Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 4, 2026

393 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $418.21/cwt +7.48 vs last sale · ≈ $2,185/hd at 522 lb · 20 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $423.32/cwt -29.26 vs last sale · ≈ $2,055/hd at 485 lb · 16 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $396.47/cwt +10.21 vs last sale · ≈ $2,447/hd at 617 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 393 239 655
Feeder cattle 274 206 549
Slaughter cattle 42 28 64
Replacement cattle 77 5 42

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 600 lbs and under were sharply higher with a moderate supply and strong demand. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were 5.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in a few spots with a moderate supply and strong demand for long weaned and harder conditioned feeders. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls were steady with good 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
245 fancy 245 1 700.00 $700.00 $1,715 +85.00
265 265 1 570.00 $570.00 $1,510 —
300 thin fleshed 300 1 680.00 $680.00 $2,040 —
350–355 353 2 532.50–545.00 $538.71 $1,902 -9.95
420–427 thin fleshed 426 10 552.00–572.50 $554.02 $2,360 —
446 446 3 512.50 $512.50 $2,286 -5.83
460–486 480 4 467.50–487.50 $472.30 $2,267 -25.20
505 505 2 440.00 $440.00 $2,222 —
505–535 value added 518 3 450.00–470.00 $462.52 $2,396 +10.02
522 thin fleshed 522 10 503.00 $503.00 $2,626 —
550–565 558 2 425.00–445.00 $435.13 $2,428 +22.13
615–647 631 5 395.00–397.50 $396.82 $2,504 +11.82
651–677 value added 658 10 405.00–423.00 $417.22 $2,745 —
660 660 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,244 -25.00
685 685 1 365.00 $365.00 $2,500 ±0.00
765 765 1 361.00 $361.00 $2,762 +21.50
855 855 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,822 —
910 910 1 318.00 $318.00 $2,894 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–445 428 2 451.00–462.00 $456.73 $1,955 -13.27
495 495 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,277 -5.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 450.00 $450.00 $2,115 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610 610 1 347.50 $347.50 $2,120 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
185 185 1 520.00 $520.00 $962 —
215 215 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,064 +15.00
240 fancy 240 2 620.00 $620.00 $1,488 -20.00
315 thin fleshed 315 1 570.00 $570.00 $1,796 —
310–335 fancy 325 3 530.00–540.00 $535.03 $1,739 —
370 thin fleshed 370 1 570.00 $570.00 $2,109 —
375 fancy 375 2 540.00 $540.00 $2,025 +45.35
365–395 378 4 475.00–505.00 $486.75 $1,840 +31.75
410–415 413 2 455.00–470.00 $462.55 $1,910 +12.55
422 thin fleshed 422 2 550.00 $550.00 $2,321 —
405–445 fancy 426 10 490.00–499.00 $495.23 $2,110 +19.61
455 455 1 387.50 $387.50 $1,763 -40.51
465 fancy 465 1 462.50 $462.50 $2,151 +4.58
455–498 489 14 412.50–430.00 $423.08 $2,069 -4.93
500–542 value added 522 19 410.00–425.00 $419.17 $2,188 -0.74
530 530 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,120 +13.15
557–592 575 4 392.00–396.00 $394.06 $2,266 +9.79
570–595 value added 579 9 402.00–418.00 $411.97 $2,385 -5.68
602–612 606 9 390.00–401.00 $395.67 $2,398 +46.67
630 630 2 370.00–375.00 $372.50 $2,347 -19.08
632 value added 632 5 407.50 $407.50 $2,575 —
653–685 671 12 361.00–376.00 $365.31 $2,451 +25.31
672–695 680 3 325.00–349.00 $340.82 $2,318 +0.82
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 2 465.00 $465.00 $1,814 +65.00
435 435 1 427.50 $427.50 $1,860 —
465–490 478 2 392.50–397.00 $394.81 $1,887 -7.19
500 500 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,900 —
565–580 573 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,948 —
615 615 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,999 -6.00
845 845 3 272.50 $272.50 $2,303 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,722 —
585 585 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,726 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605 605 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,027 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 2 540.00–590.00 $565.00 $1,526 —
305–310 thin fleshed 308 2 665.00–670.00 $667.52 $2,056 —
300–335 fancy 318 2 600.00 $600.00 $1,908 -20.00
380 fancy 380 1 570.00 $570.00 $2,166 -10.00
405 thin fleshed 405 1 600.00 $600.00 $2,430 —
420 420 1 480.00 $480.00 $2,016 —
412–437 fancy 421 9 512.00–532.50 $519.57 $2,187 +12.57
465–497 480 5 480.00–497.50 $487.70 $2,341 —
505–545 fancy 527 8 457.50–475.00 $468.32 $2,468 —
520–545 537 3 405.00–430.00 $413.07 $2,218 -51.88
567 fancy 567 2 442.00 $442.00 $2,506 —
550–595 571 4 390.00–420.00 $404.96 $2,312 -32.54
610–625 615 3 376.00–392.50 $386.91 $2,379 +4.93
675–687 677 10 355.00–372.00 $368.38 $2,494 -18.62
720–745 733 2 325.00–341.00 $333.14 $2,442 -5.86
780–795 787 4 336.00–356.00 $349.46 $2,750 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180 180 1 517.50 $517.50 $932 —
540 540 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,890 —
580 580 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,146 +22.50
600–620 610 2 335.00–345.00 $339.92 $2,074 -5.08
695 695 1 341.00 $341.00 $2,370 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
975 975 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00 —
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 302.00 $302.00 $1,193 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615–1245 993 85-90% 8 110.00–129.00 $122.06 $1,212 -20.81
770–1305 1038 85-90% 15 132.00–151.00 $140.05 $1,454 —
800–1320 1060 85-90% 2 155.00–163.00 $158.02 $1,675 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1315 1215 80-85% 2 175.00–187.00 $180.51 $2,193 —
1155–1375 1228 80-85% 4 160.50–171.00 $165.03 $2,027 —
1290 1290 80-85% 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,961 -26.46
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590 1590 75-80% 1 166.00 $166.00 $2,639 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1320 1235 3 176.00–178.50 $177.51 $2,192 —
1685 1685 1 204.00 $204.00 $3,437 —
1810–1885 1848 2 190.00–192.00 $191.02 $3,530 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–1005 895 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 232.70–251.00 $242.97 $2,175
1020–1300 1144 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 187.00–207.00 $197.15 $2,255
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845 845 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 244.00 $244.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00
1215 1215 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,275.00 $2,275.00
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,375.00 $3,375.00
1150–1445 1257 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 3,050.00–3,800.00 $3,531.30
1086–1550 1287 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 16 2,975.00–3,675.00 $3,218.29
961–2100 1346 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 9 2,575.00–2,975.00 $2,794.62
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00
925–1460 1203 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,725.00–3,000.00 $2,875.97

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Bred Heifers

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
680 680 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
685 685 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
765–775 770 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,475.00–3,100.00 $2,789.53

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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
1215 1215 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 4,250.00 $4,250.00 —
1262–1355 1293 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 4,350.00–4,650.00 $4,545.20 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1205 1205 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,325.00 $3,325.00 —

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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.