Sale reports / Kentucky / Mount Sterling Livestock Auction / 2025-12-10

Mount Sterling Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Mt. Sterling, Kentucky · Wed, Dec 10
● Final110 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2202
Feeder Cattle receipts
815 head
414 vs last sale 401 89 vs year ago 904 · 9.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
66 head
46 vs last sale 112 19 vs year ago 47 · +40.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
25 head
46 vs last sale 71 15 vs year ago 10 · +150.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 600lbs and under were 8.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in several spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned packages and groups. Yearling steers appeared sharply higher as well with a good supply, but limited comparisons. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were 2.00 to 8.00 higher with a good supply and strong demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality feeder cattle, while discounting plainer and off colored calves severely and increasing the price spread with in weight classes. Slaughter cows were mostly steady to 2.00 lower for leans with a good supply and slaughter bulls were mostly steady with good demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $357.26/cwt on 92 head. That ranks 4 of 30 comparable sales and sits 44.46 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.
Average price
$357.26
92 head · 538 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,924
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$658
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$104.46/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+9.51
vs KY average
20.70 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2537364.461,95880
Medium and Large 2552313.681,73011thin
Medium and Large 2-3500260.001,3001thin
One grade step is worth $104.46/cwt here — about $658 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

30 sales
445407368330median 401.7212/1703/0404/2906/2408/19
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 sale92 hd
357.26
KY average27 barns · 1,801 hd
347.75
+9.51
National average184 barns · 19,282 hd
377.96
−20.70
This barn, trailing median30 sales
401.72
−44.46
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsHigh1,601186.322,98311
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,511164.952,49210
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,229161.191,9819thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,148134.491,54434
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Average1,173121.001,4192thin

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)1,375$2,2542thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,120$1,7597
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)800$1,8751thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,510$3,1722thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,513$3,0822thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,065$2,6502thin

Every lot, as filed

110 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added600–650620349.87/cwt347.00–350.002,16969
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy350–400380500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,9001
SteersMedium and Large 2700–750735300.00/cwt287.50–312.502,2052
SteersMedium and Large 2550–600565340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,9211
SteersMedium and Large 2-3600–650615282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,7371
SteersMedium and Large 2-3350–400365285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,0401
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2300–350317385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,2202
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400378384.77/cwt380.00–390.001,4542
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy450–500487430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,0949
SteersMedium and Large 2950–1000985234.00/cwt234.00–234.002,3051
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added550–600558364.16/cwt361.00–366.002,03218
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added500–550513378.43/cwt375.00–380.001,94122
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500483373.64/cwt365.00–380.001,80522
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450434376.12/cwt370.00–395.001,6324
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy500–550524432.00/cwt432.00–432.002,26410
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy550–600569426.00/cwt426.00–426.002,4245
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750735284.72/cwt280.00–290.002,0934
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600574348.49/cwt330.00–353.002,00016
HeifersMedium and Large 2600–650637303.90/cwt300.00–310.001,93611
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650626328.82/cwt313.00–336.002,05829
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2850–900870270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,3496
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added700–750748320.50/cwt320.50–320.502,39720
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2750–800768300.13/cwt287.50–301.002,30516
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2900–950920229.00/cwt229.00–229.002,1071
HeifersMedium and Large 2550–600572315.68/cwt310.00–324.001,8066
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3500–550500260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,3001
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2250–300275380.18/cwt370.00–390.001,0452
SteersMedium and Large 2400–450435397.50/cwt397.50–397.501,7291
SteersMedium and Large 2600–650623308.20/cwt301.00–315.001,9202
SteersMedium and Large 2800–850821293.04/cwt275.00–299.002,4064
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650640348.04/cwt337.50–357.002,22714
SteersLarge 1-2600–650600297.00/cwt297.00–297.001,7821
SteersMedium and Large 2-3550–600565300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,6951
SteersMedium and Large 2650–700667319.60/cwt312.50–325.002,1325
SteersMedium and Large 1-2900–950926305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,8245
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600580372.54/cwt362.50–382.002,1619
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500492407.03/cwt402.50–410.002,0035
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750727337.65/cwt325.00–342.002,45522
SteersMedium and Large 2-3700–750740230.00/cwt230.00–230.001,7021
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550530368.02/cwt362.50–377.501,9515
SteersMedium and Large 1-2750–800774304.51/cwt300.00–318.002,3574
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450440424.10/cwt420.00–430.001,8663
SteersMedium and Large 1-2800–850820312.00/cwt312.00–312.002,5582
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700665342.70/cwt333.50–360.002,27912
SteersMedium and Large 1-2300–350310450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,3951
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added550–600565401.71/cwt395.00–410.002,2708
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added600–650625399.13/cwt389.00–402.752,49577
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added500–550519398.62/cwt395.00–400.002,0697
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added750–800788360.50/cwt360.50–360.502,84153
BullsMedium and Large 1-2350–400368430.87/cwt420.00–442.501,5862
BullsMedium and Large 1-21050–11001,080192.50/cwt192.50–192.502,0791
BullsMedium and Large 1-2400–450426413.84/cwt395.00–417.001,76310
BullsMedium and Large 1-2450–500473393.18/cwt385.00–410.001,86012
BullsMedium and Large 1-2300–350327437.96/cwt425.00–450.001,4325
BullsMedium and Large 1-2500–550530369.81/cwt367.50–375.001,9609
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%1,535136.00/cwt136.00–136.002,0881
CowsLean 85-90%1,204116.73/cwt109.00–125.501,4057
CowsLean 85-90%1,208152.46/cwt148.00–163.001,8426
CowsLean 85-90%1,112135.28/cwt127.00–146.001,50421
CowsBoner 80-85%1,350171.24/cwt167.00–175.002,3122
CowsBoner 80-85%1,430143.00/cwt143.00–143.002,0451
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%810106.00/cwt106.00–106.008591
CowsBoner 80-85%1,155160.87/cwt154.00–165.501,8586
Bulls1,810212.63/cwt206.50–217.003,8493
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,569158.51/cwt154.00–165.002,4876
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,423174.62/cwt170.00–177.502,4854
Bulls1,470163.51/cwt153.00–170.002,4043
Bulls1,554184.22/cwt179.50–192.502,8635
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1831,949.00/head1,800.00–2,075.001,9494
Bred CowsMedium and Large 21,0351,506.04/head1,400.00–1,550.001,5063
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,3752,254.36/head2,100.00–2,400.002,2542
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,5133,082.23/head2,900.00–3,250.003,0822
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2970170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,6491
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-28001,875.00/head1,875.00–1,875.001,8751
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,1603,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 29702,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,5103,171.61/head2,975.00–3,450.003,1722
BullsMedium and Large 2700–750740270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,9981
BullsLarge 1-2650–700670287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,9231
BullsMedium and Large 1-2950–1000980195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,9111
BullsMedium and Large 1-2700–750705299.00/cwt299.00–299.002,1081
BullsMedium and Large 1-2550–600565353.19/cwt336.00–360.001,9968
HeifersLarge 1-2750–800760226.00/cwt226.00–226.001,7181
HeifersMedium and Large 2850–900855240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,0522
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550519362.54/cwt347.00–370.001,88224
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3350–400378287.58/cwt275.00–300.001,0872
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3600–650630250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,5751
HeifersMedium and Large 2300–350326345.97/cwt335.00–352.501,1285
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700679308.10/cwt300.00–318.002,09216
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3300–350300270.00/cwt270.00–270.008101
HeifersMedium and Large 2350–400370344.22/cwt335.00–352.501,2742
HeifersMedium and Large 2150–200197329.00/cwt329.00–329.006482
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy450–500455406.35/cwt404.00–407.501,8493
HeifersMedium and Large 2500–550527311.29/cwt307.50–320.001,6405
HeifersMedium and Large 2650–700686280.88/cwt277.50–285.001,92713
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fleshy800–850810257.11/cwt252.00–258.002,08314
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450405340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,3771
BullsMedium and Large 2400–450401374.98/cwt370.00–385.001,5043
BullsMedium and Large 1-2650–700672311.96/cwt308.00–319.002,0967
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy350–400375422.50/cwt422.50–422.501,5841
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy400–450422411.87/cwt407.00–422.501,73817
BullsMedium and Large 2600–650617305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,8823
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3450–500495285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,4111
BullsMedium and Large 2200–250215320.00/cwt320.00–320.006881
BullsMedium and Large 1-2600–650624333.88/cwt319.00–340.002,08317
BullsMedium and Large 2450–500476373.91/cwt370.00–380.001,7805
BullsMedium and Large 2650–700676288.11/cwt287.50–290.001,9484
BullsMedium and Large 2-3350–400388340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,3192
BullsMedium and Large 2350–400375380.13/cwt375.00–385.001,4252
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Fancy500–550515382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,9701

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.