Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 6, 2024

630 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $236.95/cwt -5.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,238/hd at 522 lb · 31 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $242.00/cwt -2.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,140/hd at 471 lb · 27 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $266.04/cwt +18.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,255/hd at 472 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 630 765 961
Feeder cattle 513 626 773
Slaughter cattle 92 80 141
Replacement cattle 25 59 47

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and bull calves sold unevenly steady except 400-500 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher with good demand for weaned and thin-fleshed packages. Feeder heifers sold unevenly steady to 5.00 lower on 400-500 lbs with moderate demand. Yearlings lightly tested. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 lower with light to 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
325 325 1 300.00 $300.00 $975 -10.64
315–340 value added 328 2 300.00 $300.00 $984 -22.25
350–390 value added 372 8 300.00–320.00 $312.26 $1,162 -8.74
407–438 value added 423 8 310.00–320.00 $314.38 $1,330 +15.67
460 460 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,219 +5.16
452–485 value added 461 20 275.00–308.00 $290.97 $1,341 +22.45
537 537 2 254.00 $254.00 $1,364 -4.81
540 value added 540 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,485 -13.71
553 553 3 257.00 $257.00 $1,421 -1.05
566–591 value added 583 9 265.00 $265.00 $1,545 -5.00
603 value added 603 3 251.00 $251.00 $1,514 -28.97
627–645 631 5 243.00–245.00 $243.41 $1,536 -6.48
660–675 665 3 245.00–248.00 $246.02 $1,636 +6.02
720 720 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,692 +1.34
748 value added 748 4 252.00 $252.00 $1,885 -4.52
842 842 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,768 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,075 —
492 492 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,132 -10.00
505–535 520 2 235.00–250.00 $242.72 $1,262 -7.28
627 627 2 234.00 $234.00 $1,467 -0.82
830 830 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,494 -41.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,287 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800 800 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,440 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525 1525 1 151.00 $151.00 $2,303 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 275.00 $275.00 $632 —
285 285 2 255.00 $255.00 $727 +4.00
315–337 value added 324 5 270.00–278.00 $275.19 $892 +2.69
335 335 1 257.50 $257.50 $863 +10.00
365 value added 365 5 270.00–275.00 $271.00 $989 +8.50
352–395 375 17 240.00–265.00 $251.28 $942 +0.28
400–445 420 13 235.00–242.50 $238.96 $1,004 -1.57
405–440 value added 431 4 243.00–246.00 $244.00 $1,052 -19.62
451–470 value added 458 15 242.00–253.00 $247.29 $1,133 -3.19
475–495 487 12 230.00–242.00 $235.39 $1,146 -2.18
500–546 521 26 230.00–241.00 $235.52 $1,227 -4.09
507–543 value added 529 5 241.50–249.00 $244.38 $1,293 -1.81
562 value added 562 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,405 -3.20
556–595 571 16 230.00–242.00 $237.17 $1,354 +0.60
600–610 value added 602 8 230.00–232.00 $231.12 $1,391 -6.15
610–620 615 2 223.00–224.00 $223.50 $1,375 +0.27
671 671 3 215.00 $215.00 $1,443 -15.00
840 840 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,655 —
890 890 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,624 —
940 940 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,730 +4.00
945 945 3 197.00 $197.00 $1,862 +17.00
985–990 987 3 174.00–180.00 $177.99 $1,757 —
1010 1010 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,717 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–395 383 2 225.00–230.00 $227.58 $872 -3.55
405 405 1 233.00 $233.00 $944 —
475 475 2 221.00 $221.00 $1,050 -3.34
521–540 531 11 218.00–227.00 $222.19 $1,180 +2.19
560–585 573 2 210.00–221.00 $215.38 $1,234 -4.62
600–605 603 2 200.00–209.00 $204.48 $1,233 —
655–690 673 3 180.00–192.50 $187.47 $1,262 +7.47
700–730 711 7 156.00–180.00 $169.51 $1,205 -4.91
760 760 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,414 +5.49
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 200.00 $200.00 $720 -10.00
415–440 428 2 210.00–214.00 $212.06 $908 +0.43
520 520 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,040 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,235 —
635 635 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,334 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,912 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–245 230 2 272.50–285.00 $278.34 $640 -12.21
250 value added 250 2 300.00 $300.00 $750 —
322–345 330 7 270.00–290.00 $281.29 $928 -3.90
345 value added 345 8 324.00 $324.00 $1,118 —
360 360 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,044 -23.59
350–395 value added 373 2 310.00–320.00 $315.30 $1,176 —
400–445 value added 421 10 275.00–293.00 $282.24 $1,188 —
450–485 467 14 250.00–270.00 $261.10 $1,219 +15.82
455–481 value added 478 10 270.00–300.00 $272.95 $1,305 +10.95
500–541 value added 517 12 256.00–266.00 $260.03 $1,344 -1.90
500–546 534 10 240.00–260.00 $246.98 $1,319 +2.14
565 value added 565 1 253.00 $253.00 $1,429 -5.17
550–590 568 4 239.00–245.00 $243.55 $1,383 -0.31
600–635 607 15 223.00–236.00 $230.09 $1,397 +0.09
625–635 value added 628 3 237.00–239.00 $238.33 $1,497 —
655 value added 655 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,552 —
650–695 662 8 215.00–229.00 $223.79 $1,481 -6.72
700–747 722 11 203.00–220.00 $211.85 $1,530 +3.51
1200 1200 2 132.00 $132.00 $1,584 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 2 260.00 $260.00 $962 +10.26
435 435 2 247.50 $247.50 $1,077 —
505 505 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,096 —
555–590 567 3 229.00–230.00 $229.65 $1,302 -1.93
625–627 626 3 180.00–185.00 $181.66 $1,137 -28.34
655–675 664 7 209.00–215.00 $211.14 $1,402 +3.14
755–785 772 3 165.00–178.00 $170.98 $1,320 —
830 830 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,320 -13.00
945 945 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,162 -25.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 447 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,073 —
575 575 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,276 —
611–615 612 13 211.00–216.00 $214.84 $1,315 —
675 675 2 192.00 $192.00 $1,296 —
725 725 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,464 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 220.00 $220.00 $715 —
555–582 573 3 202.50–210.00 $207.58 $1,189 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1585 1408 75-80% 6 113.00–115.00 $114.11 $1,607 -8.31
1250–1785 1485 75-80% 14 115.50–120.50 $116.77 $1,734 —
1390–1800 1514 75-80% 7 107.00–112.00 $109.82 $1,663 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1320 1072 85-90% 9 93.50–99.50 $96.10 $1,030 -8.15
1045–1105 1075 85-90% 2 86.00–92.00 $88.92 $956 -15.33
940–1270 1174 85-90% 4 109.50–112.50 $111.39 $1,308 -3.79
995–1400 1208 85-90% 10 102.00–109.00 $105.04 $1,269 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1435 1285 80-85% 7 115.50–123.00 $117.84 $1,514 -7.17
1105–1585 1314 80-85% 5 113.00–115.00 $114.00 $1,498 —
1190–1525 1318 80-85% 3 105.00–108.00 $106.91 $1,409 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1225 1193 3 115.00–139.00 $129.17 $1,541 —
1090–1985 1548 7 143.00–157.00 $150.19 $2,325 —
1590–1695 1643 2 169.00–174.00 $171.58 $2,819 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885–1190 1003 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 150.00–160.00 $152.30 $1,528

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1095 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
955–1295 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,150.00–1,500.00 $1,324.23
1195 1195 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1415–1450 1433 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,600.00–2,050.00 $1,822.25

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985 985 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00

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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
1115–1295 1205 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,900.00–2,025.00 $1,967.17 —
1250–1430 1340 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,500.00 $2,500.00 +137.11

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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.