Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2025-05-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-05-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 lower in a limited comparison with good demand. Slaughter cows sold steady with very good demand. Yearlings lightly tested. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00 higher with good demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $325.51/cwt on 61 head. That ranks 1 of 30 comparable sales and sits −76.21 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$325.51

61 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,785

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$252

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3

$32.16/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−3.95

vs KY average

−8.75 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	548	331.32	1,815	48
Large 1-2	596	312.00	1,860	5thin
Medium and Large 2-3	523	299.15	1,563	8thin

One grade step is worth $32.16/cwt here — about $252 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

30 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $431.17, low $343.72, median $401.72 across 30 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale61 hd

325.51

—

KY average26 barns · 1,475 hd

329.47

−3.95

National average158 barns · 12,726 hd

334.26

−8.75

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

−76.21

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

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	1,745	193.44	3,376	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,311	159.35	2,089	20
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,523	154.57	2,354	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,083	137.14	1,485	13

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)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,343	$2,375	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,148	$1,916	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	825	$1,650	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	790	$1,575	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,313	$2,881	15
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,245	$2,725	1thin

Every lot, as filed

93 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	820	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	2,403	1
Bulls	—	—	1,579	163.54/cwt	124.00–195.00	2,582	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	980	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	2,426	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,141	136.95/cwt	133.00–141.00	1,563	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,482	147.80/cwt	146.00–149.50	2,190	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,301	153.37/cwt	152.50–157.00	1,995	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,073	158.60/cwt	156.00–162.00	1,702	3
Bulls	—	—	1,864	214.79/cwt	203.00–230.00	4,004	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2-3	—	790	1,575.00/head	1,575.00–1,575.00	1,575	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2-3	—	825	1,650.00/head	1,650.00–1,650.00	1,650	1
Heifers	Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	596	312.00/cwt	312.00–312.00	1,860	5
Steers	Large 1-2	550–600	592	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,894	2
Steers	Large 1-2	500–550	505	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,818	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	600–650	610	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,769	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	518	298.03/cwt	280.00–305.00	1,544	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	571	330.71/cwt	325.00–334.00	1,888	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	672	299.33/cwt	299.00–300.00	2,011	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	718	298.32/cwt	290.00–310.00	2,142	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	338	352.44/cwt	350.00–355.00	1,191	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	720	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	1,922	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	780	291.82/cwt	287.50–297.00	2,276	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	852	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	2,369	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	422	363.50/cwt	352.00–370.00	1,534	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	573	362.48/cwt	361.00–370.00	2,077	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	424	413.47/cwt	410.00–422.00	1,753	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	464	347.56/cwt	337.50–357.50	1,613	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	611	324.60/cwt	320.00–330.00	1,983	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	323	374.22/cwt	365.00–382.50	1,209	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	930	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	2,130	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	378	379.90/cwt	372.00–387.50	1,436	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	528	340.34/cwt	326.00–351.00	1,797	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	808	251.60/cwt	236.00–257.00	2,033	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	795	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,988	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	590	326.64/cwt	325.00–330.00	1,927	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	474	377.38/cwt	370.00–385.00	1,789	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	712	291.67/cwt	290.00–292.00	2,077	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	685	303.33/cwt	290.00–310.00	2,078	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	617	328.19/cwt	315.00–335.00	2,025	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	595	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,845	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	367	401.50/cwt	395.00–410.00	1,474	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	353.21/cwt	334.00–372.50	1,847	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	382	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,643	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	526	315.15/cwt	310.00–323.00	1,658	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	245	422.00/cwt	422.00–422.00	1,034	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	370	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,536	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	340	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,360	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	418	429.80/cwt	427.00–432.50	1,797	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	385	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	1,665	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	423	380.48/cwt	375.00–390.00	1,609	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,245	2,725.00/head	2,725.00–2,725.00	2,725	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,439	3,148.00/head	2,900.00–3,350.00	3,148	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	—	1,458	3,766.40/head	3,500.00–4,200.00	3,766	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	620	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,519	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	433	357.28/cwt	345.00–370.00	1,547	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,345	2,286.80/head	2,250.00–2,325.00	2,287	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,055	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,762	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,540	2,675.00/head	2,675.00–2,675.00	2,675	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2-3	—	1,145	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	538	313.46/cwt	305.00–322.00	1,686	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	475	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,591	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	700–750	733	229.97/cwt	221.00–239.00	1,686	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	555	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	1,704	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	523	336.91/cwt	320.00–355.00	1,762	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	750–800	767	234.33/cwt	225.00–252.50	1,797	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	800–850	815	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,630	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	333	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,132	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	485	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,698	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	200–250	235	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	823	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	572	314.51/cwt	301.00–335.00	1,799	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	576	334.96/cwt	325.00–355.00	1,929	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	700–750	735	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,764	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	415	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,349	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	250–300	285	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,069	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	645	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,000	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	613	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,115	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	965	122.69/cwt	121.00–124.00	1,184	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	945	103.00/cwt	103.00–103.00	973	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,300	166.13/cwt	158.00–175.00	2,160	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,354	148.19/cwt	147.00–149.00	2,006	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,542	153.65/cwt	150.50–157.50	2,369	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,519	160.98/cwt	158.00–169.50	2,445	7
Heifers	Small and Medium 1-2	350–400	360	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,098	1
Heifers	Small and Medium 1-2	450–500	466	274.94/cwt	270.00–280.00	1,281	4
Steers	Small and Medium 1-2	500–550	515	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,133	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2-3	—	1,215	2,393.36/head	2,300.00–2,450.00	2,393	4
Bred Cows	Small and Medium 2-3	—	755	1,175.00/head	1,175.00–1,175.00	1,175	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Small and Medium 2-3	—	840	1,400.00/head	1,400.00–1,400.00	1,400	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Small and Medium 2-3	—	990	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	1
Bulls	Small and Medium 1-2	500–550	510	284.90/cwt	280.00–290.00	1,453	2
Heifers	Small and Medium 1-2	300–350	320	308.00/cwt	308.00–308.00	986	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	450–500	476	370.07/cwt	367.50–380.00	1,762	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	735	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,323	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2-3	—	925	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,341	1

How this sale compares

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 21, 2025

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 244Last week 313Year ago 203

Slaughter CattleReceipts 72Last week 81Year ago 50

Replacement CattleReceipts 52Last week 19Year ago 15

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	424	410.00–422.00	413.47
6	550–600	573	361.00–370.00	362.48
8	600–650	611	320.00–330.00	324.60
5	700–750	718	290.00–310.00	298.32
3	750–800	780	287.50–297.00	291.82
1	800–850	820	293.00	293.00
2	850–900	852	278.00	278.00
1	950–1000	980	247.50	247.50
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	505	360.00	360.00
2	550–600	592	320.00	320.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	432.50	432.50
2	400–450	418	427.00–432.50	429.80
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	433	345.00–370.00	357.28
2	500–550	523	320.00–355.00	336.91
4	550–600	576	325.00–355.00	334.96
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	613	345.00	345.00
Steers — Small and Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	515	220.00	220.00
Heifers — Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
5	550–600	596	312.00	312.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	235	350.00	350.00
2	300–350	338	350.00–355.00	352.44
1	450–500	475	335.00	335.00
7	500–550	518	280.00–305.00	298.03
1	550–600	555	307.00	307.00
1	600–650	620	245.00	245.00
2	700–750	733	221.00–239.00	229.97
3	750–800	767	225.00–252.50	234.33
1	800–850	815	200.00	200.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	476	367.50–380.00	370.07
24	500–550	528	326.00–351.00	340.34
13	550–600	571	325.00–334.00	330.71
6	650–700	672	299.00–300.00	299.33
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	323	365.00–382.50	374.22
2	350–400	378	372.00–387.50	379.90
12	400–450	422	352.00–370.00	363.50
7	450–500	464	337.50–357.50	347.56
5	500–550	526	310.00–323.00	315.15
6	550–600	595	310.00	310.00
1	700–750	720	267.00	267.00
4	800–850	808	236.00–257.00	251.60
1	900–950	930	229.00	229.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	340	400.00	400.00
1	350–400	370	415.00	415.00
Heifers — Small and Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	320	308.00	308.00
1	350–400	360	305.00	305.00
4	450–500	466	270.00–280.00	274.94
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	600–650	610	290.00	290.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	367	395.00–410.00	401.50
4	400–450	423	375.00–390.00	380.48
6	450–500	474	370.00–385.00	377.38
10	500–550	523	334.00–372.50	353.21
3	550–600	590	325.00–330.00	326.64
3	600–650	617	315.00–335.00	328.19
3	650–700	685	290.00–310.00	303.33
6	700–750	712	290.00–292.00	291.67
1	750–800	795	250.00	250.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	422.00	422.00
3	350–400	382	430.00	430.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	285	375.00	375.00
2	300–350	333	340.00	340.00
1	400–450	415	325.00	325.00
2	450–500	485	350.00	350.00
2	500–550	538	305.00–322.00	313.46
3	550–600	572	301.00–335.00	314.51
2	600–650	645	310.00	310.00
1	700–750	735	240.00	240.00
Bulls — Small and Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	510	280.00–290.00	284.90

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,579	124.00–195.00	163.54
7	—	1,864	203.00–230.00	214.79
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,141	133.00–141.00	136.95
3	—	1,073	156.00–162.00	158.60
2	—	965	121.00–124.00	122.69
1	—	945	103.00	103.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,482	146.00–149.50	147.80
12	—	1,542	150.50–157.50	153.65
7	—	1,519	158.00–169.50	160.98
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,301	152.50–157.00	153.37
11	—	1,300	158.00–175.00	166.13
4	—	1,354	147.00–149.00	148.19

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2-3$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	790	1,575.00	1,575.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	825	1,650.00	1,650.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,145	2,075.00	2,075.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,345	2,250.00–2,325.00	2,286.80
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,540	2,675.00	2,675.00
Bred Cows — Small and Medium 2-3$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	755	1,175.00	1,175.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,245	2,725.00	2,725.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,439	2,900.00–3,350.00	3,148.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,458	3,500.00–4,200.00	3,766.40
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2-3$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,215	2,300.00–2,450.00	2,393.36
Cow-Calf Pairs — Small and Medium 2-3$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	840	1,400.00	1,400.00
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	990	2,050.00	2,050.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,055	167.00	167.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	735	180.00	180.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	925	145.00	145.00

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.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Reporter comment USDA

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Bluegrass Stockyard - Mt. Sterling, KY

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle