Sale reports / Kentucky / Upton Livestock Auction / 2025-12-09

Upton Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Upton, Kentucky · Tue, Dec 9
● Final77 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2211
Feeder Cattle receipts
954 head
419 vs last sale 535 7 vs year ago 961 · 0.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
160 head
92 vs last sale 68 70 vs year ago 90 · +77.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
104 head
39 vs last sale 65 51 vs year ago 53 · +96.2%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week; Feeder steers and feeder heifers sold sharply higher. Very strong demand for all classes resulted in Premium prices for all feeders. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold steady to firm on a quality offering.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $349.81/cwt on 62 head. That ranks 3 of 31 comparable sales and sits 51.25 against this barn's trailing median of $401.06.
Average price
$349.81
62 head · 533 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,864
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$111
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$13.62/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.63
vs KY average
28.15 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2535352.451,88650
Medium and Large 2-3524338.831,77512thin
One grade step is worth $13.62/cwt here — about $111 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

31 sales
439400362323median 401.0612/1603/0304/2806/2308/18
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $424.92, low $337.41, median $401.06 across 31 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 sale62 hd
349.81
KY average28 barns · 1,949 hd
349.18
+0.63
National average184 barns · 19,282 hd
377.96
−28.15
This barn, trailing median31 sales
401.06
−51.25
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsLow1,567191.503,00018
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,528161.002,4603thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,319155.112,04580
CowsLean 85-90%High969130.001,26017

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,200$2,8254thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,585$2,5501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,235$2,4501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,157$2,41616
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,275$2,3251thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,095$2,0253thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,165$1,9254thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,143$1,7262thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)950$1,5002thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)820$2,4384thin
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)(<2 yrs)900$2,3008
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)875$1,9501thin
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)975$3,0001thin

Every lot, as filed

77 lots · USDA AMS · Mid-Kentucky Livestock Market - Upton, KY
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3300–350339389.00/cwt389.00–389.001,3199
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600572339.50/cwt339.50–339.501,94213
HeifersMedium and Large 2-31000–10501,032222.50/cwt222.50–222.502,2963
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700690320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,2089
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added800–850809323.00/cwt323.00–323.002,61359
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added900–950911291.00/cwt291.00–291.002,65149
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added450–500454375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,7038
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added700–750730314.00/cwt314.00–314.002,29211
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500469368.00/cwt368.00–368.001,72616
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650629318.38/cwt315.50–325.502,00324
SteersMedium and Large 2-3500–550547349.61/cwt300.00–366.001,9128
SteersMedium and Large 2-3800–850843306.00/cwt306.00–306.002,5808
SteersMedium and Large 2-3350–400389375.98/cwt368.00–388.001,4635
SteersMedium and Large 1-21050–11001,064275.50/cwt275.50–275.502,9318
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700684330.76/cwt326.50–337.502,26226
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3500–550520341.45/cwt330.00–347.001,77611
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550514395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,0306
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400387401.00/cwt401.00–401.001,5522
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600569371.00/cwt371.00–371.002,1116
SteersMedium and Large 2-3900–950923254.00/cwt254.00–254.002,3442
SteersMedium and Large 2-3450–500460391.00/cwt391.00–391.001,7994
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400368407.00/cwt407.00–407.001,49810
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added650–700678370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,5096
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650606351.00/cwt351.00–351.002,1276
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added500–550525413.78/cwt411.50–414.502,17230
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added1000–10501,017310.00/cwt310.00–310.003,15351
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added800–850827310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,5649
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750724320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,31712
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added600–650647366.00/cwt366.00–366.002,3686
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added450–500471414.50/cwt414.50–414.501,9526
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added700–750706353.33/cwt340.50–357.252,49577
SteersMedium and Large 2-3950–1000956280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,6772
BullsMedium and Large 1-2700–750731285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,08328
BullsMedium and Large 1-2400–450413400.50/cwt400.50–400.501,65410
BullsMedium and Large 1-2650–700660315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,07916
BullsMedium and Large 1-2350–400367390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,43115
BullsMedium and Large 1-2550–600559354.00/cwt354.00–354.001,97912
BullsMedium and Large 1-2500–550520366.00/cwt366.00–366.001,90314
CowsBoner 80-85%1,346169.00/cwt169.00–169.002,2751
CowsLean 85-90%987142.11/cwt139.00–149.001,4036
CowsLean 85-90%967125.24/cwt115.00–137.001,21110
CowsLean 85-90%880105.00/cwt105.00–105.009241
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,528161.00/cwt161.00–161.002,4603
CowsBoner 80-85%1,361158.20/cwt150.00–163.002,15362
CowsBoner 80-85%1,162143.01/cwt121.00–149.001,66217
Bulls1,230163.44/cwt147.00–175.002,0103
Bulls1,840204.75/cwt200.00–212.003,7676
Bulls1,497192.02/cwt184.00–195.002,8759
Bred HeifersMedium 1-28751,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9501
Bred HeifersMedium 1-29002,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3008
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-28802,325.00/head2,325.00–2,325.002,3251
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,5852,550.00/head2,550.00–2,550.002,5501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1651,925.00/head1,925.00–1,925.001,9254
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0952,025.00/head2,025.00–2,025.002,0253
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2352,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4501
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2849201.69/cwt177.00–232.001,7124
Bred HeifersMedium 1-28002,475.00/head2,475.00–2,475.002,4753
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2752,325.00/head2,325.00–2,325.002,3251
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1431,725.98/head1,675.00–1,775.001,7262
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2002,825.00/head2,825.00–2,825.002,8254
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1572,415.70/head1,875.00–2,600.002,41616
Bred CowsMedium 1-29501,500.00/head1,500.00–1,500.001,5002
Cow-Calf PairsMedium 1-29753,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
BullsMedium and Large 1-2450–500474391.00/cwt391.00–391.001,85318
BullsMedium and Large 2-3850–900857235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,0143
BullsMedium and Large 2-3250–300292400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,1686
BullsMedium and Large 2-3500–550512329.73/cwt328.00–331.001,6887
BullsMedium and Large 2-3600–650605311.00/cwt311.00–311.001,8822
BullsMedium and Large 2-3650–700665286.00/cwt286.00–286.001,9028
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3650–700686299.00/cwt299.00–299.002,0517
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3400–450432361.12/cwt350.00–370.001,5609
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800–850831289.50/cwt289.50–289.502,40610
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750721311.71/cwt309.00–314.002,24717
BullsMedium and Large 1-2600–650618324.00/cwt324.00–324.002,00215
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450413382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,58020
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550522357.00/cwt357.00–357.001,86437
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3550–600565310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,7521

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.