Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2026-05-20

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-20

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, May 20

● Final72 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202

← May 13May 20May 27 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

180 head

▼ 131 vs last sale 311▼ 64 vs year ago 244 · −26.2%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

28 head

▼ 3 vs last sale 31▼ 44 vs year ago 72 · −61.1%

Replacement Cattle receipts

14 head

▼ 32 vs last sale 46▼ 38 vs year ago 52 · −73.1%

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was uneven with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and Heifers 400 lbs and under appeared stronger with a lite test, while the 450-650 lbs steers and heifers were unevenly steady ranging from 3.00 higher to 3.00 lower in spots with a moderate supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 higher with a moderate supply and good demand.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $486.25/cwt on 14 head, up $4.13 from the prior sale (only 18 head in that comparison). That ranks 20 of 23 comparable sales and sits +33.65 against this barn's trailing median of $452.60.

Average price

$486.25

▲ 4.13 vs prior sale

14 head · 546 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,654

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+7.75

vs KY average

+11.77 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	546	486.25	2,654	14thin

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale14 hd

486.25

—

KY average29 barns · 1,430 hd

478.50

+7.75

National average171 barns · 13,387 hd

474.48

+11.77

This barn, trailing median23 sales

452.60

+33.65

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

23 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $515.83, low $365.46, median $452.60 across 23 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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,672	223.45	3,735	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,225	176.45	2,162	3thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,461	173.99	2,542	4thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,084	160.54	1,740	10
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,370	147.53	2,021	2thin

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,163	$3,224	4thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,215	$3,025	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,318	$2,855	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	970	$1,600	1thin
Bulls	N/A	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,400	$3,200	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	905	$2,600	1thin

Every lot

72 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2	252	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	1,462	2
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	315	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	1,827	2
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	400	565.00/cwt	565.00–565.00	2,260	1
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	450	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	2,093	1
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	460	552.50/cwt	552.50–552.50	2,542	1
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	467	527.50/cwt	527.50–527.50	2,463	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	540	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,565	1
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	541	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,651	11
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	555	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,747	1
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	595	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,663	1
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	624	439.41/cwt	435.00–445.50	2,742	38
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 2	650	374.00/cwt	374.00–374.00	2,431	1
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	656	435.79/cwt	432.00–437.50	2,859	13
Steers	700–750	Large 1-2	725	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,538	1
Feeder Cattle · Heifers20 lots · lightest first
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 2	285	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,140	1
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	340	532.50/cwt	532.50–532.50	1,811	1
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	361	486.12/cwt	480.00–490.00	1,755	4
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	373	527.10/cwt	507.50–547.50	1,966	2
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2-3	410	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,353	2
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	440	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,936	1
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	442	482.60/cwt	475.00–485.00	2,133	4
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	472	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,112	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2-3	495	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,757	1
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	516	399.15/cwt	385.00–407.50	2,060	7
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	531	426.88/cwt	420.00–430.00	2,267	8
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	540	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	2,066	1
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	555	426.00/cwt	426.00–426.00	2,364	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2-3	565	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,650	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	568	389.83/cwt	380.00–397.00	2,214	4
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	613	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,513	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2-3	615	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,799	2
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	628	363.55/cwt	357.50–370.00	2,283	5
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	660	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,079	1
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	735	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,499	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls22 lots · lightest first
Bulls	150–200	Medium and Large 1-2	170	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,020	1
Bulls	200–250	Medium and Large 2-3	230	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,012	1
Bulls	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2	265	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,590	1
Bulls	250–300	Medium and Large 2	295	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,387	1
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	345	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,725	2
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	390	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,950	1
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	421	541.86/cwt	540.00–542.50	2,281	4
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	463	515.69/cwt	510.00–525.00	2,388	3
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	488	492.39/cwt	477.50–497.50	2,403	6
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	510	481.67/cwt	480.00–485.00	2,457	3
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	525	457.50/cwt	455.00–460.00	2,402	2
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550	472.50/cwt	472.50–472.50	2,599	1
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 2	565	406.16/cwt	397.00–415.00	2,295	2
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 2-3	570	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,166	1
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	595	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	2,633	1
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 2	610	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,166	1
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	645	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	2,516	1
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	668	386.24/cwt	382.50–390.00	2,580	2
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	710	365.00/cwt	360.00–370.00	2,592	2
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 2	725	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	2,302	1
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	755	325.34/cwt	325.00–326.00	2,456	3
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,010	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,283	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,653	233.15/cwt	226.00–239.50	3,854	2
Bulls	—	—	1,690	213.75/cwt	213.00–214.50	3,612	2
Slaughter Cattle · Cows4 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,049	143.96/cwt	140.50–147.00	1,510	4
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,107	171.59/cwt	165.00–177.50	1,900	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,225	176.45/cwt	171.00–180.00	2,162	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,461	173.99/cwt	168.50–178.50	2,542	4
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,370	147.53/cwt	147.00–148.00	2,021	2
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,400	3,200.00/head	3,200.00–3,200.00	3,200	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	875	187.59/cwt	172.50–211.00	1,641	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium 1-2	965	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 2	970	1,600.00/head	1,600.00–1,600.00	1,600	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 2	1,096	3,048.83/head	3,025.00–3,100.00	3,049	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,215	3,025.00/head	3,025.00–3,025.00	3,025	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,365	3,750.00/head	3,750.00–3,750.00	3,750	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,495	3,132.44/head	3,025.00–3,275.00	3,132	2
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium 1-2	905	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	1

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.

Kentucky feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Bluegrass Stockyard - Mt. Sterling, KY

Wed May 20, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Frankfort, KY (LS-LG)

Feeder CattleReceipts 180Last week 311Year ago 244

Slaughter CattleReceipts 28Last week 31Year ago 72

Replacement CattleReceipts 14Last week 46Year ago 52

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	361	480.00–490.00	486.12
1	400–450	440	440.00	440.00
2	450–500	472	447.50	447.50
7	500–550	516	385.00–407.50	399.15
4	550–600	568	380.00–397.00	389.83
5	600–650	628	357.50–370.00	363.55
1	700–750	735	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	613	410.00	410.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	660	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	340	532.50	532.50
2	350–400	373	507.50–547.50	527.10
4	400–450	442	475.00–485.00	482.60

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	410	330.00	330.00
1	450–500	495	355.00	355.00
2	550–600	565	292.00	292.00
2	600–650	615	292.50	292.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	285	400.00	400.00
1	500–550	540	382.50	382.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
8	500–550	531	420.00–430.00	426.88
2	550–600	555	426.00	426.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
11	500–550	541	490.00	490.00
1	550–600	555	495.00	495.00
38	600–650	624	435.00–445.50	439.41
13	650–700	656	432.00–437.50	435.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	252	580.00	580.00
2	300–350	315	580.00	580.00
1	400–450	400	565.00	565.00
2	450–500	467	527.50	527.50
1	500–550	540	475.00	475.00
1	550–600	595	447.50	447.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	460	552.50	552.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	725	350.00	350.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	450	465.00	465.00
1	650–700	650	374.00	374.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	150–200	170	600.00	600.00
1	250–300	265	600.00	600.00
2	300–350	345	500.00	500.00
1	350–400	390	500.00	500.00
6	450–500	488	477.50–497.50	492.39
2	500–550	525	455.00–460.00	457.50
1	550–600	595	442.50	442.50
1	600–650	645	390.00	390.00
2	650–700	668	382.50–390.00	386.24
2	700–750	710	360.00–370.00	365.00
3	750–800	755	325.00–326.00	325.34
1	1000–1050	1,010	226.00	226.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	421	540.00–542.50	541.86
3	450–500	463	510.00–525.00	515.69
3	500–550	510	480.00–485.00	481.67
1	550–600	550	472.50	472.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	470.00	470.00
2	550–600	565	397.00–415.00	406.16
1	600–650	610	355.00	355.00
1	700–750	725	317.50	317.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	230	440.00	440.00
1	550–600	570	380.00	380.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	875	172.50–211.00	187.59

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,400	3,200.00	3,200.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,365	3,750.00	3,750.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,215	3,025.00	3,025.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,495	3,025.00–3,275.00	3,132.44

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	965	2,300.00	2,300.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	970	1,600.00	1,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,096	3,025.00–3,100.00	3,048.83

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	905	2,600.00	2,600.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,225	171.00–180.00	176.45

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,107	165.00–177.50	171.59
4	—	1,049	140.50–147.00	143.96

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,461	168.50–178.50	173.99

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,690	213.00–214.50	213.75
2	—	1,653	226.00–239.50	233.15

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,370	147.00–148.00	147.53

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.