Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 23, 2025

556 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $307.69/cwt +15.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,929/hd at 627 lb · 49 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $396.62/cwt +19.34 vs last sale · ≈ $2,143/hd at 540 lb · 31 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $346.47/cwt +16.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,776/hd at 513 lb · 28 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 556 585 578
Feeder cattle 411 478 442
Slaughter cattle 91 79 110
Replacement cattle 54 28 26

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with instances sharply higher with very good demand on some weaned packages. Feeder heifers sold unevenly steady with good demand. Yearling steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand in a lite test. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00 higher with very 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
245 fancy 245 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,017 —
270–295 282 5 395.00–420.00 $406.29 $1,146 +63.79
325–330 328 2 402.50–410.00 $406.28 $1,333 —
310–340 fancy 329 4 425.00–450.00 $442.81 $1,457 +42.81
372 fancy 372 2 426.00 $426.00 $1,585 -4.00
400–430 421 6 390.00–395.00 $391.26 $1,647 +5.98
460–485 469 4 387.50–395.00 $391.87 $1,838 +34.94
540 value added 540 27 403.00 $403.00 $2,176 +22.33
541–545 542 4 348.00–370.00 $353.53 $1,916 —
580 580 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,030 +19.89
596 value added 596 5 375.00 $375.00 $2,235 +19.91
601–635 value added 615 5 339.00–342.50 $340.45 $2,094 +13.76
654–670 value added 658 17 321.00–350.00 $343.05 $2,257 +26.84
710 710 1 299.00 $299.00 $2,123 +49.00
700–728 value added 719 12 311.00–315.00 $312.06 $2,244 +25.23
756 fancy 756 5 301.00 $301.00 $2,276 —
770 770 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,272 —
820 820 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,276 +31.50
831 fancy 831 3 284.00 $284.00 $2,360 —
890 890 5 258.00 $258.00 $2,296 —
915 915 1 251.00 $251.00 $2,297 +3.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,216 +29.41
370 370 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,295 +25.00
420 420 2 355.00 $355.00 $1,491 +39.88
478–495 482 4 325.00–355.00 $332.70 $1,604 —
620 620 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,798 +25.00
835–845 840 2 240.00–252.00 $245.96 $2,066 +25.96
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755 755 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,038 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 375.00 $375.00 $919 —
265 265 1 392.00 $392.00 $1,039 +10.73
250–280 fancy 268 3 400.00–412.00 $404.58 $1,084 —
305–320 313 4 347.50–365.00 $354.82 $1,111 +2.35
333 fancy 333 3 402.50 $402.50 $1,340 —
357–365 360 4 332.50–362.50 $354.27 $1,275 +6.77
365–382 value added 374 4 370.00–385.00 $377.67 $1,412 -15.56
408–415 value added 410 5 360.00–370.00 $363.01 $1,488 -9.73
407–445 428 9 327.50–347.50 $341.20 $1,460 +20.20
450–488 value added 480 17 338.00–367.50 $342.67 $1,645 -9.07
478–490 483 7 316.00–325.00 $321.54 $1,553 -5.03
505–530 value added 512 24 320.00–362.00 $351.08 $1,798 +4.62
500–521 516 4 315.00–320.00 $318.79 $1,645 +16.29
560–580 value added 572 3 320.00–322.00 $320.68 $1,834 -7.31
550–581 575 5 312.00 $312.00 $1,794 +4.50
600–631 625 5 287.00–287.50 $287.10 $1,794 +15.15
600–642 value added 627 44 290.00–324.50 $310.03 $1,944 +11.16
655–680 value added 671 8 285.00–314.00 $304.23 $2,041 —
700 value added 700 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,890 —
770 770 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,863 —
757–778 value added 771 6 258.00–281.00 $265.53 $2,047 —
825 825 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,732 -56.25
895 895 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,700 —
970 970 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,988 +10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 325 3 327.00–340.00 $333.93 $1,085 +33.93
385–395 392 3 290.00–350.00 $323.28 $1,267 -11.72
400–440 425 5 285.00–320.00 $305.38 $1,298 -3.30
465–495 482 3 300.00–315.00 $308.94 $1,489 +15.34
510–545 530 6 272.50–300.00 $288.27 $1,528 +3.27
565–570 568 2 252.50–265.00 $258.72 $1,470 +65.72
605 605 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,482 -2.00
677 677 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,692 —
720 720 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,368 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,268 —
590 590 3 285.00 $285.00 $1,682 +20.16
745 745 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,714 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135 1135 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,884 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–280 265 2 390.00–422.00 $405.09 $1,073 —
352–395 377 6 380.00–412.00 $393.15 $1,482 -16.85
375–397 fancy 386 5 415.00–425.00 $418.89 $1,617 —
425–440 433 2 350.00–377.50 $363.99 $1,576 -19.04
470–480 473 4 337.00–387.50 $354.24 $1,676 +5.47
505–545 522 11 330.00–350.00 $342.69 $1,789 +25.86
555–595 571 4 327.00–347.00 $335.81 $1,917 +8.37
618 value added 618 4 327.00 $327.00 $2,021 +19.79
605–635 624 5 285.00–313.00 $292.41 $1,825 —
675–685 680 2 282.50–304.00 $293.33 $1,995 —
730 730 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,898 —
731 value added 731 4 276.00 $276.00 $2,018 —
770–775 773 2 250.00–260.00 $255.02 $1,971 +10.02
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 372.00 $372.00 $818 +47.00
325–345 333 3 320.00–360.00 $341.93 $1,139 +51.93
355–397 376 4 365.00–367.50 $366.18 $1,377 +52.34
440 440 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,386 +47.03
465–487 480 3 325.00–327.50 $325.81 $1,564 +40.81
500–540 524 4 275.00–310.00 $293.43 $1,538 +7.70
550–585 561 4 267.50–300.00 $287.09 $1,611 +17.09
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 292.00 $292.00 $978 —
360 360 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,053 —
475 475 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,259 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1700 1407 75-80% 12 140.50–148.50 $145.11 $2,042 -2.33
1240–1870 1463 75-80% 16 148.50–168.50 $154.69 $2,263 +1.01
1565 1565 75-80% 1 138.00 $138.00 $2,160 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1500 1189 80-85% 4 136.00–139.00 $137.92 $1,640 -9.39
1085–1645 1213 80-85% 9 144.00–149.00 $146.82 $1,781 +10.63
1110–1540 1278 80-85% 15 151.00–164.00 $156.09 $1,995 +0.24
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1235 1042 85-90% 12 135.00–150.00 $141.45 $1,474 —
995–1215 1103 85-90% 5 124.00–134.00 $128.76 $1,420 +17.60

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1285 1195 2 155.00–173.00 $164.68 $1,968 —
1675–1975 1809 5 184.00–220.00 $195.89 $3,544 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
805–960 883 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 190.00–207.00 $199.02 $1,757
785–1100 976 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 158.00–192.00 $170.33 $1,662
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930–1195 1098 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 127.00–148.50 $140.31 $1,541

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060–1090 1075 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,600.00–1,850.00 $1,726.74
1055–1412 1245 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 14 1,825.00–2,400.00 $2,054.59
1175–1325 1250 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,700.00–1,950.00 $1,817.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905 905 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1170 1170 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
840 840 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,085.00 $1,085.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00

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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
1135–1280 1208 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,600.00–2,700.00 $2,653.00 —
1275–1575 1380 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 3,100.00–3,300.00 $3,223.91 —
1645 fancy 1645 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 3,775.00 $3,775.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105 1105 85-90% 1 139.50 $139.50 $1,541 —

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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.