Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-09-16
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-16

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mostly stronger with an average quality offering. Feeder calves 300 lbs and under appeared sharply stronger with a lite test, while the 350-650 steers and heifers were steady to 6.00 higher with a limited supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Slaughter cows appeared 2.00 to 4.00 higher with a lite test and slaughter bulls were steady with good demand.

Weight class

Bulls · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb bulls averaged $364.43/cwt on 17 head, up $25.91 from the prior sale (only 12 head in that comparison). That ranks 5 of 22 comparable sales and sits −65.41 against this barn's trailing median of $429.83.

Average price

$364.43

▲ 25.91 vs prior sale

17 head · 563 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,051

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$251

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

$58.83/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+6.97

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	560	371.35	2,079	15thin
Medium and Large 2	585	312.52	1,828	2thin

One grade step is worth $58.83/cwt here — about $251 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

22 sales

Bulls 500–600 lb: high $463.15, low $325.29, median $429.83 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 sale17 hd

364.43

—

KY average25 barns · 510 hd

357.45

+6.97

This barn, trailing median22 sales

429.83

−65.41

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	1,727	196.36	3,391	3thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,450	155.81	2,259	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,249	144.70	1,807	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,095	133.33	1,460	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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,343	$2,638	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,100	$2,250	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,130	$2,000	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,385	$3,500	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,200	$2,310	1thin

Every lot, as filed

61 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	397	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,548	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	504	366.71/cwt	363.00–377.50	1,848	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	265	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,272	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	550	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	1,755	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	645	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	2,006	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	915	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,196	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	420	449.90/cwt	437.50–455.00	1,890	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	307	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,397	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	636	331.49/cwt	328.00–335.00	2,108	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	670	318.12/cwt	310.00–332.00	2,131	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	468	377.55/cwt	370.00–387.50	1,767	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	215	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,075	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	571	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,913	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	531	336.11/cwt	330.00–350.00	1,785	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	260	529.81/cwt	520.00–540.00	1,378	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	515	341.30/cwt	340.00–345.00	1,758	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	980	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,499	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	315	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,607	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	500–550	530	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,723	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	410	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,927	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	326	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,712	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,130	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	465	410.11/cwt	400.00–415.00	1,907	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	366	454.84/cwt	440.00–490.00	1,665	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,120	133.37/cwt	130.00–137.00	1,494	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,450	155.81/cwt	153.00–159.00	2,259	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,249	144.70/cwt	141.00–148.00	1,807	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	120.60/cwt	118.00–123.00	1,302	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,073	146.00/cwt	146.00–146.00	1,567	2
Bulls	—	—	1,727	196.36/cwt	190.00–202.00	3,391	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	458	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	2,027	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	586	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,168	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	390	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,833	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	555	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,901	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	673	338.09/cwt	324.00–343.00	2,275	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	640	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,064	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	429	399.87/cwt	397.50–402.50	1,715	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	560	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,624	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	542	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,870	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	403	467.52/cwt	462.50–470.00	1,884	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	528	396.00/cwt	396.00–396.00	2,091	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	660	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,980	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	578	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,312	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	500	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,500	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	290	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,378	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	470	376.06/cwt	367.50–385.00	1,767	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	312.52/cwt	310.00–315.00	1,828	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	445	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,658	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	493	390.64/cwt	380.00–405.00	1,926	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	250–300	295	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,180	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	285	414.65/cwt	405.00–425.00	1,182	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	200–250	245	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,005	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	320	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,296	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	515	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,648	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	370	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,240	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,395	4,200.00/head	4,200.00–4,200.00	4,200	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,375	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,200	2,310.00/head	2,310.00–2,310.00	2,310	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,048	154.34/cwt	145.00–162.00	1,617	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,343	2,637.62/head	2,625.00–2,650.00	2,638	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,100	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	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 Sep 16, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 142Last week 119Year ago 717

Slaughter CattleReceipts 18Last week 25Year ago 59

Replacement CattleReceipts 13Last week 10Year ago 37

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	265	480.00	480.00
2	300–350	307	455.00	455.00
2	350–400	397	390.00	390.00
5	400–450	429	397.50–402.50	399.87
7	450–500	468	370.00–387.50	377.55
8	500–550	531	330.00–350.00	336.11
3	550–600	550	319.00	319.00
1	600–650	645	311.00	311.00
2	650–700	660	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	504	363.00–377.50	366.71
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	530	325.00	325.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	326	525.00	525.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	410.00	410.00
2	250–300	285	405.00–425.00	414.65
1	300–350	320	405.00	405.00
1	400–450	445	372.50	372.50
1	500–550	515	320.00	320.00
1	550–600	560	290.00	290.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	370	335.00	335.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	215	500.00	500.00
2	250–300	260	520.00–540.00	529.81
1	300–350	315	510.00	510.00
4	350–400	366	440.00–490.00	454.84
8	400–450	420	437.50–455.00	449.90
3	450–500	465	400.00–415.00	410.11
4	500–550	515	340.00–345.00	341.30
3	550–600	571	335.00	335.00
4	600–650	636	328.00–335.00	331.49
4	650–700	670	310.00–332.00	318.12
1	900–950	915	240.00	240.00
1	950–1000	980	255.00	255.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	410	470.00	470.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
8	550–600	578	400.00	400.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	475.00	475.00
2	450–500	470	367.50–385.00	376.06
2	550–600	585	310.00–315.00	312.52
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	400.00	400.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	390	470.00	470.00
3	400–450	403	462.50–470.00	467.52
3	450–500	458	442.50	442.50
2	500–550	542	345.00	345.00
1	550–600	555	342.50	342.50
1	600–650	640	322.50	322.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	528	396.00	396.00
6	550–600	586	370.00	370.00
8	650–700	673	324.00–343.00	338.09
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	500	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	450–500	493	380.00–405.00	390.64

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,130	2,000.00	2,000.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,100	2,250.00	2,250.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	—	1,343	2,625.00–2,650.00	2,637.62
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,395	4,200.00	4,200.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,375	2,800.00	2,800.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,200	2,310.00	2,310.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,048	145.00–162.00	154.34

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,120	130.00–137.00	133.37
2	—	1,080	118.00–123.00	120.60
2	—	1,073	146.00	146.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,450	153.00–159.00	155.81
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,249	141.00–148.00	144.70
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,727	190.00–202.00	196.36

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