Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-03-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday both the feeder and slaughter markets were stronger with a limited but high quality offering. Feeder steers 300-600 lbs were 3.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a moderate supply and strong demand for weaned packages and groups. Feeder heifers 400 lbs and under appeared steady with a light test, while the 500-600 lbs heifers were sharply higher with strong demand for high quality and value added females. Slaughter cows were mostly steady for the leans, while the heavier conditioned high dressing cows were sharply higher with a limited supply and strong demand. Slaughter bulls appeared stronger with a light test.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $481.32/cwt on 32 head, up $0.86 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 16 of 22 comparable sales and sits +24.66 against this barn's trailing median of $456.65.

Average price

$481.32

▲ 0.86 vs prior sale

32 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,645

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$760

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

$155.98/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.71

vs KY average

+9.20 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	549	495.98	2,722	28
Medium and Large 2	533	417.42	2,225	2thin
Medium and Large 2-3	577	340.00	1,962	2thin

One grade step is worth $155.98/cwt here — about $760 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

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 sale32 hd

481.32

—

KY average25 barns · 843 hd

479.61

+1.71

National average160 barns · 7,757 hd

472.12

+9.20

This barn, trailing median22 sales

456.65

+24.66

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	2,034	203.33	4,135	3thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,480	185.93	2,752	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,227	174.91	2,146	6thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,016	149.49	1,519	9thin

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)	1,239	$3,016	10
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,080	$2,875	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,158	$2,439	5
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	775	$2,475	1thin
Bulls	N/A	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,520	$3,600	1thin

Every lot, as filed

79 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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	220	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,210	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	485	436.90/cwt	430.00–452.50	2,119	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	342	492.50/cwt	492.50–492.50	1,684	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	681	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,424	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	492	427.50/cwt	427.50–427.50	2,103	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	529	432.58/cwt	412.00–438.00	2,288	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	509	394.98/cwt	385.00–405.00	2,010	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	285	475.18/cwt	465.00–485.00	1,354	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	230	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,173	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	775	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	2,034	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	590	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,977	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	478	555.00/cwt	555.00–555.00	2,653	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	441	569.05/cwt	550.00–575.00	2,510	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	980	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	3,107	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	340	633.95/cwt	620.00–647.50	2,155	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	636	396.14/cwt	380.00–400.00	2,519	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	564	424.52/cwt	412.00–429.50	2,394	19
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	577	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,962	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	533	417.42/cwt	400.00–435.00	2,225	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	766	355.05/cwt	347.50–356.00	2,720	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	865	332.48/cwt	332.00–333.50	2,876	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	613	465.18/cwt	437.00–472.00	2,852	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	712	389.28/cwt	387.00–397.50	2,772	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	225	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	1,215	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,622	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	555.00/cwt	555.00–555.00	2,026	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	473	508.67/cwt	505.00–512.00	2,406	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	820	337.30/cwt	336.00–340.00	2,766	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	742	361.96/cwt	350.00–370.00	2,686	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	677	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,911	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	450–500	462	587.50/cwt	587.50–587.50	2,714	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	514	517.27/cwt	495.00–529.00	2,659	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	576	489.99/cwt	470.00–500.00	2,822	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	669	395.99/cwt	390.00–402.00	2,649	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	477.50/cwt	477.50–477.50	2,483	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	425	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,040	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	540	436.86/cwt	435.00–442.50	2,359	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	620	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,984	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,913	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	465	482.50/cwt	482.50–482.50	2,244	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	513	473.37/cwt	462.50–487.00	2,428	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	495	507.50/cwt	507.50–507.50	2,512	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	857	174.19/cwt	164.00–179.00	1,493	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,056	141.16/cwt	133.00–148.00	1,491	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,480	185.93/cwt	181.50–191.00	2,752	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,345	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	2,071	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,203	179.09/cwt	176.00–183.00	2,154	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,295	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,515	1
Bulls	—	—	2,088	209.74/cwt	209.50–210.00	4,379	2
Bulls	—	—	1,925	190.50/cwt	190.50–190.50	3,667	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	775	2,475.00/head	2,475.00–2,475.00	2,475	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,192	2,769.55/head	2,575.00–2,950.00	2,770	3
Bred Cows	Medium 1-2	—	965	1,535.00/head	1,535.00–1,535.00	1,535	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,250	2,350.00/head	2,350.00–2,350.00	2,350	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,080	2,875.00/head	2,875.00–2,875.00	2,875	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	925	177.82/cwt	175.00–181.00	1,645	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	895	277.00/cwt	277.00–277.00	2,479	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,239	3,015.93/head	2,575.00–3,275.00	3,016	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,100	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	2,998	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,520	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	335	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,357	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	410	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,476	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	650–700	656	403.50/cwt	402.00–405.00	2,647	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	680	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,312	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	900–950	905	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,810	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	650–700	665	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,995	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	412	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,019	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	575	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,214	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	645	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,387	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	750–800	760	333.00/cwt	333.00–333.00	2,531	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	850–900	855	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	2,800	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	415	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	1,816	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	700–750	716	343.66/cwt	340.00–348.00	2,461	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	454	478.31/cwt	467.50–481.00	2,172	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	362	499.55/cwt	492.50–512.50	1,808	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	320	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,120	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	430	455.93/cwt	445.00–465.00	1,960	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	285	642.17/cwt	630.00–647.50	1,830	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	458	418.34/cwt	415.00–422.50	1,916	3

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 Mar 18, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 280Last week 387Year ago 611

Slaughter CattleReceipts 24Last week 50Year ago 72

Replacement CattleReceipts 20Last week 69Year ago 68

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	220	550.00	550.00
1	450–500	465	482.50	482.50
4	500–550	540	435.00–442.50	436.86
1	650–700	680	340.00	340.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	335	405.00	405.00
1	400–450	425	450.00	450.00
4	450–500	485	430.00–452.50	436.90
1	600–650	620	320.00	320.00
1	900–950	905	200.00	200.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	495	507.50	507.50
3	500–550	513	462.50–487.00	473.37
4	650–700	656	402.00–405.00	403.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	410	360.00	360.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	665	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	230	510.00	510.00
2	300–350	342	492.50	492.50
10	400–450	430	445.00–465.00	455.93
2	450–500	492	427.50	427.50
4	500–550	509	385.00–405.00	394.98
1	550–600	575	385.00	385.00
3	650–700	681	356.00	356.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
18	500–550	529	412.00–438.00	432.58
19	550–600	564	412.00–429.50	424.52
13	600–650	636	380.00–400.00	396.14
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	415	437.50	437.50
3	450–500	458	415.00–422.50	418.34
1	600–650	645	370.00	370.00
1	750–800	775	262.50	262.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	320	350.00	350.00
1	550–600	590	335.00	335.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	362	492.50–512.50	499.55
2	400–450	412	490.00	490.00
10	450–500	454	467.50–481.00	478.31
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
6	700–750	716	340.00–348.00	343.66
8	750–800	760	333.00	333.00
1	850–900	855	327.50	327.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	285	465.00–485.00	475.18
2	500–550	533	400.00–435.00	417.42
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	285	630.00–647.50	642.17
2	300–350	340	620.00–647.50	633.95
4	400–450	441	550.00–575.00	569.05
4	450–500	478	555.00	555.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	225	540.00	540.00
1	350–400	365	555.00	555.00
1	400–450	425	480.00	480.00
2	450–500	473	505.00–512.00	508.67
1	500–550	520	477.50	477.50
4	550–600	570	460.00	460.00
4	650–700	669	390.00–402.00	395.99
10	700–750	742	350.00–370.00	361.96
9	750–800	766	347.50–356.00	355.05
3	800–850	820	336.00–340.00	337.30
19	850–900	865	332.00–333.50	332.48
1	950–1000	980	317.00	317.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	550–600	577	340.00	340.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	462	587.50	587.50
11	500–550	514	495.00–529.00	517.27
12	550–600	576	470.00–500.00	489.99
14	600–650	613	437.00–472.00	465.18
4	650–700	677	430.00	430.00
10	700–750	712	387.00–397.50	389.28

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	857	164.00–179.00	174.19
5	—	1,056	133.00–148.00	141.16
1	—	1,295	117.00	117.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,480	181.50–191.00	185.93
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,345	154.00	154.00
5	—	1,203	176.00–183.00	179.09
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,088	209.50–210.00	209.74
1	—	1,925	190.50	190.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	775	2,475.00	2,475.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,192	2,575.00–2,950.00	2,769.55
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,080	2,875.00	2,875.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,239	2,575.00–3,275.00	3,015.93
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	965	1,535.00	1,535.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,250	2,350.00	2,350.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	925	175.00–181.00	177.82
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	895	277.00	277.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,100	272.50	272.50
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,520	3,600.00	3,600.00

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