Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 2, 2024

512 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $254.75/cwt ≈ $2,025/hd at 795 lb · 63 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $274.73/cwt -3.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,293/hd at 471 lb · 18 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $235.73/cwt -28.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,336/hd at 567 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 512 619 612
Feeder cattle 419 462 423
Slaughter cattle 75 94 119
Replacement cattle 18 63 70

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold steady to 5.00 higher on good quality weaned 400-600 lb packages. Very good demand for yearling steers in a limited comparison. Feeder heifers sold steady to 5.00 lower with moderate demand. More single head lots and more plain to average quality calves this week compared to last week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady in a limited comparison.

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
280 value added 280 1 302.00 $302.00 $846 —
347 347 2 270.00 $270.00 $937 —
365–375 370 2 280.00–311.00 $295.71 $1,094 +5.71
420–435 426 6 260.00–272.00 $269.04 $1,146 +12.04
453–495 470 8 260.00–261.00 $260.51 $1,224 -7.49
465–475 value added 471 10 279.00–293.00 $286.11 $1,348 +4.19
500–521 value added 514 6 260.00–275.00 $264.87 $1,361 +0.07
515–545 524 4 251.00–260.00 $253.34 $1,328 —
563–565 563 7 250.00–260.00 $258.57 $1,456 +8.01
603 value added 603 3 241.00 $241.00 $1,453 -0.88
600–635 618 4 231.00–237.00 $234.46 $1,449 +0.96
740 740 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,547 —
795 value added 795 63 254.75 $254.75 $2,025 —
895 895 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,790 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 2 265.00 $265.00 $649 —
325 325 1 247.50 $247.50 $804 —
375 375 1 231.00 $231.00 $866 +1.00
400 400 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,020 +11.00
455–470 463 2 234.00–240.00 $236.95 $1,097 —
505–540 526 5 220.00–240.00 $231.74 $1,219 -8.73
550–581 571 6 216.00–240.00 $227.32 $1,298 -7.38
600–637 627 4 200.00–225.00 $216.48 $1,357 +10.95
653–655 654 4 224.00–226.00 $225.50 $1,475 —
700 700 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,337 -20.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307 307 4 209.00 $209.00 $642 —
390 390 1 200.00 $200.00 $780 -10.00
575 575 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,150 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,313 —
585 585 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,457 —
655 655 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,467 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275 1275 1 181.00 $181.00 $2,308 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
237 value added 237 2 261.00 $261.00 $619 —
330–337 335 3 230.00–232.50 $231.68 $776 -11.32
355–387 378 5 230.00–235.00 $232.15 $878 -17.16
415–430 421 5 230.00 $230.00 $968 —
405–442 value added 436 6 240.00–247.50 $241.16 $1,051 -12.43
455–477 464 5 229.00–236.00 $232.27 $1,078 -6.28
475–490 value added 485 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,164 —
500–540 514 4 225.00–230.00 $227.57 $1,170 -3.62
512–535 value added 526 9 238.00–244.00 $239.79 $1,261 —
552–555 value added 552 7 238.00–242.00 $241.43 $1,333 -24.93
565–586 580 8 230.00–236.00 $230.75 $1,338 +3.28
620 value added 620 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,463 -2.00
965 965 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,544 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–340 325 2 215.00–220.00 $217.38 $706 +2.49
350–370 357 3 220.00–221.00 $220.35 $787 —
410 410 1 220.00 $220.00 $902 —
465–490 481 7 214.00–220.00 $216.25 $1,040 -3.23
500–540 520 2 210.00–220.00 $215.19 $1,119 +3.33
585 585 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,170 -22.07
605 605 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,210 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 2 202.00 $202.00 $586 —
400 400 1 205.00 $205.00 $820 -5.00
526 526 3 187.00 $187.00 $984 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,113 -7.00
587 587 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,291 ±0.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 2 280.00 $280.00 $826 —
370–390 379 4 250.00–285.00 $273.55 $1,037 +13.55
420–435 fancy 428 2 250.00–280.00 $265.26 $1,135 —
420–445 433 2 240.00–250.00 $245.14 $1,061 -9.63
450–455 value added 453 2 270.00–279.00 $274.48 $1,243 +6.48
455–495 472 7 239.00–260.00 $249.21 $1,176 -6.42
500 value added 500 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,355 +16.00
522–535 526 3 250.00–254.00 $252.64 $1,329 +15.44
550–575 559 10 234.00–255.00 $242.41 $1,355 +3.82
610–640 625 3 217.00–220.00 $219.00 $1,369 +8.35
665 665 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,396 -5.71
730 730 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,241 -31.81
770 770 2 176.00 $176.00 $1,355 —
820 820 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,369 +7.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 260.00 $260.00 $559 —
327–347 337 4 242.50–267.00 $255.11 $860 +30.11
375 375 1 237.50 $237.50 $891 +9.71
420–443 437 5 228.00–245.00 $231.67 $1,012 —
450–485 472 5 220.00–231.00 $227.67 $1,075 —
505–543 534 5 220.00–230.00 $222.00 $1,185 +1.99
575–585 580 2 209.00–230.00 $219.41 $1,273 -9.39
600 600 4 200.00–210.00 $207.50 $1,245 —
660–670 663 3 194.00–220.00 $211.25 $1,401 +29.25
730 730 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,278 +3.00
925 925 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,424 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 215.00 $215.00 $677 —
365–372 370 3 217.00–226.00 $223.04 $825 —
450–457 455 3 216.00–225.00 $218.97 $996 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 257.00 $257.00 $784 —
600 600 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,200 —
680 680 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,414 -1.66

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1070 958 85-90% 2 91.00–93.00 $92.12 $883 —
870–1205 1010 85-90% 7 96.00–101.00 $99.24 $1,002 +1.10
930–1230 1065 85-90% 9 104.00–112.00 $108.19 $1,152 +2.58
995–1205 1109 85-90% 7 113.00–120.00 $114.89 $1,274 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1375 1258 80-85% 3 110.00–116.00 $112.48 $1,415 —
1035–1525 1280 80-85% 8 124.00–139.00 $130.10 $1,665 —
1155–1410 1281 80-85% 6 118.00–123.00 $120.78 $1,547 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1480 1413 75-80% 2 117.00–118.00 $117.48 $1,660 +0.37
1315–1605 1470 75-80% 12 122.00–133.00 $127.13 $1,869 —
1340–1680 1510 75-80% 2 104.00–111.00 $107.11 $1,617 -17.65

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1370 1370 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,904 —
1435–1795 1615 2 158.00 $158.00 $2,552 —
1670–2345 1965 4 159.00–170.50 $166.17 $3,265 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
945–1325 1070 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 123.00–148.00 $137.82 $1,475

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000 1000 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1110–1425 1294 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,450.00–1,725.00 $1,636.67
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785–1340 1088 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,075.00–1,350.00 $1,239.05

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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.