Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2025-10-15

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Oct 15
● Final120 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
489 head
▲ 255 vs last sale 234▲ 59 vs year ago 430 · +13.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
60 head
▲ 36 vs last sale 24▼ 60 vs year ago 120 · −50.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
37 head
▲ 29 vs last sale 8▲ 20 vs year ago 17 · +117.6%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with an average quality offering. Feeder steers were 6.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and good demand. Feeder heifers 450 lbs and under were sharply higher with a good supply, while the 500-700 lbs heifers were 3.00 to 5.00 higher with good demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality cattle, while discounting plainer, off colored calves severely. Slaughter cows and bulls were 2.00 to 4.00 higher with a good supply and good demand.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $354.71/cwt on 42 head. That ranks 10 of 31 comparable sales and sits −40.13 against this barn's trailing median of $394.83.
Average price
$354.71
42 head · 557 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,975
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$621
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$121.70/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−3.22
vs KY average
−43.15 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2554369.202,04428
Medium and Large 2557333.751,86010thin
Large 1-2578325.001,8793thin
Medium and Large 2-3575247.501,4231thin
One grade step is worth $121.70/cwt here — about $621 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale42 hd
354.71
—
KY average25 barns · 1,060 hd
357.93
−3.22
National average180 barns · 19,448 hd
397.86
−43.15
This barn, trailing median31 sales
394.83
−40.13
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—High1,651185.803,06714
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,546169.432,61916
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,238161.491,9998thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,065139.541,48723

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 (2-4 yrs)1,225$3,6251thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,250$3,3751thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,288$2,7902thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,290$2,5751thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,143$2,39713
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)920$2,3251thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,035$2,2251thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,130$1,8553thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)995$2,4751thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,380$3,2251thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,545$3,3972thin

Every lot

120 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 · Steers31 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2280410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,1483
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2-3300337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,0131
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2322430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,3852
Steers350–400Medium 2355250.00/cwt250.00–250.008881
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2362387.52/cwt385.00–392.501,4033
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2375421.16/cwt417.00–430.001,5793
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2429423.01/cwt420.00–425.001,8155
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2-3441338.00/cwt338.00–338.001,4913
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2445390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,7361
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2472410.58/cwt394.00–420.001,9386
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2495385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,9061
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2522380.43/cwt372.00–390.001,9866
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added536415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,2244
Steers500–550Large 1-2540355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,9171
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added566431.00/cwt431.00–431.002,4394
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2574389.72/cwt380.00–397.002,23710
Steers550–600Large 1-2580347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,0161
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2585360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,1061
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2-3585225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,3161
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2613381.73/cwt370.00–393.002,3402
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2615342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,1061
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2660340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,2441
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2668374.43/cwt371.00–378.002,5012
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added674391.00/cwt391.00–391.002,6357
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2-3675242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,6371
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2710346.13/cwt337.50–355.002,4582
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added715369.00/cwt369.00–369.002,6382
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2715310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,2171
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2750300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,2501
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2841327.98/cwt314.00–336.002,75811
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2940302.00/cwt302.00–302.002,8391
Feeder Cattle · Heifers33 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2278367.55/cwt360.00–382.501,0223
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy320429.45/cwt417.50–440.001,3742
Heifers300–350Large 1-2330342.50/cwt342.50–342.501,1301
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2340410.68/cwt405.00–415.001,3966
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2370415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,5361
Heifers350–400Large 1-2370307.50/cwt307.50–307.501,1381
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy375432.92/cwt422.00–442.501,6237
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2385382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,4731
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3402329.16/cwt327.50–330.001,3233
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2407377.69/cwt367.50–385.001,5379
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2413345.87/cwt335.00–360.001,4283
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy423404.43/cwt395.00–408.001,71119
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2460352.11/cwt340.00–365.001,6204
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3467315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,4712
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy470310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,4571
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy478414.50/cwt408.00–416.001,98111
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2490379.65/cwt370.00–390.001,86017
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2510331.25/cwt325.00–337.501,6892
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added522388.04/cwt380.00–394.002,0269
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2540355.50/cwt350.00–361.001,9202
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added555382.00/cwt382.00–382.002,1201
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2569334.37/cwt321.00–341.001,9038
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2573359.52/cwt350.00–375.002,06016
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3575247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,4231
Heifers550–600Large 1-2578325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,8793
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2623332.16/cwt325.00–346.002,06910
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2682319.08/cwt317.00–322.502,1765
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy685285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,9521
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2731282.49/cwt275.00–290.002,0654
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2734310.28/cwt307.00–320.002,27711
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2775240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8601
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2822260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,1372
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2885231.00/cwt231.00–231.002,0441
Feeder Cattle · Bulls30 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1-2220415.00/cwt415.00–415.009131
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 2-3285335.00/cwt335.00–335.009551
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2-3330325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,0731
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2340413.21/cwt400.00–415.001,4058
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2340375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,2751
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2363380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,3793
Bulls350–400Large 1-2367375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,3762
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2369404.29/cwt400.00–415.001,4924
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy385432.50/cwt432.50–432.501,6651
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2-3385312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,2033
Bulls350–400Medium 1-2395305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,2051
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy407415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,6892
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2428353.74/cwt352.50–355.001,5142
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2433390.14/cwt385.00–395.001,6892
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2465400.43/cwt385.00–408.001,86229
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2469366.28/cwt350.00–377.501,7188
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2518331.66/cwt330.00–332.501,7183
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2535365.31/cwt350.00–372.001,95414
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2-3535255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,3641
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2577368.69/cwt357.50–380.002,12733
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2590327.39/cwt321.00–340.001,9323
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2628332.54/cwt324.00–335.002,0885
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2633358.69/cwt350.00–362.502,2717
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2678351.61/cwt345.00–355.002,3843
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2683295.77/cwt292.50–302.502,0203
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2705311.00/cwt311.00–311.002,1931
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2771314.42/cwt300.00–318.002,4247
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 2820265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,1731
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2824302.23/cwt295.00–307.002,4905
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1-2920267.50/cwt267.50–267.502,4611
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,496172.64/cwt161.00–179.002,5834
Bulls——1,685197.56/cwt193.50–204.503,3293
Bulls——1,725188.27/cwt181.50–192.503,2487
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed815182.50/cwt182.50–182.501,4871
Cows—Lean 85-90%88396.86/cwt90.00–104.008552
Cows—Lean 85-90%920129.00/cwt129.00–129.001,1871
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,073158.01/cwt153.00–161.001,6955
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,117136.73/cwt133.00–144.001,52714
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,225181.50/cwt181.50–181.502,2231
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,240158.63/cwt150.50–166.001,9677
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,514177.46/cwt171.00–186.002,6877
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,571163.18/cwt154.50–169.002,5649
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,3803,225.00/head3,225.00–3,225.003,2251
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows10 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 28151,260.74/head1,110.00–1,425.001,2612
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29202,325.00/head2,325.00–2,325.002,3251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0282,063.75/head1,950.00–2,200.002,0642
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0352,225.00/head2,225.00–2,225.002,2251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,1301,854.57/head1,600.00–2,200.001,8553
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2253,625.00/head3,625.00–3,625.003,6251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2412,723.90/head2,400.00–3,100.002,7249
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2503,375.00/head3,375.00–3,375.003,3751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2882,789.95/head2,600.00–2,925.002,7902
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2902,575.00/head2,575.00–2,575.002,5751
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,5453,397.09/head3,200.00–3,550.003,3972
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2895227.00/cwt227.00–227.002,0321
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-29952,475.00/head2,475.00–2,475.002,4751

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.