Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 23, 2026

256 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $322.97/cwt +3.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,837/hd at 569 lb · 13 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $386.45/cwt +7.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,047/hd at 530 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 256 173 685
Feeder cattle 184 142 574
Slaughter cattle 21 18 70
Replacement cattle 51 13 41

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 400 lbs and under appeared steady with a lite test, while 400-600 lbs steers were sharply higher with a moderate supply and strong demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Feeder heifers 300-600 lbs were 1.00 to 3.00 lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand. Slaughter cows and bulls appeared 5.00 to 8.00 lower with a limited supply and limited 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
382 382 2 465.00 $465.00 $1,776 -5.00
475 475 1 480.00 $480.00 $2,280 +37.50
510–520 value added 515 3 410.00–412.50 $410.84 $2,116 +14.84
505–548 536 7 362.50–381.00 $376.00 $2,015 +31.00
550 value added 550 4 401.00 $401.00 $2,206 —
560 560 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,016 +17.50
610–625 619 4 325.00–342.00 $329.19 $2,038 +6.69
682 682 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,353 —
710 710 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,343 —
750–780 765 2 307.00–320.00 $313.37 $2,397 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–430 415 3 402.50–435.00 $420.23 $1,744 —
460 460 3 372.50 $372.50 $1,714 -18.14
525 525 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,680 —
580–590 585 2 295.00–325.00 $310.13 $1,814 —
835 835 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,129 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,452 —
655 655 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,703 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,991 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,386 -35.00
360–370 fancy 365 2 445.00–452.50 $448.80 $1,638 —
350–395 375 3 410.00–427.50 $420.03 $1,575 +30.03
422–445 431 5 385.00–415.00 $397.76 $1,714 -2.11
495 495 1 358.00 $358.00 $1,772 -19.55
505 505 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,818 +35.00
505–545 525 4 325.00–350.00 $333.64 $1,752 +8.64
557 557 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,950 +31.00
555–581 571 11 310.00–326.00 $318.06 $1,816 -0.94
627–640 631 3 312.00–316.00 $313.35 $1,977 +2.35
670 670 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,077 +10.00
705 705 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,221 —
765 765 1 308.00 $308.00 $2,356 —
810 810 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,268 —
850 850 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,380 —
915–920 918 2 237.50–265.00 $251.29 $2,307 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
402–445 414 8 360.00–375.00 $366.71 $1,518 -5.79
465 465 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,534 —
535 535 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,538 -32.50
605–630 624 4 280.00–300.00 $295.15 $1,842 —
650 650 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,788 —
700 700 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,030 —
755–790 773 2 255.00–270.00 $262.67 $2,030 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,419 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 505.00 $505.00 $960 —
340 340 1 475.00 $475.00 $1,615 -35.00
365 365 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,825 +45.16
410–437 428 3 440.00 $440.00 $1,883 -9.90
455–473 469 4 402.50–415.00 $411.97 $1,932 +1.86
525–530 529 4 362.50–375.00 $365.60 $1,934 +24.30
580 580 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,885 -10.00
600–645 616 6 315.00–320.00 $318.31 $1,961 -13.18
772–785 774 8 300.00–310.00 $308.73 $2,390 —
965 965 1 232.50 $232.50 $2,244 -22.50
1010 1010 2 215.00 $215.00 $2,172 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 420.00 $420.00 $903 —
280 280 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,260 -25.00
310–315 311 4 425.00–432.50 $430.60 $1,339 —
360–387 378 3 402.50–420.00 $414.44 $1,567 —
400 400 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,620 —
480–490 485 2 352.50–360.00 $356.29 $1,728 -19.77
530–540 535 2 310.00–337.50 $323.62 $1,731 —
550–570 560 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,680 -12.52
640 640 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,901 —
652 652 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,793 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1190–1510 1350 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 2,350.00–2,500.00 $2,433.89 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,365 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1485 1485 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,150.00 $3,150.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,244 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–975 942 85-90% 3 99.00–105.00 $102.64 $967 —
985 985 85-90% 1 128.50 $128.50 $1,266 —
1350 1350 85-90% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,552 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1530 1456 75-80% 4 133.00–138.00 $135.26 $1,969 -20.55
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1380 1233 80-85% 2 118.00 $118.00 $1,455 -26.70

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570 1570 2 173.50–179.00 $176.25 $2,767 —
1600–1955 1779 5 190.00–192.50 $191.16 $3,401 —
1925–1960 1943 2 215.50–217.00 $216.24 $4,202 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850 850 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,082

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1100 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,600.00–3,250.00 $3,033.33
1160 1160 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,225.00 $3,225.00
1255 1255 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1070–1360 1263 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,525.00–2,925.00 $2,812.07
1027–1450 1301 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 3,325.00–3,650.00 $3,541.61
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015–1095 1060 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,375.00–2,350.00 $1,820.09
935–1260 1098 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,225.00–2,800.00 $2,469.93
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845–860 853 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,810.00–2,200.00 $2,006.72

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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
1235 1235 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,750.00 $4,750.00 —
1410 1410 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 4,500.00 $4,500.00 —
1410 1410 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 4,300.00 $4,300.00 —
1415 1415 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,750.00 $3,750.00 —
1350–1540 1445 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 4,450.00–4,700.00 $4,583.22 —
1455 1455 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1320 1320 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00 —

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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.