Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 7, 2025

289 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $328.62/cwt -3.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,749/hd at 532 lb · 24 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $343.74/cwt -14.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,791/hd at 521 lb · 13 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $355.33/cwt +17.16 vs last sale · ≈ $2,207/hd at 621 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 289 486 467
Feeder cattle 217 389 400
Slaughter cattle 46 36 48
Replacement cattle 26 61 19

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday good quality weaned steer and heifer calf packages traded 5.00 to to 10.00 higher with very good demand in a lite test; others steady. Softer undertone on bull calves. Yearlings lite test. Slaughter cows sold steady with good demand in a lite test. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 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
295–297 fancy 296 3 427.50–440.00 $435.85 $1,290 —
340 340 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,411 —
368 368 3 425.00 $425.00 $1,564 +7.02
465–485 475 2 390.00–395.00 $392.45 $1,864 -13.47
487 value added 487 2 430.00 $430.00 $2,094 —
507–522 value added 510 10 415.00–422.00 $420.57 $2,145 —
610–629 value added 621 11 340.00–367.00 $355.33 $2,207 +17.16
680 680 1 322.00 $322.00 $2,190 —
730–745 value added 738 2 310.00–313.00 $311.52 $2,299 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–445 425 2 360.00–372.50 $365.96 $1,555 -4.04
480 480 1 333.00 $333.00 $1,598 —
550–580 570 5 350.00–360.00 $358.04 $2,041 +48.04
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,068 —
490 490 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,372 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–230 215 2 380.00–390.00 $385.35 $829 —
260 260 1 357.50 $357.50 $930 —
337 fancy 337 2 402.50 $402.50 $1,356 —
350–390 377 3 365.00–390.00 $372.74 $1,405 +3.83
382–395 fancy 386 3 402.50 $402.50 $1,554 —
400–430 412 6 350.00–375.00 $369.68 $1,523 +15.98
425–445 fancy 435 4 380.00–397.00 $389.70 $1,695 —
455 fancy 455 3 372.50–398.00 $389.50 $1,772 —
465–495 479 7 340.00–365.00 $355.85 $1,705 +8.80
500–545 521 6 300.00–320.00 $305.25 $1,590 -3.13
505–545 value added 536 18 325.00–345.00 $336.41 $1,803 -1.49
562–592 value added 575 6 325.00–347.00 $338.35 $1,946 +16.33
575–585 578 3 295.00–315.00 $306.69 $1,773 -5.16
605–645 value added 627 8 322.00–347.00 $331.16 $2,076 +1.73
655–682 value added 670 5 311.00–327.00 $317.75 $2,129 —
710–745 725 5 270.00–282.00 $272.35 $1,975 —
805–840 823 2 220.00–262.50 $240.80 $1,982 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 325.00 $325.00 $699 —
365–385 375 2 332.50–352.50 $342.23 $1,283 +25.81
415–440 432 3 287.50–345.00 $317.45 $1,371 -0.19
460–485 470 4 295.00–312.00 $302.33 $1,421 -18.60
545 545 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,444 —
590 590 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,534 +10.00
660–675 668 2 252.50–265.00 $258.82 $1,729 +15.44
735 735 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,617 -4.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,458 —
560 560 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,680 +50.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150 1150 1 192.50 $192.50 $2,214 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385–395 390 2 397.50–412.00 $404.84 $1,579 -7.16
400–410 408 4 382.50–400.00 $395.71 $1,614 +2.30
455–490 473 8 352.50–380.00 $362.76 $1,716 -8.05
500–535 521 13 330.00–350.00 $343.74 $1,791 -14.26
565 565 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,034 +27.60
625–630 628 2 310.00–317.00 $313.51 $1,969 -1.80
665 665 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,995 -15.00
712–735 720 4 270.00–290.00 $285.00 $2,052 +6.00
750 750 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,800 -30.00
810–840 825 2 230.00–245.00 $237.64 $1,961 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,456 -50.00
510 510 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,721 +37.50
550–555 553 2 317.00–320.00 $318.49 $1,761 +28.49
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,789 —
585 585 1 322.00 $322.00 $1,884 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1460 1233 80-85% 10 152.00–169.00 $160.65 $1,981 —
1280 1280 80-85% 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,805 -19.19
1200–1365 1283 80-85% 2 143.00–146.00 $144.40 $1,853 -15.79
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1530 1415 75-80% 3 145.00–149.50 $147.34 $2,085 -6.75
1155–1620 1421 75-80% 7 153.00–160.00 $155.93 $2,216 +1.84
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1120 955 85-90% 2 110.00–112.00 $110.83 $1,058 —
945–1105 1025 85-90% 2 141.50–154.00 $148.24 $1,519 +13.90
855–1320 1027 85-90% 5 127.00–137.00 $131.46 $1,350 -2.88

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1220 1170 2 134.00–136.00 $135.04 $1,580 —
1420 1420 1 171.00 $171.00 $2,428 —
1685–2280 1892 10 193.00–216.00 $204.59 $3,871 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
805–915 860 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 150.00–162.00 $155.62 $1,338

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1070–1100 1085 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,800.00–2,300.00 $2,046.54
1095 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
805–875 833 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,050.00–2,150.00 $2,101.40

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1230 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,050.00 $3,050.00 —
1205–1650 1436 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,800.00–3,025.00 $2,953.62 —
1720 fancy 1720 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 4,325.00 $4,325.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1370 1370 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00 +225.00

↑ Back to top

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.