Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2026-04-15

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Apr 15
● Final108 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
536 head
▲ 245 vs last sale 291▲ 58 vs year ago 478 · +12.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
70 head
▲ 22 vs last sale 48▼ 9 vs year ago 79 · −11.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
39 head
▼ 19 vs last sale 58▲ 11 vs year ago 28 · +39.3%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mixed with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 450 lbs and under appeared sharply higher, while the 500-650 lbs steers were 4.00 to 6.00 higher with a good supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Feeder heifers 350 lbs and under were sharply lower with a lite test, while the 400-600 lbs heifers were mostly steady with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were 4.00 to 6.00 lower with a good supply and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand for slaughter cattle.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $429.45/cwt on 85 head, up $11.91 from the prior sale. That ranks 30 of 31 comparable sales and sits +34.62 against this barn's trailing median of $394.83.
Average price
$429.45
▲ 11.91 vs prior sale
85 head · 564 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,421
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$353
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$53.08/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+13.68
vs KY average
+2.06 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2564431.332,43482
Medium and Large 2550378.252,0823thin
One grade step is worth $53.08/cwt here — about $353 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 sale85 hd
429.45
—
KY average26 barns · 1,175 hd
415.77
+13.68
National average182 barns · 12,591 hd
427.39
+2.06
This barn, trailing median31 sales
394.83
+34.62
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—Average1,484203.483,0196thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,186173.752,06015
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,456173.082,51915
CowsLean 85-90%Average941149.971,41116

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)1,088$2,6893thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,185$2,6251thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,113$2,5252thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,275$2,2501thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)713$1,9142thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,395$6,1251thin
BullsN/A(<2 yrs)1,005$2,7002thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,198$3,9048
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)765$2,9251thin

Every lot

108 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 · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2330590.00/cwt590.00–590.001,9471
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy365645.00/cwt645.00–645.002,3542
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2390571.25/cwt570.00–572.502,2282
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy413569.29/cwt550.00–585.002,3517
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2427524.17/cwt512.50–537.502,2386
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed435602.50/cwt602.50–602.502,6211
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2-3440425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,8701
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2475485.87/cwt485.00–487.502,3083
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2-3475430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,0431
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy489543.68/cwt540.00–557.502,65931
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2495467.50/cwt467.50–467.502,3141
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2-3508415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,1083
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added512527.55/cwt512.00–543.002,70118
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2526457.50/cwt457.50–457.502,4064
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2537484.31/cwt470.00–502.002,6017
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2555425.00/cwt425.00–425.002,3591
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2570475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,7082
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added595485.46/cwt485.25–495.002,88842
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2610348.74/cwt347.50–350.002,1272
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added628437.89/cwt430.00–444.002,75014
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2645400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,5801
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added659422.49/cwt420.00–430.002,7848
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2685404.18/cwt400.00–413.002,7693
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2732386.12/cwt382.00–395.002,8268
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2764381.63/cwt381.00–382.002,9168
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2878340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,9853
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2980285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,7931
Feeder Cattle · Heifers28 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2270505.00/cwt505.00–505.001,3641
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2320488.40/cwt477.50–500.001,5632
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy328538.63/cwt530.00–550.001,7673
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2-3330402.50/cwt402.50–402.501,3281
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2345472.50/cwt472.50–472.501,6301
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2377486.04/cwt482.50–492.501,83211
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy387516.64/cwt505.00–522.001,99912
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2388477.50/cwt477.50–477.501,8532
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2421462.62/cwt447.50–470.001,9484
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy431492.04/cwt485.00–510.002,12139
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2440425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,8701
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy476472.09/cwt470.00–492.502,24716
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2492444.60/cwt435.00–450.002,18715
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2515385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,9831
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added527437.26/cwt427.50–447.502,3049
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy550355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,9531
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2560411.79/cwt397.50–420.002,30621
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2568374.87/cwt365.00–385.002,1292
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added573439.82/cwt430.00–440.502,52051
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2613393.73/cwt390.00–397.502,4142
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2640350.57/cwt341.00–360.002,2442
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2665327.00/cwt327.00–327.002,1751
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2684353.95/cwt342.00–365.002,42112
Heifers650–700Large 1-2685310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,1241
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2724349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,52718
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2785300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,3551
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2805342.00/cwt342.00–342.002,7531
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2865341.00/cwt341.00–341.002,9501
Feeder Cattle · Bulls28 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1-2215530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,1401
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy315700.00/cwt700.00–700.002,2051
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2330603.48/cwt592.50–610.001,9915
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy355617.50/cwt617.50–617.502,1921
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2384579.59/cwt545.00–592.502,22612
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2424518.54/cwt510.00–527.502,1995
Bulls450–500Large 1-2455400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,8201
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy457517.00/cwt517.00–517.002,3632
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2462440.96/cwt432.50–450.002,0373
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2483480.00/cwt480.00–480.002,3183
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2505430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,1721
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2520468.66/cwt462.50–472.502,4374
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fancy555463.47/cwt458.00–474.002,57211
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2565400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,2601
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2583431.29/cwt425.00–445.002,5144
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Fancy600432.50/cwt432.50–432.502,5951
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2615375.83/cwt355.00–395.002,3115
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2620340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,1081
Bulls600–650Large 1-2630347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,1891
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2666377.25/cwt360.00–385.002,5124
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2680320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,1761
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2708367.42/cwt355.00–370.002,6016
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2761371.25/cwt370.00–372.502,8254
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 2800265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,1201
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2831320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,6593
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1-2868312.39/cwt305.00–320.002,7122
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1-2940282.50/cwt282.50–282.502,6563
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,045245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,5601
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,475211.53/cwt208.00–217.003,1203
Bulls——1,492195.44/cwt186.00–200.002,9163
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%860141.17/cwt134.00–148.001,2144
Cows—Lean 85-90%860104.00/cwt104.00–104.008941
Cows—Lean 85-90%870125.87/cwt124.00–128.001,0952
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,001164.35/cwt157.50–173.001,6459
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,153175.86/cwt166.00–185.002,02813
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,360157.00/cwt157.00–157.002,1351
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,398160.00/cwt160.00–160.002,2372
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,450173.09/cwt166.00–182.002,51013
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,625189.00/cwt189.00–189.003,0711
Replacement Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,0052,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7002
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,3956,125.00/head6,125.00–6,125.006,1251
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium 1-27652,925.00/head2,925.00–2,925.002,9251
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 21,1303,495.74/head3,050.00–3,700.003,4963
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,2384,149.72/head3,725.00–4,500.004,1505
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 28651,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 29251,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1852,625.00/head2,625.00–2,625.002,6251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2003,108.85/head3,025.00–3,200.003,1092
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,2752,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3003,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,1501
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2952234.41/cwt220.00–247.502,2325
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2985180.02/cwt173.00–192.501,7733
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-27131,913.95/head1,875.00–1,950.001,9142

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.