Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 27, 2025

628 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $350.81/cwt +23.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,998/hd at 570 lb · 35 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $341.15/cwt +41.15 vs last sale · ≈ $2,255/hd at 661 lb · 33 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $388.95/cwt +78.95 vs last sale · ≈ $2,676/hd at 688 lb · 33 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 628 196 467
Feeder cattle 544 167 310
Slaughter cattle 67 28 119
Replacement cattle 17 1 38

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 650 lbs and under were 6.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in several spots with a good supply and strong demand. Yearling cattle appeared sharply higher as well, but with limited head to head comparisons. Recent gains in the feeder cattle futures market and cooler weather conditions is increasing cattle movement and the premiums buyers are willing to pay for quality feeder cattle. Slaughter cows appeared 1.00 to 3.00 higher with a light test last week, and slaughter bulls were steady with a good supply of slaughter animals this week and buyers showing 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
237 fancy 237 2 515.00 $515.00 $1,221 —
295 fancy 295 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,549 +55.00
301 301 3 450.00 $450.00 $1,354 —
330 fancy 330 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,650 —
355–365 fancy 360 2 492.00–507.50 $499.86 $1,799 +12.66
375 375 3 437.50 $437.50 $1,641 —
477–485 fancy 481 19 450.00–465.00 $459.72 $2,211 -7.78
496 496 5 420.00 $420.00 $2,083 —
500 500 6 372.50 $372.50 $1,862 +22.50
510 value added 510 5 420.00 $420.00 $2,142 +29.43
555–599 value added 577 23 387.50–399.50 $397.31 $2,292 —
580–590 587 3 370.00–375.00 $371.65 $2,182 +22.23
600–612 value added 606 12 392.00–397.00 $394.15 $2,389 —
620 620 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,248 +8.69
660–699 value added 688 33 386.00–390.00 $388.95 $2,676 —
704 value added 704 16 391.50 $391.50 $2,756 —
731 731 3 324.00 $324.00 $2,368 —
776 value added 776 13 359.00 $359.00 $2,786 +26.00
795 795 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,544 —
856–876 870 10 312.00–338.50 $319.82 $2,782 —
980 980 1 242.50 $242.50 $2,376 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–420 405 6 375.00–390.00 $377.81 $1,530 —
457–485 471 4 387.50–400.00 $393.56 $1,854 —
520 520 1 357.50 $357.50 $1,859 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–347 328 5 340.00–350.00 $347.90 $1,141 +12.90
700 700 2 282.00 $282.00 $1,974 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
563 563 3 350.00 $350.00 $1,970 —
615–625 622 3 295.00 $295.00 $1,835 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285–286 286 7 387.50–395.00 $391.79 $1,121 +4.79
365–395 376 7 395.00–410.00 $402.03 $1,512 +21.89
375–387 fancy 383 3 442.50–450.00 $447.55 $1,714 —
412–420 fancy 415 6 415.00–417.00 $416.32 $1,728 +6.32
405–440 432 7 390.00–397.50 $395.78 $1,710 +20.78
476–478 fancy 477 6 400.00–415.00 $407.48 $1,944 —
455–493 482 10 372.50–392.50 $378.36 $1,824 +16.41
501 value added 501 4 382.00 $382.00 $1,914 —
525–542 533 7 350.00–360.00 $355.69 $1,896 +9.69
565 565 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,695 -27.00
558–595 566 13 329.00–348.00 $341.01 $1,930 +14.01
556–595 value added 572 21 354.00–362.00 $359.30 $2,055 —
610 610 5 345.00–346.00 $345.60 $2,108 —
600–625 611 4 320.00–340.00 $330.62 $2,020 —
659–667 660 30 327.50–345.00 $343.97 $2,270 +43.97
655–680 670 3 300.00–320.00 $312.96 $2,097 +12.96
700–715 708 2 292.50–308.00 $300.17 $2,125 +25.08
708 708 17 354.50 $354.50 $2,510 +79.41
750–775 755 5 285.00–287.50 $285.51 $2,156 —
814–830 816 8 287.00–310.00 $289.92 $2,366 +2.92
865 865 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,033 —
1065 1065 1 202.00 $202.00 $2,151 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 370.00 $370.00 $758 —
260 260 1 350.00 $350.00 $910 —
320 320 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,120 —
355 355 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,296 +9.60
447 447 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,564 —
495 495 2 365.00 $365.00 $1,807 +25.84
500 500 1 318.00 $318.00 $1,590 —
580 580 1 317.00 $317.00 $1,839 —
610–630 620 2 285.00–307.00 $295.82 $1,834 +10.82
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 350.00 $350.00 $718 —
300–308 306 4 337.50–340.00 $339.39 $1,039 —
450–480 465 2 300.00–335.00 $318.06 $1,479 +40.56
510–540 528 3 285.00–300.00 $293.47 $1,550 —
665 665 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,596 —
730 730 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,825 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1215 1208 2 187.50–196.00 $191.72 $2,316 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,620 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 fancy 290 2 500.00 $500.00 $1,450 —
290 290 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,392 —
305–315 fancy 310 3 497.50–525.00 $507.35 $1,573 —
340 340 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,496 —
360 fancy 360 3 500.00 $500.00 $1,800 +49.80
370–387 379 4 452.50–457.50 $455.06 $1,725 +45.27
405–410 408 3 462.50–470.00 $466.66 $1,904 —
402–442 fancy 422 8 485.00–497.50 $491.72 $2,075 +61.75
450–467 461 3 460.00–477.50 $465.69 $2,147 —
515 fancy 515 1 390.00 $390.00 $2,008 —
510–545 525 14 345.00–367.50 $358.21 $1,881 +19.71
555–565 560 4 336.00–345.00 $339.73 $1,902 -2.05
611–622 614 9 319.00–328.00 $324.32 $1,991 +4.51
670 670 1 312.00 $312.00 $2,090 +18.27
705–710 708 3 307.00–310.00 $309.00 $2,188 —
780 780 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,106 —
990 990 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,079 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 4 367.50 $367.50 $790 —
450–480 469 24 363.50–372.50 $364.28 $1,708 +21.88
500 500 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,650 +19.88
605 605 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,815 —
722–745 726 6 267.50–277.00 $273.80 $1,988 —
836 836 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,756 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 2 367.50 $367.50 $1,801 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,472 —
570 570 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,881 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1377 1115 85-90% 17 136.00–154.00 $144.32 $1,609 -11.83
985–1360 1230 85-90% 3 160.00–180.00 $174.66 $2,148 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1375 1228 80-85% 8 163.00–173.00 $167.19 $2,053 +6.28
1205–1350 1265 80-85% 7 175.00–183.00 $179.27 $2,268 —
1325–1430 1372 80-85% 3 157.00–160.00 $158.96 $2,181 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1590 1465 75-80% 4 175.00–180.00 $176.89 $2,591 —
1150–1600 1483 75-80% 6 164.00–173.00 $167.18 $2,479 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1655–1775 1727 3 187.00–197.00 $192.02 $3,316 -0.30
1815–2115 1920 3 200.00–209.00 $205.70 $3,949 —
2030–2385 2220 3 176.00–185.00 $181.72 $4,034 —
YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1870 1870 1 219.00 $219.00 $4,095 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860–1035 951 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 170.00–231.00 $200.34 $1,905

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135 1135 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,075.00 $2,075.00
1185 1185 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865 865 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,860.00 $1,860.00
1175 1175 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,175.00 $2,175.00

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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
1332 1332 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,125.00 $4,125.00 —
1420 1420 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00 —
1530 1530 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,900.00 $3,900.00 —
1610 1610 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,950.00 $3,950.00 —

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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.