Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-02-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-02-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 600 lbs and under were 3.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand. Yearling steers appeared stronger as well but with limited comparisons. Feeder heifers were sharply higher across all weight classes with a good supply and strong demand. Buyers were active today and continue to increase the premiums paid for quality feeders. Slaughter cows were 2.00 to 4.00 higher with a moderate supply and slaughter bulls appeared stronger but with limited comparisons.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $426.75/cwt on 85 head, up $21.22 from the prior sale. That ranks 29 of 30 comparable sales and sits +25.03 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$426.75

▲ 21.22 vs prior sale

85 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,305

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$452

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

$58.76/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+13.15

vs KY average

−2.42 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	428.76	2,321	82
Medium and Large 2	515	372.50	1,918	2thin
Large 1-2	505	370.00	1,869	1thin

One grade step is worth $58.76/cwt here — about $452 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 sale85 hd

426.75

—

KY average27 barns · 1,405 hd

413.60

+13.15

National average184 barns · 15,729 hd

429.17

−2.42

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

+25.03

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	—	High	1,579	202.09	3,191	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,562	174.01	2,718	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,328	173.38	2,303	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,082	145.12	1,571	12

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)	1,278	$3,202	2thin

Every lot, as filed

84 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 2	500–550	515	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,918	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	435	424.94/cwt	422.50–427.50	1,848	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	627	346.52/cwt	335.00–355.00	2,173	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	530	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,173	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	850	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,295	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	424	465.04/cwt	452.50–475.00	1,972	4
Heifers	Large 1-2	450–500	470	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,810	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	470	407.50/cwt	405.00–410.00	1,915	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	265	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,246	1
Heifers	Large 1-2	500–550	505	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,869	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	375	480.07/cwt	475.00–485.00	1,800	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	695	391.00/cwt	391.00–391.00	2,717	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	665	419.03/cwt	415.00–431.00	2,787	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	393	539.48/cwt	525.00–550.00	2,120	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	487	515.96/cwt	509.00–527.00	2,513	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	407	540.29/cwt	532.50–552.50	2,199	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	688	345.56/cwt	338.00–355.00	2,377	11
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	471	434.37/cwt	431.00–436.00	2,046	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,784	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	783	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,701	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,871	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	436	518.07/cwt	512.00–520.00	2,259	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	700	386.00/cwt	386.00–386.00	2,702	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	350–400	355	584.90/cwt	577.50–600.00	2,076	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	828	334.58/cwt	332.00–340.00	2,770	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	486	480.72/cwt	466.00–494.00	2,336	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	779	360.82/cwt	352.00–373.00	2,811	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	460	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,886	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	390	477.50/cwt	477.50–477.50	1,862	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	898	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,972	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	623	447.33/cwt	430.00–452.00	2,787	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	536	457.09/cwt	446.00–471.00	2,450	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	566	483.23/cwt	465.00–490.00	2,735	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	553	434.16/cwt	420.00–447.50	2,401	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	428.11/cwt	417.00–440.00	2,239	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	629	413.54/cwt	399.00–420.00	2,601	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	625	406.00/cwt	406.00–406.00	2,538	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	525	446.25/cwt	440.00–452.50	2,343	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	665	391.00/cwt	391.00–391.00	2,600	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	280	585.00/cwt	585.00–585.00	1,638	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	368	573.28/cwt	560.00–587.50	2,110	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	502	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,385	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,041	140.67/cwt	135.00–150.00	1,464	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,070	130.29/cwt	129.00–132.00	1,394	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,177	168.85/cwt	154.50–178.00	1,987	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,504	179.20/cwt	177.00–183.00	2,695	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,634	167.52/cwt	158.00–172.00	2,737	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,307	169.85/cwt	164.00–175.00	2,220	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,435	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,741	1
Bulls	—	—	1,803	216.05/cwt	209.50–222.00	3,895	2
Bulls	—	—	1,430	192.78/cwt	181.00–198.50	2,757	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,113	201.52/cwt	200.00–203.00	2,243	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,278	3,202.15/head	3,100.00–3,300.00	3,202	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	400	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,980	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	385	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	2,021	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	575	422.92/cwt	404.00–432.50	2,432	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	480	497.00/cwt	497.00–497.00	2,386	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	800–850	805	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,133	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	515	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,906	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	280	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,428	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	577	428.31/cwt	417.50–429.00	2,471	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	516	431.60/cwt	421.00–436.00	2,227	46
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	820	299.00/cwt	299.00–299.00	2,452	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	478	469.19/cwt	462.00–472.50	2,243	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	313	547.32/cwt	540.00–555.00	1,713	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	700–750	748	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,562	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	850–900	885	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	3,075	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	650–700	655	362.50/cwt	360.00–365.00	2,374	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	382	507.51/cwt	497.00–515.00	1,939	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	414	499.99/cwt	497.50–505.00	2,070	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	337	522.50/cwt	522.50–522.50	1,761	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	900–950	910	277.25/cwt	277.00–277.50	2,523	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	750–800	770	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,426	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	714	327.69/cwt	314.00–335.00	2,340	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	455	482.50/cwt	482.50–482.50	2,195	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	750–800	759	349.50/cwt	349.50–349.50	2,653	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	600–650	629	386.91/cwt	384.00–390.00	2,434	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	690	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,139	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	750	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	2,520	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	477	441.19/cwt	435.00–450.00	2,104	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	373	448.71/cwt	435.00–455.00	1,674	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	322	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,063	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	250–300	285	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	855	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	560	389.58/cwt	385.00–394.00	2,182	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 Feb 18, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 395Last week 555Year ago 0

Slaughter CattleReceipts 31Last week 44Year ago 0

Replacement CattleReceipts 5Last week 25Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	373	435.00–455.00	448.71
2	400–450	435	422.50–427.50	424.94
2	450–500	470	405.00–410.00	407.50
2	500–550	515	372.50	372.50
1	650–700	690	310.00	310.00
1	850–900	850	270.00	270.00
2	900–950	910	277.00–277.50	277.25
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	265	470.00	470.00
2	350–400	375	475.00–485.00	480.07
4	400–450	424	452.50–475.00	465.04
4	450–500	477	435.00–450.00	441.19
2	500–550	530	410.00	410.00
2	550–600	560	385.00–394.00	389.58
3	600–650	627	335.00–355.00	346.52
11	650–700	688	338.00–355.00	345.56
5	700–750	714	314.00–335.00	327.69
3	750–800	750	336.00	336.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	470	385.00	385.00
1	500–550	505	370.00	370.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	280	510.00	510.00
2	300–350	337	522.50	522.50
7	350–400	382	497.00–515.00	507.51
6	400–450	414	497.50–505.00	499.99
3	450–500	455	482.50	482.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
46	500–550	516	421.00–436.00	431.60
32	550–600	577	417.50–429.00	428.31
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
4	600–650	629	384.00–390.00	386.91
2	650–700	655	360.00–365.00	362.50
3	700–750	748	342.50	342.50
10	750–800	759	349.50	349.50
2	850–900	885	347.50	347.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	750–800	770	315.00	315.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	285	300.00	300.00
2	300–350	322	330.00	330.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	436	512.00–520.00	518.07
13	450–500	486	466.00–494.00	480.72
2	500–550	523	417.00–440.00	428.11
3	550–600	553	420.00–447.50	434.16
4	600–650	629	399.00–420.00	413.54
1	650–700	695	391.00	391.00
1	700–750	700	386.00	386.00
9	750–800	779	352.00–373.00	360.82
3	800–850	828	332.00–340.00	334.58
3	850–900	898	331.00	331.00
1	950–1000	990	290.00	290.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	536	446.00–471.00	457.09
28	550–600	566	465.00–490.00	483.23
9	600–650	623	430.00–452.00	447.33
20	650–700	665	415.00–431.00	419.03
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	350–400	393	525.00–550.00	539.48
8	400–450	407	532.50–552.50	540.29
15	450–500	487	509.00–527.00	515.96
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	390	477.50	477.50
1	400–450	410	435.00	435.00
3	450–500	471	431.00–436.00	434.37
4	750–800	783	345.00	345.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	355	577.50–600.00	584.90
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	460	410.00	410.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	313	540.00–555.00	547.32
1	350–400	385	525.00	525.00
1	400–450	400	495.00	495.00
4	450–500	478	462.00–472.50	469.19
2	500–550	525	440.00–452.50	446.25
3	550–600	575	404.00–432.50	422.92
1	600–650	625	406.00	406.00
1	650–700	665	391.00	391.00
1	800–850	820	299.00	299.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	280	585.00	585.00
2	350–400	368	560.00–587.50	573.28
1	450–500	480	497.00	497.00
2	500–550	502	475.00	475.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	515	370.00	370.00
1	800–850	805	265.00	265.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,041	135.00–150.00	140.67
3	—	1,070	129.00–132.00	130.29
3	—	1,177	154.50–178.00	168.85
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,504	177.00–183.00	179.20
4	—	1,634	158.00–172.00	167.52
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,307	164.00–175.00	169.85
1	—	1,435	191.00	191.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,803	209.50–222.00	216.05
3	—	1,430	181.00–198.50	192.78

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,113	200.00–203.00	201.52
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,278	3,100.00–3,300.00	3,202.15

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