Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2026-07-08

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Jul 8
● Final72 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
447 head
▲ 221 vs last sale 226▲ 71 vs year ago 376 · +18.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
38 head
▲ 7 vs last sale 31▼ 18 vs year ago 56 · −32.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
8 head
▼ 17 vs last sale 25▼ 92 vs year ago 100 · −92.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday: No trends due to market being closed last week for July 4th Holiday. However the feeder market appeared firm and stronger in spots with a strong demand for higher quality feeders and long weaned calves.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $431.17/cwt on 93 head, up $28.62 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 31 of 31 comparable sales and sits +36.33 against this barn's trailing median of $394.83.
Average price
$431.17
▲ 28.62 vs prior sale
93 head · 553 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,385
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$453
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 2
$77.51/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+14.70
vs KY average
+15.06 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2552435.512,40486
Medium and Large 2579385.802,2345thin
Large 2545358.001,9512thin
One grade step is worth $77.51/cwt here — about $453 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale93 hd
431.17
—
KY average19 barns · 795 hd
416.47
+14.70
National average149 barns · 8,242 hd
416.11
+15.06
This barn, trailing median31 sales
394.83
+36.33
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—Average1,932229.104,4266thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,228182.552,2426thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,345179.682,4173thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,031164.641,69713

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/Aged (>5 yrs)1,215$3,2001thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,160$2,3501thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,400$3,1001thin
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,430$4,3001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,455$3,4001thin

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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers12 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy351605.00/cwt605.00–605.002,1244
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2360490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,7641
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2433510.66/cwt505.00–515.002,2119
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2470495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,3271
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2485440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,1341
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added512525.16/cwt508.00–526.252,68966
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2538472.88/cwt460.00–482.502,5446
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added563473.00/cwt473.00–473.002,6634
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2563422.47/cwt420.00–425.002,3792
Steers600–650Large 1605370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,2391
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added613466.30/cwt450.00–467.002,85825
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2633425.16/cwt422.00–430.002,6915
Feeder Cattle · Heifers24 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Fancy220620.00/cwt620.00–620.001,3641
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy250570.00/cwt570.00–570.001,4252
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2263516.24/cwt515.00–517.501,3582
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2-3335340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,1391
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2338475.00/cwt467.00–490.001,6069
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2383470.83/cwt470.00–472.501,8033
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2400450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,8001
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2414472.32/cwt455.00–478.001,95511
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2466448.85/cwt440.00–460.002,09210
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy475472.44/cwt468.00–478.002,2449
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Value Added494498.00/cwt498.00–498.002,46041
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3495320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,5841
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added529438.60/cwt430.00–449.002,32045
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2545410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,2352
Heifers500–550Large 2545358.00/cwt358.00–358.001,9512
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2568410.73/cwt397.00–420.002,3339
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2579385.80/cwt385.00–386.002,2345
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added582440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,56130
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2610340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,0741
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open619418.00/cwt418.00–418.002,58714
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2633366.69/cwt360.00–380.002,3213
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2665341.20/cwt330.00–346.002,2696
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open745335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,4961
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2855250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,1381
Feeder Cattle · Bulls22 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2210520.00/cwt520.00–520.001,0921
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1-2215575.00/cwt575.00–575.001,2361
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed261626.68/cwt620.00–630.001,6363
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed310660.00/cwt660.00–660.002,0461
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy323567.73/cwt557.50–577.501,8342
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2370555.00/cwt555.00–555.002,0541
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy377580.00/cwt580.00–580.002,1872
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2385502.50/cwt502.50–502.501,9351
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy414513.82/cwt505.00–520.002,1275
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2417488.94/cwt475.00–496.002,0393
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2420435.00/cwt435.00–435.001,8271
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2461470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,1676
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy470505.00/cwt505.00–505.002,3741
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2477440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,0992
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2520455.28/cwt440.00–465.002,36711
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2553458.79/cwt457.00–460.002,5375
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2568424.98/cwt415.00–430.002,4143
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2626350.05/cwt345.00–355.002,1914
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2673377.00/cwt377.00–377.002,5373
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 2790257.50/cwt257.50–257.502,0341
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2795295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,3451
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2980265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,5971
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,912233.84/cwt233.50–234.004,4713
Bulls——1,952224.36/cwt219.50–227.504,3803
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%715141.00/cwt141.00–141.001,0081
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,021162.53/cwt150.00–170.001,6599
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,160190.00/cwt190.00–190.002,2041
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,165178.83/cwt178.00–181.002,0833
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,242181.06/cwt175.00–185.002,2495
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,345179.68/cwt177.00–184.002,4173
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,4003,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,1001
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4304,300.00/head4,300.00–4,300.004,3001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4553,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4001
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1602,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2153,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,223184.73/cwt163.00–199.002,2596

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.