Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 4, 2024

974 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $256.06/cwt +26.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,974/hd at 771 lb · 146 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $277.75/cwt +15.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,855/hd at 668 lb · 81 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $246.81/cwt -5.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,175/hd at 476 lb · 34 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 974 467 1,281
Feeder cattle 896 310 1,176
Slaughter cattle 65 119 89
Replacement cattle 13 38 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold steady to 5.00 higher on weaned offerings with good demand for long-weaned packages and yearlings. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 lower with moderate demand. Fleshy, off-color, bawling, and short-weaned calves facing discounts. Buyers showing preference for long-weaned preconditioned calf packages and yearlings. Many new crop calves starting to show up this week and buyers discounting soft tender calves due to health concerns over fall weather and short grass. Slaughter cows sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady with moderate to 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
380 380 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,064 —
403–445 426 7 250.00–260.00 $255.50 $1,088 -20.57
460–490 468 24 245.00–267.00 $259.37 $1,214 —
506–530 515 10 240.00–257.00 $246.25 $1,268 +1.25
550–587 value added 566 7 260.00 $260.00 $1,472 —
605–620 614 5 238.00–247.00 $241.55 $1,483 —
668 value added 668 81 277.75 $277.75 $1,855 +12.75
762–780 value added 771 143 253.10–260.00 $256.52 $1,978 —
775 775 3 234.00 $234.00 $1,814 +4.00
864 864 26 235.00 $235.00 $2,030 +25.00
1013 1013 85 216.75 $216.75 $2,196 —
1159 1159 140 206.10 $206.10 $2,389 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470–493 485 5 240.00–250.00 $247.46 $1,200 —
547 547 2 241.00 $241.00 $1,318 +1.00
630 630 3 222.00–233.00 $229.33 $1,445 -5.67
675–690 683 3 181.00–222.50 $198.67 $1,357 —
761–770 762 12 220.00–229.00 $228.24 $1,739 -1.76
887 887 5 205.00 $205.00 $1,818 —
945 945 3 194.00 $194.00 $1,833 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 15 254.50 $254.50 $1,425 —
621 value added 621 3 249.00 $249.00 $1,546 —
620–645 626 4 224.00–240.00 $235.88 $1,477 +5.88
705 705 8 220.00 $220.00 $1,551 -4.00
760 760 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,687 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1270 1268 2 150.00–162.00 $156.01 $1,978 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 2 243.00–245.00 $244.00 $598 -6.00
290 290 1 256.00 $256.00 $742 —
305–330 315 3 231.00–247.00 $240.30 $757 -4.70
355–395 380 14 234.00–255.00 $245.94 $935 +17.94
405–445 425 2 230.00–240.00 $235.24 $1,000 -6.41
434 fancy 434 7 254.00 $254.00 $1,102 —
420–441 value added 436 4 250.00–254.00 $253.04 $1,103 -8.11
452–460 value added 457 5 244.00–253.00 $247.56 $1,131 -15.12
460–485 477 6 230.00–240.00 $233.95 $1,116 -12.39
480 fancy 480 23 250.00 $250.00 $1,200 —
505–541 value added 523 6 240.00–241.00 $240.52 $1,258 -15.48
500–545 533 19 230.00–239.00 $236.61 $1,261 -3.32
552–587 577 8 227.00–238.00 $232.40 $1,341 -3.70
600 600 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,380 —
655–685 678 7 220.00–230.00 $227.18 $1,540 —
775 775 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,566 —
800 800 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,592 +11.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–315 313 2 217.50–220.00 $218.76 $685 -1.24
350–390 370 2 200.00 $200.00 $740 -5.88
430–440 438 6 200.00–222.00 $212.81 $932 —
452–485 465 6 208.00–225.00 $217.85 $1,013 —
500–530 520 11 190.00–220.00 $211.60 $1,100 +1.83
600–601 601 7 185.00–210.00 $193.57 $1,163 -26.43
650–677 670 5 185.00–216.00 $196.00 $1,313 +10.00
710–735 723 2 180.00–182.00 $181.02 $1,309 —
885 885 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,655 —
980 980 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,372 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575–582 580 6 200.00–231.00 $220.47 $1,279 +1.47
605 605 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,331 —
660 660 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,320 +19.86
712 712 8 200.00 $200.00 $1,424 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 200.00 $200.00 $670 —
440 440 1 205.00 $205.00 $902 —
565 565 2 192.50 $192.50 $1,088 —

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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 1 261.00 $261.00 $731 +21.00
340 340 1 252.50 $252.50 $858 -27.50
358–380 369 5 265.00–270.00 $266.41 $983 -3.59
420–432 426 5 250.00–260.00 $256.38 $1,092 +10.88
450–475 459 7 240.00–267.00 $256.64 $1,178 —
505–542 520 5 230.00–245.00 $238.74 $1,241 —
560–590 575 2 215.00–230.00 $222.30 $1,278 —
600 600 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,260 -7.48
652–677 666 6 200.00–212.00 $206.80 $1,377 -7.20
750 750 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,508 -8.67
840 840 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,655 -4.35
890 890 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,914 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 240.00 $240.00 $936 —
440 440 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,021 —
540 540 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,177 -10.26
550–590 570 3 200.00–217.00 $208.88 $1,191 -19.14
680 680 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,292 -15.88
920 920 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,380 —
980 980 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,637 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
587 587 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,215 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 191.00 $191.00 $993 -20.39

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780–1030 931 85-90% 5 97.00–102.00 $100.76 $938 —
715–1220 939 85-90% 8 104.00–112.00 $108.28 $1,017 —
935–1170 1091 85-90% 5 113.00–121.00 $116.36 $1,269 -17.19
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1290 1158 80-85% 5 126.00–134.00 $130.22 $1,508 —
1005–1245 1171 80-85% 4 121.00–125.00 $123.18 $1,442 —
1135–1410 1244 80-85% 6 136.00–149.00 $141.18 $1,756 +3.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1420 1303 75-80% 3 127.00–132.00 $129.74 $1,691 —
1300–1705 1447 75-80% 5 133.00–138.00 $135.29 $1,958 -2.46
1240–1695 1468 75-80% 2 124.00–126.00 $124.84 $1,833 -20.11

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1695 1345 4 135.00–147.00 $142.03 $1,910 —
1395–1920 1626 7 155.00–167.00 $161.30 $2,623 -20.96
1520–2055 1742 5 168.00–194.00 $176.87 $3,081 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
755–910 833 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,000.00–1,050.00 $1,022.67
1020 1020 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1180 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00

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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
1155 1155 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
790 790 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 975.00 $975.00 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 107.00 $107.00 $524 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 1 132.50 $132.50 $742 —

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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.