Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 18, 2024

301 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $256.27/cwt -2.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,347/hd at 526 lb · 16 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $277.00/cwt +7.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,430/hd at 516 lb · 12 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $289.72/cwt -22.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,181/hd at 408 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 301 961 103
Feeder cattle 236 904 62
Slaughter cattle 49 47 21
Replacement cattle 16 10 20

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and bulls lite test. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold 3.00 to 7.00 higher with good demand for weaned packages. Yearlings lite test. Slaughter cows sold steady with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls lite test.

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
265 265 1 330.00 $330.00 $874 —
300–310 value added 305 2 360.00–365.00 $362.54 $1,106 -0.92
355 355 2 327.00 $327.00 $1,161 —
422–440 428 3 290.00–299.00 $295.92 $1,267 +8.42
465–470 value added 467 3 290.00–306.00 $300.63 $1,404 -48.73
530 530 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,458 —
555–585 570 4 271.00 $271.00 $1,545 -8.98
612–625 616 3 245.00–254.00 $248.04 $1,528 -11.62
620–625 value added 622 4 261.00–295.00 $279.74 $1,740 -3.24
830 830 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,942 +4.00
920 920 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,978 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,134 +2.59
660 660 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,459 -17.32
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 225.00 $225.00 $776 —
435 435 1 225.00 $225.00 $979 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,584 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1995 1995 1 166.00 $166.00 $3,312 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–240 value added 233 2 322.00–345.00 $333.87 $778 —
245 245 1 267.50 $267.50 $655 —
250 value added 250 1 332.50 $332.50 $831 —
315–322 value added 320 3 275.00–287.50 $279.11 $893 —
325–342 333 7 250.00–270.00 $262.75 $875 -17.25
350–365 358 2 260.00–271.00 $265.38 $950 -2.09
370–395 value added 380 8 302.50–311.00 $307.81 $1,170 —
405–445 value added 433 4 270.00–287.50 $278.90 $1,208 +2.83
425–447 440 3 255.00–265.00 $261.78 $1,152 +14.58
450–470 value added 460 6 275.00–282.00 $277.38 $1,276 +4.78
485–492 490 3 252.50–267.00 $257.29 $1,261 +7.53
520 520 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,300 +2.83
510–537 value added 526 15 254.00–260.00 $256.69 $1,350 -3.93
550–571 566 4 248.00–250.00 $248.49 $1,406 +3.05
575–580 value added 578 4 254.00–256.00 $255.00 $1,474 -2.61
600–615 610 3 224.00–230.00 $227.98 $1,391 -5.04
766 766 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,455 -10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465–495 483 4 232.50–241.00 $236.94 $1,144 +6.94
526 526 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,226 -4.00
615–635 626 4 212.00–229.00 $223.19 $1,397 +10.70
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 2 228.00 $228.00 $1,471 —
672 672 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,546 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205–230 218 2 340.00–345.00 $342.36 $746 —
235 value added 235 1 390.00 $390.00 $916 —
270–298 value added 293 6 370.00–390.00 $383.57 $1,124 —
295 295 1 330.00 $330.00 $974 +42.50
300–320 310 2 315.00–325.00 $320.16 $992 +10.16
305–340 value added 320 6 340.00–380.00 $349.85 $1,120 +29.85
385 385 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,194 +3.00
400–420 value added 405 5 290.00–307.00 $297.67 $1,206 -19.09
405–420 410 5 275.00–290.00 $281.76 $1,155 -8.24
467–475 470 3 275.00–278.00 $276.99 $1,302 -14.62
471–482 value added 475 5 292.50 $292.50 $1,389 -30.26
500–535 value added 511 7 277.00–280.00 $279.27 $1,427 +1.17
500–540 524 5 270.00–275.00 $273.83 $1,435 +15.71
575–585 579 4 260.00–272.00 $267.71 $1,550 +16.27
580 value added 580 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,595 -10.00
605–625 value added 618 3 245.00–252.00 $249.72 $1,543 +2.58
620 620 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,426 -3.08
655–660 658 2 229.00–230.00 $229.50 $1,510 -5.78
715–735 722 3 225.00–232.00 $227.38 $1,642 +2.38
810 810 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,742 +27.50
870 870 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,792 +21.00
905 905 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,946 +32.50
1045 1045 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,646 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 302.00 $302.00 $800 —
350–390 370 2 275.00–292.50 $283.28 $1,048 +1.07
470 470 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,269 +21.18
535–545 540 2 220.00–224.00 $221.98 $1,199 -24.62
567–570 568 3 230.00–232.00 $230.67 $1,310 -6.90
670–695 683 2 220.00–221.00 $220.49 $1,506 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–295 293 2 210.00–247.50 $228.59 $670 —
370 370 1 222.00 $222.00 $821 —
400 400 1 200.00 $200.00 $800 -37.50
545 545 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,199 —
595 595 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,250 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,339 —
585 585 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,410 —
735 735 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,477 -16.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–890 875 85-90% 2 88.00–88.50 $88.25 $772 —
935–1055 995 85-90% 2 109.00–115.00 $111.82 $1,113 +20.82
875–1115 1023 85-90% 4 101.00–109.00 $105.39 $1,078 -6.42
905–1195 1083 85-90% 6 92.50–100.00 $96.87 $1,049 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1560 1386 75-80% 4 93.00–110.00 $103.89 $1,440 —
1275–1565 1415 75-80% 3 113.00–115.50 $114.42 $1,619 —
1380–1710 1512 75-80% 6 115.50–118.50 $117.36 $1,774 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1315 1223 80-85% 4 110.00–114.00 $111.99 $1,370 —
1460 1460 80-85% 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,767 —
1465 1465 80-85% 1 105.50 $105.50 $1,546 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1655 1510 3 123.50–134.00 $128.08 $1,934 —
1420–1885 1611 4 135.00–142.00 $138.31 $2,228 —
2155 2155 1 157.00 $157.00 $3,383 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1075–1345 1193 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 115.00–123.00 $118.58 $1,415

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1040 1040 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1165–1260 fancy 1213 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,275.00–2,475.00 $2,378.92
1035–1440 1223 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,650.00–2,200.00 $1,913.57
1230–1470 fancy 1350 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,125.00–2,400.00 $2,250.28
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910–1035 973 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,525.00–1,575.00 $1,551.61

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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.