Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 21, 2024

525 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $242.03/cwt +0.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,492/hd at 616 lb · 25 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $247.10/cwt -15.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,033/hd at 418 lb · 23 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $258.50/cwt +25.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,833/hd at 709 lb · 20 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 525 543 228
Feeder cattle 435 430 166
Slaughter cattle 68 81 33
Replacement cattle 22 32 29

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers under 700 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Feeder heifers under 700 lbs sold 3.00 to 8.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Yearlings limited comparison. Plain quality, off-color, fleshy bawling calves and fleshy bull calves facing deep discounts. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with very 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
350–365 358 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,074 —
405–415 value added 410 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,148 -20.62
425–440 435 4 257.50–272.50 $265.44 $1,155 -15.55
460–480 467 3 260.00–270.00 $266.57 $1,245 -26.83
452–482 value added 472 9 272.50–285.00 $277.89 $1,312 —
521 value added 521 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,511 -12.08
500–545 531 12 251.00–270.00 $260.66 $1,384 -33.55
550 550 1 262.00 $262.00 $1,441 -9.00
580–588 586 4 240.00–246.00 $241.48 $1,415 -29.52
605–636 620 10 237.00–249.00 $241.63 $1,498 -22.62
660 660 2 241.00 $241.00 $1,591 —
709 value added 709 20 258.50 $258.50 $1,833 —
825 fancy 825 15 237.00 $237.00 $1,955 —
890 890 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,869 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
266 266 3 256.00 $256.00 $681 -14.00
325 325 2 227.00 $227.00 $738 —
360–395 372 3 232.50–235.00 $233.39 $868 —
445 445 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,135 —
500–535 518 2 230.00–232.00 $231.03 $1,197 -14.00
655–660 657 4 225.00–231.00 $228.51 $1,501 —
775 775 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,690 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
462 462 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,201 —
560 560 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,456 +8.00
630 630 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,386 —
665 665 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,396 -21.99
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 207.00 $207.00 $828 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
221–235 225 4 242.00–250.00 $247.91 $558 —
275 275 1 242.50 $242.50 $667 —
350–381 371 6 234.00–250.00 $244.96 $909 -31.64
400–405 value added 402 11 250.00–255.00 $251.83 $1,012 —
420–448 433 12 237.00–249.00 $242.76 $1,051 —
450–467 value added 460 4 251.00–252.00 $251.49 $1,157 -9.41
458–481 470 12 238.00–248.00 $245.00 $1,152 +2.02
500–545 515 5 240.00–245.00 $242.00 $1,246 —
510–542 value added 518 11 250.00–264.00 $257.28 $1,333 -3.28
550–570 561 5 232.00–240.00 $238.43 $1,338 -3.20
615–627 value added 616 21 240.00–247.00 $246.32 $1,517 +1.50
617–620 619 4 219.00–220.00 $219.50 $1,359 -10.50
685–695 690 2 215.00–217.00 $215.99 $1,490 -14.01
715 715 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,430 —
730 value added 730 15 228.50 $228.50 $1,668 -5.00
755 value added 755 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,669 —
765–785 772 3 189.00–192.00 $190.98 $1,474 —
928 928 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,763 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 230.00 $230.00 $667 -12.50
315–320 318 2 229.00–230.00 $229.50 $730 —
350–380 362 3 210.00–220.00 $214.04 $775 -29.68
433 433 3 210.00 $210.00 $909 -24.37
462–490 480 8 200.00–232.50 $224.06 $1,075 —
503–512 508 4 220.00 $220.00 $1,118 -9.02
560–580 570 2 220.00–230.00 $224.91 $1,282 -1.05
620–637 629 4 188.00–202.00 $194.91 $1,226 —
653–695 666 6 185.00–202.00 $195.40 $1,301 -3.85
725 725 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,320 -8.02
750 750 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,282 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 216.00 $216.00 $810 —
415–420 417 3 192.00–201.00 $195.02 $813 -18.96
470 470 1 200.00 $200.00 $940 -9.08
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565–585 575 2 222.00–227.00 $224.54 $1,291 —
630 630 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,260 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–290 272 3 255.00–280.00 $264.91 $721 —
315 315 3 265.00 $265.00 $835 —
375–385 378 3 250.00–285.00 $261.87 $990 -46.60
432–445 435 7 240.00–262.50 $250.64 $1,090 -22.56
455–490 473 6 245.00–260.00 $250.63 $1,185 -27.60
500–545 523 10 240.00–256.00 $245.35 $1,283 -37.15
555–595 571 10 235.00–240.00 $237.51 $1,356 -22.49
605–635 627 8 211.00–235.00 $224.38 $1,407 -2.24
650–670 667 6 220.00–224.00 $222.83 $1,486 -7.62
700–730 712 6 184.00–220.00 $206.36 $1,469 -8.76
760–785 773 2 202.00–205.00 $203.48 $1,573 +3.48
810 810 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,588 —
865 865 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,470 —
920 920 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,564 -17.00
990 990 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,683 —
1000 1000 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,560 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332–345 336 3 237.50–240.00 $238.35 $801 -16.65
415–447 432 4 220.00–240.00 $234.90 $1,015 +4.90
480 480 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,056 -22.02
515–542 533 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,173 —
615 615 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,279 +12.02
650–675 663 2 207.50–209.00 $208.24 $1,381 -3.26
750 750 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,282 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,144 —
567 567 2 224.00 $224.00 $1,270 —
600 600 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,278 —
965 965 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,660 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–395 378 2 214.00–215.00 $214.48 $811 —
455 455 1 200.00 $200.00 $910 -15.45
515–535 525 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,102 +7.01
575 575 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,242 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1275 1275 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 2,160.00 $2,160.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1240 1177 80-85% 5 143.00–147.00 $144.76 $1,704 +0.84
1125–1260 1193 80-85% 5 135.00–140.00 $138.05 $1,647 -5.87
1110–1560 1297 80-85% 15 152.00–183.00 $164.47 $2,133 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1350 1275 75-80% 4 144.00–146.00 $145.08 $1,850 —
1170–1675 1422 75-80% 10 149.00–160.00 $154.54 $2,198 +17.64
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965 965 85-90% 2 100.00–102.00 $101.00 $975 —
915–1210 1053 85-90% 8 116.00–132.00 $125.05 $1,317 —
1030–1090 1068 85-90% 3 133.00–144.50 $137.38 $1,467 +13.57

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1940 1566 4 157.50–169.00 $165.97 $2,599 —
1470–1940 1645 3 172.00–182.50 $176.13 $2,897 +17.07

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
950–1305 1148 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 142.00–149.00 $146.16 $1,678

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060 1060 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1045–1160 1103 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,600.00–1,750.00 $1,671.09
1095–1180 fancy 1138 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,100.00–2,375.00 $2,242.64
1110–1220 1165 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,750.00–1,850.00 $1,802.36
1180 fancy 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955–1080 1010 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,225.00–1,500.00 $1,367.05

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 fancy 855 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1275 1275 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00 -98.80
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1145 1145 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745 745 1 92.50 $92.50 $689 —

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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.