Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 17, 2025

813 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $377.10/cwt +35.10 vs last sale · ≈ $2,911/hd at 772 lb · 67 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $378.18/cwt +8.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,828/hd at 483 lb · 34 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $398.02/cwt +19.73 vs last sale · ≈ $2,084/hd at 523 lb · 34 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 813 766 441
Feeder cattle 717 665 336
Slaughter cattle 59 75 61
Replacement cattle 37 26 44

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 600 lbs and under were steady to 4.00 higher in spots with a moderate supply and good demand for weaned packages and groups. Yearling steers appeared firm, but with no true head to head comparisons. Feeder heifers 400 lbs and under were 4.00 to 6.00 lower with moderate demand, while the 450-600 lbs heifers were steady to 3.00 higher with a good supply. Feeder buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality and weaned packages of calves, while increasing the discounts on off colored and bawling calves severely. Slaughter cows and bulls were 1.00 to 3.00 lower with a moderate 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
350 350 3 440.00 $440.00 $1,540 —
425–437 433 3 435.00–445.00 $438.27 $1,898 +6.51
450–485 475 8 400.00–425.00 $409.91 $1,947 +14.59
505 fancy 505 5 427.00 $427.00 $2,156 —
505–530 510 6 375.00–387.50 $380.45 $1,940 +7.83
515–539 value added 531 23 392.50–410.00 $396.31 $2,104 +3.84
558–560 value added 559 12 390.00–405.00 $392.51 $2,194 +2.86
580–595 590 9 355.00–377.00 $372.17 $2,196 -2.60
600 600 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,100 -11.14
695 695 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,519 -2.50
705–747 720 8 331.00–350.00 $338.78 $2,439 -9.53
772 value added 772 67 377.10 $377.10 $2,911 —
915 915 3 280.00 $280.00 $2,562 —
1000 value added 1000 116 312.75 $312.75 $3,128 —
1150 value added 1150 97 308.25 $308.25 $3,545 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,120 ±0.00
415–442 435 6 400.00–410.00 $405.02 $1,762 +1.42
475–479 478 7 390.00–392.50 $390.35 $1,866 +37.81
530 530 2 352.50 $352.50 $1,868 +2.50
600–636 622 5 320.00–337.50 $327.98 $2,040 +20.48
650 650 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,242 —
765 765 1 272.50 $272.50 $2,085 —
830 830 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,407 —
1010–1031 1023 5 250.00–257.50 $252.96 $2,588 —
1100 1100 2 249.00 $249.00 $2,739 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,420 —
590 590 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,667 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,792 +40.00
800 800 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,800 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 2 370.00 $370.00 $1,284 -38.78
381–391 388 11 375.00–390.00 $385.99 $1,498 -2.32
425–445 437 13 370.00–390.00 $385.99 $1,687 -7.36
450–487 477 15 360.00–380.00 $372.84 $1,778 +8.02
455–497 fancy 487 16 387.50–400.00 $389.40 $1,896 +5.95
495 495 3 345.00 $345.00 $1,708 -19.82
507–528 value added 516 16 375.00–389.00 $383.47 $1,979 -6.33
520 520 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,690 -40.76
510–548 533 7 357.50–372.50 $364.10 $1,941 -1.66
570 570 1 382.50 $382.50 $2,180 +32.05
560–590 580 3 330.00–335.00 $333.39 $1,934 -17.06
617 617 2 365.00 $365.00 $2,252 +12.76
615–625 619 7 340.00–357.00 $351.54 $2,176 -0.70
655–680 673 5 325.00–340.00 $335.06 $2,255 +0.20
710–715 714 4 312.50–317.00 $314.88 $2,248 +22.34
755 755 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,265 —
837 837 2 295.00 $295.00 $2,469 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
175 175 1 370.00 $370.00 $648 —
230 230 1 352.50 $352.50 $811 —
340 340 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,241 +5.74
350–395 362 8 350.00–372.50 $361.59 $1,309 —
415–445 419 10 350.00–360.00 $356.50 $1,494 +17.35
495 495 2 352.50 $352.50 $1,745 —
500–545 517 3 325.00–335.00 $331.77 $1,715 -0.56
567–585 576 4 320.00–325.00 $322.46 $1,857 -12.54
625–630 627 3 297.00–320.00 $312.35 $1,958 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,472 —
507 507 2 307.50 $307.50 $1,559 —
580–585 583 2 270.00–282.50 $276.22 $1,610 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,452 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 290.00 $290.00 $884 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 2 415.00 $415.00 $1,183 —
372–390 378 5 425.00–435.00 $430.57 $1,628 +18.25
410–420 414 9 430.00–435.00 $432.22 $1,789 +21.92
450–490 472 11 390.00–410.00 $394.35 $1,861 -24.21
505–530 523 4 357.50–375.00 $362.50 $1,896 +5.36
551–590 557 7 320.00–350.00 $333.46 $1,857 -8.76
600–645 618 16 317.50–337.00 $328.85 $2,032 -13.38
652–682 663 8 312.00–329.00 $320.14 $2,123 -4.86
700–705 704 10 307.00–330.00 $324.42 $2,284 +9.64
775 775 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,325 -22.00
812 812 4 303.00 $303.00 $2,460 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–245 230 2 397.00–402.50 $399.93 $920 —
285–290 288 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,152 —
310 310 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,178 —
380–390 387 3 400.00–405.00 $401.64 $1,554 +11.86
430–440 433 3 395.00–405.00 $401.62 $1,739 +7.19
475 475 3 380.00 $380.00 $1,805 +0.46
535–545 540 2 330.00–337.50 $333.78 $1,802 -3.72
660 660 2 302.00 $302.00 $1,993 +4.50
775 775 1 272.50 $272.50 $2,112 -4.50
835 835 1 247.50 $247.50 $2,067 +22.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 272.50 $272.50 $926 —
495 495 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,683 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,722 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 295.00 $295.00 $988 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1145 1145 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)N/A 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820 820 85-90% 1 93.00 $93.00 $763 —
760–885 823 85-90% 2 106.00–107.00 $106.46 $876 —
935–1145 1040 85-90% 2 150.00–154.00 $152.20 $1,583 —
850–1265 1067 85-90% 13 130.00–144.00 $136.31 $1,454 -1.42
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1670 1505 75-80% 12 150.00–163.00 $157.18 $2,366 -11.82
1670 1670 75-80% 1 143.50 $143.50 $2,396 —
1735 1735 75-80% 1 170.00 $170.00 $2,950 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1745 1332 80-85% 11 150.00–163.00 $156.56 $2,085 +10.15

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–2160 1754 4 165.00–170.50 $169.22 $2,968 -2.78
1565–2015 1806 8 179.50–187.50 $183.07 $3,306 —
1490–2160 1825 2 190.50–193.00 $191.52 $3,495 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1030 1030 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 207.00 $207.00 $2,132

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
928 928 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,400.00 $2,400.00
970–1345 1158 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,850.00–2,175.00 $2,038.82
1180 thin fleshed 1180 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,075.00 $2,075.00
1190–1470 1330 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,625.00–2,200.00 $1,942.76
1350 1350 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1045–1780 1413 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,500.00–2,650.00 $2,555.49
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035–1095 thin fleshed 1065 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,325.00–1,625.00 $1,470.77
1150 1150 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 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
860–985 923 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 2,400.00–2,700.00 $2,539.84 —
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00 —
1200 1200 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —
1200–1605 1436 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 4 2,850.00–3,700.00 $3,282.42 —

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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.