Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 16, 2024

567 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $244.34/cwt +16.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,260/hd at 516 lb · 30 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $245.29/cwt +5.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,160/hd at 473 lb · 23 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $251.21/cwt +5.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,091/hd at 434 lb · 17 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 567 497 598
Feeder cattle 430 379 468
Slaughter cattle 120 98 108
Replacement cattle 17 20 22

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers under 550 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned offerings; over 550 lbs lightly tested. Yearlings no test. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher with 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
330 value added 330 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,114 —
385 value added 385 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,270 —
402–435 413 3 260.00–275.00 $269.73 $1,114 +9.73
400–435 value added 420 10 280.00–320.00 $302.36 $1,270 +21.10
460–470 value added 465 2 277.50–282.50 $280.03 $1,302 +7.84
470–483 477 6 260.00–275.00 $263.99 $1,259 +7.39
500–520 value added 510 2 270.00–273.00 $271.53 $1,385 +3.54
521–547 528 8 253.00–254.00 $253.74 $1,340 -0.75
537–546 542 6 260.00–267.00 $265.18 $1,437 +10.69
562–585 value added 570 6 264.00–268.00 $266.63 $1,520 -13.37
565–581 575 7 254.00–260.00 $258.72 $1,488 +2.24
605–630 615 4 236.00–240.00 $237.24 $1,459 —
610–625 value added 621 4 243.00–247.00 $243.98 $1,515 -15.29
650–675 656 4 233.00–240.00 $238.20 $1,563 -1.80
700 700 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,582 —
780 780 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,716 —
935 935 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,935 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 237.50 $237.50 $629 —
335 335 1 277.50 $277.50 $930 —
480–490 485 2 240.00–250.00 $244.95 $1,188 +4.95
520 520 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,274 +9.00
572 572 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,293 —
640 640 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,389 -12.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,285 —
540 540 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,339 -2.00
565–585 578 3 258.00–259.00 $258.33 $1,493 +28.33
625 625 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,481 —
690 690 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,518 -12.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 215.00 $215.00 $742 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
195 195 1 330.00 $330.00 $644 —
205 value added 205 1 312.00 $312.00 $640 —
275–295 value added 285 3 282.50–292.00 $288.28 $822 —
300–337 value added 318 9 285.00–300.00 $294.97 $938 +21.02
322–335 328 5 274.00–279.00 $276.43 $907 +43.93
350 value added 350 1 285.00 $285.00 $998 -2.50
375–396 389 6 258.00–267.50 $261.05 $1,015 +30.05
410–430 420 2 241.00–245.00 $242.95 $1,020 +12.95
400–445 value added 436 15 250.00–260.00 $252.31 $1,100 +5.31
457–490 value added 469 14 246.00–250.00 $248.42 $1,165 +3.42
467–490 479 9 236.00–245.00 $240.42 $1,152 +2.85
500–528 value added 510 21 243.00–253.00 $247.60 $1,263 —
510–547 529 9 230.00–240.00 $236.75 $1,252 +9.30
555–570 value added 561 7 240.00–249.00 $243.64 $1,367 +3.64
550–592 577 5 230.00–239.00 $234.18 $1,351 +3.27
600–630 value added 609 15 231.00–242.50 $235.08 $1,432 -10.92
635 635 2 218.00 $218.00 $1,384 -1.00
655–670 666 6 220.00–227.00 $221.82 $1,477 -7.18
951 951 7 191.50 $191.50 $1,821 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–325 323 2 230.00–240.00 $234.96 $759 +12.46
377–395 385 5 222.50–250.00 $234.18 $902 +11.68
405–447 427 4 210.00–227.00 $219.49 $937 —
450–495 486 7 220.00–230.00 $227.37 $1,105 +8.04
500–540 513 5 216.00–229.00 $225.26 $1,156 +19.33
562–590 567 6 215.00–224.00 $222.44 $1,261 +21.18
640 640 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,318 +6.59
680 680 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,156 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,107 +27.00
592 592 5 237.00 $237.00 $1,403 +37.00
682 682 2 198.00 $198.00 $1,350 -9.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 215.00 $215.00 $774 —
490 490 1 200.00 $200.00 $980 —
540 540 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,134 —
550–575 556 4 204.00–210.00 $205.55 $1,143 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130 1130 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,723 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 301.00 $301.00 $707 -14.00
240 value added 240 1 320.00 $320.00 $768 —
265–295 value added 280 2 322.50–330.00 $326.45 $914 —
320 320 1 267.50 $267.50 $856 —
320–327 value added 324 4 325.00–326.00 $325.51 $1,055 —
355–390 368 3 277.50–295.00 $287.22 $1,057 +16.11
385 value added 385 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,232 —
415–440 value added 431 6 270.00–290.00 $282.52 $1,218 —
400–447 434 5 250.00–270.00 $260.90 $1,132 +3.62
450–490 value added 477 8 268.00–278.00 $273.37 $1,304 —
465–490 480 7 242.50–258.00 $251.74 $1,208 +1.74
502–530 523 9 240.00–266.00 $249.47 $1,305 -2.36
555 value added 555 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,443 —
550–595 573 12 238.00–250.00 $241.24 $1,382 -0.76
605–630 622 4 187.00–237.00 $222.64 $1,385 -3.92
605–645 value added 625 2 233.00–235.00 $234.03 $1,463 —
670–690 680 3 217.00–223.00 $219.97 $1,496 +7.45
700–735 722 6 191.00–226.00 $209.66 $1,514 +7.98
750–775 763 2 200.00–206.00 $203.05 $1,549 -17.95
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 230.00 $230.00 $897 +0.10
400–445 422 5 220.00–237.50 $232.88 $983 —
455 455 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,006 -4.64
505 505 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,136 +9.97
550–580 567 3 215.00–233.00 $225.01 $1,276 +15.01
710 710 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,207 —
760 760 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,216 —
835 835 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,420 —
870 870 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,140 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
566 566 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,330 —
622 622 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,462 —
650 650 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,365 —
767 767 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,588 —
880 880 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,505 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,043 +8.00
510–520 515 3 200.00–210.00 $203.33 $1,047 +0.67
565 565 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,130 +9.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1235 1108 80-85% 11 120.00–128.00 $124.62 $1,381 +6.57
1100–1130 1115 80-85% 2 114.00–117.00 $115.52 $1,288 -2.53
1005–1560 1263 80-85% 26 129.00–140.00 $133.22 $1,683 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1150 967 85-90% 3 90.00–94.50 $92.00 $890 —
805–1215 1029 85-90% 17 104.00–113.00 $108.37 $1,115 +7.06
890–1225 1065 85-90% 14 114.00–129.00 $120.86 $1,287 +12.63
945–1185 1070 85-90% 3 102.00–103.00 $102.34 $1,095 -5.89
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 75-80% 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,381 —
1285–1580 1382 75-80% 13 128.50–134.00 $129.84 $1,794 +3.97
1360–1555 1416 75-80% 7 121.00–127.00 $123.85 $1,754 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–2385 1651 4 146.00–162.00 $152.04 $2,510 —
1790–2060 1912 6 163.00–173.00 $167.70 $3,206 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
920–1280 1085 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 12 122.00–148.00 $131.71 $1,429

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1280 1280 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,535.00 $1,535.00
1095–1430 1330 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,500.00–1,725.00 $1,638.37
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080 1080 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,485.00 $1,485.00
1260 1260 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00

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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
1460 1460 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,275.00 $2,275.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1045 1045 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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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.