Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 26, 2025

559 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $268.00/cwt ≈ $1,819/hd at 679 lb · 114 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $280.86/cwt +42.86 vs last sale · ≈ $1,628/hd at 580 lb · 27 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $301.45/cwt +34.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,439/hd at 477 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 559 48 255
Feeder cattle 467 31 223
Slaughter cattle 78 13 27
Replacement cattle 14 4 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

No market comparison with last week due to winter weather closure; however feeder market has noticeably improved over the last two bad weather weeks. Market active today with good buyer participation.

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
405–440 value added 415 13 350.00–412.00 $387.48 $1,608 —
445 445 1 331.00 $331.00 $1,473 —
452–490 value added 480 8 347.00–387.50 $357.68 $1,717 —
500–520 value added 505 9 315.00–340.00 $330.50 $1,669 —
502–512 507 4 307.00–312.00 $309.52 $1,569 +42.52
565 565 2 314.00–315.00 $314.50 $1,777 —
591–595 value added 594 12 318.00–335.00 $325.43 $1,933 —
603–635 value added 611 21 276.00–329.00 $313.61 $1,916 —
620–625 623 2 254.00–260.00 $256.99 $1,601 —
665 value added 665 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,995 —
700–733 value added 707 23 270.00–285.00 $281.44 $1,990 —
740 740 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,961 —
775–788 value added 786 7 257.50–260.50 $260.08 $2,044 —
814 814 6 241.00 $241.00 $1,962 —
890 890 1 236.00 $236.00 $2,100 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–447 433 6 295.00–318.00 $308.09 $1,334 —
460–480 470 2 291.00–300.00 $295.40 $1,388 —
545 545 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,472 —
562 562 2 267.50 $267.50 $1,503 —
640 640 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,498 +34.00
810 810 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,742 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–520 515 2 262.50–281.00 $271.84 $1,400 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 262.50 $262.50 $774 —
385 385 1 258.00 $258.00 $993 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 value added 345 1 321.00 $321.00 $1,107 —
365–380 value added 373 2 322.50–334.00 $328.13 $1,224 —
375–395 385 2 290.00–310.00 $300.26 $1,156 —
402–435 value added 419 12 291.00–327.00 $314.94 $1,320 +39.94
455–497 value added 466 16 292.00–318.00 $302.20 $1,408 —
490–495 493 2 270.00–282.00 $275.97 $1,361 +8.97
499 fancy 499 7 307.00 $307.00 $1,532 —
500–540 value added 521 10 280.00–287.00 $280.67 $1,462 —
510–542 531 3 270.00–278.00 $272.56 $1,447 —
557–585 value added 578 21 280.00–289.00 $283.20 $1,637 —
582–590 586 6 272.00–273.00 $272.66 $1,598 +34.66
600–610 605 2 244.00–246.00 $245.01 $1,482 —
617 value added 617 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,589 —
660–685 667 11 240.00–245.00 $242.65 $1,618 —
677–695 value added 680 103 269.50–271.00 $270.71 $1,841 —
733 value added 733 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,796 —
768–796 788 11 228.00–238.00 $230.66 $1,818 —
820 820 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,771 —
980 980 1 206.00 $206.00 $2,019 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–280 270 2 250.00–282.50 $265.65 $717 —
380 380 1 237.50 $237.50 $902 -2.50
500–515 505 5 250.00–260.00 $254.02 $1,283 —
555–580 565 4 240.00–250.00 $245.55 $1,387 +15.55
630 630 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,386 -4.00
740 740 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,606 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 280.00 $280.00 $840 —
635 635 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,530 —
660 660 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,492 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 225.00 $225.00 $630 —
440 440 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,003 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 387.00 $387.00 $1,296 —
395 395 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,462 —
415–445 value added 423 4 332.50–352.50 $346.01 $1,464 —
450 value added 450 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,485 —
450–460 455 2 295.00–300.00 $297.53 $1,354 —
515–531 value added 528 7 287.00–294.00 $289.42 $1,528 —
528 528 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,452 —
565 565 4 270.00 $270.00 $1,526 —
607 value added 607 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,669 —
607–637 621 6 251.00–258.00 $254.12 $1,578 —
675 675 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,569 —
791 791 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,780 —
805 805 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,747 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–320 315 2 300.00–315.00 $307.62 $969 +37.62
385 385 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,068 —
465–470 468 2 265.00–287.50 $276.31 $1,293 —
505–547 530 5 240.00–265.00 $251.31 $1,332 —
560 560 2 261.00–265.00 $263.00 $1,473 —
675–685 679 4 227.00–232.50 $229.73 $1,560 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 264.00 $264.00 $1,544 —
785 785 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,821 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 240.00 $240.00 $924 —
510 510 1 227.00 $227.00 $1,158 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1310 1046 85-90% 12 112.50–121.00 $115.07 $1,204 +7.07
800–1220 1049 85-90% 8 104.00–109.00 $106.99 $1,122 -1.01
860–1330 1095 85-90% 2 90.00–92.00 $90.79 $994 —
1025–1260 1130 85-90% 6 124.50–130.50 $127.30 $1,438 +11.64
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1390 1246 80-85% 7 132.50–137.00 $134.06 $1,670 —
1105–1420 1300 80-85% 4 118.00–130.00 $124.69 $1,621 —
1170–1490 1345 80-85% 9 140.00–154.50 $146.47 $1,970 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1620 1382 75-80% 7 126.00–132.00 $129.71 $1,793 -6.29
1315–1595 1455 75-80% 2 141.00–142.50 $141.82 $2,063 —
1355–1595 1459 75-80% 4 135.00–139.50 $137.42 $2,005 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310 1310 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,821 —
1290–1805 1574 4 155.00–158.00 $156.46 $2,463 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800–1160 1012 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 141.00–157.50 $148.67 $1,505

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1145 1145 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1380 1380 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1065 1065 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
786 786 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,400.00 $1,400.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1215 1215 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
755 755 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1015 928 85-90% 2 98.00–104.00 $100.72 $935 —
1215 1215 80-85% 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,555 —

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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.