Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 25, 2024

619 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $264.09/cwt +36.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,505/hd at 570 lb · 103 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $226.71/cwt +11.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,407/hd at 621 lb · 22 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $264.80/cwt +0.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,385/hd at 523 lb · 18 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 619 441 1,301
Feeder cattle 462 336 1,078
Slaughter cattle 94 61 172
Replacement cattle 63 44 51

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold mostly 3.00 to 8.00 higher with good demand for weaned packages. Yearlings lightly tested. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower with moderate 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
365 value added 365 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,022 +15.00
365 365 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,058 +20.00
400 400 1 257.00 $257.00 $1,028 +5.47
405–445 value added 421 6 272.50–301.00 $281.61 $1,186 +5.65
450–462 value added 457 5 276.00–290.00 $281.92 $1,288 +8.05
485 485 2 265.00–271.00 $268.00 $1,300 —
500–535 value added 523 18 260.00–279.00 $264.80 $1,385 +0.77
553–555 value added 554 4 260.00 $260.00 $1,440 —
551–586 567 10 246.00–256.00 $250.56 $1,421 +0.56
623–632 value added 627 11 237.00–246.00 $241.88 $1,517 —
635–640 638 2 233.00–234.00 $233.50 $1,490 +5.45
655 655 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,546 —
706 value added 706 13 240.25 $240.25 $1,696 —
1085 1085 1 199.00 $199.00 $2,159 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 230.00 $230.00 $862 -22.50
427 427 2 244.00 $244.00 $1,042 —
500–545 513 9 240.00–244.00 $240.47 $1,234 —
565–590 573 3 229.00–238.00 $234.70 $1,345 -0.72
600–610 608 5 200.00–228.00 $205.53 $1,250 —
720 720 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,519 —
805 805 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,658 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605 605 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,295 —
740–749 748 9 209.00–229.50 $227.25 $1,700 —
877 877 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,815 —
1155 1155 6 186.00 $186.00 $2,148 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 202.50 $202.50 $476 —
390 390 1 210.00 $210.00 $819 —
480 480 2 190.00–220.00 $205.00 $984 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222 222 2 272.50 $272.50 $605 —
255–265 260 2 225.00–260.00 $242.84 $631 -2.16
320 320 1 243.00 $243.00 $778 +3.00
330–345 value added 335 3 255.00–267.00 $262.88 $881 +17.88
350–375 value added 363 2 255.00–263.00 $258.86 $940 +6.51
375–390 383 3 248.00–251.00 $249.31 $955 +7.94
415–442 value added 431 7 247.00–257.00 $253.59 $1,093 +4.74
460–495 481 10 230.00–241.00 $238.55 $1,147 +3.77
505–542 526 12 224.00–236.00 $231.19 $1,216 -2.63
550–595 568 6 226.00–232.00 $227.47 $1,292 -0.32
563–570 value added 570 97 246.00–267.00 $266.36 $1,518 —
605 605 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,270 +4.62
630 value added 630 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,499 —
675 675 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,390 +11.00
705 705 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,424 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 268 3 242.00 $242.00 $649 -0.50
325–335 330 3 210.00–222.00 $214.89 $709 -11.11
395 395 1 208.00 $208.00 $822 -15.66
455–495 486 7 201.00–224.00 $219.48 $1,067 +5.85
500–527 518 3 208.00–220.00 $211.86 $1,097 —
550–590 570 2 220.00–224.00 $222.07 $1,266 +0.70
710–725 718 2 190.00–195.00 $192.47 $1,382 +20.47
760 760 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,429 —
855 855 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,402 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 2 235.00 $235.00 $705 —
452 452 2 243.00 $243.00 $1,098 +13.00
525 525 2 217.00 $217.00 $1,139 -15.00
580 580 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,276 —
612–645 621 4 200.00–220.00 $212.58 $1,320 —
678 678 3 206.00 $206.00 $1,397 +22.00
705 705 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,445 —
801 801 4 182.00 $182.00 $1,458 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 210.00 $210.00 $850 —
455–465 460 2 203.00–210.00 $206.46 $950 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–335 323 2 270.00–280.00 $274.81 $888 +9.47
380 380 1 260.00 $260.00 $988 +10.00
405 value added 405 1 272.00 $272.00 $1,102 +13.46
405–408 407 4 245.00–258.00 $254.77 $1,037 —
455 value added 455 1 268.00 $268.00 $1,219 —
450–480 470 7 251.00–260.00 $255.63 $1,201 +14.88
510 value added 510 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,300 —
527–542 538 7 230.00–240.00 $237.20 $1,276 -2.80
550 value added 550 2 257.00 $257.00 $1,414 —
550–581 574 5 238.00–240.00 $238.59 $1,370 +4.36
600–643 value added 618 19 224.00–234.00 $229.25 $1,417 —
620–647 638 3 210.00–212.00 $210.65 $1,344 -4.13
670–685 678 2 212.50–219.00 $215.71 $1,463 +14.71
700–730 715 8 196.00–207.00 $201.81 $1,443 -7.19
835 835 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,336 -11.00
836 836 3 166.00 $166.00 $1,388 -5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 225.00 $225.00 $742 —
366–385 371 4 220.00–250.00 $227.79 $845 -1.08
500–505 503 3 218.00–221.00 $220.01 $1,107 -4.99
560–565 562 5 228.00–230.00 $228.80 $1,286 +15.42
665 665 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,210 —
735 735 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,264 +1.00
770 770 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,294 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,079 —
635–640 638 3 185.00–211.00 $202.38 $1,291 —
662–695 673 3 209.00–210.00 $209.66 $1,411 —
715 715 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,437 +7.00
835 835 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,378 -10.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 2 175.00 $175.00 $989 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–1015 900 85-90% 3 83.00–92.00 $88.48 $796 —
940–1105 1011 85-90% 8 94.50–101.50 $98.14 $992 —
845–1420 1087 85-90% 18 102.00–109.00 $105.61 $1,148 —
1180–1260 1230 85-90% 4 110.00–125.00 $117.25 $1,442 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1585 1338 75-80% 6 110.00–114.50 $112.63 $1,507 —
1175–1895 1445 75-80% 7 114.00–119.50 $117.11 $1,692 —
1325–1705 1500 75-80% 10 122.00–127.50 $124.76 $1,871 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1250 1195 80-85% 5 110.00–113.00 $111.24 $1,329 -6.75
1130–1435 1232 80-85% 7 112.00–120.00 $115.37 $1,421 —
1150–1610 1304 80-85% 10 120.50–137.00 $126.04 $1,644 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1165 1140 3 118.00–142.00 $130.66 $1,490 —
1170–1735 1497 3 151.00–160.00 $157.30 $2,355 —
1600–1895 1736 11 161.00–172.00 $165.47 $2,873 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930–1240 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 1,200.00–1,450.00 $1,330.50
1020–1235 1149 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 1,100.00–1,435.00 $1,276.45
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1100–1285 1193 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,850.00–2,000.00 $1,919.18
1200 1200 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00
1105–1610 1282 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,600.00–2,000.00 $1,771.30

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
720 720 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
770 770 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $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
1355–1570 1484 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 1,700.00–1,950.00 $1,847.36 —
1495 1495 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —
1560 1560 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1215–1440 1312 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,000.00–2,200.00 $2,092.50 —

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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.