Cattle Market Pulse

Mid-Kentucky Livestock Market Report

Upton, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 28, 2025

1,405 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Mid-Kentucky Livestock Market report →

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $297.43/cwt -22.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,879/hd at 632 lb · 88 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $253.73/cwt +8.30 vs last sale · ≈ $2,101/hd at 828 lb · 78 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $273.63/cwt ≈ $2,077/hd at 759 lb · 75 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,405 1,023 764
Feeder cattle 1,229 889 639
Slaughter cattle 91 72 77
Replacement cattle 85 62 48

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week feeder steers 500lbs and under were steady with 400lbs steers up 2.00. Feeder steers over 500lbs were were steady and yearling steers 800lbs and up were up 2.00-3.00 higher. Feeder heifers 500lbs and under were steady with good demand on weaned and pre-conditioned packages. Feeder heifers 500lbs and over were steady with 800lbs heifers up 3.00. Slaughter cattle were in high demand with being sharply higher at 8.00-10.00, and slaughter bulls were steady. Good demand for all slaughter classes and good quality cattle with weather break. Groups of 20 head or more: Steers Heifers Bulls 28hd 511lbs 320.00 MIX 21hd 353lbs 310.50 BLK 24hd 522lbs 306.50 BLK 23hd 621lbs 302.00 MIX 27hd 415lbs 310.00 BLK 30hd 709lbs 243.25 MIX 43hd 751lbs 282.50 BLK 37hd 472lbs 299.00 BLK 33hd 827lbs 250.25 MIX 30hd 519lbs 270.00 BLK 22hd 892lbs 254.50 BLK 23hd 561lbs 262.50 BLK 34hd 934lbs 256.50 MIX 38hd 835lbs 242.75 MIX 22hd 1420lbs 150.00 BLK Slaughter

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
275–295 285 2 350.00–370.00 $360.35 $1,027 —
348 fancy 348 3 410.00 $410.00 $1,427 —
380 380 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,102 -60.00
447 447 14 346.00 $346.00 $1,547 +21.00
485–487 486 19 325.00–358.00 $345.87 $1,681 +9.59
511 511 28 320.00 $320.00 $1,635 +6.00
550–596 584 28 300.00–305.00 $302.72 $1,768 -22.28
622–633 value added 629 25 308.00–318.25 $312.06 $1,963 -10.94
621–647 633 63 280.00–302.00 $291.62 $1,846 -23.38
673–683 677 25 280.50–295.00 $288.57 $1,954 +14.57
708–727 722 22 253.00 $253.00 $1,827 -7.30
751 value added 751 43 282.50 $282.50 $2,122 —
751–785 770 32 259.00–265.00 $261.72 $2,015 —
823–836 828 78 250.25–258.50 $253.73 $2,101 +8.30
860–892 881 34 253.75–254.50 $254.24 $2,240 +5.24
915–934 931 41 245.50–256.50 $254.65 $2,371 —
950 950 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,232 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
806 806 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,580 —
1430 1430 7 165.00 $165.00 $2,360 —
1440 1440 1 190.00 $190.00 $2,736 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 301.00 $301.00 $1,354 +38.00
545 545 3 280.00 $280.00 $1,526 —
693 693 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,871 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–277 276 7 295.00–315.00 $312.20 $862 +1.20
347 347 10 294.00 $294.00 $1,020 —
353 fancy 353 21 310.50 $310.50 $1,096 —
385 385 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,078 -21.59
403–410 405 7 291.00–301.00 $298.11 $1,207 -4.89
415 fancy 415 27 310.00 $310.00 $1,286 —
452–478 468 67 270.00–305.00 $293.08 $1,372 -1.92
500–545 529 54 255.00–278.00 $269.41 $1,425 -4.40
564 value added 564 13 280.50 $280.50 $1,582 —
561–596 569 42 262.50–278.00 $267.28 $1,521 +6.46
600–640 627 47 240.00–265.50 $254.07 $1,593 +0.31
660–692 680 31 247.50–262.00 $258.10 $1,755 +9.10
701 701 19 228.25 $228.25 $1,600 -5.25
728 value added 728 10 243.50 $243.50 $1,773 —
756–760 757 11 220.00–237.50 $222.96 $1,688 -19.29
787 value added 787 11 243.50 $243.50 $1,916 —
804–849 823 14 229.00–230.00 $229.44 $1,888 +9.44
835 value added 835 38 242.75 $242.75 $2,027 +3.75
860 860 12 230.00 $230.00 $1,978 —
948 948 8 213.00 $213.00 $2,019 -3.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–273 267 3 201.00–245.00 $215.01 $574 —
425 425 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,105 -10.00
460 460 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,104 —
512–540 521 3 242.50–243.00 $242.83 $1,265 -9.90
555 555 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,360 +20.00
605–640 617 3 191.00–230.00 $204.49 $1,262 -45.51
655–695 691 9 228.00–230.00 $228.21 $1,577 +1.21
975 975 2 204.00 $204.00 $1,989 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420 1420 22 150.00 $150.00 $2,130 —
Medium 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 205.00 $205.00 $943 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–296 294 9 350.00–360.00 $351.04 $1,032 —
346 fancy 346 15 360.00 $360.00 $1,246 —
362–365 363 6 320.00–335.00 $322.52 $1,171 —
410 fancy 410 18 360.50 $360.50 $1,478 —
456–470 460 23 333.50–340.00 $338.27 $1,556 +20.27
522 fancy 522 24 306.50 $306.50 $1,600 —
558–561 560 27 261.00–287.00 $280.20 $1,569 -13.80
621 621 10 274.00 $274.00 $1,702 +9.00
673 673 15 260.00 $260.00 $1,750 —
709 709 30 243.25 $243.25 $1,725 +1.25
755 755 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,676 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 305.00 $305.00 $961 —
382 382 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,146 —
503–525 507 5 250.00–255.00 $253.97 $1,288 —
635 635 9 245.00 $245.00 $1,556 —
798 798 4 209.00 $209.00 $1,668 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1530 1530 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1235 1110 80-85% 2 160.00–170.00 $164.44 $1,825 —
875–1450 1231 80-85% 20 122.50–130.00 $123.83 $1,524 -12.81
1175–1425 1313 80-85% 9 106.00–118.50 $114.24 $1,500 —
1125–1525 1405 80-85% 26 131.00–155.00 $138.82 $1,950 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–985 888 85-90% 2 140.00–150.50 $144.67 $1,285 —
955–1090 1033 85-90% 3 90.00–100.00 $95.22 $984 —
950–1355 1139 85-90% 5 112.50–131.00 $123.83 $1,410 —
1150–1240 1185 85-90% 4 104.00–110.00 $107.72 $1,276 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1545–1650 1611 75-80% 4 130.00–138.00 $134.14 $2,161 —
1728 1728 75-80% 4 143.75 $143.75 $2,484 +15.75

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1685 1328 4 138.50–149.00 $144.33 $1,917 —
1715–1885 1775 3 167.50–175.00 $170.09 $3,019 —
1625–2085 1806 8 151.50–164.50 $157.80 $2,850 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–1115 923 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 10 160.00–232.50 $186.84 $1,725
1185 1185 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 188.00 $188.00 $2,228

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980–985 982 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,300.00–1,700.00 $1,566.21
850–1650 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,100.00–2,500.00 $1,767.56
775–1225 1078 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,020.00–1,700.00 $1,507.95
1150–1220 1182 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,275.00–2,450.00 $1,914.56
1230 1230 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00
1140–1450 1278 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,310.00–2,370.00 $1,676.58
1850 1850 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)All Stages (1-9 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
725–1230 894 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,090.00–2,190.00 $1,652.26
850–1175 1013 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,300.00–2,200.00 $1,822.22
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1160 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1175 1175 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920 920 85-90% 1 84.00 $84.00 $773 —
1100–1215 1149 85-90% 4 100.00–115.00 $110.42 $1,269 —
1310–1475 1393 85-90% 2 125.00–130.00 $127.65 $1,778 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680 680 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,496 —

↑ 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.