Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2025-02-26

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Feb 26
● Final98 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
467 head
▲ 436 vs last sale 31▲ 244 vs year ago 223 · +109.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
78 head
▲ 65 vs last sale 13▲ 51 vs year ago 27 · +188.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
14 head
▲ 10 vs last sale 4▲ 9 vs year ago 5 · +180.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No market comparison with last week due to winter weather closure; however feeder market has noticeably improved over the last two bad weather weeks. Market active today with good buyer participation.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $274.69/cwt on 49 head. That ranks 1 of 31 comparable sales and sits −120.14 against this barn's trailing median of $394.83.
Average price
$274.69
49 head · 556 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,527
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$243
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$29.93/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.64
vs KY average
−32.32 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2561280.191,57340
Medium and Large 2-3532250.261,3319thin
One grade step is worth $29.93/cwt here — about $243 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale49 hd
274.69
—
KY average20 barns · 937 hd
275.33
−0.64
National average189 barns · 18,586 hd
307.01
−32.32
This barn, trailing median31 sales
394.83
−120.14
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

31 sales
445400355309median 394.8303/0404/2206/2409/0910/28
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $431.17, low $323.36, median $394.83 across 31 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,521152.972,3275thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,301137.771,79320
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,417133.951,89813
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,068113.651,21428
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,215128.001,5551thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low928100.729352thin

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,223$1,7882thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,145$1,6501thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)786$1,4003thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)985$1,4752thin

Every lot

98 lots · USDA AMS · Bluegrass Stockyard - Mt. Sterling, KY
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers24 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Small and Medium 1-2295262.50/cwt262.50–262.507741
Steers350–400Small and Medium 1-2385258.00/cwt258.00–258.009931
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Value Added415387.48/cwt350.00–412.001,60813
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2-3433308.09/cwt295.00–318.001,3346
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2445331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,4731
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2-3470295.40/cwt291.00–300.001,3882
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Value Added480357.68/cwt347.00–387.501,7178
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added505330.50/cwt315.00–340.001,6699
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2507309.52/cwt307.00–312.001,5694
Steers500–550Large 1-2515271.84/cwt262.50–281.001,4002
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2-3545270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,4721
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2-3562267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,5032
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2565314.50/cwt314.00–315.001,7772
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added594325.43/cwt318.00–335.001,93312
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added611313.61/cwt276.00–329.001,91621
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2623256.99/cwt254.00–260.001,6012
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2-3640234.00/cwt234.00–234.001,4981
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added665300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,9951
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added707281.44/cwt270.00–285.001,99023
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2740265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,9611
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added786260.08/cwt257.50–260.502,0447
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2-3810215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,7421
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2814241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,9626
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2890236.00/cwt236.00–236.002,1001
Feeder Cattle · Heifers30 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2-3270265.65/cwt250.00–282.507172
Heifers250–300Small and Medium 1-2280225.00/cwt225.00–225.006301
Heifers300–350Large 1-2300280.00/cwt280.00–280.008401
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Value Added345321.00/cwt321.00–321.001,1071
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Value Added373328.13/cwt322.50–334.001,2242
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2-3380237.50/cwt237.50–237.509031
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2385300.26/cwt290.00–310.001,1562
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Value Added419314.94/cwt291.00–327.001,32012
Heifers400–450Small and Medium 1-2440228.00/cwt228.00–228.001,0031
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Value Added466302.20/cwt292.00–318.001,40816
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2493275.97/cwt270.00–282.001,3612
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy499307.00/cwt307.00–307.001,5327
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2-3505254.02/cwt250.00–260.001,2835
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added521280.67/cwt280.00–287.001,46210
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2531272.56/cwt270.00–278.001,4473
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3565245.55/cwt240.00–250.001,3874
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added578283.20/cwt280.00–289.001,63721
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2586272.66/cwt272.00–273.001,5986
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2605245.01/cwt244.00–246.001,4822
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added617257.50/cwt257.50–257.501,5892
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2-3630220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,3861
Heifers600–650Large 1-2635241.00/cwt241.00–241.001,5301
Heifers650–700Large 1-2660226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,4921
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2667242.65/cwt240.00–245.001,61811
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added680270.71/cwt269.50–271.001,841103
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added733245.00/cwt245.00–245.001,7964
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2-3740217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,6061
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2788230.66/cwt228.00–238.001,81811
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2820216.00/cwt216.00–216.001,7711
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2980206.00/cwt206.00–206.002,0191
Feeder Cattle · Bulls23 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2-3315307.62/cwt300.00–315.009692
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2335387.00/cwt387.00–387.001,2961
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2-3385277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,0681
Bulls350–400Small and Medium 1-2385240.00/cwt240.00–240.009241
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2395370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,4621
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Value Added423346.01/cwt332.50–352.501,4644
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Value Added450330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,4851
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2455297.53/cwt295.00–300.001,3542
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2-3468276.31/cwt265.00–287.501,2932
Bulls500–550Small and Medium 1-2510227.00/cwt227.00–227.001,1581
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added528289.42/cwt287.00–294.001,5287
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2528275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,4523
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2-3530251.31/cwt240.00–265.001,3325
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2-3560263.00/cwt261.00–265.001,4732
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2565270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,5264
Bulls550–600Large 1-2585264.00/cwt264.00–264.001,5441
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added607275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,6692
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2621254.12/cwt251.00–258.001,5786
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2675232.50/cwt232.50–232.501,5692
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2-3679229.73/cwt227.00–232.501,5604
Bulls750–800Large 1-2785232.00/cwt232.00–232.001,8211
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2791225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,7803
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2805217.00/cwt217.00–217.001,7471
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,310139.00/cwt139.00–139.001,8211
Bulls——1,574156.46/cwt155.00–158.002,4634
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,046115.07/cwt112.50–121.001,20412
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,049106.99/cwt104.00–109.001,1228
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,09590.79/cwt90.00–92.009942
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,130127.30/cwt124.50–130.501,4386
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,246134.06/cwt132.50–137.001,6707
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,300124.69/cwt118.00–130.001,6214
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,345146.47/cwt140.00–154.501,9709
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,382129.71/cwt126.00–132.001,7937
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,455141.82/cwt141.00–142.502,0632
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,459137.42/cwt135.00–139.502,0054
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows2 lots · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%928100.72/cwt98.00–104.009352
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,215128.00/cwt128.00–128.001,5551
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 2-31,0651,175.00/head1,175.00–1,175.001,1751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1451,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3802,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Small and Medium 1-27551,125.00/head1,125.00–1,125.001,1251
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 2-31,2151,825.00/head1,825.00–1,825.001,8251
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,012148.67/cwt141.00–157.501,5055
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-27861,400.00/head1,400.00–1,400.001,4003

This sale against other markets

Kentucky weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Kentucky auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.