Sale reports / Kentucky / Upton Livestock Auction / 2025-12-16

Upton Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Upton, Kentucky · Tue, Dec 16
● Final76 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2211
Feeder Cattle receipts
590 head
▼ 364 vs last sale 954▼ 81 vs year ago 671 · −12.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
97 head
▼ 63 vs last sale 160▲ 2 vs year ago 95 · +2.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
142 head
▲ 38 vs last sale 104▲ 71 vs year ago 71 · +100.0%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady . Strong demand for feeders. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $340.88/cwt on 30 head. That ranks 12 of 35 comparable sales and sits −55.28 against this barn's trailing median of $396.16.
Average price
$340.88
30 head · 542 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,848
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$31
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$21.43/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−10.53
vs KY average
−49.03 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2537345.171,85424
Medium and Large 2-3563323.741,8236thin
One grade step is worth $21.43/cwt here — about $31 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 sale30 hd
340.88
—
KY average26 barns · 1,335 hd
351.41
−10.53
National average175 barns · 15,310 hd
389.91
−49.03
This barn, trailing median35 sales
396.16
−55.28
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

35 sales
439395351307median 396.1603/0304/2807/0709/0811/03
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $424.92, low $321.35, median $396.16 across 35 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—High1,709188.183,21611
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,534159.412,4457thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,291156.742,02460
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,063132.611,40923
HeifersChoiceAverage1,090200.002,1801thin

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)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,400$3,3251thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,175$2,61223
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,125$2,3914thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,000$2,2752thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,073$1,8986
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,300$1,8502thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,175$1,8003thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,165$2,5001thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)911$2,2805
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)910$2,0002thin
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)(<2 yrs)800$1,7423thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,291$4,0737
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,345$3,9333thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,165$1,9002thin

Every lot

76 lots · USDA AMS · Mid-Kentucky Livestock Market - Upton, 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 · Steers15 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2380410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,5587
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2425410.81/cwt410.00–411.001,74611
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2506395.69/cwt390.00–400.002,00214
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2555401.20/cwt397.00–404.002,22715
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2618369.00/cwt369.00–369.002,2809
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added647368.00/cwt368.00–368.002,3818
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2658330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,1714
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2-3660310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,0461
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2737321.23/cwt321.00–321.502,36715
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added750331.25/cwt331.25–331.252,48415
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2752322.00/cwt322.00–322.002,4217
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2-3793305.50/cwt305.50–305.502,4236
Steers900–950Medium and Large 2-3905290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,6251
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2Value Added955292.75/cwt292.75–292.752,79621
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 2-31,045215.00/cwt215.00–215.002,2471
Feeder Cattle · Heifers20 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2-3289289.00/cwt289.00–289.008356
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2-3321341.00/cwt341.00–341.001,0955
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2359385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,38215
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3403376.93/cwt365.00–381.001,5194
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2422379.77/cwt371.00–385.001,60321
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2462381.41/cwt373.00–385.001,76210
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3488313.07/cwt305.00–321.001,5284
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2505358.00/cwt358.00–358.001,80813
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3563323.74/cwt321.00–329.001,8236
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2575330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,89811
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added613328.59/cwt328.00–330.002,01417
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2622312.64/cwt311.00–316.001,94518
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2688326.50/cwt326.50–326.502,2466
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2-3719292.56/cwt287.00–295.002,10416
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2720320.91/cwt319.50–321.502,31117
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added744312.56/cwt312.50–313.002,32560
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2-3822269.94/cwt260.00–273.002,2199
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2Value Added954284.50/cwt284.50–284.502,71459
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 2-31,020255.00/cwt255.00–255.002,6011
Heifers1100–1150Medium and Large 2-31,134228.00/cwt228.00–228.002,5864
Feeder Cattle · Bulls14 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2290400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,1603
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2329415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,3654
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2401405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,6248
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2459401.00/cwt401.00–401.001,8415
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2-3485315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,5281
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy505390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,9704
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2-3514302.18/cwt300.00–320.001,5539
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2515360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,8548
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2573346.00/cwt346.00–346.001,9836
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2-3600291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,7467
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2633338.00/cwt338.00–338.002,1409
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2703299.00/cwt299.00–299.002,1025
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 2-3800210.00/cwt210.00–210.001,6801
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 2-3863225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,9428
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Heifers—Choice1,090200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,1801
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,500171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,5651
Bulls——1,689188.22/cwt181.00–194.003,1799
Bulls——2,100205.00/cwt205.00–205.004,3051
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%89097.58/cwt90.00–105.008682
Cows—Lean 85-90%938148.20/cwt145.00–151.001,3902
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,094134.66/cwt111.00–145.001,47319
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,110141.00/cwt130.00–153.001,5655
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,278167.15/cwt165.00–170.002,1364
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,310157.47/cwt150.00–163.002,06351
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,534159.41/cwt155.00–162.002,4457
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers5 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 1-28001,741.67/head1,475.00–2,275.001,7423
Bred Heifers—Medium 1-28551,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9001
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-29102,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0002
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-29252,375.00/head2,375.00–2,375.002,3754
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-21,1652,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,1651,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9002
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,2914,073.06/head3,950.00–4,400.004,0737
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3453,933.40/head3,750.00–4,100.003,9333
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0002,275.00/head1,775.00–2,775.002,2752
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0731,898.06/head1,825.00–2,100.001,8986
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1252,391.22/head2,275.00–2,675.002,3914
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1752,612.19/head1,875.00–3,325.002,61223
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1751,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3001,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8502
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4003,325.00/head3,325.00–3,325.003,3251
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2921167.04/cwt124.00–184.001,5384

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.