Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-01-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a limited number, but good quality offering. Good quality feeder steers were 2.00 to 6.00 higher, except for the 500-600 lbs steers who were sharply higher with strong demand for weaned and pre-conditioned groups. Feeder heifers 200-400 lbs appeared sharply higher but with a light test, while the 400-600 lbs heifers were mostly steady with good demand. Slaughter cows and bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 higher with a limited supply and good demand.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $456.51/cwt on 18 head, up $20.04 from the prior sale. That ranks 11 of 22 comparable sales and sits −0.14 against this barn's trailing median of $456.65.

Average price

$456.51

▲ 20.04 vs prior sale

18 head · 534 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,437

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+15.27

vs KY average

−8.82 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	534	456.51	2,437	18thin

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

22 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $515.83, low $358.79, median $456.65 across 22 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 sale18 hd

456.51

—

KY average24 barns · 1,251 hd

441.25

+15.27

National average169 barns · 18,411 hd

465.33

−8.82

This barn, trailing median22 sales

456.65

−0.14

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	1,928	183.09	3,529	4thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,635	162.50	2,657	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,277	156.19	1,995	3thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,049	140.91	1,479	7thin

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)	1,385	$2,901	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,040	$2,800	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	960	$2,400	1thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	800	$2,175	1thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	780	$2,025	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,154	$2,639	3thin

Every lot, as filed

74 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 1-2Value Added	600–650	605	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,178	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	385	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,319	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	375	427.45/cwt	415.00–440.00	1,603	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,476	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	485	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,401	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	653	395.25/cwt	385.00–397.00	2,581	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	313	488.70/cwt	482.50–495.00	1,530	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	405	532.50/cwt	532.50–532.50	2,157	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	571	387.51/cwt	379.00–390.50	2,213	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	347.53/cwt	345.00–355.00	1,957	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	385	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,271	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	417.58/cwt	410.00–432.50	2,171	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	985	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,463	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	595	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,261	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	621	375.33/cwt	367.00–385.00	2,331	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,132	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	1050–1100	1,085	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	2,344	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	705	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,133	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	626	392.00/cwt	392.00–392.00	2,454	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	357	527.50/cwt	527.50–527.50	1,883	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	885	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	2,721	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	490	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	2,230	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	500–550	512	490.87/cwt	480.00–500.00	2,513	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	800–850	803	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	2,802	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	730	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	2,438	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	854	330.50/cwt	330.50–330.50	2,822	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	538	458.03/cwt	455.00–460.00	2,464	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	551	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,535	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	760	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,584	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	670	373.00/cwt	373.00–373.00	2,499	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	205	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,015	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	375	467.50/cwt	467.50–467.50	1,753	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	377.94/cwt	370.00–385.00	2,128	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	395	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	1,916	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	560	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	2,223	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	435	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,001	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	546	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,266	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,023	143.41/cwt	142.00–145.00	1,467	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	930	124.24/cwt	121.00–127.00	1,155	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,277	156.19/cwt	150.00–162.50	1,995	3
Bulls	—	—	2,340	173.50/cwt	173.50–173.50	4,060	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,208	153.82/cwt	151.00–156.50	1,858	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,635	162.50/cwt	162.50–162.50	2,657	1
Bulls	—	—	1,790	186.29/cwt	180.00–191.50	3,335	3
Bred Cows	Medium 1-2	—	960	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,305	3,250.00/head	3,250.00–3,250.00	3,250	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 1-2	—	1,078	2,333.06/head	2,125.00–2,550.00	2,333	2
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	780	2,025.00/head	2,025.00–2,025.00	2,025	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	800	2,175.00/head	2,175.00–2,175.00	2,175	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,385	2,901.35/head	2,875.00–2,975.00	2,901	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,040	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	477	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	2,123	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	618	346.58/cwt	340.00–355.00	2,142	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	420	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,806	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	717	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	2,423	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,843	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	355	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	1,251	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	466	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,864	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	510	391.00/cwt	391.00–391.00	1,994	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	765	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,448	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	295	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,232	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	483	400.60/cwt	395.00–402.50	1,935	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	711	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,062	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	285	482.50/cwt	482.50–482.50	1,375	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	545	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,826	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	600	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,800	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	524	400.80/cwt	390.00–406.00	2,100	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	325	487.50/cwt	487.50–487.50	1,584	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	882	291.00/cwt	291.00–291.00	2,567	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	205	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	943	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	358	474.93/cwt	467.50–490.00	1,700	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	415	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,733	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	627	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	2,119	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	387.56/cwt	375.00–392.50	1,860	4

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 21, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 277Last week 463Year ago 225

Slaughter CattleReceipts 16Last week 39Year ago 10

Replacement CattleReceipts 15Last week 9Year ago 4

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	510	391.00	391.00
44	550–600	571	379.00–390.50	387.51
5	600–650	605	360.00	360.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	342.50	342.50
1	400–450	410	360.00	360.00
1	600–650	600	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	375	415.00–440.00	427.45
4	450–500	480	375.00–392.50	387.56
1	500–550	545	335.00	335.00
8	550–600	563	345.00–355.00	347.53
4	600–650	627	338.00	338.00
1	950–1000	985	250.00	250.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	205	460.00	460.00
1	250–300	285	482.50	482.50
2	300–350	313	482.50–495.00	488.70
3	350–400	358	467.50–490.00	474.93
1	400–450	415	417.50	417.50
3	450–500	466	400.00	400.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	405	532.50	532.50
1	450–500	485	495.00	495.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	538	455.00–460.00	458.03
4	550–600	551	460.00	460.00
5	600–650	626	392.00	392.00
49	650–700	653	385.00–397.00	395.25
29	800–850	803	349.00	349.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	385	330.00	330.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	205	495.00	495.00
2	350–400	357	527.50	527.50
1	400–450	435	490.00	490.00
1	450–500	490	455.00	455.00
3	500–550	520	410.00–432.50	417.58
1	550–600	595	380.00	380.00
4	600–650	621	367.00–385.00	375.33
8	650–700	670	373.00	373.00
1	700–750	730	334.00	334.00
1	750–800	760	340.00	340.00
6	850–900	854	330.50	330.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	700–750	705	302.50	302.50
1	850–900	885	307.50	307.50
1	1050–1100	1,085	216.00	216.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
5	500–550	512	480.00–500.00	490.87
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	325	487.50	487.50
1	350–400	375	467.50	467.50
1	400–450	420	430.00	430.00
4	450–500	483	395.00–402.50	400.60
5	500–550	524	390.00–406.00	400.80
5	550–600	563	370.00–385.00	377.94
3	600–650	618	340.00–355.00	346.58
2	700–750	717	338.00	338.00
1	750–800	765	320.00	320.00
4	850–900	882	291.00	291.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	395	485.00	485.00
1	400–450	435	460.00	460.00
2	450–500	477	445.00	445.00
5	500–550	546	415.00	415.00
1	550–600	560	397.00	397.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	417.50	417.50
1	350–400	355	352.50	352.50
1	550–600	585	315.00	315.00
3	700–750	711	290.00	290.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,023	142.00–145.00	143.41
2	—	930	121.00–127.00	124.24
2	—	1,208	151.00–156.50	153.82
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,277	150.00–162.50	156.19
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,635	162.50	162.50
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,340	173.50	173.50
3	—	1,790	180.00–191.50	186.29

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	960	2,400.00	2,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,385	2,875.00–2,975.00	2,901.35
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,040	2,800.00	2,800.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,305	3,250.00	3,250.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,078	2,125.00–2,550.00	2,333.06
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	780	2,025.00	2,025.00
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	800	2,175.00	2,175.00

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

Steers · 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