Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-08-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday: No trends in the market due to limited head to head comparisons, however both the feeder and slaughter markets appeared lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand.

Weight class

Bulls · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb bulls averaged $325.29/cwt on 12 head, down $60.07 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −105.76 against this barn's trailing median of $431.05.

Average price

$325.29

▼ 60.07 vs prior sale

12 head · 551 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,792

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$263

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

$49.35/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−27.28

vs KY average

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	548	331.85	1,817	10thin
Medium and Large 2	585	302.50	1,770	1thin
Large 1	550	282.50	1,554	1thin

One grade step is worth $49.35/cwt here — about $263 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

21 sales

Bulls 500–600 lb: high $463.15, low $325.29, median $431.05 across 21 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 sale12 hd

325.29

—

KY average25 barns · 409 hd

352.57

−27.28

This barn, trailing median21 sales

431.05

−105.76

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	1,618	191.84	3,104	6thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,568	155.84	2,444	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,140	151.50	1,727	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,122	140.29	1,574	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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,110	$2,500	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	840	$1,963	2thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,175	$1,694	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,280	$3,250	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,568	$3,211	2thin

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
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	385	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,463	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	325	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,300	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	620	328.00/cwt	328.00–328.00	2,034	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	443	382.49/cwt	380.00–385.00	1,694	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	530	337.43/cwt	335.00–340.00	1,788	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	412	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	1,555	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	565	327.43/cwt	326.00–330.00	1,850	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	507	342.15/cwt	337.50–345.00	1,735	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	600	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,800	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,716	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	770	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	2,287	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	700	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	2,188	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	340	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,547	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	295	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	1,291	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	431	395.43/cwt	390.00–425.00	1,704	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	476	340.02/cwt	330.00–343.00	1,618	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	464	385.91/cwt	372.50–397.00	1,791	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	396	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,822	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	316.14/cwt	312.50–320.00	1,827	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	328.46/cwt	325.00–332.00	2,063	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	665	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,161	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	975	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,486	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,360	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,568	3,210.77/head	2,950.00–3,450.00	3,211	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	650–700	690	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,932	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	374	437.00/cwt	437.00–437.00	1,634	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	462	389.00/cwt	389.00–389.00	1,797	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,065	154.04/cwt	153.00–155.00	1,641	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,568	155.84/cwt	152.00–160.00	2,444	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	900	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	1,332	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,380	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	2,139	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,181	138.49/cwt	133.00–149.00	1,636	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,000	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,200	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	610	267.50/cwt	267.50–267.50	1,632	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	850–900	850	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,870	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	475	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,496	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,770	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	911	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,505	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	580	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,987	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	476	350.02/cwt	345.00–355.00	1,666	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	716	264.97/cwt	250.00–270.00	1,897	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	285	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,026	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	395	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	1,452	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	780	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,145	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	340	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,233	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	385	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,636	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	840	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,016	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	541	325.26/cwt	300.00–337.50	1,760	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	595	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,666	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	735	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,985	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	637	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,815	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	1000–1050	1,010	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,475	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	200–250	220	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	737	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	315	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,024	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,083	1,504.15/head	1,275.00–1,685.00	1,504	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	810	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,280	3,250.00/head	3,250.00–3,250.00	3,250	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	475	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,425	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	430	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,473	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	385	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,444	1
Bulls	—	—	1,783	198.04/cwt	195.00–203.00	3,531	4
Bulls	—	—	1,288	179.45/cwt	178.00–181.00	2,311	2
Bulls	Large 1	550–600	550	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,554	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,110	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,355	152.24/cwt	150.00–155.00	2,063	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	870	2,025.00/head	2,025.00–2,025.00	2,025	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 Aug 26, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 131Last week 177Year ago 544

Slaughter CattleReceipts 18Last week 23Year ago 67

Replacement CattleReceipts 20Last week 21Year ago 17

Compared to last Wednesday: No trends in the market due to limited head to head comparisons, however both the feeder and slaughter markets appeared lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	325	400.00	400.00
1	350–400	385	380.00	380.00
2	400–450	412	377.50	377.50
14	450–500	476	330.00–343.00	340.02
1	500–550	520	330.00	330.00
2	550–600	578	312.50–320.00	316.14
1	600–650	600	300.00	300.00
1	650–700	665	325.00	325.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	690	280.00	280.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	374	437.00	437.00
2	450–500	462	389.00	389.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	285	360.00	360.00
1	300–350	340	362.50	362.50
1	350–400	395	367.50	367.50
2	400–450	430	342.50	342.50
1	450–500	475	315.00	315.00
4	550–600	595	280.00	280.00
1	600–650	610	267.50	267.50
4	700–750	716	250.00–270.00	264.97
1	800–850	840	240.00	240.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	443	380.00–385.00	382.49
2	500–550	530	335.00–340.00	337.43
1	550–600	580	342.50	342.50
1	600–650	620	328.00	328.00
3	900–950	911	275.00	275.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	375.00	375.00
3	500–550	541	300.00–337.50	325.26
1	750–800	780	275.00	275.00
1	1000–1050	1,010	245.00	245.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	437.50	437.50
1	300–350	340	455.00	455.00
5	350–400	396	460.00	460.00
7	400–450	431	390.00–425.00	395.43
9	450–500	464	372.50–397.00	385.91
3	500–550	507	337.50–345.00	342.15
7	550–600	565	326.00–330.00	327.43
2	600–650	628	325.00–332.00	328.46
1	700–750	700	312.50	312.50
1	750–800	770	297.00	297.00
1	950–1000	975	255.00	255.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	425.00	425.00
6	450–500	476	345.00–355.00	350.02
1	550–600	585	302.50	302.50
2	600–650	637	285.00	285.00
1	700–750	735	270.00	270.00
1	850–900	850	220.00	220.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	220	335.00	335.00
1	300–350	315	325.00	325.00
1	450–500	475	300.00	300.00
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	550–600	550	282.50	282.50

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)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,360	2,075.00	2,075.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,110	2,500.00	2,500.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	870	2,025.00	2,025.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,083	1,275.00–1,685.00	1,504.15
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	810	1,900.00	1,900.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,568	2,950.00–3,450.00	3,210.77
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,280	3,250.00	3,250.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,355	150.00–155.00	152.24

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,065	153.00–155.00	154.04
4	—	1,181	133.00–149.00	138.49
1	—	1,000	120.00	120.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,568	152.00–160.00	155.84
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	900	148.00	148.00
1	—	1,380	155.00	155.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,783	195.00–203.00	198.04
2	—	1,288	178.00–181.00	179.45

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

Bulls · 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