Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 14, 2026

511 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $395.07/cwt +7.53 vs last sale · ≈ $1,894/hd at 479 lb · 49 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $371.91/cwt -2.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,158/hd at 580 lb · 40 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $432.03/cwt +16.15 vs last sale · ≈ $2,497/hd at 578 lb · 36 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 511 529 452
Feeder cattle 463 428 388
Slaughter cattle 39 79 51
Replacement cattle 9 22 13

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 5.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned and pre-conditioned calves. Yearling steers appeared stronger as well but with a light test. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower with a moderate 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
310 310 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,457 —
350 fancy 350 1 590.00 $590.00 $2,065 —
420–438 433 7 458.00–480.00 $470.53 $2,037 +40.53
452 fancy 452 4 489.00 $489.00 $2,210 +33.59
457–470 466 9 448.00–470.00 $453.01 $2,111 +19.81
501–545 value added 523 28 435.00–452.50 $445.63 $2,331 -24.40
515–540 thin fleshed 532 3 460.00–462.50 $460.81 $2,452 —
555–580 thin fleshed 564 13 440.00–450.00 $446.15 $2,516 —
550–595 value added 586 23 415.00–429.00 $424.05 $2,485 +4.62
610–615 value added 613 2 400.00–407.50 $403.73 $2,475 +28.74
620–642 630 5 370.00–387.50 $378.95 $2,387 +30.61
672 value added 672 2 387.50 $387.50 $2,604 —
658–699 681 19 351.00–371.00 $366.66 $2,497 +7.83
712 value added 712 28 372.50 $372.50 $2,652 —
740 740 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,590 +7.14
777 777 2 337.50 $337.50 $2,622 +14.53
815–831 827 4 327.50–330.00 $329.38 $2,724 ±0.00
873 873 3 336.00 $336.00 $2,933 +35.00
920 920 1 297.00 $297.00 $2,732 +12.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,460 -17.50
515 515 1 372.50 $372.50 $1,918 —
595 595 1 331.00 $331.00 $1,969 —
615 615 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,906 +15.00
1003 1003 3 206.00 $206.00 $2,066 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 fancy 280 1 477.50 $477.50 $1,337 +34.00
305–343 fancy 329 9 470.00–480.00 $477.05 $1,569 —
335 335 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,374 +15.00
350–355 fancy 352 3 457.50–462.50 $459.18 $1,616 +32.04
373–390 380 7 407.50–418.00 $412.11 $1,566 +9.66
403 thin fleshed 403 3 445.00 $445.00 $1,793 —
402–445 418 6 405.00–415.00 $408.43 $1,707 +20.40
405–448 fancy 432 10 420.00–425.00 $424.06 $1,832 +14.06
455 thin fleshed 455 2 440.00 $440.00 $2,002 —
450–485 fancy 472 24 390.00–413.00 $404.99 $1,912 +12.05
475–493 489 23 362.50–387.00 $380.81 $1,862 +4.08
515 515 4 362.50–365.00 $364.38 $1,877 +8.33
505–543 value added 534 4 387.50 $387.50 $2,069 -2.91
550–580 571 17 335.00–357.00 $348.69 $1,991 -21.54
560–599 value added 587 23 388.50–390.50 $389.08 $2,284 +10.16
625–635 628 3 326.00–350.00 $334.97 $2,104 +0.54
659–675 664 13 325.00–346.00 $342.67 $2,275 +11.23
725–730 728 2 312.00–315.00 $313.51 $2,282 +4.24
755 755 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,416 +10.00
905 905 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,923 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–270 265 2 350.00–355.00 $352.45 $934 —
300–335 318 2 365.00–375.00 $370.28 $1,177 +12.86
365 365 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,414 +5.00
410 410 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,496 -4.28
465 465 1 362.50 $362.50 $1,686 +8.38
530–540 533 4 330.00–344.00 $338.53 $1,804 +8.53
560–586 580 4 320.00–331.00 $328.34 $1,904 +8.34
601 601 3 320.00 $320.00 $1,923 +13.26
655–680 661 6 295.00–317.00 $311.66 $2,060 —
715 715 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,056 —
865 865 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,990 -42.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,260 —
515 515 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,313 —
705 705 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,445 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795 795 1 297.50 $297.50 $2,365 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–345 fancy 325 3 535.00–555.00 $547.92 $1,781 —
327 327 2 480.00 $480.00 $1,570 +31.05
353–370 fancy 357 4 500.00–535.00 $509.06 $1,817 +26.56
395 395 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,817 +33.75
400–435 fancy 405 7 462.50–470.00 $468.85 $1,899 +4.07
442–445 443 3 422.50–425.00 $424.16 $1,879 +6.58
480 480 1 423.00 $423.00 $2,030 +14.44
482 fancy 482 2 452.50 $452.50 $2,181 +12.50
500–540 520 3 370.00–383.00 $374.50 $1,947 -14.48
522–535 fancy 525 5 427.50–434.00 $432.67 $2,272 +14.82
575 fancy 575 4 394.00 $394.00 $2,266 -1.00
565–581 577 4 383.00–386.00 $383.73 $2,214 +10.36
632 fancy 632 4 377.00 $377.00 $2,383 —
625–647 641 6 351.00–361.00 $353.96 $2,269 +1.40
691 691 5 353.00 $353.00 $2,439 —
826 826 6 290.00 $290.00 $2,395 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 383 4 410.00–425.00 $420.16 $1,609 —
440 440 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,551 -26.00
452–475 460 3 350.00–367.00 $355.86 $1,637 -37.66
535 535 1 362.00 $362.00 $1,937 +24.50
585–595 593 4 350.00 $350.00 $2,076 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 2 338.00 $338.00 $1,876 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 2 375.00 $375.00 $1,144 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,166 —
595 595 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,815 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1420 1420 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,885.00 $2,885.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
665 665 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $479 —
920–1000 960 85-90% 2 110.00–111.00 $110.48 $1,061 —
1025 1025 85-90% 1 146.50 $146.50 $1,502 —
905–1340 1129 85-90% 7 131.00–139.50 $135.13 $1,526 -1.31
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320–1480 1401 75-80% 5 151.00–161.00 $156.24 $2,189 —
1350–1440 1407 75-80% 3 144.50–148.00 $146.71 $2,064 —
1630 1630 75-80% 1 168.50 $168.50 $2,747 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1210 1162 80-85% 3 165.50–169.00 $167.34 $1,944 —
1200–1330 1265 80-85% 2 150.00–154.50 $152.13 $1,924 -0.08
1355–1365 1360 80-85% 2 139.50–146.00 $142.76 $1,942 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–2120 1623 2 181.50–184.50 $183.46 $2,978 —
1700 1700 1 199.00 $199.00 $3,383 —
1420–1920 1726 4 160.00–176.00 $171.88 $2,967 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
710 710 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,580

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1240 1240 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1270–1420 1345 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,600.00 $2,600.00
Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1230 1230 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950 950 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1225 1225 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1600 1600 85-90% 1 131.50 $131.50 $2,104 —

↑ Back to top

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.