Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-02-25
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-02-25

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was lower with an average quality offering. Light weight feeder steers 400 lbs and under appeared firm, while the 400-600 lbs steers were steady to 5.00 lower with a light test. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were 5.00 to 10.00 lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls were steady with good demand. Additionally, an increasing interest and demand was seen and noted for cows to return to the farm.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $408.75/cwt on 32 head, down $18.00 from the prior sale. That ranks 21 of 30 comparable sales and sits +7.03 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$408.75

▼ 18.00 vs prior sale

32 head · 541 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,210

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$289

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

$52.90/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.36

vs KY average

−21.66 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	410.40	2,219	31
Medium and Large 2	540	357.50	1,931	1thin

One grade step is worth $52.90/cwt here — about $289 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 sale32 hd

408.75

—

KY average26 barns · 1,652 hd

410.11

−1.36

National average177 barns · 14,680 hd

430.41

−21.66

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

+7.03

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	—	Average	1,988	187.42	3,727	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,256	168.78	2,119	9thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,029	140.37	1,444	6thin
Heifers	Select and Choice	Average	1,210	233.00	2,819	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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,470	$3,550	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	990	$2,325	2thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	935	$2,900	1thin

Every lot, as filed

76 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	700–750	737	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,506	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	792	339.50/cwt	339.50–339.50	2,689	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	245	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,176	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	380	508.52/cwt	507.00–510.00	1,932	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	910	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	2,812	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	629	381.98/cwt	370.00–390.00	2,403	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	605	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	2,111	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	305	497.50/cwt	497.50–497.50	1,517	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	350	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,593	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	550	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	2,406	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	440	507.00/cwt	507.00–507.00	2,231	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	460	513.33/cwt	512.00–514.00	2,361	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	320	620.00/cwt	620.00–620.00	1,984	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,958	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,544	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	740	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,509	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	414	475.62/cwt	472.50–485.00	1,969	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,235	3,300.00/head	3,300.00–3,300.00	3,300	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,470	3,550.00/head	3,550.00–3,550.00	3,550	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	377	494.65/cwt	490.00–505.00	1,865	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	220	640.00/cwt	640.00–640.00	1,408	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	600–650	621	391.58/cwt	387.00–402.00	2,432	7
Bred Cows	Small and Medium 2	—	745	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	365	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	2,117	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	651	387.00/cwt	387.00–387.00	2,519	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	530	464.95/cwt	462.50–467.50	2,464	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,255	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	1,845	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,257	178.46/cwt	177.50–180.00	2,243	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,255	167.33/cwt	159.00–173.00	2,100	5
Bulls	—	—	2,108	191.15/cwt	185.00–196.50	4,029	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,153	164.73/cwt	160.00–170.00	1,899	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	958	113.52/cwt	112.00–115.00	1,088	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	430	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,935	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	428	518.33/cwt	517.00–525.00	2,218	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,043	209.97/cwt	197.00–225.00	2,190	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,048	180.76/cwt	170.00–190.00	1,894	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	215	615.00/cwt	615.00–615.00	1,322	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	260	630.00/cwt	630.00–630.00	1,638	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	479	457.92/cwt	455.00–472.50	2,193	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	250–300	290	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,015	1
Bulls	—	—	1,510	172.50/cwt	172.50–172.50	2,605	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	975	142.87/cwt	133.50–151.50	1,393	2
Heifers	Select and Choice	—	1,210	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,819	1
Heifers	Large 1-2	650–700	667	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,201	2
Bulls	Medium 1-2	250–300	250	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,150	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	935	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	575	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	1,998	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	460	402.00/cwt	402.00–402.00	1,849	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	495	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	2,302	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	482	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,856	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	695	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,537	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	355	476.30/cwt	472.50–480.00	1,691	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	600	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,100	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	700–750	700	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,820	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	895	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,685	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	820	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,378	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	585	384.27/cwt	372.50–390.00	2,248	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	593	413.00/cwt	413.00–413.00	2,449	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	558	417.65/cwt	406.00–419.00	2,330	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	526	386.85/cwt	385.00–392.00	2,035	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	690	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,346	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	460	497.50/cwt	497.50–497.50	2,289	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	345	555.00/cwt	555.00–555.00	1,915	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	365	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,460	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	605	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,003	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	626	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,410	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	915	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,516	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	562	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	2,557	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	363	548.66/cwt	535.00–562.50	1,992	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	540	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,931	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	615	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,122	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	523	419.91/cwt	415.00–424.00	2,196	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	529	452.50/cwt	450.00–465.00	2,394	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	489	428.01/cwt	422.50–432.50	2,093	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	442	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,077	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	595	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,993	1

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 25, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 206Last week 395Year ago 467

Slaughter CattleReceipts 28Last week 31Year ago 78

Replacement CattleReceipts 5Last week 5Year ago 14

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	480.00	480.00
1	300–350	305	497.50	497.50
1	350–400	350	455.00	455.00
2	400–450	435	450.00	450.00
5	450–500	489	422.50–432.50	428.01
5	500–550	526	385.00–392.00	386.85
3	550–600	585	372.50–390.00	384.27
1	600–650	605	349.00	349.00
1	650–700	690	340.00	340.00
2	700–750	737	340.00	340.00
1	800–850	820	290.00	290.00
1	900–950	915	275.00	275.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	220	640.00	640.00
3	350–400	377	490.00–505.00	494.65
8	400–450	414	472.50–485.00	475.62
23	450–500	479	455.00–472.50	457.92
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
7	600–650	621	387.00–402.00	391.58
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	350.00	350.00
2	450–500	482	385.00	385.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	650–700	667	330.00	330.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	365	400.00	400.00
1	450–500	460	402.00	402.00
1	500–550	540	357.50	357.50
1	600–650	605	331.00	331.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
13	500–550	523	415.00–424.00	419.91
10	550–600	558	406.00–419.00	417.65
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	345	555.00	555.00
2	350–400	363	535.00–562.50	548.66
6	400–450	428	517.00–525.00	518.33
1	450–500	460	497.50	497.50
4	550–600	593	413.00	413.00
3	600–650	626	385.00	385.00
1	650–700	695	365.00	365.00
4	750–800	792	339.50	339.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	215	615.00	615.00
1	250–300	260	630.00	630.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	442	470.00	470.00
1	450–500	495	465.00	465.00
1	600–650	600	350.00	350.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	550–600	595	335.00	335.00
1	700–750	700	260.00	260.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	529	450.00–465.00	452.50
2	550–600	562	455.00	455.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	380	507.00–510.00	508.52
2	500–550	530	462.50–467.50	464.95
1	550–600	550	437.50	437.50
5	600–650	629	370.00–390.00	381.98
3	650–700	651	387.00	387.00
1	700–750	740	339.00	339.00
1	800–850	800	318.00	318.00
1	850–900	895	300.00	300.00
1	900–950	910	309.00	309.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	320	620.00	620.00
1	350–400	365	580.00	580.00
1	400–450	440	507.00	507.00
3	450–500	460	512.00–514.00	513.33
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	355	472.50–480.00	476.30
1	400–450	430	450.00	450.00
1	550–600	575	347.50	347.50
1	600–650	615	345.00	345.00
Bulls — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	250	460.00	460.00

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)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,235	3,300.00	3,300.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,470	3,550.00	3,550.00
Bred Cows — Small and Medium 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	745	1,350.00	1,350.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,043	197.00–225.00	209.97
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,048	170.00–190.00	180.76
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	935	2,900.00	2,900.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,255	147.00	147.00
3	—	1,257	177.50–180.00	178.46
5	—	1,255	159.00–173.00	167.33
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,153	160.00–170.00	164.73
2	—	958	112.00–115.00	113.52
2	—	975	133.50–151.50	142.87
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	2,108	185.00–196.50	191.15
1	—	1,510	172.50	172.50
Heifers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,210	233.00	233.00

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

Replacement Cattle

Slaughter Cattle