Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 25, 2023

600 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Blue Grass South Stockyards (Monday) report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $226.29/cwt +1.39 vs last sale · ≈ $1,082/hd at 478 lb · 32 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $226.94/cwt +2.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,196/hd at 527 lb · 31 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $224.00/cwt +6.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,277/hd at 570 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 600 400 279
Feeder cattle 504 326 230
Slaughter cattle 78 69 46
Replacement cattle 18 5 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week the feeder market was lower with an average to good quality offering. Feeder steers under 550 lbs were sharply lower while steers over 600 lbs were mixed with large discounts seen in fat bawling calves. Feeder heifers 400 to 500 lbs were mostly steady with heifers over 600 lbs 6.00 to 8.00 higher. Feeder bulls were lower to sharply lower in spots with lower to average quality. Slaughter cow market was 4.00 to 6.00 lower with a good supply and slaughter bulls were mostly steady with good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 220.00 $220.00 $506 —
387–395 390 3 240.00–252.50 $244.22 $952 -18.28
400 400 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,000 -3.60
439 fancy 439 13 267.00 $267.00 $1,172 -10.50
470–475 473 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,135 -13.71
480 fancy 480 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,320 -8.31
500–546 529 9 237.50–250.00 $245.65 $1,299 +18.15
531 value added 531 9 255.00 $255.00 $1,354 -8.90
563–595 570 5 231.00–247.50 $241.08 $1,374 +1.08
587–590 value added 587 8 252.50–260.00 $259.06 $1,521 —
627 value added 627 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,693 +1.63
615–640 632 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,390 -13.35
655–682 670 4 230.00–235.00 $231.22 $1,549 +8.72
730 730 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,606 —
755–765 760 2 210.00–230.00 $220.07 $1,673 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 215.00 $215.00 $785 —
475–485 481 4 202.50–212.50 $204.99 $986 —
655 655 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,294 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 150.00 $150.00 $832 —
685 685 1 140.00 $140.00 $959 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–270 263 2 220.00–222.50 $221.29 $582 —
370–384 382 7 220.00–222.50 $220.35 $842 -7.95
400–430 415 15 215.00–225.00 $219.64 $912 -12.59
462–496 478 32 218.00–232.50 $226.29 $1,082 +1.39
500–540 527 31 217.00–237.00 $226.94 $1,196 +2.92
556–595 570 24 220.00–230.00 $224.00 $1,277 +6.20
607–640 617 4 227.50–233.00 $228.93 $1,412 +17.77
650–677 667 6 225.00–227.50 $225.85 $1,506 —
705 705 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,569 +21.08
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–285 277 5 170.00–200.00 $188.35 $522 -1.74
335–340 337 3 200.00–215.00 $207.54 $699 —
355–395 381 5 210.00–212.50 $210.94 $804 +19.21
405–435 423 4 180.00–207.50 $199.99 $846 —
450–485 461 18 182.00–210.00 $199.76 $921 +34.76
500–530 522 6 210.00–215.00 $214.15 $1,118 +5.83
550–595 567 13 181.00–212.50 $201.14 $1,140 +9.30
600–647 632 5 182.50–212.50 $193.43 $1,222 +0.92
652–695 665 11 201.00–210.00 $205.78 $1,368 +35.78
710–738 731 4 192.00–204.00 $194.91 $1,425 —
805 805 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,377 +3.38
Medium 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–435 433 2 160.00–167.50 $163.73 $709 —
450–460 453 4 160.00–170.00 $162.54 $736 —
560 560 1 166.00 $166.00 $930 +11.00
625–640 633 2 160.00–165.00 $162.53 $1,029 +30.53
905 905 1 110.00 $110.00 $996 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 fancy 280 2 285.00 $285.00 $798 —
290–295 293 2 232.50–245.00 $238.70 $699 -1.30
325 325 1 245.00 $245.00 $796 —
325–345 fancy 331 6 260.00–275.00 $267.42 $885 —
370–375 fancy 373 2 260.00–267.50 $263.72 $984 -13.78
370–395 381 6 240.00–257.50 $251.56 $958 -6.22
430–445 439 9 230.00–240.00 $234.45 $1,029 -19.08
447 fancy 447 4 276.00 $276.00 $1,234 —
453–480 467 12 220.00–230.00 $227.43 $1,062 -25.09
500–545 518 11 220.00–240.00 $236.33 $1,224 -1.53
538 value added 538 10 250.00 $250.00 $1,345 -19.92
570–595 value added 576 4 250.00–262.50 $259.27 $1,493 —
565–590 583 9 220.00–245.00 $233.99 $1,364 -4.15
602–621 612 9 230.00–245.00 $238.56 $1,460 +5.94
626 value added 626 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,628 —
650–667 665 8 205.00–232.50 $217.77 $1,448 +3.75
755 755 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,378 -18.50
805–830 817 5 175.00–179.00 $177.82 $1,453 —
877 877 2 184.00 $184.00 $1,614 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–205 203 2 200.00–220.00 $209.88 $426 —
310 310 1 222.50 $222.50 $690 —
367–390 375 3 200.00–210.00 $203.47 $763 —
410–440 426 13 200.00–220.00 $211.85 $902 —
450–483 472 11 170.00–220.00 $204.39 $965 +4.39
500–545 512 14 160.00–210.00 $188.78 $967 -9.88
550–585 569 9 169.00–212.50 $199.82 $1,137 +8.21
610–640 630 3 169.00–210.00 $196.77 $1,240 +4.77
655–675 660 4 147.00–201.00 $181.32 $1,197 -8.68
702–745 717 6 173.00–180.00 $176.65 $1,267 -8.40
750–760 755 2 160.00–176.00 $168.05 $1,269 —
800–835 808 6 157.00–171.00 $161.50 $1,305 -18.50
905–930 915 4 122.50–172.00 $156.90 $1,436 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 160.00 $160.00 $888 —
705 705 1 140.00 $140.00 $987 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1280 1128 80-85% 6 74.00–77.00 $75.60 $853 —
1135 1135 80-85% 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,169 —
1075–1435 1250 80-85% 16 78.00–86.00 $83.03 $1,038 —
935–1510 1277 80-85% 17 87.00–98.00 $92.13 $1,177 -16.95
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $971 —
905–1330 1056 85-90% 6 67.00–72.00 $69.74 $736 —
855–1305 1058 85-90% 3 76.00–84.00 $80.39 $851 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1695 1625 75-80% 2 80.00–85.00 $82.39 $1,339 —
1625–1830 1721 75-80% 4 93.00–99.00 $96.30 $1,657 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1505 1358 4 100.00–115.00 $110.61 $1,502 —
1495–2075 1784 5 124.00–127.00 $125.03 $2,231 —
1730–2115 1973 5 130.00–139.00 $133.59 $2,636 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1105–1110 1108 (<2 yrs)Open 2 117.00–131.00 $123.98 $1,374

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1130 1130 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1130–1205 1159 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 950.00–1,150.00 $1,070.23
1070–1265 1168 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 825.00–1,025.00 $933.35
1260–1300 1277 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,400.00 $1,206.98
1450–1455 1453 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,300.00–1,425.00 $1,362.61

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
890 890 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
1355–1495 1425 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,500.00–1,625.00 $1,565.57 —

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Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 2 140.00–142.50 $141.25 $622 —
465 465 1 147.50 $147.50 $686 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.