Cattle Market Pulse

Mid-Kentucky Livestock Market Report

Upton, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 19, 2026

601 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $350.00/cwt +14.00 vs last sale · ≈ $3,003/hd at 858 lb · 32 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $363.84/cwt +19.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,991/hd at 822 lb · 31 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $370.00/cwt -7.46 vs last sale · ≈ $2,375/hd at 642 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 601 932 767
Feeder cattle 385 741 571
Slaughter cattle 98 99 116
Replacement cattle 118 92 80

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week; Feeder steers and feeder heifers sold 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Strong demand for weaned and vaccinated feeders . Slaughter cows and bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher.

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
285 285 1 680.00 $680.00 $1,938 —
333 333 5 561.00 $561.00 $1,868 —
367 367 3 577.50 $577.50 $2,119 +7.50
400 value added 400 2 522.50 $522.50 $2,090 —
422 422 3 513.00 $513.00 $2,165 -2.97
531 531 4 461.00 $461.00 $2,448 -11.17
541 value added 541 11 490.50 $490.50 $2,654 -19.50
559 559 5 478.00 $478.00 $2,672 +39.00
621 value added 621 6 430.00 $430.00 $2,670 —
631–643 641 16 401.00–419.00 $404.32 $2,592 -4.68
654–670 664 19 390.00–400.00 $396.37 $2,632 —
726 726 6 365.00 $365.00 $2,650 -5.50
815 value added 815 24 370.50 $370.50 $3,020 —
846 846 7 341.00 $341.00 $2,885 -3.25
858 value added 858 32 350.00 $350.00 $3,003 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,925 —
553–578 563 5 370.00–441.00 $399.16 $2,247 -50.84
642 642 4 325.00 $325.00 $2,086 —
677 677 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,302 -67.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 value added 302 3 590.00 $590.00 $1,782 —
310 310 3 522.50 $522.50 $1,620 +32.50
354 354 9 487.50 $487.50 $1,726 ±0.00
401–435 420 23 468.00–472.50 $470.59 $1,976 +1.80
458 458 4 462.50 $462.50 $2,118 +2.50
500 500 2 411.00 $411.00 $2,055 +5.00
536 value added 536 7 420.00 $420.00 $2,251 —
567 567 10 398.00 $398.00 $2,257 +8.00
642 642 25 370.00 $370.00 $2,375 +2.59
714 714 5 325.00 $325.00 $2,320 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 2 420.00–442.50 $431.25 $1,639 -26.00
444 444 6 452.00 $452.00 $2,007 +78.59
495 495 4 412.00 $412.00 $2,039 —
546 546 6 411.00 $411.00 $2,244 +21.26
550–570 555 4 342.50–377.50 $355.70 $1,974 —
940 940 2 279.00 $279.00 $2,623 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1256–1550 1327 7 241.00–250.00 $243.75 $3,235 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 287 4 650.00 $650.00 $1,866 +47.50
333 333 10 561.00 $561.00 $1,868 —
425 425 5 504.00 $504.00 $2,142 +11.50
484 484 4 484.00 $484.00 $2,343 —
485 value added 485 1 515.00 $515.00 $2,498 —
528 528 3 450.00 $450.00 $2,376 —
563 563 6 427.00 $427.00 $2,404 +6.00
744 744 6 346.00 $346.00 $2,574 —
801 801 4 316.00 $316.00 $2,531 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 2 450.00 $450.00 $2,002 +15.00
457–465 459 4 445.00–450.00 $448.73 $2,060 —
510 510 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,040 —
614 614 7 393.00 $393.00 $2,413 +45.00
678 678 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,305 -10.00
1020 1020 2 245.00 $245.00 $2,499 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1200 1200 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00 —
1100–1385 1235 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 6 2,700.00–4,700.00 $3,455.53 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1545 1178 80-85% 27 161.00–182.00 $173.76 $2,047 —
1070–1265 1200 80-85% 3 150.00–159.00 $154.35 $1,852 —
1005–1505 1344 80-85% 32 184.00–200.00 $188.69 $2,536 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 85-90% 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,134 -4.88
855–1033 989 85-90% 4 163.00–167.00 $166.14 $1,643 —
850–1165 1046 85-90% 12 139.00–158.00 $153.31 $1,604 +0.37
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1423–1675 1465 75-80% 6 186.00–189.00 $186.57 $2,733 —
1610 1610 75-80% 1 175.00 $175.00 $2,818 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–2155 1474 7 206.00–228.00 $219.98 $3,243 +2.24
1105–2200 1709 10 230.00–245.00 $236.62 $4,044 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
750–1125 921 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 200.00–250.00 $219.97 $2,026

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950–1100 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,025.00–3,075.00 $2,557.54
1165 1165 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00
1210 1210 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00
1265 1265 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 2,175.00–3,050.00 $2,940.63
1250–1375 1305 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 3,100.00–3,850.00 $3,555.82
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800–950 875 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,600.00–2,050.00 $1,844.29
900 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,950.00 $1,950.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1050 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,050.00 $2,050.00 $21,525
1100 1100 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,050.00 $2,050.00 $22,550
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,875.00 $2,875.00 $37,375

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00
950–1060 978 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,950.00–3,525.00 $3,369.12
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750 750 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,325.00 $2,325.00

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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
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,725.00 $2,725.00 —
1275 1275 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,425.00 $4,425.00 —
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —
1200–1425 1316 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 8 4,375.00–4,700.00 $4,656.00 —
1450 1450 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 4,450.00 $4,450.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00 +1,329.86

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1031 1031 6 230.00 $230.00 $2,371 —

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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.