Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 4, 2024

704 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $274.33/cwt +37.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,926/hd at 702 lb · 81 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $254.64/cwt +10.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,330/hd at 522 lb · 41 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $255.42/cwt +2.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,735/hd at 679 lb · 37 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 704 577 1,068
Feeder cattle 592 461 930
Slaughter cattle 89 73 118
Replacement cattle 23 43 20

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparison with last week due to stockyards closed for Holiday; however market noticeably to sharply higher on weaned calf packages and yearlings than two weeks ago with very good demand. Market very active for all classes. Good demand for slaughter cows and bulls.

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
320 fancy 320 1 387.00 $387.00 $1,238 —
323–345 value added 329 5 350.00–372.50 $366.30 $1,205 —
365–385 value added 378 4 340.00–362.50 $353.92 $1,338 +32.12
420 420 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,197 +8.72
400–445 value added 423 16 332.50–365.00 $339.10 $1,434 +46.60
450–490 value added 468 5 292.50–337.50 $318.02 $1,488 +36.54
486–490 486 11 279.00–288.50 $287.63 $1,398 +25.21
515 fancy 515 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,764 —
520–537 value added 533 16 283.00–296.00 $288.85 $1,540 +19.90
540–545 542 3 264.00–278.00 $268.70 $1,456 +10.45
560–586 value added 584 16 280.00–295.00 $294.10 $1,718 +28.63
580–595 586 15 274.00 $274.00 $1,606 +19.05
605–632 624 4 250.00–252.50 $251.51 $1,569 +10.32
600–640 value added 626 17 262.50–275.00 $270.11 $1,691 +16.30
663–685 value added 673 25 253.00–261.00 $257.59 $1,734 +3.48
660–695 692 12 244.00–251.50 $250.90 $1,736 +4.65
702 fancy 702 79 275.00 $275.00 $1,930 —
712 712 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,766 +15.60
753–790 765 6 233.00–236.00 $234.03 $1,790 —
827 827 2 227.00 $227.00 $1,877 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
716 value added 716 11 253.00 $253.00 $1,811 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450–465 458 2 250.00–255.00 $252.54 $1,157 -1.07
505–545 525 2 255.00–261.00 $257.89 $1,354 +18.42
620 620 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,426 -8.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365 1365 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,952 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 320 3 245.00–260.00 $254.48 $814 +7.44
365 value added 365 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,022 +6.79
370–387 379 5 250.00–265.00 $256.13 $971 +6.75
400–440 427 3 245.00–250.00 $248.44 $1,061 +8.44
417–445 value added 437 30 262.00–286.00 $268.80 $1,175 +20.40
465 fancy 465 2 292.50 $292.50 $1,360 —
455–495 480 4 240.00–250.00 $244.87 $1,175 +6.60
475–491 value added 486 6 255.00–272.50 $258.85 $1,258 +8.19
500–540 value added 520 32 250.00–265.00 $257.65 $1,340 +10.35
505–547 530 9 240.00–249.00 $243.96 $1,293 +4.48
555–564 value added 563 9 250.00–255.00 $254.01 $1,430 +8.01
560–594 585 17 238.00–246.00 $241.19 $1,411 +5.72
615 615 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,414 +2.57
606–632 value added 617 12 240.50–250.00 $244.77 $1,510 +7.45
660–669 669 18 233.00–238.00 $233.27 $1,561 +14.78
700 700 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,418 -8.32
820–825 823 3 193.00–203.00 $199.68 $1,643 +5.68
896 896 3 191.00 $191.00 $1,711 -6.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–345 340 2 242.50–245.00 $243.73 $829 +13.73
350–395 368 3 240.00 $240.00 $883 +20.00
400–435 420 4 227.50–242.50 $233.74 $982 +6.14
500–507 505 4 233.00–237.00 $234.25 $1,183 +14.25
595 595 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,324 -1.61
643 643 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,415 +9.33
655–675 665 2 197.00–206.00 $201.57 $1,340 -3.37
740 740 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,443 —
770 770 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,471 —
825–840 833 2 175.00–180.00 $177.52 $1,479 +5.02
900 900 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,368 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 252.00 $252.00 $958 —
510 510 2 228.00 $228.00 $1,163 —
570 570 1 246.00 $246.00 $1,402 +21.98
600 600 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,374 —
760 760 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,520 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 217.00 $217.00 $911 +17.00
520 520 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,066 —
565 565 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,186 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1135 1063 2 150.00–160.00 $154.66 $1,644 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 fancy 225 1 350.00 $350.00 $788 —
375 375 1 322.50 $322.50 $1,209 +46.50
410–440 value added 425 2 300.00–330.00 $314.47 $1,336 +42.34
415–440 427 3 272.50–290.00 $279.00 $1,191 +19.00
455–490 value added 470 3 280.00–317.00 $300.27 $1,411 +28.33
485–490 486 5 252.50–280.00 $264.99 $1,288 +13.76
500–545 524 6 249.00–259.00 $254.86 $1,335 +4.94
500–535 value added 526 7 260.00–272.50 $264.93 $1,394 -1.64
555–585 570 2 257.50–260.00 $258.78 $1,475 +6.15
605–625 value added 615 2 246.00 $246.00 $1,513 +0.51
668 value added 668 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,603 +0.98
670–695 679 8 225.00–237.00 $228.55 $1,552 +8.95
710 value added 710 2 234.00 $234.00 $1,661 —
736 736 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,619 +17.00
860 860 2 194.00 $194.00 $1,668 —
975 975 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,560 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–487 479 4 230.00–235.00 $231.19 $1,107 -6.01
525–542 536 3 240.00–250.00 $243.26 $1,304 —
565–585 575 5 240.00–244.00 $242.40 $1,394 +8.90
600 600 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,260 +17.00
676–680 677 4 200.00–218.00 $204.52 $1,385 +0.35
700–722 710 5 204.00–218.00 $212.07 $1,506 —
760–770 765 2 205.00–211.00 $207.98 $1,591 —
910 910 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,547 —
995 995 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,542 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–545 529 4 200.00–216.00 $208.68 $1,104 —
550 550 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,100 —
635 635 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,143 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,386 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1330 1176 80-85% 7 114.00–120.00 $117.10 $1,377 —
1150–1375 1274 80-85% 8 120.50–127.00 $125.21 $1,595 +13.12
1145–1575 1403 80-85% 13 128.00–137.50 $131.51 $1,845 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1625 1388 75-80% 7 110.00–118.00 $114.83 $1,594 +3.21
1185–1615 1445 75-80% 11 120.00–127.00 $124.20 $1,795 —
1375–1745 1556 75-80% 5 129.00–137.50 $133.09 $2,071 +13.87
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1095 975 85-90% 4 85.00–92.50 $89.08 $869 +1.29
855–1315 1032 85-90% 11 93.00–102.00 $98.45 $1,016 -3.66
845–1185 1041 85-90% 4 102.00–110.00 $106.69 $1,111 +4.58
1045–1100 1080 85-90% 3 114.50–117.50 $116.53 $1,259 +21.16

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1495 1326 6 127.00–134.00 $132.31 $1,754 —
1455–2035 1781 5 158.00–171.50 $162.63 $2,896 —
1570–2140 1809 4 148.00–155.00 $151.72 $2,745 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930–1115 1023 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 123.00–138.00 $128.55 $1,315

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055 1055 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
1050–1280 1170 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,550.00–1,800.00 $1,663.96
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
825 825 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
950 950 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,210.00 $1,210.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1040 1040 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
840 840 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 550.00 $550.00 —

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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.