Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 15, 2021

2,161 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $137.48/cwt -0.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,055/hd at 767 lb · 208 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $153.44/cwt +0.25 vs last sale · ≈ $969/hd at 631 lb · 186 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $131.83/cwt -2.08 vs last sale · ≈ $1,098/hd at 833 lb · 138 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,161 2,856 1,224
Feeder cattle 2,104 2,671 1,151
Slaughter cattle 52 185 61
Replacement cattle 5 — 12

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs steady over 700 lbs 2.00-3.00 lower, Feeder heifers steady to 3.00 lower, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls 1.00-2.00 lower, 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
290 fancy 290 1 201.00 $201.00 $583 —
300–318 fancy 307 10 199.00–203.00 $202.30 $621 —
305–347 335 7 180.00–185.00 $183.70 $615 +0.44
370–395 378 16 170.00–186.00 $180.70 $683 -1.49
412–413 fancy 413 14 184.00–189.00 $186.50 $770 —
402–447 416 50 160.00–179.00 $172.32 $717 +2.89
455–498 478 35 160.00–176.00 $168.26 $804 -2.30
500–548 value added 529 42 166.00–174.00 $171.46 $907 -7.36
505–548 529 38 155.00–162.00 $157.88 $835 -4.87
551–589 value added 564 28 162.00–169.00 $165.08 $931 -1.42
561–590 571 13 142.00–161.00 $154.63 $883 +1.36
617–647 value added 630 153 150.00–166.00 $156.54 $986 -2.96
600–644 638 33 135.00–147.00 $139.08 $887 -8.13
652–696 679 22 132.00–146.00 $138.05 $937 -6.69
709–713 value added 711 19 136.50–142.00 $139.39 $991 -9.94
700–744 734 13 120.00–131.50 $128.91 $946 -3.83
750–792 value added 767 191 131.50–142.00 $138.66 $1,064 -0.49
765–778 770 17 121.00–126.00 $124.17 $956 -7.83
806–847 value added 833 138 130.00–133.00 $131.83 $1,098 -2.13
858 value added 858 68 127.00 $127.00 $1,090 -6.90
860–886 874 8 122.00–125.00 $123.48 $1,079 +1.48
905 905 8 117.00 $117.00 $1,059 -5.00
911–935 value added 929 82 120.50–125.10 $123.89 $1,151 —
963–999 value added 977 98 122.00–125.00 $123.99 $1,211 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 145.00 $145.00 $558 —
460 460 1 150.00 $150.00 $690 —
500–537 521 5 134.00–140.00 $137.32 $715 —
585 585 1 125.00 $125.00 $731 —
625 625 1 110.00 $110.00 $688 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–287 fancy 278 5 156.00–162.00 $159.16 $442 —
300–345 fancy 317 12 159.00–166.00 $162.56 $515 —
330–345 338 2 135.00–146.00 $140.62 $475 -18.57
360–390 372 6 137.00–147.00 $142.06 $528 -9.31
352–380 fancy 374 25 155.00–172.00 $161.86 $605 —
405–442 fancy 417 13 155.00–157.00 $155.79 $650 —
409–441 423 15 141.00–148.00 $141.93 $600 -10.27
456–486 fancy 474 45 152.00–158.00 $154.48 $732 —
450–498 478 33 126.00–148.00 $141.67 $677 -5.13
500–546 fancy 518 34 145.00–153.00 $150.22 $778 —
500–548 523 21 129.00–142.00 $138.66 $725 -3.37
550–575 560 15 132.00–143.00 $137.72 $771 +0.11
555–581 value added 570 35 144.00–149.00 $147.41 $840 +5.16
616–635 621 6 117.00–125.00 $122.97 $764 -1.24
606–638 value added 626 54 129.00–138.00 $132.93 $832 -8.80
652–680 value added 675 100 129.00–139.75 $137.19 $926 +1.05
655–693 684 22 115.00–125.00 $121.20 $829 -6.45
710–746 734 8 120.00–124.50 $123.35 $905 —
735–749 value added 746 19 125.50–130.00 $126.43 $943 -6.49
756–766 value added 758 71 124.25–125.50 $124.48 $944 —
750–796 789 7 115.00–123.50 $122.35 $965 +10.60
810 value added 810 3 122.00 $122.00 $988 —
815 815 1 115.00 $115.00 $937 —
862 value added 862 28 112.00 $112.00 $965 —
875 875 1 101.00 $101.00 $884 -15.73
952 952 2 98.00 $98.00 $933 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 121.00 $121.00 $417 —
430 430 1 120.00 $120.00 $516 —
505 505 1 116.00 $116.00 $586 —
650 650 1 110.00 $110.00 $715 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 fancy 235 1 197.50 $197.50 $464 —
325–333 331 4 180.00 $180.00 $596 +6.63
350 350 1 150.00 $150.00 $525 -21.12
410 fancy 410 1 179.00 $179.00 $734 —
403–445 411 11 151.00–168.00 $164.22 $675 -5.64
450–490 470 10 150.00–162.00 $157.54 $740 -3.65
503–510 fancy 503 20 160.00–167.00 $166.65 $838 —
500–540 519 4 146.00–157.00 $151.48 $786 +0.50
560–580 567 22 136.00–150.00 $146.09 $828 -4.95
605 fancy 605 2 145.00 $145.00 $877 —
635–642 639 4 132.00–139.00 $135.52 $866 -9.62
655–680 669 19 125.00–134.00 $131.54 $880 -0.16
700–735 718 2 121.00–126.00 $123.44 $886 -5.32
765 765 1 111.00 $111.00 $849 -10.69
815–820 818 2 110.00–113.00 $111.50 $912 -6.50
945 945 4 119.00 $119.00 $1,125 +31.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 135.00 $135.00 $662 —
545 545 1 120.00 $120.00 $654 —
620 620 1 121.00 $121.00 $750 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 102.50 $102.50 $461 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 85-90% 1 56.00 $56.00 $504 —
805–1110 1022 85-90% 9 57.00–61.00 $59.30 $606 +17.49
1005–1165 1101 85-90% 10 63.00–67.00 $65.17 $718 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1350 1286 80-85% 8 63.00–75.00 $67.77 $872 —
1230–1425 1320 80-85% 4 60.00–62.00 $61.25 $808 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480–1700 1588 75-80% 4 63.00–71.00 $67.15 $1,066 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1545 1545 1 86.00 $86.00 $1,329 —
1400–1895 1660 5 96.00–100.00 $98.70 $1,638 —
1850–2195 2023 2 93.00–95.00 $93.91 $1,900 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1000–1275 1142 (<2 yrs)Open 3 79.00–99.00 $87.07 $994
1510 1510 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 66.00 $66.00 $997

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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)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560–590 570 3 84.00–101.00 $95.13 $542 —

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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.