Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-06
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-06

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 600 lbs and under were 6.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in several spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Slaughter cows were steady with a good supply and slaughter bulls were 1.00 to 2.00 lower with good demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $422.10/cwt on 23 head, up $15.69 from the prior sale. That ranks 26 of 30 comparable sales and sits +20.38 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$422.10

▲ 15.69 vs prior sale

23 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,338

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

+9.13

vs KY average

−5.80 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	554	422.10	2,338	23

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

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 sale23 hd

422.10

—

KY average25 barns · 994 hd

412.97

+9.13

National average182 barns · 12,459 hd

427.90

−5.80

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

+20.38

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	1,703	196.16	3,340	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,488	179.21	2,666	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,211	174.67	2,116	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,034	151.89	1,570	21

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)	1,123	$3,477	10
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,313	$3,200	20
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,108	$2,984	6
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	780	$3,050	2thin
Bulls	N/A	(<2 yrs)	985	$2,800	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,457	$4,015	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,276	$3,730	12

Every lot, as filed

88 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 1-2Fancy	400–450	422	510.54/cwt	492.50–520.00	2,154	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	600–650	626	424.90/cwt	419.00–428.00	2,660	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	750–800	795	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,948	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,960	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	357	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,178	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	467	480.77/cwt	472.00–500.00	2,245	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	768	326.29/cwt	322.00–335.00	2,506	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	715	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,485	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	428	470.04/cwt	465.00–475.00	2,012	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	373	482.99/cwt	460.00–500.00	1,802	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	512	516.00/cwt	515.00–517.00	2,642	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	330	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,452	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	265	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,590	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	945	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	2,481	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	515	453.18/cwt	442.50–459.00	2,334	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	537	426.24/cwt	425.00–430.00	2,289	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	555	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,331	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	630	399.00/cwt	399.00–399.00	2,514	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	575	391.30/cwt	385.00–400.00	2,250	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	272	676.50/cwt	650.00–700.00	1,840	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	635	477.50/cwt	477.50–477.50	3,032	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	558	520.23/cwt	515.00–522.00	2,903	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	760	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,394	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	303	509.92/cwt	500.00–520.00	1,545	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	485	454.85/cwt	440.00–470.00	2,206	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	532	488.31/cwt	487.50–490.00	2,598	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	645	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,306	1
Steers	Large 1-2	650–700	652	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,510	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	757	377.00/cwt	377.00–377.00	2,854	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	467	540.00/cwt	540.00–540.00	2,522	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	408	560.00/cwt	560.00–560.00	2,285	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	445	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,869	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	440	521.67/cwt	517.50–527.50	2,295	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	681	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,894	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	635	441.00/cwt	441.00–441.00	2,800	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	818	346.50/cwt	345.00–348.00	2,834	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	489.38/cwt	482.50–497.50	2,789	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	541	434.30/cwt	427.50–455.00	2,350	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	247	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	1,470	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	730	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,519	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	559	463.15/cwt	458.00–471.00	2,589	18
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	440	562.50/cwt	562.50–562.50	2,475	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	520	477.37/cwt	465.00–490.00	2,482	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	480	502.86/cwt	500.00–515.00	2,414	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,010	122.00/cwt	122.00–122.00	1,232	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,120	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	2,061	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,217	174.09/cwt	168.00–180.00	2,119	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,099	164.18/cwt	157.00–173.00	1,804	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	992	146.18/cwt	137.00–153.50	1,450	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,505	186.18/cwt	185.00–188.00	2,802	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,479	175.73/cwt	168.00–180.50	2,599	6
Bulls	—	—	1,624	193.26/cwt	187.00–200.00	3,139	6
Bulls	—	—	1,350	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	2,444	1
Bulls	—	—	2,115	212.42/cwt	206.00–219.00	4,493	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,022	186.66/cwt	171.00–217.00	1,908	9
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	780	3,050.00/head	3,050.00–3,050.00	3,050	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	975	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,353	3,305.09/head	2,900.00–3,575.00	3,305	17
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,088	2,604.59/head	2,225.00–2,800.00	2,605	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,123	3,477.13/head	3,050.00–3,700.00	3,477	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,194	4,364.70/head	3,450.00–5,100.00	4,365	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,457	4,015.45/head	4,000.00–4,050.00	4,015	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,135	3,091.01/head	2,500.00–3,400.00	3,091	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,378	3,111.12/head	3,000.00–3,200.00	3,111	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,165	2,799.14/head	2,700.00–2,900.00	2,799	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,550	4,250.00/head	4,250.00–4,250.00	4,250	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,325	3,750.00/head	3,750.00–3,750.00	3,750	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	985	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	370	505.20/cwt	500.00–520.00	1,869	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	555	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,442	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	369	563.95/cwt	557.00–572.50	2,081	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	235	685.00/cwt	685.00–685.00	1,610	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	305	720.00/cwt	720.00–720.00	2,196	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	425	525.59/cwt	520.00–535.00	2,234	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	430	461.55/cwt	450.00–475.00	1,985	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	623	374.24/cwt	370.00–380.00	2,332	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	540	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,160	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	475	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,900	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	468	476.60/cwt	467.50–495.00	2,230	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	669	371.98/cwt	357.50–377.50	2,489	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	1050–1100	1,055	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	3,271	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	200	655.00/cwt	655.00–655.00	1,310	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	562	423.22/cwt	412.00–432.50	2,378	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	355	560.00/cwt	560.00–560.00	1,988	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	320	625.70/cwt	610.00–640.00	2,002	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	530	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,385	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	753	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	2,203	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	345	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,898	2

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 May 6, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 294Last week 265Year ago 217

Slaughter CattleReceipts 48Last week 48Year ago 46

Replacement CattleReceipts 88Last week 51Year ago 26

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	655.00	655.00
1	250–300	265	600.00	600.00
2	300–350	345	550.00	550.00
2	350–400	355	560.00	560.00
3	400–450	422	492.50–520.00	510.54
23	450–500	467	472.00–500.00	480.77
4	1050–1100	1,055	310.00	310.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
18	600–650	626	419.00–428.00	424.90
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	357	330.00	330.00
1	750–800	795	245.00	245.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	330	440.00	440.00
1	450–500	490	400.00	400.00
2	750–800	753	292.50	292.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	303	500.00–520.00	509.92
7	350–400	373	460.00–500.00	482.99
9	400–450	428	465.00–475.00	470.04
2	450–500	485	440.00–470.00	454.85
4	500–550	537	425.00–430.00	426.24
4	550–600	575	385.00–400.00	391.30
3	600–650	630	399.00	399.00
1	700–750	715	347.50	347.50
3	750–800	768	322.00–335.00	326.29
1	900–950	945	262.50	262.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	515	442.50–459.00	453.18
12	550–600	562	412.00–432.50	423.22
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	512	515.00–517.00	516.00
4	550–600	558	515.00–522.00	520.23
1	600–650	635	477.50	477.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	541	427.50–455.00	434.30
1	550–600	555	420.00	420.00
1	750–800	760	315.00	315.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
7	250–300	272	650.00–700.00	676.50
3	400–450	408	560.00	560.00
2	450–500	467	540.00	540.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	440	517.50–527.50	521.67
3	500–550	532	487.50–490.00	488.31
8	550–600	570	482.50–497.50	489.38
1	600–650	635	441.00	441.00
3	650–700	681	425.00	425.00
2	750–800	757	377.00	377.00
2	800–850	818	345.00–348.00	346.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	445	420.00	420.00
1	600–650	645	357.50	357.50
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	650–700	652	385.00	385.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	247	595.00	595.00
2	300–350	320	610.00–640.00	625.70
4	350–400	370	500.00–520.00	505.20
7	400–450	425	520.00–535.00	525.59
3	450–500	468	467.50–495.00	476.60
3	500–550	530	450.00	450.00
1	550–600	555	440.00	440.00
5	650–700	669	357.50–377.50	371.98
1	700–750	730	345.00	345.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	235	685.00	685.00
1	300–350	305	720.00	720.00
7	350–400	369	557.00–572.50	563.95
6	400–450	440	562.50	562.50
7	450–500	480	500.00–515.00	502.86
7	500–550	520	465.00–490.00	477.37
18	550–600	559	458.00–471.00	463.15
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	430	450.00–475.00	461.55
1	450–500	475	400.00	400.00
1	500–550	540	400.00	400.00
3	600–650	623	370.00–380.00	374.24

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,010	122.00	122.00
8	—	1,099	157.00–173.00	164.18
12	—	992	137.00–153.50	146.18
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,120	184.00	184.00
16	—	1,217	168.00–180.00	174.09
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,505	185.00–188.00	186.18
6	—	1,479	168.00–180.50	175.73
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,624	187.00–200.00	193.26
1	—	1,350	181.00	181.00
2	—	2,115	206.00–219.00	212.42

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	9	—	1,022	171.00–217.00	186.66
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	780	3,050.00	3,050.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	975	2,450.00	2,450.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,088	2,225.00–2,800.00	2,604.59
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	17	—	1,353	2,900.00–3,575.00	3,305.09
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	10	—	1,123	3,050.00–3,700.00	3,477.13
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,135	2,500.00–3,400.00	3,091.01
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,194	3,450.00–5,100.00	4,364.70
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,550	4,250.00	4,250.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,325	3,750.00	3,750.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,457	4,000.00–4,050.00	4,015.45
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,378	3,000.00–3,200.00	3,111.12
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,165	2,700.00–2,900.00	2,799.14
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	N/A	1	—	985	2,800.00	2,800.00

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

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle