Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock · usually sells Thursdays

Sale of Thursday, July 16, 2026

1,588 head sold ·Official USDA report · Past reports (278)

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $323.94/cwt -1.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,511/hd at 775 lb · 287 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $438.54/cwt +12.86 vs last sale · ≈ $2,785/hd at 635 lb · 126 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $425.64/cwt -0.50 vs last sale · ≈ $2,814/hd at 661 lb · 105 head
Stanford, KY 7-weight heifers brought $324/cwt, running $5/cwt below the KY average ($329) and $25/cwt under Richmond, KY ($349). The class is down $21 from its $346 late-June peak. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,588 1,460 1,934
Feeder cattle 1,540 1,409 1,859
Slaughter cattle 45 46 75
Replacement cattle 3 5 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 800 lbs steady, 800 lbs and up sharply lower, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs sharply lower, 500-600 lbs steady, 700 lbs and up sharply lower, Good demand for weaned and vaccinated packages of calves and moderate demand for the fleshy bawling calves and the heavier yearlings. Slaughter cows 8.00-12.00 lower, Slaughter bulls steady, Good demand for slaughter classes.

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
330–335 333 2 442.50–470.00 $456.15 $1,519 -43.85
380 380 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,881 +10.00
380 fancy 380 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,995 —
400–430 fancy 415 2 472.50–490.00 $480.93 $1,996 —
425 425 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,976 -20.53
480–485 483 6 440.00–452.50 $448.36 $2,166 -9.55
457–491 fancy 484 30 467.00–470.00 $467.57 $2,263 -44.67
525–540 533 4 447.00–452.50 $449.71 $2,397 -0.40
500–547 value added 537 38 461.00–492.50 $473.32 $2,542 +10.82
555–576 value added 571 69 460.00–475.00 $468.38 $2,674 +7.14
558–594 582 15 450.00–457.00 $452.24 $2,632 +6.00
617–646 value added 635 126 429.50–455.00 $438.54 $2,785 -2.68
653–660 value added 658 92 426.00–450.00 $431.69 $2,841 -10.81
661–697 683 13 382.50–383.00 $382.81 $2,615 -22.88
712 fancy 712 17 422.00 $422.00 $3,005 —
717 value added 717 49 390.00 $390.00 $2,796 -11.08
702–740 727 14 369.00–370.00 $369.78 $2,688 +19.78
756 value added 756 15 373.00 $373.00 $2,820 —
777–785 781 9 353.00–369.00 $361.93 $2,827 -12.07
810 810 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,714 —
838 value added 838 21 360.00 $360.00 $3,017 -13.33
853 853 9 310.00 $310.00 $2,644 -35.45
906 value added 906 65 327.50 $327.50 $2,967 -27.40
957 value added 957 57 324.00 $324.00 $3,101 —
990 990 1 267.50 $267.50 $2,648 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,617 —
482 482 2 433.00 $433.00 $2,087 —
565 565 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,430 +37.50
620 620 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,077 —
700–735 718 2 281.00–335.00 $308.66 $2,216 —
880 880 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,552 —
985 985 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,068 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410 1410 1 220.00 $220.00 $3,102 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,188 —
330 330 1 437.50 $437.50 $1,444 -42.39
365–395 381 17 425.00–449.00 $434.22 $1,654 -48.35
405–437 432 10 421.00–440.00 $432.64 $1,869 -18.01
470–486 481 10 420.00–434.00 $430.24 $2,069 -29.78
501 fancy 501 37 449.00 $449.00 $2,249 —
500–510 505 2 385.00–387.50 $386.26 $1,951 —
500–545 value added 507 50 405.00–431.00 $427.37 $2,167 +0.50
554–557 value added 555 9 407.50–413.00 $410.55 $2,279 -7.47
560–585 570 5 370.00–392.50 $382.05 $2,178 -17.15
569–580 fancy 574 67 442.50–450.00 $445.54 $2,557 —
607 fancy 607 5 419.00 $419.00 $2,543 —
605–644 value added 633 25 362.50–400.00 $391.04 $2,475 +0.39
625–645 633 3 330.00–350.00 $338.28 $2,141 -14.22
654–667 657 8 337.00–353.00 $341.06 $2,241 —
685 value added 685 41 374.00 $374.00 $2,562 -11.01
705 value added 705 2 333.00 $333.00 $2,348 -25.00
730–745 735 3 295.00–317.50 $302.60 $2,224 -24.87
762–794 value added 775 287 321.75–326.00 $323.94 $2,511 —
861–883 value added 862 69 290.75–317.50 $291.94 $2,517 —
903 value added 903 56 285.50 $285.50 $2,578 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,053 —
335 335 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,340 ±0.00
360–395 381 7 400.00–417.50 $406.41 $1,548 -48.59
405–435 418 6 397.50–415.00 $404.80 $1,692 -15.20
452–490 467 4 382.50–415.00 $405.21 $1,892 -7.29
585 585 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,018 -32.50
605–647 634 4 320.00 $320.00 $2,029 —
695 695 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,085 -20.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1230 1188 2 194.00–225.00 $208.95 $2,482 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272 fancy 272 2 590.00 $590.00 $1,605 —
300–315 fancy 308 2 535.00–550.00 $542.32 $1,670 +2.32
365 365 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,752 ±0.00
355–395 fancy 374 5 522.50–555.00 $533.65 $1,996 —
416 fancy 416 5 500.00 $500.00 $2,080 ±0.00
405–447 426 4 460.00–481.00 $469.98 $2,002 -17.94
450–485 462 9 447.50–470.00 $462.66 $2,137 -21.70
518–543 531 10 420.00–455.00 $434.83 $2,309 -13.77
560–595 582 14 427.50–460.00 $435.71 $2,536 -14.74
602–620 fancy 611 4 405.00–407.50 $406.23 $2,482 +1.23
617–630 621 3 390.00–393.00 $391.01 $2,428 -0.99
661 661 6 377.50 $377.50 $2,495 +2.50
700–745 715 3 301.00–322.50 $315.03 $2,252 —
780 780 1 297.50 $297.50 $2,320 -35.00
807–835 816 3 317.50–330.00 $325.74 $2,658 —
995 995 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,886 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 427.50 $427.50 $1,475 —
475–490 479 5 415.00–439.00 $428.04 $2,050 -17.60
590–595 593 3 403.00–417.50 $407.81 $2,418 +6.58
682–685 683 3 292.50–332.50 $319.13 $2,180 -30.81

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235 1235 80-85% 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,038 —
1225–1380 1284 80-85% 8 172.00–193.00 $181.82 $2,335 -2.99
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1095 1082 85-90% 3 152.50–165.00 $158.30 $1,713 +6.24
1080–1235 1135 85-90% 4 173.00–185.00 $177.54 $2,015 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590–1745 1679 75-80% 4 177.00–197.00 $187.36 $3,146 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295–2055 1788 3 227.00–247.00 $234.51 $4,193 —
1575–2445 2010 2 191.00 $191.00 $3,839 —
2160 2160 1 220.00 $220.00 $4,752 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1105 1105 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,431

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1270 1270 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1310 1310 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00

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Price trend

high 359.44 low 299.35 Jul 2025 Jul 2026

900–949 lb Medium and Large 1-2 steers — head-weighted average $/cwt by sale date, last 12 months.

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.

← Previous sale (Jul 9, 2026)

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