Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-01-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-07

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

No trends due to market being closed last week for the holidays, however the feeder market appeared stronger with a good supply and strong demand weaned and pre-conditioned feeders.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $372.82/cwt on 56 head, up $29.10 from the prior sale. That ranks 6 of 30 comparable sales and sits −28.90 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$372.82

▲ 29.10 vs prior sale

56 head · 541 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,017

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$276

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

$52.29/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.82

vs KY average

−37.28 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	541	375.63	2,031	53
Medium and Large 2	543	323.33	1,756	3thin

One grade step is worth $52.29/cwt here — about $276 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

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 sale56 hd

372.82

—

KY average20 barns · 1,380 hd

372.01

+0.82

National average199 barns · 28,725 hd

410.10

−37.28

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

−28.90

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	—	Low	1,679	188.92	3,172	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,497	159.45	2,387	15
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,278	149.76	1,914	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,146	135.60	1,554	24

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)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,435	$2,796	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,256	$2,682	7
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,015	$2,650	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	965	$2,600	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,403	$2,428	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,545	$2,850	1thin

Every lot, as filed

99 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	383	402.45/cwt	395.00–410.00	1,541	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	483	354.12/cwt	350.00–360.00	1,710	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,045	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,404	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	717	309.27/cwt	305.00–317.50	2,217	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	317	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,252	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	522	356.05/cwt	350.00–370.00	1,859	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	687	331.44/cwt	318.00–340.00	2,277	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	345	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,035	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	633	306.74/cwt	300.00–310.00	1,942	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	303	357.42/cwt	350.00–372.50	1,083	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	632	334.43/cwt	320.00–344.00	2,114	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	830	297.97/cwt	297.00–300.00	2,473	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	476	376.73/cwt	370.00–380.00	1,793	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	438	369.28/cwt	365.00–372.00	1,617	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	651	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,327	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	519	390.41/cwt	380.00–397.00	2,026	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	567	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,537	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	559	419.43/cwt	400.00–423.00	2,345	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	461	455.41/cwt	451.00–460.00	2,099	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	860	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	2,344	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	568	378.92/cwt	377.00–387.50	2,152	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	576	370.23/cwt	360.00–372.50	2,133	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	636	348.34/cwt	340.00–356.00	2,215	13
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	850	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,423	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,871	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	407	388.03/cwt	380.00–390.00	1,579	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	385	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,607	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	600–650	601	409.00/cwt	409.00–409.00	2,458	10
Steers	Large 1-2	600–650	640	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,824	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	705	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	2,062	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	382.97/cwt	377.50–394.00	2,214	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	441	454.75/cwt	453.00–460.00	2,005	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	466	433.20/cwt	410.00–440.00	2,019	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	763	322.97/cwt	320.00–329.00	2,464	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	602	374.99/cwt	370.00–377.50	2,257	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	517	470.03/cwt	460.00–472.00	2,430	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	875	301.00/cwt	301.00–301.00	2,634	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	610	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	1,800	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	905	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,579	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	822	329.38/cwt	326.00–330.50	2,708	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	715	342.86/cwt	320.00–346.50	2,451	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	676	358.83/cwt	346.00–363.50	2,426	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	538	399.70/cwt	385.00–414.00	2,150	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	745	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,900	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	640	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	1,946	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	426	417.58/cwt	400.00–430.00	1,779	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	373.37/cwt	367.50–380.00	2,102	3
Bulls	Medium 1-2	450–500	495	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,832	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	465	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,046	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,568	169.52/cwt	168.50–170.00	2,658	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,335	131.60/cwt	130.00–132.50	1,757	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	1,179	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,460	157.75/cwt	154.00–162.50	2,303	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,295	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	2,137	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,121	136.44/cwt	128.00–144.00	1,529	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,690	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	2,501	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,193	118.85/cwt	117.00–120.00	1,418	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,180	150.85/cwt	147.00–162.50	1,780	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,266	152.21/cwt	146.50–159.50	1,927	16
Bulls	—	—	1,514	173.95/cwt	167.00–178.00	2,634	4
Bulls	—	—	2,130	207.28/cwt	200.00–217.50	4,415	3
Bulls	—	—	1,563	189.72/cwt	184.00–194.50	2,965	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,435	2,795.73/head	2,475.00–3,175.00	2,796	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	545	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,839	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,545	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,333	2,928.47/head	2,550.00–3,075.00	2,928	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	965	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,540	2,592.52/head	2,585.00–2,600.00	2,593	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,130	2,100.00/head	2,100.00–2,100.00	2,100	1
Bred Cows	Small and Medium 2	—	795	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,015	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,230	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,645	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	310	448.95/cwt	445.00–450.00	1,392	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	405	464.78/cwt	462.50–467.00	1,882	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	478	393.52/cwt	385.00–402.50	1,881	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	515	417.85/cwt	411.00–420.00	2,152	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	370	482.50/cwt	482.50–482.50	1,785	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	290	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,305	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	200–250	245	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	980	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	900–950	920	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,932	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	620	352.56/cwt	345.00–360.00	2,186	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	800–850	810	267.00/cwt	267.00–267.00	2,163	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	572	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,259	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	655	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	2,240	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	385	426.25/cwt	425.00–427.50	1,641	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	433	378.50/cwt	370.00–387.50	1,639	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	320	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,120	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	721	324.40/cwt	320.00–327.00	2,339	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	525	388.98/cwt	370.00–395.00	2,042	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	760	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,356	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	360	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	1,377	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	378	427.14/cwt	417.00–435.00	1,615	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	474	392.94/cwt	389.00–417.50	1,863	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	400	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,640	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	473	408.56/cwt	395.00–420.00	1,932	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	295	443.50/cwt	442.00–445.00	1,308	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	854	306.50/cwt	306.50–306.50	2,618	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	525	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,733	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	552	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,766	2

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 Jan 7, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 428Last week 203Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 79Last week 45Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 22Last week 17Year ago 0

No trends due to market being closed last week for the holidays, however the feeder market appeared stronger with a good supply and strong demand weaned and pre-conditioned feeders.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	317	395.00	395.00
2	350–400	383	395.00–410.00	402.45
5	400–450	407	380.00–390.00	388.03
6	450–500	476	370.00–380.00	376.73
13	500–550	522	350.00–370.00	356.05
11	550–600	576	360.00–372.50	370.23
5	600–650	632	320.00–344.00	334.43
20	650–700	687	318.00–340.00	331.44
3	700–750	717	305.00–317.50	309.27
4	750–800	760	310.00	310.00
3	800–850	830	297.00–300.00	297.97
10	850–900	854	306.50	306.50
1	1000–1050	1,045	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	303	350.00–372.50	357.42
2	350–400	360	382.50	382.50
5	400–450	438	365.00–372.00	369.28
5	450–500	483	350.00–360.00	354.12
1	500–550	525	330.00	330.00
2	550–600	552	320.00	320.00
3	600–650	633	300.00–310.00	306.74
1	850–900	860	272.50	272.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	345	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
19	500–550	519	380.00–397.00	390.41
10	550–600	568	377.00–387.50	378.92
9	650–700	651	357.50	357.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	295	442.00–445.00	443.50
4	350–400	378	417.00–435.00	427.14
1	400–450	400	410.00	410.00
12	450–500	474	389.00–417.50	392.94
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	441	453.00–460.00	454.75
4	450–500	461	451.00–460.00	455.41
2	550–600	567	447.50	447.50
10	600–650	601	409.00	409.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
13	500–550	517	460.00–472.00	470.03
10	550–600	559	400.00–423.00	419.43
3	600–650	602	370.00–377.50	374.99
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	435	430.00	430.00
5	450–500	466	410.00–440.00	433.20
2	500–550	538	385.00–414.00	399.70
3	550–600	578	377.50–394.00	382.97
13	600–650	636	340.00–356.00	348.34
8	650–700	676	346.00–363.50	358.83
12	700–750	715	320.00–346.50	342.86
3	750–800	763	320.00–329.00	322.97
12	800–850	822	326.00–330.50	329.38
1	850–900	875	301.00	301.00
2	900–950	905	285.00	285.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	417.50	417.50
2	600–650	610	295.00	295.00
2	700–750	705	292.50	292.50
1	850–900	850	285.00	285.00
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	600–650	640	285.00	285.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	400.00	400.00
2	400–450	433	370.00–387.50	378.50
2	450–500	478	385.00–402.50	393.52
1	500–550	545	337.50	337.50
1	600–650	640	304.00	304.00
1	700–750	745	255.00	255.00
3	800–850	810	267.00	267.00
1	900–950	920	210.00	210.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	450.00	450.00
5	300–350	310	445.00–450.00	448.95
6	350–400	385	425.00–427.50	426.25
10	400–450	426	400.00–430.00	417.58
4	450–500	473	395.00–420.00	408.56
4	500–550	525	370.00–395.00	388.98
3	550–600	563	367.50–380.00	373.37
4	600–650	620	345.00–360.00	352.56
1	650–700	655	342.00	342.00
5	700–750	721	320.00–327.00	324.40
Bulls — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	495	370.00	370.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	370	482.50	482.50
2	400–450	405	462.50–467.00	464.78
1	450–500	465	440.00	440.00
5	500–550	515	411.00–420.00	417.85
2	550–600	572	395.00	395.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	320	350.00	350.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,568	168.50–170.00	169.52
11	—	1,460	154.00–162.50	157.75
1	—	1,690	148.00	148.00
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,335	130.00–132.50	131.60
1	—	1,295	165.00	165.00
16	—	1,266	146.50–159.50	152.21
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,215	97.00	97.00
15	—	1,121	128.00–144.00	136.44
3	—	1,193	117.00–120.00	118.85
5	—	1,180	147.00–162.50	150.85
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,514	167.00–178.00	173.95
3	—	2,130	200.00–217.50	207.28
6	—	1,563	184.00–194.50	189.72

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,435	2,475.00–3,175.00	2,795.73
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	—	1,333	2,550.00–3,075.00	2,928.47
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	965	2,600.00	2,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,540	2,585.00–2,600.00	2,592.52
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,015	2,650.00	2,650.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,130	2,100.00	2,100.00
Bred Cows — Small and Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	795	1,200.00	1,200.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,545	2,850.00	2,850.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,230	215.00	215.00

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