Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 3, 2025

584 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $326.78/cwt +36.54 vs last sale · ≈ $2,420/hd at 741 lb · 89 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $385.39/cwt +6.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,817/hd at 472 lb · 15 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $346.04/cwt +2.46 vs last sale · ≈ $1,997/hd at 577 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 584 556 704
Feeder cattle 401 455 592
Slaughter cattle 112 71 89
Replacement cattle 71 30 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: No trends due to market being closed last week for the Thanksgiving holiday. However, both the feeder and slaughter markets appeared stronger with a good supply.

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
300 300 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,095 -45.00
415–442 433 7 375.00–395.00 $384.85 $1,666 -12.65
470–475 474 4 377.50–394.00 $389.91 $1,848 +17.00
500–530 516 4 352.50–375.00 $365.79 $1,887 —
539 value added 539 6 403.00 $403.00 $2,172 —
635–648 645 8 346.00–352.00 $350.52 $2,261 —
660–695 677 9 319.00–338.00 $325.47 $2,203 +1.20
720–740 737 8 320.00–322.50 $320.56 $2,363 +20.56
758–790 766 4 295.00–302.50 $296.93 $2,274 —
870 870 3 272.50 $272.50 $2,371 —
928 928 5 270.00 $270.00 $2,506 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 2 357.50 $357.50 $1,394 —
625 625 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,031 ±0.00
675 675 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,025 —
1015 1015 2 240.00 $240.00 $2,436 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 2 338.00 $338.00 $1,758 +26.00
655 655 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,670 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325 1325 1 175.00 $175.00 $2,319 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205–225 214 4 405.00–410.00 $406.23 $869 —
335–336 336 4 381.00–395.00 $384.49 $1,292 —
373 fancy 373 3 412.50 $412.50 $1,539 +2.50
365–397 389 4 387.50–390.00 $389.36 $1,515 —
400 fancy 400 2 407.50 $407.50 $1,630 +37.50
405–445 421 7 365.00–387.50 $375.84 $1,582 +34.38
450–485 464 10 352.50–377.50 $363.87 $1,688 +29.64
512–530 518 3 338.00–358.00 $351.18 $1,819 +32.45
555–582 566 14 330.00–350.00 $336.55 $1,905 +8.79
600–625 611 5 322.00–330.00 $326.73 $1,996 +36.73
645 645 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,742 -55.16
660–665 662 13 312.50–324.00 $322.96 $2,138 +10.78
702–740 723 10 299.00–312.00 $302.03 $2,184 +11.79
735 735 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,801 -45.24
743 value added 743 78 331.00 $331.00 $2,459 —
775 775 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,170 +20.00
840 840 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,415 —
896 896 4 238.00 $238.00 $2,132 —
920 920 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,656 —
1055 1055 1 195.00 $195.00 $2,057 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 335.00 $335.00 $670 +5.00
265 265 1 347.50 $347.50 $921 +14.74
300–310 305 2 320.00 $320.00 $976 -18.34
380–395 388 3 350.00–357.50 $354.17 $1,374 +7.44
415–435 425 5 325.00–345.00 $336.16 $1,429 +11.47
477–491 486 9 320.00–347.50 $335.84 $1,632 +21.44
540 540 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,782 +51.65
650–655 653 2 272.50–292.50 $282.46 $1,844 -9.97
760 760 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,368 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 2 262.50 $262.50 $919 -35.92
410–417 415 3 282.50–285.00 $283.32 $1,176 +55.82
610 610 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,159 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,459 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,333 +53.00
360–370 363 3 405.00–417.50 $409.24 $1,486 +30.03
462 fancy 462 4 398.00 $398.00 $1,839 —
455–497 475 11 370.00–387.50 $380.80 $1,809 +1.72
515 515 1 367.00 $367.00 $1,890 +30.14
560–591 577 14 331.00–353.00 $346.04 $1,997 +5.20
677 677 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,929 -14.45
740 740 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,702 -62.50
870 870 11 252.00 $252.00 $2,192 +3.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 273 2 350.00–360.00 $354.68 $968 —
315 315 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,197 +44.19
435 435 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,566 +10.00
475–481 480 4 352.50–355.00 $354.38 $1,701 +18.55
500–530 520 3 285.00–292.50 $287.40 $1,494 —
1070 1070 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,872 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,085 +32.50
425 425 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,402 +30.00
565 565 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,695 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910 910 85-90% 1 97.00 $97.00 $883 —
920–1150 1040 85-90% 4 120.00–124.50 $123.23 $1,282 —
980–1230 1086 85-90% 5 150.00–159.00 $154.48 $1,678 +21.05
855–1255 1090 85-90% 22 130.00–148.00 $139.70 $1,523 +6.27
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1340 1196 80-85% 18 153.50–164.00 $157.37 $1,882 —
1145–1275 1208 80-85% 5 166.00–179.50 $172.89 $2,089 —
1205–1350 1272 80-85% 3 140.00–147.00 $144.69 $1,840 -6.28
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1670 1447 75-80% 16 153.50–163.50 $157.97 $2,286 —
1245–1840 1513 75-80% 9 165.00–176.50 $170.86 $2,585 +15.18

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185 1185 1 166.50 $166.50 $1,973 —
1210–1815 1450 3 179.50–185.50 $183.12 $2,655 +25.07
1460–1830 1713 6 193.00–204.00 $197.53 $3,384 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960 960 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,459
1050 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 183.00–185.00 $184.00 $1,932

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930 930 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
980–1295 1109 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,300.00–2,850.00 $2,571.08
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,075.00 $3,075.00
1110–1350 1215 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 11 1,850.00–2,285.00 $2,095.57
1080–1335 1237 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 2,100.00–2,175.00 $2,141.53
1130–1715 1319 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 2,225.00–2,850.00 $2,611.70
1585 1585 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,025.00 $2,025.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
705 705 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1060 1060 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1185 1185 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,910.00 $1,910.00
1185 1185 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1270 1270 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785 785 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00

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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
1220 1220 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00 —
1260–1320 1290 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 2,750.00–2,800.00 $2,775.58 +406.85
1290 1290 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,125.00 $3,125.00 +756.27
1210–1495 1305 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 3,000.00–3,225.00 $3,085.92 —
1872 1872 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 4,250.00 $4,250.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940 940 85-90% 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,100 —

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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.