Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 11, 2024

774 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $249.64/cwt +17.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,416/hd at 567 lb · 100 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $239.16/cwt +9.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,512/hd at 632 lb · 90 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $249.01/cwt +11.46 vs last sale · ≈ $1,342/hd at 539 lb · 78 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 774 974 1,033
Feeder cattle 679 896 884
Slaughter cattle 67 65 120
Replacement cattle 28 13 29

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday weaned feeder steers under 600 lbs sold steady with moderate to good demand; fleshy, off-color and bawling steer and bull calves facing deep discounts. Steers over 600 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower in a lite test. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Heifers over 600 lbs limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 10.00 lower with light demand. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower with moderate 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
357–385 379 9 257.00–282.00 $266.83 $1,011 -13.17
385 value added 385 2 272.00 $272.00 $1,047 —
400 value added 400 4 266.00 $266.00 $1,064 —
400–445 429 11 250.00–260.00 $255.60 $1,097 +0.10
457 value added 457 2 261.00 $261.00 $1,193 —
450–482 474 14 240.00–250.00 $243.57 $1,155 -15.80
509 509 7 245.00 $245.00 $1,247 -1.25
511–546 value added 523 9 262.50–269.00 $267.94 $1,401 —
551–571 value added 560 9 260.00–261.00 $260.55 $1,459 +0.55
567–580 574 4 230.00–240.00 $237.47 $1,363 —
600–632 621 13 224.00–233.00 $229.75 $1,427 -11.80
690 690 4 226.00 $226.00 $1,559 —
725 725 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,595 —
759 value added 759 6 229.50 $229.50 $1,742 -27.02
760–766 763 6 206.00–221.00 $213.47 $1,629 -20.53
805–830 818 2 206.00–215.00 $210.43 $1,721 —
851–860 853 4 216.00–220.00 $218.99 $1,868 -16.01
917 917 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,926 —
1060 1060 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,696 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 245.00 $245.00 $956 —
425–445 434 5 225.00–229.00 $226.57 $983 —
490 490 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,127 -17.46
511–520 513 4 220.00–230.00 $222.53 $1,142 -18.47
605–635 620 3 195.00–217.00 $203.36 $1,261 -25.97
700–740 710 6 187.50–210.00 $202.94 $1,441 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500–540 507 9 218.00–236.00 $223.47 $1,133 —
554–590 564 7 224.00–230.00 $228.21 $1,287 -26.29
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 2 207.00 $207.00 $791 —
440 440 1 225.00 $225.00 $990 —
480 480 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,027 —
565–582 576 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,152 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222–227 225 6 232.50–247.00 $242.24 $545 -1.76
250 250 1 231.00 $231.00 $578 —
305–340 326 7 217.00–246.00 $235.77 $769 -4.53
365–390 378 7 230.00–250.00 $242.52 $917 -3.42
402–411 value added 406 12 236.00–250.00 $244.09 $991 -8.95
402–438 424 5 226.00–231.00 $227.90 $966 -7.34
457 value added 457 2 241.00 $241.00 $1,101 -6.56
455–490 474 9 227.00–235.00 $232.12 $1,100 -1.83
520 520 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,186 -8.61
510–542 value added 539 77 230.00–250.50 $249.28 $1,344 +8.76
567 value added 567 90 252.10 $252.10 $1,429 —
555–595 571 10 222.00–229.00 $227.47 $1,299 -4.93
610–631 value added 631 75 228.00–243.25 $243.05 $1,534 —
600–645 638 15 216.00–222.00 $219.72 $1,402 —
655–681 676 12 200.00–219.00 $203.81 $1,378 -23.37
705 705 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,452 —
750 750 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,448 -9.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 190.00 $190.00 $560 —
370–395 385 3 180.00–190.00 $186.80 $719 -13.20
445 445 1 216.00 $216.00 $961 +3.19
450–490 474 17 200.00–220.00 $209.00 $991 -8.85
500–540 520 11 190.00–214.00 $204.51 $1,063 -7.09
550–567 561 3 190.00–220.00 $210.20 $1,179 —
731 731 3 150.00 $150.00 $1,096 -31.02
800 800 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,280 —
855 855 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,291 -36.00
900 900 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,242 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,254 —
585–590 588 3 215.00–220.00 $218.34 $1,284 -2.13
615 615 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,292 -10.00
710 710 4 186.00 $186.00 $1,321 -14.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 205.00 $205.00 $953 —
915 915 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,190 —

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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 1 250.00 $250.00 $550 —
285 285 1 252.00 $252.00 $718 -9.00
330 330 2 260.00 $260.00 $858 +7.50
370 370 1 250.00 $250.00 $925 -16.41
410–427 418 7 235.00–251.00 $242.78 $1,015 -13.60
410–445 value added 428 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,113 —
470–495 485 6 230.00–241.00 $234.07 $1,135 -22.57
500–543 531 17 218.00–235.00 $223.00 $1,184 -15.74
555–590 563 10 215.00–237.00 $230.29 $1,297 +7.99
605–645 632 6 200.00–221.00 $209.49 $1,324 -0.51
655–685 666 6 192.00–214.00 $204.54 $1,362 -2.26
701–715 704 5 215.00 $215.00 $1,514 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–322 321 3 212.50–225.00 $216.65 $695 —
355 355 1 222.00 $222.00 $788 -18.00
400 400 1 230.00 $230.00 $920 —
540 540 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,107 -13.00
560–590 575 2 204.00–210.00 $206.92 $1,190 -1.96
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480–490 483 3 200.00–207.00 $203.16 $981 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,228 —
685 685 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,308 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 85-90% 1 87.00 $87.00 $626 —
955–1045 1013 85-90% 3 98.00–102.00 $99.94 $1,012 —
795–1230 1053 85-90% 11 102.00–112.00 $107.10 $1,128 —
975–1315 1148 85-90% 8 114.00–129.00 $119.74 $1,375 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1375 1185 80-85% 8 114.00–121.00 $117.08 $1,387 -6.10
1025–1430 1232 80-85% 12 121.00–133.00 $125.95 $1,552 -15.23
1065–1525 1282 80-85% 3 108.00–109.00 $108.60 $1,392 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1245 1218 75-80% 2 108.00–110.00 $108.98 $1,327 —
1205–1670 1411 75-80% 7 121.50–126.50 $124.52 $1,757 —
1115–1900 1439 75-80% 7 115.00–120.00 $118.00 $1,698 -17.29

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1525 1423 2 156.00–163.00 $159.25 $2,266 —
1355–1980 1711 5 165.00–168.00 $166.49 $2,849 -10.38

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1150 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00

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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
1225–1415 1314 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 1,800.00–2,500.00 $2,096.54 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1160–1235 1198 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,525.00–1,600.00 $1,563.67 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840 840 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,134 —

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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.