Name: Mount Sterling Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-09-23
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-23

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Wednesday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 400 lbs and under appeared steady with a lite test, while 400-600 lbs steers were sharply higher with a moderate supply and strong demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Feeder heifers 300-600 lbs were 1.00 to 3.00 lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand. Slaughter cows and bulls appeared 5.00 to 8.00 lower with a limited supply and limited demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $327.04/cwt on 20 head, down $8.95 from the prior sale (only 18 head in that comparison). That ranks 2 of 30 comparable sales and sits −74.68 against this barn's trailing median of $401.72.

Average price

$327.04

▼ 8.95 vs prior sale

20 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,805

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$282

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

$41.62/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−17.94

vs KY average

−29.06 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	553	329.12	1,820	19thin
Medium and Large 2	535	287.50	1,538	1thin

One grade step is worth $41.62/cwt here — about $282 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 $323.36, 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 sale20 hd

327.04

—

KY average26 barns · 942 hd

344.98

−17.94

National average179 barns · 11,869 hd

356.10

−29.06

This barn, trailing median30 sales

401.72

−74.68

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	1,769	193.42	3,422	9thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,456	135.26	1,969	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,233	118.00	1,455	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,032	110.28	1,138	5thin

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)	1,193	$3,107	12
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,100	$3,033	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,263	$2,812	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,255	$2,400	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,085	$2,171	4thin
Bulls	N/A	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,395	$2,673	3thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,235	$4,750	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,445	$4,583	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,410	$4,400	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,397	$3,417	3thin

Every lot, as filed

91 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	600–650	640	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	1,901	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	650–700	652	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,793	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	378	414.44/cwt	402.50–420.00	1,567	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	650	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,788	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	415	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,453	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	414	366.71/cwt	360.00–375.00	1,518	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	773	262.67/cwt	255.00–270.00	2,030	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	624	295.15/cwt	280.00–300.00	1,842	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	200–250	215	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	903	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	310.13/cwt	295.00–325.00	1,814	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	650–700	655	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,703	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	460	372.50/cwt	372.50–372.50	1,714	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	525	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,680	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	465	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,535	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,098	2,469.93/head	2,225.00–2,800.00	2,470	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,060	1,820.09/head	1,375.00–2,350.00	1,820	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	—	1,350	2,433.89/head	2,350.00–2,500.00	2,434	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,445	4,583.22/head	4,450.00–4,700.00	4,583	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,235	4,750.00/head	4,750.00–4,750.00	4,750	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	380	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,245	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,456	135.26/cwt	133.00–138.00	1,969	4
Bulls	—	—	1,779	191.16/cwt	190.00–192.50	3,401	5
Steers	Large 1	550–600	590	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,991	1
Bulls	Large 1	400–450	420	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,365	1
Heifers	Large 2	450–500	485	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,419	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,410	4,500.00/head	4,500.00–4,500.00	4,500	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,233	118.00/cwt	118.00–118.00	1,455	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	985	128.50/cwt	128.50–128.50	1,266	1
Bulls	—	—	1,943	216.24/cwt	215.50–217.00	4,202	2
Bulls	—	—	1,570	176.25/cwt	173.50–179.00	2,767	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	942	102.64/cwt	99.00–105.00	967	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,350	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,553	1
Bred Cows	Small and Medium 1-2	—	853	2,006.72/head	1,810.00–2,200.00	2,007	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,415	3,750.00/head	3,750.00–3,750.00	3,750	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,100	3,033.33/head	2,600.00–3,250.00	3,033	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,485	3,150.00/head	3,150.00–3,150.00	3,150	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,301	3,541.61/head	3,325.00–3,650.00	3,542	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	850	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	2,083	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,160	3,225.00/head	3,225.00–3,225.00	3,225	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	500–550	505	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,818	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,455	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,410	4,300.00/head	4,300.00–4,300.00	4,300	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 2	—	1,320	3,100.00/head	3,100.00–3,100.00	3,100	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,263	2,812.07/head	2,525.00–2,925.00	2,812	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,255	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	340	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,615	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	365	448.80/cwt	445.00–452.50	1,638	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	428	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,883	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	550–600	557	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,950	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	616	318.31/cwt	315.00–320.00	1,961	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	150–200	190	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	960	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	580	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,885	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	529	365.60/cwt	362.50–375.00	1,934	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	710	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,343	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	375	420.03/cwt	410.00–427.50	1,575	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	965	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,244	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,010	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,172	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	469	411.97/cwt	402.50–415.00	1,932	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	280	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,260	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	835	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,129	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	535	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	1,538	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	560	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,680	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	535	323.62/cwt	310.00–337.50	1,731	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	400	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,620	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	415	420.23/cwt	402.50–435.00	1,744	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	700	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,030	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	619	329.19/cwt	325.00–342.00	2,038	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	765	313.37/cwt	307.00–320.00	2,397	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	475	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,280	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	536	376.00/cwt	362.50–381.00	2,015	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	550	401.00/cwt	401.00–401.00	2,206	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	311	430.60/cwt	425.00–432.50	1,339	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	525	333.64/cwt	325.00–350.00	1,752	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	571	318.06/cwt	310.00–326.00	1,816	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	515	410.84/cwt	410.00–412.50	2,116	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	682	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,353	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	382	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,776	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	485	356.29/cwt	352.50–360.00	1,728	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	330	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,386	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	431	397.76/cwt	385.00–415.00	1,714	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	918	251.29/cwt	237.50–265.00	2,307	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	631	313.35/cwt	312.00–316.00	1,977	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	765	308.00/cwt	308.00–308.00	2,356	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	850	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,380	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,825	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	774	308.73/cwt	300.00–310.00	2,390	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	810	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,268	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	495	358.00/cwt	358.00–358.00	1,772	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	705	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,221	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	560	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,016	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	670	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,077	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 23, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 184Last week 142Year ago 574

Slaughter CattleReceipts 21Last week 18Year ago 70

Replacement CattleReceipts 51Last week 13Year ago 41

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	215	420.00	420.00
1	250–300	280	450.00	450.00
4	300–350	311	425.00–432.50	430.60
3	350–400	378	402.50–420.00	414.44
1	400–450	400	405.00	405.00
2	450–500	485	352.50–360.00	356.29
2	500–550	535	310.00–337.50	323.62
2	550–600	560	300.00	300.00
1	600–650	640	297.00	297.00
2	650–700	652	275.00	275.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	380	327.50	327.50
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	420	325.00	325.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	150–200	190	505.00	505.00
1	300–350	340	475.00	475.00
1	350–400	365	500.00	500.00
3	400–450	428	440.00	440.00
4	450–500	469	402.50–415.00	411.97
4	500–550	529	362.50–375.00	365.60
1	550–600	580	325.00	325.00
6	600–650	616	315.00–320.00	318.31
8	750–800	774	300.00–310.00	308.73
1	950–1000	965	232.50	232.50
2	1000–1050	1,010	215.00	215.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	414	360.00–375.00	366.71
1	450–500	465	330.00	330.00
1	500–550	535	287.50	287.50
4	600–650	624	280.00–300.00	295.15
1	650–700	650	275.00	275.00
1	700–750	700	290.00	290.00
2	750–800	773	255.00–270.00	262.67
Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	485	292.50	292.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	505	360.00	360.00
2	550–600	557	350.00	350.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	365	445.00–452.50	448.80
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	330	420.00	420.00
3	350–400	375	410.00–427.50	420.03
5	400–450	431	385.00–415.00	397.76
1	450–500	495	358.00	358.00
4	500–550	525	325.00–350.00	333.64
11	550–600	571	310.00–326.00	318.06
3	600–650	631	312.00–316.00	313.35
1	650–700	670	310.00	310.00
1	700–750	705	315.00	315.00
1	750–800	765	308.00	308.00
2	800–850	810	280.00	280.00
2	850–900	850	280.00	280.00
2	900–950	918	237.50–265.00	251.29
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	415	350.00	350.00
1	650–700	655	260.00	260.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	400–450	415	402.50–435.00	420.23
3	450–500	460	372.50	372.50
1	500–550	525	320.00	320.00
2	550–600	585	295.00–325.00	310.13
1	800–850	835	255.00	255.00
Steers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	550–600	590	337.50	337.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	382	465.00	465.00
1	450–500	475	480.00	480.00
7	500–550	536	362.50–381.00	376.00
1	550–600	560	360.00	360.00
4	600–650	619	325.00–342.00	329.19
2	650–700	682	345.00	345.00
1	700–750	710	330.00	330.00
2	750–800	765	307.00–320.00	313.37
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
3	500–550	515	410.00–412.50	410.84
4	550–600	550	401.00	401.00

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)	2	—	1,098	2,225.00–2,800.00	2,469.93
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,060	1,375.00–2,350.00	1,820.09
Bred Cows — Small and Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	853	1,810.00–2,200.00	2,006.72
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,100	2,600.00–3,250.00	3,033.33
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	—	1,301	3,325.00–3,650.00	3,541.61
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,160	3,225.00	3,225.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,263	2,525.00–2,925.00	2,812.07
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,255	2,400.00	2,400.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	2	—	1,350	2,350.00–2,500.00	2,433.89
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	N/A	1	—	1,485	3,150.00	3,150.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,445	4,450.00–4,700.00	4,583.22
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,235	4,750.00	4,750.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,410	4,500.00	4,500.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,415	3,750.00	3,750.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,455	3,400.00	3,400.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,410	4,300.00	4,300.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,320	3,100.00	3,100.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	850	245.00	245.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,456	133.00–138.00	135.26
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,233	118.00	118.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	985	128.50	128.50
3	—	942	99.00–105.00	102.64
1	—	1,350	115.00	115.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,779	190.00–192.50	191.16
2	—	1,943	215.50–217.00	216.24
2	—	1,570	173.50–179.00	176.25

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