Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Monday) Market Report, Stanford, KY

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 16, 2023

381 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $248.84/cwt +22.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,332/hd at 535 lb · 21 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $233.84/cwt +3.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,097/hd at 469 lb · 19 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $224.64/cwt +14.70 vs last sale · ≈ $963/hd at 429 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 381 384 495
Feeder cattle 304 291 371
Slaughter cattle 60 85 123
Replacement cattle 17 8 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the market was mostly higher on good quality calves, however there were heavy discounts noted for off colored, small framed and heavy conditioned cattle. Feeder steers 400-450 lbs were sharply higher with even higher premiums given for some weaned packages. However steers 550 lbs and over were down sharply with heavy discounts on condition. Feeder heifers 400-500 lbs were sharply higher, while 500-650 were mostly steady with good demand. Feeder bulls were 5.00 to 10.00 higher throughout the weight classes and in some spots sharply higher with good demand. Slaughter cows were 3.00 to 5.00 higher with most of the gains in high dressing cows, while slaughter bulls were 2.00 lower with good demand for slaughter cattle.

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
315 315 1 255.00 $255.00 $803 —
400–445 423 4 240.00–250.00 $246.35 $1,042 +15.06
442 fancy 442 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,138 —
450–475 460 11 230.00–241.00 $239.53 $1,102 -0.47
492 fancy 492 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,328 —
525 value added 525 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,365 —
530–545 535 16 230.00–242.50 $235.09 $1,258 -7.85
572–594 589 9 225.00–236.00 $227.37 $1,339 -11.63
605 605 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,286 -19.32
675 675 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,350 -19.14
710–735 716 9 200.00–210.00 $206.63 $1,479 -9.69
753 753 5 210.00 $210.00 $1,581 —
880 880 4 204.00 $204.00 $1,795 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 200.00 $200.00 $780 —
525 525 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,155 +20.00
575–590 583 2 188.00–210.00 $199.14 $1,161 +16.01
685 685 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,254 +8.48
775 775 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,403 —
810 810 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,498 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1645–1970 1808 2 109.00–114.00 $111.72 $2,020 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 200.00 $200.00 $740 -11.38
417 fancy 417 4 249.00 $249.00 $1,038 —
417–445 432 15 210.00–224.00 $218.15 $942 +8.21
450–495 477 17 200.00–215.00 $209.60 $1,000 +10.74
505–520 510 4 185.00–195.00 $190.26 $970 -1.17
555–575 562 3 189.00–193.00 $190.36 $1,070 -2.26
695 695 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,320 —
780 780 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,326 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 180.00 $180.00 $531 —
325 325 1 180.00 $180.00 $585 +27.50
350–390 370 2 152.50–172.50 $161.96 $599 —
415–445 430 3 200.00–206.00 $203.38 $875 +28.38
450–496 481 11 167.50–195.00 $189.25 $910 +10.43
536–542 538 5 175.00 $175.00 $942 +45.00
560–585 573 2 176.00–181.00 $178.45 $1,023 +27.41
600–640 619 11 163.00–184.00 $178.59 $1,105 +7.06
665–696 683 8 165.00–179.00 $170.61 $1,165 -4.39
735 735 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,242 +10.00
765 765 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,262 +2.50
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 102.50 $102.50 $287 —
480 480 1 137.00 $137.00 $658 —
530–537 535 3 110.00–140.00 $119.91 $642 —
745 745 2 125.00 $125.00 $931 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355 1355 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,789 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 240.00 $240.00 $516 +32.50
260 260 1 237.50 $237.50 $618 +10.56
342 342 2 235.00 $235.00 $804 —
370–395 386 7 240.00–252.50 $245.31 $947 +12.74
430–445 438 4 232.50–245.00 $238.98 $1,047 +6.52
457–495 469 19 222.50–239.00 $233.84 $1,097 +3.27
505 value added 505 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,351 +12.50
505–549 537 20 237.50–250.00 $247.91 $1,331 +39.01
555–585 574 12 217.50–231.00 $223.67 $1,284 +15.31
650–655 653 4 232.50–242.50 $236.89 $1,547 +34.90
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 207.50 $207.50 $508 —
300 300 1 180.00 $180.00 $540 —
430–440 435 2 195.00–210.00 $202.41 $880 +0.02
450–490 471 5 185.00–220.00 $206.60 $973 +11.60
520–545 534 5 183.00–216.00 $206.35 $1,102 +26.80
550–590 575 3 190.00–195.00 $192.35 $1,106 +17.35
610–640 625 2 153.00–170.00 $161.30 $1,008 +1.91
650–695 677 15 160.00–198.00 $189.92 $1,286 +19.92
720–735 730 3 165.00–179.00 $171.28 $1,250 +18.28
770–775 773 2 154.00–169.00 $161.48 $1,248 +0.48
815–830 823 2 120.00–160.00 $140.18 $1,154 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1055 1055 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 900.00 $900.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 80-85% 1 74.00 $74.00 $788 —
1060–1430 1283 80-85% 6 100.00–108.00 $104.09 $1,335 +17.26
1060–1640 1305 80-85% 18 84.00–96.00 $89.33 $1,166 +9.91
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–1120 975 85-90% 6 59.00–65.00 $62.16 $606 —
1005–1260 1123 85-90% 8 70.00–83.00 $77.32 $868 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1455–1605 1530 75-80% 2 102.00–111.00 $106.72 $1,633 —
1375–1970 1625 75-80% 5 81.00–95.00 $86.72 $1,409 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1720 1381 7 104.00–118.00 $110.74 $1,529 —
1260–1620 1440 2 122.00–123.00 $122.56 $1,765 —
1790–1815 1803 2 133.00–135.00 $134.01 $2,416 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1115 1115 (<2 yrs)Open 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,472

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
665–890 778 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 675.00–775.00 $732.23
795 795 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 425.00 $425.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
715 715 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
1090 1090 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
735–960 865 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,050.00–1,250.00 $1,150.00 —
1395 1395 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
930 930 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 800.00 $800.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1065 1065 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 875.00 $875.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.