Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 22, 2025

707 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $391.59/cwt +9.47 vs last sale · ≈ $2,012/hd at 514 lb · 29 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $399.97/cwt +4.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,695/hd at 424 lb · 26 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $428.36/cwt +34.10 vs last sale · ≈ $2,262/hd at 528 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 707 586 735
Feeder cattle 561 489 615
Slaughter cattle 97 60 83
Replacement cattle 49 37 37

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger in spots with a good quality offering. Light weight feeder steers and heifers 400 lbs and under were sharply higher with a good supply, while the 450-700 lbs steers and heifers were mostly steady to 3.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were 1.00 to 3.00 lower with a good supply and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 lower with 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
340 340 1 417.00 $417.00 $1,418 -13.00
375 375 1 432.50 $432.50 $1,622 +11.34
357–390 fancy 376 11 477.00–507.50 $486.26 $1,828 —
402 fancy 402 2 500.00 $500.00 $2,010 —
432 432 2 422.00 $422.00 $1,823 -1.01
465–497 480 13 415.00–427.50 $421.68 $2,024 +11.10
511–540 value added 520 13 412.50–422.50 $415.11 $2,159 +0.11
525 525 2 362.50–380.00 $371.25 $1,949 -9.18
539 fancy 539 10 457.00 $457.00 $2,463 —
557–575 563 3 390.00–395.00 $393.30 $2,214 +3.58
557–571 value added 566 12 413.00–434.00 $427.12 $2,417 -3.88
603 value added 603 4 389.00 $389.00 $2,346 —
635–640 638 3 350.00–352.50 $350.83 $2,238 -30.90
665–692 679 4 370.00–382.00 $376.12 $2,554 +1.69
715–747 727 14 330.00–355.00 $340.54 $2,476 -5.59
732 732 2 290.00 $290.00 $2,123 -56.13
776–780 777 4 325.00–341.00 $336.98 $2,618 —
835 835 1 307.50 $307.50 $2,568 -20.48
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550–590 561 6 340.00–362.50 $348.33 $1,954 -11.67
616–645 623 4 331.00–347.00 $335.14 $2,088 -7.36
717 717 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,151 -10.00
782 782 2 285.00 $285.00 $2,229 -15.00
805 805 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,294 —
890 890 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,092 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,334 —
500 500 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,600 —
712 712 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,851 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905 905 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,602 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 2 407.50 $407.50 $1,141 —
290 fancy 290 1 442.50 $442.50 $1,283 —
300 fancy 300 6 452.50 $452.50 $1,358 +23.05
310–345 328 2 407.50–422.50 $414.60 $1,360 +3.92
350–395 370 7 400.00–425.00 $406.28 $1,503 -8.72
405–441 fancy 421 12 405.00–425.00 $410.32 $1,727 +5.89
400–447 426 14 377.50–400.00 $391.10 $1,666 +13.41
450–495 472 24 370.00–393.00 $379.03 $1,789 +69.03
511–514 value added 513 19 397.00–411.00 $404.70 $2,076 +16.66
502–540 515 10 359.00–378.00 $366.69 $1,888 +11.19
558 value added 558 7 385.00 $385.00 $2,148 +3.00
550–575 561 9 350.00–365.00 $357.09 $2,003 -2.43
610–648 635 14 320.00–340.00 $332.64 $2,112 +0.48
668–682 679 15 318.00–322.00 $318.79 $2,165 -0.29
715–747 739 5 290.00–310.00 $298.49 $2,206 -11.79
750–760 755 2 300.00–310.00 $304.97 $2,303 —
840 840 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,352 +20.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285–295 290 2 350.00–370.00 $360.17 $1,044 -7.38
301–340 311 4 355.00–375.00 $360.47 $1,121 —
350–390 367 5 377.50–396.00 $389.14 $1,428 +6.64
448 448 3 370.00 $370.00 $1,658 +24.13
463–490 470 6 350.00–365.00 $356.36 $1,675 +4.25
505–530 511 4 330.00–351.00 $344.66 $1,761 +13.41
580–592 586 10 325.00–335.00 $330.60 $1,937 -3.77
695 695 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,016 —
765–785 775 2 260.00–265.00 $262.47 $2,034 +22.47
1135 1135 1 217.50 $217.50 $2,469 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,343 —
463 463 7 330.00 $330.00 $1,528 +15.00
505–515 510 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,530 —
565 565 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,638 +42.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 fancy 240 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,188 —
285 fancy 285 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,454 —
312–345 329 5 430.00–470.00 $452.58 $1,489 +39.37
355 355 1 452.50 $452.50 $1,606 +48.21
382–395 fancy 384 9 480.00–500.00 $496.02 $1,905 +63.52
405–435 fancy 415 6 470.00–497.50 $485.31 $2,014 +70.31
400–435 420 3 427.50–442.50 $432.26 $1,815 +42.12
450–455 fancy 453 3 460.00–477.50 $465.79 $2,110 —
450–485 468 5 399.00–420.00 $406.76 $1,904 +6.33
505–515 fancy 508 3 390.00–405.00 $396.29 $2,013 —
500–535 516 9 365.00–382.50 $373.93 $1,929 +8.62
552 fancy 552 5 396.50 $396.50 $2,189 —
550–595 571 5 361.00–385.00 $372.97 $2,130 +4.28
600–647 620 11 340.00–358.00 $349.59 $2,167 -9.10
655–690 667 12 325.00–350.00 $336.10 $2,242 -15.51
720–748 742 8 312.50–321.00 $318.84 $2,366 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–332 316 4 397.50 $397.50 $1,256 +22.50
390–395 393 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,513 +5.00
402–427 416 5 370.00–400.00 $385.72 $1,605 +31.98
483–497 488 11 370.00–390.00 $378.10 $1,845 +11.82
527–530 528 3 346.00–347.50 $346.50 $1,830 +14.84
550–582 570 4 325.00–350.00 $334.82 $1,908 +7.43
600–610 605 2 325.00–337.00 $330.95 $2,002 -1.59
730 730 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,190 —
810 810 1 262.50 $262.50 $2,126 -2.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 338.00 $338.00 $1,284 +25.50
415 415 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,162 —
455–475 465 2 270.00–290.00 $279.78 $1,301 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1205 1019 85-90% 7 118.00–129.00 $125.92 $1,283 —
840–1405 1096 85-90% 27 132.00–149.00 $139.13 $1,525 -18.88
975–1255 1096 85-90% 7 150.00–160.00 $154.06 $1,688 -3.95
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1820 1521 75-80% 18 160.00–168.00 $165.30 $2,514 -12.16
1315–1745 1584 75-80% 6 170.00–175.00 $171.49 $2,716 +8.31
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1410 1226 80-85% 12 153.50–168.00 $159.50 $1,955 -22.00
1165–1375 1263 80-85% 4 170.00–176.00 $172.00 $2,172 —
1180–1405 1322 80-85% 3 142.00–147.00 $144.82 $1,915 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1890 1528 6 159.00–171.00 $167.57 $2,560 —
1240–1910 1575 5 177.00–191.00 $184.03 $2,898 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930–1205 1038 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 160.00–200.00 $174.67 $1,813

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835 835 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,675.00 $1,675.00
935 935 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1000–1090 1035 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,400.00–1,750.00 $1,528.99
860–1360 1110 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,350.00–1,785.00 $1,616.49
1060–1255 1125 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,850.00–1,900.00 $1,868.59
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1108–1295 1155 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,400.00–2,450.00 $2,414.02
1030–1300 1165 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,100.00–2,950.00 $2,574.25
1180–1350 1252 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,975.00–2,600.00 $2,262.55
1275 1275 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1285 1285 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800–875 838 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,525.00–1,800.00 $1,656.34
926 926 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,225.00 $2,225.00
970 970 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00

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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
1055 1055 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —
1360 1360 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00 —
1455 1455 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,800.00 $3,800.00 —

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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.