385 371 4 310.00–340.00 $322.02 $1,195 —
410 410 2 290.00 $290.00 $1,189 —
405–422 value added 419 5 310.00–314.50 $313.63 $1,314 -2.47
465–485 475 2 295.00–296.00 $295.49 $1,404 -4.51
480–485 value added 484 4 298.00–317.00 $302.71 $1,465 -8.67
509–545 value added 520 16 286.00–290.00 $287.48 $1,495 -0.10
525–535 531 4 270.00–280.00 $272.47 $1,447 -7.53
552–560 555 3 278.00–280.00 $278.67 $1,547 +5.39
570–575 value added 573 2 286.00–287.00 $286.50 $1,642 -19.50
645 value added 645 1 283.00 $283.00 $1,825 —
712 value added 712 2 258.00 $258.00 $1,837 —
766 766 3 246.00 $246.00 $1,884 —
813 fancy 813 62 261.75 $261.75 $2,128 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
611 611 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,442 —
707–717 712 4 230.00–245.00 $237.45 $1,691 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,131 —
475 475 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,259 +3.00
500–510 505 2 240.00–250.00 $245.05 $1,238 -9.95
555 555 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,332 —
860 860 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,720 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 230.00 $230.00 $978 —
655 655 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,441 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 2 290.00 $290.00 $841 ±0.00
375–390 386 4 295.00–297.00 $296.01 $1,143 —
370–395 value added 389 4 302.50–304.00 $303.64 $1,181 -3.86
400–430 417 3 256.00–260.00 $257.97 $1,076 -2.03
400–435 value added 417 11 271.00–300.00 $287.18 $1,198 -15.80
465–490 479 6 250.00–260.00 $254.22 $1,218 -14.16
460–495 value added 486 21 260.00–279.00 $274.66 $1,335 -4.08
500–530 value added 507 16 261.00–274.00 $269.78 $1,368 -3.17
505–530 516 6 250.00–260.00 $257.54 $1,329 +3.61
561 thin fleshed 561 86 299.00 $299.00 $1,677 —
560–592 value added 577 6 260.00–277.00 $263.42 $1,520 -1.52
600–640 value added 609 7 240.00–262.00 $252.46 $1,537 +1.46
652 652 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,539 +3.00
663 value added 663 66 258.00 $258.00 $1,711 —
750 750 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,560 -16.00
912 912 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,642 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,053 —
465–485 474 10 220.00–246.00 $237.71 $1,127 —
500–535 519 7 230.00–245.00 $237.93 $1,235 —
553–580 562 6 225.00–247.00 $233.09 $1,310 —
605–620 610 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,281 -13.26
750 750 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,478 —
915 915 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,574 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 220.00 $220.00 $968 —
486 486 3 227.00 $227.00 $1,103 —
520–530 525 2 220.00–222.00 $220.99 $1,160 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 245.00 $245.00 $808 —
375 375 1 274.00 $274.00 $1,028 —
565 565 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,412 —
720 720 2 191.00 $191.00 $1,375 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 312.00 $312.00 $967 +12.00
393–395 394 4 300.00–322.00 $305.52 $1,204 —
410–415 414 4 275.00–310.00 $299.49 $1,240 +14.45
411–445 value added 420 5 296.00–302.00 $299.74 $1,259 -1.59
460 value added 460 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,366 —
455–470 462 3 285.00–290.00 $288.34 $1,332 +28.34
516–542 value added 525 6 275.00–278.00 $276.97 $1,454 -1.53
500–547 529 13 256.00–278.00 $268.39 $1,420 +7.67
552–595 566 13 257.00–275.00 $263.53 $1,492 +3.15
575 value added 575 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,552 —
610–640 635 6 230.00–240.00 $232.86 $1,479 +0.40
650 650 2 238.00 $238.00 $1,547 —
700–715 708 10 195.00–230.00 $220.10 $1,558 -13.90
925 925 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,776 —
1000 1000 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,570 -45.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–375 365 2 245.00–290.00 $266.88 $974 —
410 410 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,025 —
450–485 462 3 240.00–270.00 $259.49 $1,199 —
535 535 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,327 +8.00
575–585 580 3 240.00–250.00 $243.36 $1,411 +16.86
637 637 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,465 —
675–690 683 2 220.00–221.00 $220.51 $1,506 —
865 865 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,263 -48.00
900–940 913 3 151.00–174.00 $166.11 $1,517 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,140 —
600 600 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,404 —
660 660 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,478 —
780 780 3 211.00 $211.00 $1,646 —
927 927 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,437 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 265.00 $265.00 $874 —
480 480 2 220.00–227.00 $223.50 $1,073 —
505 505 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,111 —
642 642 2 221.00 $221.00 $1,419 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–915 892 85-90% 3 82.00–90.00 $87.28 $779 -14.72
840–1015 928 85-90% 2 101.00–105.00 $102.81 $954 —
860–1320 1055 85-90% 8 107.50–118.00 $113.42 $1,197 -1.05
1045–1280 1122 85-90% 6 121.50–130.00 $124.77 $1,400 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1620 1358 75-80% 6 127.50–132.00 $129.58 $1,760 —
1110–1695 1424 75-80% 5 113.00–127.00 $117.34 $1,671 —
1235–1850 1478 75-80% 8 135.50–145.00 $138.20 $2,043 +4.01
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1320 1196 80-85% 7 129.00–135.00 $132.23 $1,581 —
1120–1270 1217 80-85% 3 124.50–129.00 $127.13 $1,547 —
1030–1525 1298 80-85% 6 138.00–144.50 $141.71 $1,839 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1390–2135 1693 6 153.00–167.00 $159.54 $2,701 —
1670–1780 1725 2 174.50–184.00 $179.40 $3,095 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045–1170 1108 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,725.00–1,835.00 $1,783.10
1265 1265 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,700.00–1,975.00 $1,837.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980–1150 1065 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,375.00–1,525.00 $1,455.99
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00

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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
1320 1320 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,735.00 $1,735.00 —
1495 1495 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,025.00 $3,025.00 —
1570–1655 1622 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,500.00–2,750.00 $2,617.32 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
965 965 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,235.00 $1,235.00 —

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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.