Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-01-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 650 lbs and under were 5.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned and pre-conditioned calves. Yearling steers appeared stronger as well but with a light test. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower with a moderate supply and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $365.03/cwt on 57 head, down $7.80 from the prior sale. That ranks 4 of 30 comparable sales and sits −36.69 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$365.03

▼ 7.80 vs prior sale

57 head · 568 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,073

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$814

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

$117.59/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−10.99

vs KY average

−48.45 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	571	372.59	2,127	48
Medium and Large 2	557	333.43	1,856	8thin
Medium and Large 2-3	515	255.00	1,313	1thin

One grade step is worth $117.59/cwt here — about $814 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale57 hd

365.03

—

KY average26 barns · 1,994 hd

376.02

−10.99

National average188 barns · 26,809 hd

413.48

−48.45

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

−36.69

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	1,693	179.06	3,031	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,248	155.97	1,947	7thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,428	154.43	2,206	9thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,047	125.94	1,318	11
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,600	131.50	2,104	1thin

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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,345	$2,600	2thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,140	$1,775	3thin
Bulls	N/A	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,420	$2,885	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,225	$2,600	1thin

Every lot, as filed

105 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 2	550–600	595	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	1,969	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	365	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,460	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	587	389.08/cwt	388.50–390.50	2,284	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	450–500	455	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,002	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	571	348.69/cwt	335.00–357.00	1,991	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	452	489.00/cwt	489.00–489.00	2,210	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	827	329.38/cwt	327.50–330.00	2,724	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	630	378.95/cwt	370.00–387.50	2,387	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	400–450	403	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,793	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	418	408.43/cwt	405.00–415.00	1,707	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,497	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	380	412.11/cwt	407.50–418.00	1,566	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	335	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,374	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	534	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,069	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	601	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,923	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	664	342.67/cwt	325.00–346.00	2,275	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	661	311.66/cwt	295.00–317.00	2,060	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	334.97/cwt	326.00–350.00	2,104	3
Heifers	Large 1-2	750–800	795	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,365	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	728	313.51/cwt	312.00–315.00	2,282	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	533	338.53/cwt	330.00–344.00	1,804	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	318	370.28/cwt	365.00–375.00	1,177	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	900–950	905	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,923	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	360	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,260	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	515	364.38/cwt	362.50–365.00	1,877	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	489	380.81/cwt	362.50–387.00	1,862	23
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	515	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,918	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	755	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,416	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	615	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,907	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	1000–1050	1,003	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	2,066	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	920	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	2,732	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	500–550	532	460.81/cwt	460.00–462.50	2,452	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	873	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	2,933	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	350	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	2,065	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	740	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,590	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	310	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,457	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	523	445.63/cwt	435.00–452.50	2,331	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	466	453.01/cwt	448.00–470.00	2,111	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	433	470.53/cwt	458.00–480.00	2,037	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	681	366.66/cwt	351.00–371.00	2,497	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	672	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,604	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	550–600	564	446.15/cwt	440.00–450.00	2,516	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	712	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	2,652	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	586	424.05/cwt	415.00–429.00	2,485	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	613	403.73/cwt	400.00–407.50	2,475	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	777	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,622	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	443	424.16/cwt	422.50–425.00	1,879	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	383	420.16/cwt	410.00–425.00	1,609	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	691	353.00/cwt	353.00–353.00	2,439	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	395	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,817	1
Bulls	Medium 1-2	300–350	305	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,144	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	577	383.73/cwt	383.00–386.00	2,214	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,407	146.71/cwt	144.50–148.00	2,064	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	960	110.48/cwt	110.00–111.00	1,061	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,630	168.50/cwt	168.50–168.50	2,747	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,265	152.13/cwt	150.00–154.50	1,924	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,360	142.76/cwt	139.50–146.00	1,942	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,025	146.50/cwt	146.50–146.50	1,502	1
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,600	131.50/cwt	131.50–131.50	2,104	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,401	156.24/cwt	151.00–161.00	2,189	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	665	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	479	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,129	135.13/cwt	131.00–139.50	1,526	7
Bulls	—	—	1,726	171.88/cwt	160.00–176.00	2,967	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,162	167.34/cwt	165.50–169.00	1,944	3
Bulls	—	—	1,700	199.00/cwt	199.00–199.00	3,383	1
Bulls	—	—	1,623	183.46/cwt	181.50–184.50	2,978	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,225	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	710	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,580	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,345	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	2
Bred Cows	Large 3	—	1,230	1,650.00/head	1,650.00–1,650.00	1,650	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	950	1,575.00/head	1,575.00–1,575.00	1,575	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,240	2,100.00/head	2,100.00–2,100.00	2,100	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,420	2,885.00/head	2,885.00–2,885.00	2,885	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	370	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,166	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	327	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,570	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	423.00/cwt	423.00–423.00	2,030	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	550–600	555	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	1,876	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	357	509.06/cwt	500.00–535.00	1,817	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	700–750	705	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,445	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	865	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,990	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	580	328.34/cwt	320.00–331.00	1,904	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	365	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	1,414	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	465	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,686	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	715	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	2,056	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	352	459.18/cwt	457.50–462.50	1,616	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	515	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,313	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	440	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,551	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	472	404.99/cwt	390.00–413.00	1,912	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	280	477.50/cwt	477.50–477.50	1,337	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	432	424.06/cwt	420.00–425.00	1,832	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	329	477.05/cwt	470.00–480.00	1,569	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	265	352.45/cwt	350.00–355.00	934	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	641	353.96/cwt	351.00–361.00	2,269	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	535	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	1,937	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	595	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,815	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	460	355.86/cwt	350.00–367.00	1,637	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	826	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,395	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	593	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,076	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	575	394.00/cwt	394.00–394.00	2,266	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	600–650	632	377.00/cwt	377.00–377.00	2,383	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	525	432.67/cwt	427.50–434.00	2,272	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	374.50/cwt	370.00–383.00	1,947	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	482	452.50/cwt	452.50–452.50	2,181	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	325	547.92/cwt	535.00–555.00	1,781	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	405	468.85/cwt	462.50–470.00	1,899	7

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 14, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 463Last week 428Year ago 388

Slaughter CattleReceipts 39Last week 79Year ago 51

Replacement CattleReceipts 9Last week 22Year ago 13

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	365	400.00	400.00
1	500–550	515	372.50	372.50
1	550–600	595	331.00	331.00
1	600–650	615	310.00	310.00
3	1000–1050	1,003	206.00	206.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	350	590.00	590.00
4	450–500	452	489.00	489.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	310	470.00	470.00
7	400–450	433	458.00–480.00	470.53
9	450–500	466	448.00–470.00	453.01
5	600–650	630	370.00–387.50	378.95
19	650–700	681	351.00–371.00	366.66
2	700–750	740	350.00	350.00
2	750–800	777	337.50	337.50
4	800–850	827	327.50–330.00	329.38
3	850–900	873	336.00	336.00
1	900–950	920	297.00	297.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	532	460.00–462.50	460.81
13	550–600	564	440.00–450.00	446.15
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
28	500–550	523	435.00–452.50	445.63
23	550–600	586	415.00–429.00	424.05
2	600–650	613	400.00–407.50	403.73
2	650–700	672	387.50	387.50
28	700–750	712	372.50	372.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	534	387.50	387.50
23	550–600	587	388.50–390.50	389.08
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	403	445.00	445.00
2	450–500	455	440.00	440.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	335	410.00	410.00
7	350–400	380	407.50–418.00	412.11
6	400–450	418	405.00–415.00	408.43
23	450–500	489	362.50–387.00	380.81
4	500–550	515	362.50–365.00	364.38
17	550–600	571	335.00–357.00	348.69
3	600–650	628	326.00–350.00	334.97
13	650–700	664	325.00–346.00	342.67
2	700–750	728	312.00–315.00	313.51
1	750–800	755	320.00	320.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	265	350.00–355.00	352.45
2	300–350	318	365.00–375.00	370.28
2	350–400	365	387.50	387.50
1	400–450	410	365.00	365.00
1	450–500	465	362.50	362.50
4	500–550	533	330.00–344.00	338.53
4	550–600	580	320.00–331.00	328.34
3	600–650	601	320.00	320.00
6	650–700	661	295.00–317.00	311.66
1	700–750	715	287.50	287.50
1	850–900	865	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	750–800	795	297.50	297.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	900–950	905	212.50	212.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	360	350.00	350.00
1	500–550	515	255.00	255.00
1	700–750	705	205.00	205.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	280	477.50	477.50
9	300–350	329	470.00–480.00	477.05
3	350–400	352	457.50–462.50	459.18
10	400–450	432	420.00–425.00	424.06
24	450–500	472	390.00–413.00	404.99
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	327	480.00	480.00
1	350–400	395	460.00	460.00
3	400–450	443	422.50–425.00	424.16
1	450–500	480	423.00	423.00
3	500–550	520	370.00–383.00	374.50
4	550–600	577	383.00–386.00	383.73
6	600–650	641	351.00–361.00	353.96
5	650–700	691	353.00	353.00
6	800–850	826	290.00	290.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	383	410.00–425.00	420.16
1	400–450	440	352.50	352.50
3	450–500	460	350.00–367.00	355.86
1	500–550	535	362.00	362.00
4	550–600	593	350.00	350.00
Bulls — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	305	375.00	375.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	370	315.00	315.00
1	550–600	595	305.00	305.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	550–600	555	338.00	338.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	325	535.00–555.00	547.92
4	350–400	357	500.00–535.00	509.06
7	400–450	405	462.50–470.00	468.85
2	450–500	482	452.50	452.50
5	500–550	525	427.50–434.00	432.67
4	550–600	575	394.00	394.00
4	600–650	632	377.00	377.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,407	144.50–148.00	146.71
1	—	1,630	168.50	168.50
5	—	1,401	151.00–161.00	156.24
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	960	110.00–111.00	110.48
1	—	1,025	146.50	146.50
1	—	665	72.00	72.00
7	—	1,129	131.00–139.50	135.13
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,265	150.00–154.50	152.13
2	—	1,360	139.50–146.00	142.76
3	—	1,162	165.50–169.00	167.34
Dairy Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,600	131.50	131.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,726	160.00–176.00	171.88
1	—	1,700	199.00	199.00
2	—	1,623	181.50–184.50	183.46

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,225	2,600.00	2,600.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	710	222.50	222.50
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,345	2,600.00	2,600.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,240	2,100.00	2,100.00
Bred Cows — Large 3$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,230	1,650.00	1,650.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	950	1,575.00	1,575.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,420	2,885.00	2,885.00

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

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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