Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2026-01-14

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Jan 14
● Final105 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
463 head
▲ 35 vs last sale 428▲ 75 vs year ago 388 · +19.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
39 head
▼ 40 vs last sale 79▼ 12 vs year ago 51 · −23.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
9 head
▼ 13 vs last sale 22▼ 4 vs year ago 13 · −30.8%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 650 lbs and under were 5.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned and pre-conditioned calves. Yearling steers appeared stronger as well but with a light test. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower with a moderate supply and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $365.03/cwt on 57 head. That ranks 11 of 31 comparable sales and sits −29.81 against this barn's trailing median of $394.83.
Average price
$365.03
57 head · 568 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,073
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$814
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$117.59/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−10.99
vs KY average
−48.45 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2571372.592,12748
Medium and Large 2557333.431,8568thin
Medium and Large 2-3515255.001,3131thin
One grade step is worth $117.59/cwt here — about $814 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale57 hd
365.03
—
KY average26 barns · 1,994 hd
376.02
−10.99
National average188 barns · 26,809 hd
413.48
−48.45
This barn, trailing median31 sales
394.83
−29.81
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—Low1,693179.063,0317thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,248155.971,9477thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,428154.432,2069thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,047125.941,31811
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Average1,600131.502,1041thin

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,345$2,6002thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,140$1,7753thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,420$2,8851thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,225$2,6001thin

Every lot

105 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
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2310470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,4571
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy350590.00/cwt590.00–590.002,0651
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2365400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,4601
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2433470.53/cwt458.00–480.002,0377
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy452489.00/cwt489.00–489.002,2104
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2466453.01/cwt448.00–470.002,1119
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2515372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,9181
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added523445.63/cwt435.00–452.502,33128
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed532460.81/cwt460.00–462.502,4523
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed564446.15/cwt440.00–450.002,51613
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added586424.05/cwt415.00–429.002,48523
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2595331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,9691
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added613403.73/cwt400.00–407.502,4752
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2615310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,9071
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2630378.95/cwt370.00–387.502,3875
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added672387.50/cwt387.50–387.502,6042
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2681366.66/cwt351.00–371.002,49719
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added712372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,65228
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2740350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,5902
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2777337.50/cwt337.50–337.502,6222
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2827329.38/cwt327.50–330.002,7244
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2873336.00/cwt336.00–336.002,9333
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2920297.00/cwt297.00–297.002,7321
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 21,003206.00/cwt206.00–206.002,0663
Feeder Cattle · Heifers35 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2265352.45/cwt350.00–355.009342
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy280477.50/cwt477.50–477.501,3371
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2318370.28/cwt365.00–375.001,1772
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy329477.05/cwt470.00–480.001,5699
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2335410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,3741
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy352459.18/cwt457.50–462.501,6163
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2-3360350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,2601
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2365387.50/cwt387.50–387.501,4142
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2380412.11/cwt407.50–418.001,5667
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed403445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,7933
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2410365.00/cwt365.00–365.001,4971
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2418408.43/cwt405.00–415.001,7076
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy432424.06/cwt420.00–425.001,83210
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed455440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,0022
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2465362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,6861
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy472404.99/cwt390.00–413.001,91224
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2489380.81/cwt362.50–387.001,86223
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2515364.38/cwt362.50–365.001,8774
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2-3515255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,3131
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2533338.53/cwt330.00–344.001,8044
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added534387.50/cwt387.50–387.502,0694
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2571348.69/cwt335.00–357.001,99117
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2580328.34/cwt320.00–331.001,9044
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added587389.08/cwt388.50–390.502,28423
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2601320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,9233
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2628334.97/cwt326.00–350.002,1043
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2661311.66/cwt295.00–317.002,0606
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2664342.67/cwt325.00–346.002,27513
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2-3705205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,4451
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2715287.50/cwt287.50–287.502,0561
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2728313.51/cwt312.00–315.002,2822
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2755320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,4161
Heifers750–800Large 1-2795297.50/cwt297.50–297.502,3651
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2865230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,9901
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy905212.50/cwt212.50–212.501,9231
Feeder Cattle · Bulls25 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium 1-2305375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,1442
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy325547.92/cwt535.00–555.001,7813
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2327480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,5702
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy357509.06/cwt500.00–535.001,8174
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2-3370315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,1661
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2383420.16/cwt410.00–425.001,6094
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2395460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,8171
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy405468.85/cwt462.50–470.001,8997
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2440352.50/cwt352.50–352.501,5511
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2443424.16/cwt422.50–425.001,8793
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2460355.86/cwt350.00–367.001,6373
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2480423.00/cwt423.00–423.002,0301
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy482452.50/cwt452.50–452.502,1812
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2520374.50/cwt370.00–383.001,9473
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy525432.67/cwt427.50–434.002,2725
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2535362.00/cwt362.00–362.001,9371
Bulls550–600Large 1-2555338.00/cwt338.00–338.001,8762
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fancy575394.00/cwt394.00–394.002,2664
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2577383.73/cwt383.00–386.002,2144
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2593350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,0764
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2-3595305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,8151
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Fancy632377.00/cwt377.00–377.002,3834
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2641353.96/cwt351.00–361.002,2696
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2691353.00/cwt353.00–353.002,4395
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2826290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,3956
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,623183.46/cwt181.50–184.502,9782
Bulls——1,700199.00/cwt199.00–199.003,3831
Bulls——1,726171.88/cwt160.00–176.002,9674
Slaughter Cattle · Cows10 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%66572.00/cwt72.00–72.004791
Cows—Lean 85-90%960110.48/cwt110.00–111.001,0612
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,025146.50/cwt146.50–146.501,5021
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,129135.13/cwt131.00–139.501,5267
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,162167.34/cwt165.50–169.001,9443
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,265152.13/cwt150.00–154.501,9242
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,360142.76/cwt139.50–146.001,9422
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,401156.24/cwt151.00–161.002,1895
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,407146.71/cwt144.50–148.002,0643
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,630168.50/cwt168.50–168.502,7471
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,600131.50/cwt131.50–131.502,1041
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,4202,885.00/head2,885.00–2,885.002,8851
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,2252,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2710222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,5801
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 29501,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,5751
Bred Cows—Large 31,2301,650.00/head1,650.00–1,650.001,6501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2402,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3452,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6002

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.