Cattle Market Pulse

Bluegrass Stockyard Market Report, Mt. Sterling, KY

Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 7, 2026

441 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $343.79/cwt -14.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,957/hd at 569 lb · 26 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $368.90/cwt +9.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,778/hd at 482 lb · 25 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $371.53/cwt +14.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,951/hd at 525 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 441 773 266
Feeder cattle 348 665 234
Slaughter cattle 45 37 24
Replacement cattle 48 71 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mostly stronger with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 400-600 lbs were 5.00 10.00 higher with a limited supply and strong demand for long weaned calves. Feeder heifers 400-600 lbs were steady to 5.00 higher in spots with a good supply and good demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality cattle, while discounting fatter bawling calves severely and increasing the price spreads in most weight classes. Slaughter cows were 5.00 to 7.00 lower with a moderate supply and slaughter bulls were 4.00 to 5.00 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 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,442 —
315–340 fancy 328 2 515.00–580.00 $546.26 $1,792 —
355 fancy 355 2 500.00–505.00 $502.50 $1,784 —
390–395 393 2 460.00–470.00 $464.97 $1,827 —
407–432 418 5 440.00–452.50 $445.85 $1,864 +35.85
400–445 fancy 430 3 460.00–472.50 $463.88 $1,995 —
457–475 468 5 415.00–417.50 $415.98 $1,947 -14.02
510 value added 510 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,142 —
500–540 526 15 359.00–390.00 $368.30 $1,937 +10.89
571–593 581 11 341.00–368.00 $361.84 $2,102 +8.15
605 605 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,815 -36.86
605–629 624 7 330.00–356.00 $346.63 $2,163 +9.77
670 670 1 337.00 $337.00 $2,258 -12.96
765 765 1 312.00 $312.00 $2,387 +0.35
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,558 -30.00
405–440 425 3 395.00–422.00 $411.70 $1,750 —
495 495 1 362.00 $362.00 $1,792 -14.22
515–545 530 2 334.00–347.50 $340.94 $1,807 +3.94
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,068 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,096 —
315–323 fancy 321 4 447.50–450.00 $448.11 $1,438 —
305–340 323 2 402.50 $402.50 $1,300 —
385–395 390 2 365.00–385.00 $375.13 $1,463 -12.37
400–425 fancy 409 8 380.00–390.00 $384.99 $1,575 —
405–440 423 2 350.00–355.00 $352.60 $1,491 -12.40
465–490 fancy 482 17 375.00–377.50 $375.62 $1,810 -0.83
475–492 482 8 343.00–367.00 $354.62 $1,709 +7.68
505–506 value added 506 4 367.00–370.00 $367.75 $1,861 —
512–540 530 8 324.00–345.00 $335.73 $1,779 +8.20
550–595 570 14 324.00–350.00 $335.38 $1,912 +12.69
600–635 616 5 300.00–311.00 $304.13 $1,873 +5.20
655 655 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,867 -8.35
712–735 721 6 282.50–304.00 $294.23 $2,121 -19.77
730 730 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,989 -10.34
760–765 763 2 275.00–285.00 $279.98 $2,136 -22.02
820–835 828 2 252.50–277.50 $264.89 $2,193 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,079 +45.00
485 485 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,746 +42.10
530–545 535 3 310.00–315.00 $311.65 $1,667 +10.84
620–645 633 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,804 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,365 —
527 527 4 322.00 $322.00 $1,697 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180 180 1 350.00 $350.00 $630 —
265 265 1 360.00 $360.00 $954 —
375 375 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,322 —
400 400 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,260 +37.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 2 450.00 $450.00 $1,328 —
325–335 330 2 450.00–480.00 $465.23 $1,535 —
352–390 366 5 440.00–472.50 $456.45 $1,671 -11.00
355–380 fancy 368 2 492.50–510.00 $500.95 $1,843 —
415 fancy 415 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,992 —
405–437 416 9 435.00–465.00 $447.21 $1,860 +10.70
455–475 466 7 428.00–447.50 $433.01 $2,018 +74.12
500–525 fancy 508 3 380.00–392.00 $387.87 $1,970 +28.53
500–545 521 11 339.00–370.00 $349.34 $1,820 +15.04
562 fancy 562 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,023 -7.57
550–592 570 24 327.50–349.50 $342.44 $1,952 +10.11
603–630 609 10 314.00–326.00 $320.10 $1,949 -0.94
650–680 665 8 307.50–317.00 $312.13 $2,076 -1.65
790 790 1 302.50 $302.50 $2,390 +2.71
810 810 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,329 +7.50
990 990 1 272.50 $272.50 $2,698 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 410.00 $410.00 $943 —
325 325 2 390.00 $390.00 $1,268 —
395 395 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,600 -20.00
435 435 1 412.50 $412.50 $1,794 +32.68
457 457 4 402.50–411.00 $406.75 $1,859 +85.91
500 500 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,650 +18.00
555–590 578 3 300.00–317.50 $309.35 $1,788 +9.35
625–645 633 3 277.50–300.00 $292.36 $1,851 —
930 930 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,953 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 295.00 $295.00 $708 —
430 430 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,333 —
477–485 480 3 335.00–340.00 $336.69 $1,616 +24.69
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,683 —
635 635 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,937 —
670 670 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,910 -12.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1300–1385 1343 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 2,400.00–2,650.00 $2,528.96 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970 970 85-90% 1 55.00 $55.00 $534 —
785–1100 985 85-90% 3 125.00–130.00 $128.31 $1,264 —
935–1125 1050 85-90% 4 87.00–94.00 $90.08 $946 —
1115–1320 1228 85-90% 5 103.00–113.00 $106.39 $1,306 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1395 1242 80-85% 11 107.00–128.00 $117.66 $1,461 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1600 1440 75-80% 9 117.00–133.00 $124.90 $1,799 —
1355–1530 1443 75-80% 2 138.00–144.00 $141.18 $2,037 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505 1505 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,926 —
1545–2110 1806 5 167.00–179.50 $175.43 $3,168 —
1890 1890 1 191.50 $191.50 $3,619 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1020–1225 1138 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 118.00–180.00 $143.73 $1,636

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910–1035 973 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,225.00–2,375.00 $2,304.82
1265 1265 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00
1265 1265 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
1075–1550 1283 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 2,350.00–3,350.00 $2,693.46
1415 1415 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,425.00 $3,425.00
1490 1490 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000–1250 1138 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,700.00–1,785.00 $1,743.19
1100–1220 1160 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,800.00–1,900.00 $1,852.59
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865 865 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
875–880 878 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,375.00–1,600.00 $1,487.82
915 915 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00

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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
1135 1135 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 4,200.00 $4,200.00 +500.00
1255–1265 1260 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 3,075.00–3,500.00 $3,286.66 +1,411.66
1640 1640 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,600.00 $3,600.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1345 1345 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00 —

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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.