Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-07-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-07-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday: No trends in the feeder market due to limited comparisons, however the feeder market appeared lower with a limited supply and moderate demand. Plainer quality, off colored, and bawling calves receiving heavy discounts. Slaughter cows and bulls were mostly steady with a moderate supply and good demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $355.49/cwt on 21 head, down $39.35 from the prior sale (only 15 head in that comparison). That ranks 3 of 30 comparable sales and sits −46.23 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$355.49

▼ 39.35 vs prior sale

21 head · 530 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,885

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$346

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

$63.98/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−11.44

vs KY average

−5.03 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	528	363.98	1,921	17thin
Medium and Large 2	547	325.87	1,783	3thin
Medium and Large 2-3	525	300.00	1,575	1thin

One grade step is worth $63.98/cwt here — about $346 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

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 sale21 hd

355.49

—

KY average26 barns · 590 hd

366.92

−11.44

National average152 barns · 4,754 hd

360.52

−5.03

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

−46.23

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	1,593	221.08	3,521	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,489	183.58	2,733	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,225	183.08	2,242	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,012	164.44	1,665	7thin
Heifers	Select and Choice	Average	1,165	212.00	2,470	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)	1,370	$3,150	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,275	$2,606	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,132	$2,515	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,065	$1,975	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,400	$5,800	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,626	$4,818	4thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	978	$4,517	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,446	$4,012	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,055	$2,800	3thin

Every lot, as filed

66 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 2	400–450	415	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,805	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	750–800	798	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	2,214	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	280	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,330	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	471	414.17/cwt	412.50–415.00	1,951	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	484	381.60/cwt	367.50–390.00	1,847	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	475	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	1,864	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	835	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,672	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	509	365.64/cwt	355.00–370.00	1,861	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	562	349.71/cwt	342.00–365.00	1,965	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	372	398.96/cwt	397.00–400.00	1,484	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	410	492.50/cwt	492.50–492.50	2,019	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	610	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,013	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	325.77/cwt	317.00–335.00	2,046	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	655	313.45/cwt	307.00–320.00	2,053	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	522	360.25/cwt	352.00–377.50	1,881	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	2,456	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	705	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,379	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	555	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,998	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	415	422.50/cwt	422.50–422.50	1,753	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	978	4,516.61/head	4,500.00–4,525.00	4,517	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,346	3,752.07/head	3,400.00–3,900.00	3,752	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,115	177.34/cwt	172.00–185.00	1,977	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,353	2,758.27/head	2,725.00–2,800.00	2,758	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,370	3,150.00/head	3,150.00–3,150.00	3,150	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,132	2,515.19/head	2,250.00–2,800.00	2,515	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,055	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,220	3,350.00/head	3,350.00–3,350.00	3,350	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,180	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,254	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,231	181.95/cwt	178.00–186.00	2,240	7
Bulls	—	—	1,215	186.50/cwt	186.50–186.50	2,266	1
Bulls	—	—	1,769	232.30/cwt	229.00–234.00	4,109	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,065	179.23/cwt	175.50–184.00	1,909	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	973	153.35/cwt	144.00–159.00	1,492	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	2,093	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	479	435.20/cwt	420.00–440.00	2,085	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	440	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,595	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	455	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,661	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,770	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	578	311.59/cwt	300.00–322.50	1,801	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	516	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	1,981	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	429	412.36/cwt	402.50–425.00	1,769	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	630	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,953	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	528	337.56/cwt	335.00–340.00	1,782	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	580	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,958	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	503	355.52/cwt	351.00–360.00	1,788	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	900–950	905	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,946	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	475	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,758	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	383	427.16/cwt	410.00–445.00	1,636	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,570	3,350.00/head	3,350.00–3,350.00	3,350	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	525	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,575	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	565	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,921	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	525	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,706	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	506	346.70/cwt	345.00–350.00	1,754	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	430	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,720	1
Bulls	Large 1	550–600	575	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,624	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,120	2,300.00/head	2,300.00–2,300.00	2,300	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,065	1,975.00/head	1,975.00–1,975.00	1,975	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,626	4,817.60/head	4,750.00–4,950.00	4,818	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,655	4,934.24/head	4,100.00–5,500.00	4,934	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,400	5,800.00/head	5,800.00–5,800.00	5,800	1
Bulls	—	—	1,527	219.01/cwt	213.00–222.50	3,344	5
Heifers	Select and Choice	—	1,165	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	2,470	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,658	188.55/cwt	187.00–190.00	3,126	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,404	181.10/cwt	176.00–184.00	2,543	6
Heifers	Large 1	350–400	380	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,444	2
Bulls	Large 1	450–500	450	387.00/cwt	387.00–387.00	1,742	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 Jul 29, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 132Last week 169Year ago 156

Slaughter CattleReceipts 36Last week 17Year ago 27

Replacement CattleReceipts 59Last week 8Year ago 31

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	280	475.00	475.00
2	350–400	383	410.00–445.00	427.16
1	400–450	415	435.00	435.00
1	450–500	475	370.00	370.00
3	500–550	506	345.00–350.00	346.70
2	550–600	578	300.00–322.50	311.59
3	750–800	798	277.50	277.50
1	900–950	905	215.00	215.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	415	422.50	422.50
2	450–500	475	392.50	392.50
7	500–550	509	355.00–370.00	365.64
1	550–600	555	360.00	360.00
5	600–650	628	317.00–335.00	325.77
2	650–700	655	307.00–320.00	313.45
1	700–750	705	337.50	337.50
1	800–850	800	307.00	307.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	410	492.50	492.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	450	387.00	387.00
1	550–600	575	282.50	282.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	430	400.00	400.00
3	450–500	471	412.50–415.00	414.17
2	500–550	503	351.00–360.00	355.52
1	550–600	580	337.50	337.50
2	600–650	630	310.00	310.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	479	420.00–440.00	435.20
2	650–700	650	322.00	322.00
1	800–850	835	320.00	320.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	525	325.00	325.00
1	550–600	565	340.00	340.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	372	397.00–400.00	398.96
4	400–450	429	402.50–425.00	412.36
5	450–500	484	367.50–390.00	381.60
10	500–550	522	352.00–377.50	360.25
3	550–600	562	342.00–365.00	349.71
1	600–650	610	330.00	330.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	440	362.50	362.50
1	450–500	455	365.00	365.00
2	500–550	528	335.00–340.00	337.56
1	550–600	585	302.50	302.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	516	384.00	384.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	525	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	380	380.00	380.00

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
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	978	4,500.00–4,525.00	4,516.61
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,346	3,400.00–3,900.00	3,752.07
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,626	4,750.00–4,950.00	4,817.60
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,655	4,100.00–5,500.00	4,934.24
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,400	5,800.00	5,800.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,055	2,800.00	2,800.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,220	3,350.00	3,350.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,570	3,350.00	3,350.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,115	172.00–185.00	177.34
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,353	2,725.00–2,800.00	2,758.27
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,370	3,150.00	3,150.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,132	2,250.00–2,800.00	2,515.19
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,120	2,300.00	2,300.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,065	1,975.00	1,975.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,180	191.00	191.00
7	—	1,231	178.00–186.00	181.95
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,065	175.50–184.00	179.23
4	—	973	144.00–159.00	153.35
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,658	187.00–190.00	188.55
6	—	1,404	176.00–184.00	181.10
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,215	186.50	186.50
4	—	1,769	229.00–234.00	232.30
5	—	1,527	213.00–222.50	219.01
Heifers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,165	212.00	212.00

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