Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 10, 2025

766 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $340.00/cwt ≈ $3,029/hd at 891 lb · 114 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $328.00/cwt ≈ $3,064/hd at 934 lb · 59 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $353.78/cwt -5.19 vs last sale · ≈ $2,034/hd at 575 lb · 37 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 766 693 774
Feeder cattle 665 508 679
Slaughter cattle 75 72 67
Replacement cattle 26 113 28

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was uneven and spotty with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 600 lbs and under were 4.00 to 8.00 lower or greater in spots with a good supply and moderate demand, while feeder heifers were mostly steady to 4.00 higher with good demand for weaned and value added packages. Negative pressure in the futures market and an increased supply of bawling calves is having an uneven effect on the market and the premiums buyers are willing to pay. Slaughter cows and bulls are 3.00 to 4.00 lower with a good supply and moderate 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
230 230 1 410.00 $410.00 $943 —
255 255 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,058 —
380–391 388 7 415.00–433.00 $428.07 $1,661 -41.47
400–430 414 10 427.50–435.00 $431.76 $1,787 -5.88
460–490 471 15 390.00–407.00 $395.32 $1,862 -25.26
508–525 value added 514 6 390.00–395.00 $392.47 $2,017 -27.14
500–545 517 15 365.00–385.00 $372.62 $1,926 -19.40
557–592 569 17 365.00–377.00 $374.77 $2,132 -5.51
550–584 value added 577 13 385.00–392.50 $389.65 $2,248 -7.35
600–610 value added 603 3 377.00–395.00 $388.93 $2,345 -20.11
634–635 634 7 350.00–363.00 $361.14 $2,290 -22.60
693 693 3 365.00 $365.00 $2,529 +28.01
720–745 733 3 345.00–350.00 $348.31 $2,553 -26.69
785 785 1 342.00 $342.00 $2,685 +7.00
891 value added 891 114 340.00 $340.00 $3,029 —
934 value added 934 59 328.00 $328.00 $3,064 —
970 970 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,813 +25.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,120 —
300 300 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,200 -15.00
380–395 388 2 377.50–400.00 $388.53 $1,507 -6.47
400–440 435 8 392.50–406.00 $403.60 $1,756 +13.60
465–480 473 3 350.00–357.50 $352.54 $1,668 -23.82
500 500 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,750 —
565–595 579 6 327.50–346.00 $336.03 $1,946 —
630 630 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,937 —
900 900 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,160 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
487 487 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,656 —
525 525 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,785 —
655 655 1 317.50 $317.50 $2,080 +20.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 422 2 347.50 $347.50 $1,466 —
620 620 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,488 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,218 +20.00
310–345 328 3 405.00–417.00 $408.78 $1,341 +17.43
360–385 375 3 380.00–397.00 $388.31 $1,456 -1.43
350–398 fancy 385 9 410.00–420.00 $416.89 $1,605 —
400–427 fancy 417 17 410.00–420.00 $416.53 $1,737 —
410–435 427 5 385.00–397.50 $393.35 $1,680 +4.21
465 465 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,581 -40.75
455–487 fancy 472 10 380.00–395.00 $383.45 $1,810 —
455–490 479 21 350.00–370.00 $364.82 $1,747 +39.82
500–520 value added 510 4 380.00–400.00 $389.80 $1,988 +12.37
502–545 521 14 350.00–372.50 $365.76 $1,906 +6.35
550–590 value added 570 11 360.00–366.00 $361.64 $2,061 -0.98
555–595 577 26 340.00–358.00 $350.45 $2,022 +0.98
600–645 628 13 347.00–361.00 $352.24 $2,212 +3.15
655–665 658 12 345.00–347.50 $346.45 $2,280 +11.62
669–673 671 8 328.00–339.00 $334.86 $2,247 +0.03
725–745 737 6 287.50–302.50 $292.54 $2,156 -13.46
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 352.00 $352.00 $1,003 -25.50
310–325 317 4 355.00–362.50 $359.26 $1,139 -10.36
445–447 446 3 335.00–347.50 $339.15 $1,513 -27.76
515–545 538 4 315.00–345.00 $332.33 $1,788 +1.06
560 560 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,876 +11.55
650–690 663 3 300.00–302.50 $301.63 $2,000 —
735 735 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,040 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
456 456 3 327.50 $327.50 $1,493 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 302.50 $302.50 $786 —
320 320 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,056 +5.00
435 435 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,392 -5.36

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385–395 390 2 407.00–417.50 $412.32 $1,608 -83.28
395 fancy 395 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,856 -50.36
425 fancy 425 2 470.00 $470.00 $1,998 -15.02
402–445 427 12 400.00–442.50 $410.30 $1,752 -47.27
455–475 463 5 405.00–428.00 $418.56 $1,938 -11.39
500–505 fancy 503 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,911 +0.44
502–545 513 8 350.00–370.00 $357.14 $1,832 +11.43
551–585 564 14 330.00–350.00 $342.22 $1,930 +4.76
550–592 fancy 575 7 356.00–363.00 $357.92 $2,058 —
600–645 623 8 329.00–347.00 $342.23 $2,132 +3.54
655 655 3 325.00 $325.00 $2,129 -18.71
700–735 713 3 307.00–327.50 $314.78 $2,244 -0.20
715–732 fancy 730 7 331.00–332.00 $331.86 $2,423 —
760 760 2 322.00 $322.00 $2,447 —
885 885 1 228.00 $228.00 $2,018 —
900–935 909 4 220.00–225.00 $221.88 $2,017 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–377 368 3 385.00–392.00 $389.78 $1,434 -35.55
415–432 425 4 390.00–397.50 $394.43 $1,676 -26.01
455–497 487 5 365.00–392.50 $379.54 $1,848 ±0.00
535–545 540 2 337.50 $337.50 $1,822 +15.84
595 595 2 317.50 $317.50 $1,889 —
605 605 1 316.00 $316.00 $1,912 —
667 667 2 297.50 $297.50 $1,984 —
787 787 2 277.00 $277.00 $2,180 +34.50
805 805 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,811 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,632 —
560 560 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,400 -47.50
645 645 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,548 -35.00
695 695 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,807 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,330 —
495 495 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,832 —
760 760 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,938 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1305 1305 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890 890 85-90% 1 108.00 $108.00 $961 —
840–1010 939 85-90% 4 169.00–200.00 $180.57 $1,696 +47.89
840–1715 1092 85-90% 13 129.50–144.00 $137.73 $1,504 -8.60
900–1365 1117 85-90% 14 146.00–163.00 $151.22 $1,689 -9.01
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1550 1255 80-85% 10 153.00–164.00 $157.97 $1,983 +7.50
1230–1405 1334 80-85% 4 140.00–151.00 $146.41 $1,953 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540 1540 75-80% 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,603 -3.32
1380–1815 1545 75-80% 9 153.00–166.00 $160.12 $2,474 -12.20

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440–2155 1739 9 180.00–195.50 $186.81 $3,249 —
1315–2160 1758 6 163.50–178.00 $172.00 $3,024 -20.83

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
720 720 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,548

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1085 1085 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
1155 1155 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,700.00–1,750.00 $1,725.00
1180–1210 1195 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,900.00–1,950.00 $1,925.31
1000–1420 1215 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,900.00–2,250.00 $2,104.94
1395 1395 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845 845 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1170 1170 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
890 890 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00

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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
1550 1550 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00 -1,600.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230 1230 85-90% 1 138.50 $138.50 $1,704 —
1420 1420 85-90% 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,576 —

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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.