Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 6, 2025

707 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $372.50/cwt ≈ $2,794/hd at 750 lb · 137 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $381.65/cwt +56.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,227/hd at 584 lb · 108 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $348.24/cwt +4.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,840/hd at 528 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 707 214 308
Feeder cattle 576 156 269
Slaughter cattle 43 27 33
Replacement cattle 88 31 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers were 3.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand. Slaughter cows were steady to 3.00 higher with a good supply and slaughter bulls were steady with good demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for harder conditioned and weaned packages of calves.

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
310 value added 310 2 505.00 $505.00 $1,566 —
355–380 value added 368 2 470.00–490.00 $479.66 $1,765 —
370–393 387 4 417.00–437.00 $432.22 $1,673 —
402–447 439 19 396.00–420.00 $412.21 $1,810 +13.74
485–497 493 5 385.00–405.00 $395.16 $1,948 —
515–547 530 5 365.00–370.00 $367.94 $1,950 +27.39
530–536 value added 534 9 396.00–404.00 $401.35 $2,143 +0.35
550 550 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,870 —
550–577 value added 557 22 370.00–385.50 $383.36 $2,135 —
614 thin fleshed 614 15 396.50 $396.50 $2,435 —
600–645 624 5 322.50–343.00 $332.97 $2,078 +21.97
631 value added 631 3 366.00 $366.00 $2,309 —
660–670 value added 662 5 358.00–371.00 $368.37 $2,439 —
650–695 678 6 330.00–350.00 $339.22 $2,300 +25.52
708 value added 708 3 346.00 $346.00 $2,450 —
700–735 718 2 304.00–327.50 $315.46 $2,265 —
750 value added 750 137 372.50 $372.50 $2,794 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
452 452 2 362.50 $362.50 $1,638 -7.50
575 575 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,811 —
785 785 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,355 +20.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,008 —
680 680 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,768 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475 1475 1 235.00 $235.00 $3,466 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
301 301 3 390.00 $390.00 $1,174 —
359–385 363 7 370.00–385.00 $380.98 $1,383 +27.23
400–440 421 5 360.00–372.50 $363.57 $1,531 +3.39
423–430 fancy 426 5 382.00–387.50 $384.22 $1,637 —
450–471 thin fleshed 466 11 360.00–369.00 $365.82 $1,705 —
455–495 476 7 330.00–352.50 $343.81 $1,637 +8.78
513–542 value added 527 19 347.00–357.50 $352.35 $1,857 +3.93
525–545 533 5 322.50–343.00 $332.60 $1,773 +14.12
562–576 569 9 344.00–360.00 $351.69 $2,001 +64.19
580–590 583 3 324.00–325.00 $324.34 $1,891 +3.07
585 value added 585 96 386.25 $386.25 $2,260 +47.00
610–627 621 3 290.00–310.00 $296.55 $1,842 -9.43
645 645 5 332.50–348.00 $344.90 $2,225 +38.92
660 660 2 334.00 $334.00 $2,204 —
780–795 788 2 272.00–277.50 $274.78 $2,165 -5.22
815 815 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,119 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
185 185 1 350.00 $350.00 $648 —
365–390 377 5 350.00–355.00 $351.94 $1,327 —
535 535 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,578 -2.56
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,424 —
455 455 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,581 —
530 530 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,574 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 2 280.00–295.00 $287.50 $1,380 +22.63
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,238 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 2 400.00 $400.00 $960 —
240 fancy 240 1 462.50 $462.50 $1,110 —
391 391 3 414.00 $414.00 $1,619 +34.00
400–420 fancy 414 5 412.00–414.00 $413.21 $1,711 —
420–435 430 7 385.00–405.00 $394.37 $1,696 —
455–478 471 5 386.00–395.00 $388.53 $1,830 +30.11
507–540 fancy 516 5 350.00–365.00 $356.11 $1,838 —
500–545 520 5 326.00–346.00 $336.57 $1,750 +15.93
552–590 571 9 320.00–340.00 $332.53 $1,899 +10.58
690 690 1 297.00 $297.00 $2,049 —
700–740 722 6 280.00–295.00 $290.89 $2,100 +5.89
750–790 772 5 252.50–277.50 $269.92 $2,084 —
900 900 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,070 +1.00
1055 1055 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,479 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382–390 385 3 385.00–396.00 $388.72 $1,497 +28.21
476 476 4 361.00 $361.00 $1,718 +86.00
515–545 527 3 314.00–317.00 $315.36 $1,662 —
570–590 578 3 297.00–306.00 $302.94 $1,751 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,074 —
440 440 1 345.00 $345.00 $1,518 —
485 485 2 342.50 $342.50 $1,661 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,658 —
580 580 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,769 +7.44
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 2 330.00 $330.00 $759 —
315 315 1 237.50 $237.50 $748 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 362.50 $362.50 $1,740 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1350 1197 80-85% 5 171.00–179.50 $175.41 $2,100 —
1015–1445 1249 80-85% 11 180.50–196.50 $185.39 $2,316 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795 795 85-90% 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,089 —
845–1275 1059 85-90% 5 146.00–154.00 $151.70 $1,607 -7.41
1055–1145 1101 85-90% 4 170.50–178.50 $174.54 $1,922 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1465 1369 75-80% 6 179.50–182.50 $181.03 $2,478 —
1285–1645 1484 75-80% 4 174.00–177.00 $175.93 $2,611 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1445 1298 2 167.00–179.00 $172.32 $2,237 —
1090–1580 1410 3 183.50–192.00 $188.32 $2,655 +24.32
1355–2005 1680 2 202.00–209.50 $206.48 $3,469 —
YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1945 1581 6 212.00–224.00 $219.90 $3,477 -1.09

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
913 913 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,325.00 $2,325.00
935–1055 988 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,475.00–3,000.00 $2,685.03
950–1390 1164 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 15 2,325.00–2,900.00 $2,626.90
1025–1260 1166 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 2,225.00–3,000.00 $2,745.50
1015–1550 1207 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 31 2,100.00–3,075.00 $2,848.49
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00
925 925 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
770 770 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00

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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
835 835 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —
1045 1045 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00 —
1230 1230 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,325.00 $3,325.00 —
1620 1620 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,800.00 $3,800.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
875 875 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,075.00 $2,075.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1020 thin fleshed 1020 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00 —

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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.