Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2026-09-23

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Sep 23
● Final91 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
184 head
▲ 42 vs last sale 142▼ 390 vs year ago 574 · −67.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
21 head
▲ 3 vs last sale 18▼ 49 vs year ago 70 · −70.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
51 head
▲ 38 vs last sale 13▲ 10 vs year ago 41 · +24.4%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 400 lbs and under appeared steady with a lite test, while 400-600 lbs steers were sharply higher with a moderate supply and strong demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Feeder heifers 300-600 lbs were 1.00 to 3.00 lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand. Slaughter cows and bulls appeared 5.00 to 8.00 lower with a limited supply and limited demand.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $327.04/cwt on 20 head, down $8.95 from the prior sale (only 18 head in that comparison). That ranks 2 of 31 comparable sales and sits −67.80 against this barn's trailing median of $394.83.
Average price
$327.04
▼ 8.95 vs prior sale
20 head · 552 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,805
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$282
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$41.62/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−17.94
vs KY average
−29.06 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2553329.121,82019thin
Medium and Large 2535287.501,5381thin
One grade step is worth $41.62/cwt here — about $282 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 sale20 hd
327.04
—
KY average26 barns · 942 hd
344.98
−17.94
National average179 barns · 11,869 hd
356.10
−29.06
This barn, trailing median31 sales
394.83
−67.80
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—Low1,769193.423,4229thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,456135.261,9694thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,233118.001,4552thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,032110.281,1385thin

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)1,193$3,10712
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,100$3,0333thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,263$2,8123thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,255$2,4001thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,085$2,1714thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,395$2,6733thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,235$4,7501thin
Cow-Calf Pairs2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,445$4,5832thin
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,410$4,4002thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,397$3,4173thin

Every lot

91 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 · Steers18 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2382465.00/cwt465.00–465.001,7762
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2415420.23/cwt402.50–435.001,7443
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2-3415350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,4531
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2460372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,7143
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2475480.00/cwt480.00–480.002,2801
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added515410.84/cwt410.00–412.502,1163
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2525320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,6801
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2536376.00/cwt362.50–381.002,0157
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added550401.00/cwt401.00–401.002,2064
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2560360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,0161
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2585310.13/cwt295.00–325.001,8142
Steers550–600Large 1590337.50/cwt337.50–337.501,9911
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2619329.19/cwt325.00–342.002,0384
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2-3655260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,7031
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2682345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,3532
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2710330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,3431
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2765313.37/cwt307.00–320.002,3972
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2835255.00/cwt255.00–255.002,1291
Feeder Cattle · Heifers24 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2330420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,3861
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy365448.80/cwt445.00–452.501,6382
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2375420.03/cwt410.00–427.501,5753
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2414366.71/cwt360.00–375.001,5188
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2431397.76/cwt385.00–415.001,7145
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2465330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,5351
Heifers450–500Large 2485292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,4191
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2495358.00/cwt358.00–358.001,7721
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open505360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,8182
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2525333.64/cwt325.00–350.001,7524
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2535287.50/cwt287.50–287.501,5381
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open557350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,9502
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2571318.06/cwt310.00–326.001,81611
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2624295.15/cwt280.00–300.001,8424
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2631313.35/cwt312.00–316.001,9773
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2650275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,7881
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2670310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,0771
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2700290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,0301
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2705315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,2211
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2765308.00/cwt308.00–308.002,3561
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2773262.67/cwt255.00–270.002,0302
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2810280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,2682
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2850280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,3802
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2918251.29/cwt237.50–265.002,3072
Feeder Cattle · Bulls23 lots · lightest first
Bulls150–200Medium and Large 1-2190505.00/cwt505.00–505.009601
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2215420.00/cwt420.00–420.009031
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 2280450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,2601
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2311430.60/cwt425.00–432.501,3394
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2340475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,6151
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2365500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,8251
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2378414.44/cwt402.50–420.001,5673
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2-3380327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,2451
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2400405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,6201
Bulls400–450Large 1420325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,3651
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2428440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,8833
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2469411.97/cwt402.50–415.001,9324
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2485356.29/cwt352.50–360.001,7282
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2529365.60/cwt362.50–375.001,9344
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2535323.62/cwt310.00–337.501,7312
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2560300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,6802
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2580325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,8851
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2616318.31/cwt315.00–320.001,9616
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2640297.00/cwt297.00–297.001,9011
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2652275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,7932
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2774308.73/cwt300.00–310.002,3908
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2965232.50/cwt232.50–232.502,2441
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,010215.00/cwt215.00–215.002,1722
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,570176.25/cwt173.50–179.002,7672
Bulls——1,779191.16/cwt190.00–192.503,4015
Bulls——1,943216.24/cwt215.50–217.004,2022
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%942102.64/cwt99.00–105.009673
Cows—Lean 85-90%985128.50/cwt128.50–128.501,2661
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,233118.00/cwt118.00–118.001,4552
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,350115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,5531
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,456135.26/cwt133.00–138.001,9694
Replacement Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 21,3502,433.89/head2,350.00–2,500.002,4342
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,4853,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,1501
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows8 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Small and Medium 1-28532,006.72/head1,810.00–2,200.002,0072
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0601,820.09/head1,375.00–2,350.001,8203
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0982,469.93/head2,225.00–2,800.002,4702
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1003,033.33/head2,600.00–3,250.003,0333
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1603,225.00/head3,225.00–3,225.003,2251
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2552,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2632,812.07/head2,525.00–2,925.002,8123
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3013,541.61/head3,325.00–3,650.003,5428
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs7 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,2354,750.00/head4,750.00–4,750.004,7501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 21,3203,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,1001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4104,500.00/head4,500.00–4,500.004,5001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4104,300.00/head4,300.00–4,300.004,3001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4153,750.00/head3,750.00–3,750.003,7501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4454,583.22/head4,450.00–4,700.004,5832
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4553,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2850245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,0831

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.