Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 16, 2021

2,035 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $162.20/cwt +17.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,125/hd at 694 lb · 285 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $143.58/cwt -4.37 vs last sale · ≈ $951/hd at 662 lb · 240 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $156.03/cwt -4.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,289/hd at 826 lb · 200 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,035 2,054 1,011
Feeder cattle 1,971 1,924 929
Slaughter cattle 58 123 82
Replacement cattle 6 7 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs steady to 2.00 higher, over 700 lbs 2.00-3.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs steady, over 500 lbs 2.00-3.00 lower, Good demand for feeders under 700 lbs moderate demand for yearlings over 700 lbs. Slaughter cows and bulls steady, Moderate 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
295 295 1 150.00 $150.00 $442 —
325–340 336 4 163.00–180.00 $172.10 $578 —
346 fancy 346 3 203.00 $203.00 $702 —
360–388 376 12 167.00–187.50 $177.62 $668 +6.76
420–430 fancy 424 7 182.00–191.00 $186.03 $789 +0.63
405–447 432 11 163.00–181.00 $169.68 $733 —
455–485 459 13 159.00–178.00 $174.12 $799 +4.16
480–496 fancy 492 4 182.00–187.00 $185.78 $914 +5.78
505–545 523 3 151.00–155.00 $153.02 $800 +9.02
534 fancy 534 53 181.25 $181.25 $968 +8.02
510–545 value added 539 7 164.00–171.00 $165.13 $890 -0.64
555–595 569 12 133.00–154.00 $147.96 $842 -7.17
565–590 value added 587 57 156.50–171.00 $157.88 $927 -3.74
600–645 613 4 136.00–144.00 $141.04 $865 -0.17
613–645 value added 626 31 145.00–155.00 $150.61 $943 +0.61
681–690 683 12 139.00–143.00 $142.16 $971 +1.85
670–695 value added 694 273 146.00–163.50 $163.08 $1,132 +14.61
713 value added 713 80 156.75 $156.75 $1,118 +8.33
710–732 718 9 135.00–141.00 $138.63 $995 -24.00
755–785 776 14 135.00–141.00 $137.63 $1,068 -0.87
754–793 value added 790 67 144.00–156.25 $155.38 $1,228 -2.99
805–832 823 3 130.00–131.00 $130.33 $1,073 -15.19
807–845 value added 826 197 155.10–158.25 $156.42 $1,292 -4.03
902–907 905 4 128.00–133.00 $130.49 $1,181 —
908–940 value added 923 122 151.60–154.95 $153.30 $1,415 -2.70
960–965 963 2 129.00–130.00 $129.50 $1,247 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 133.00 $133.00 $492 -17.00
468–487 471 12 130.00–152.00 $133.79 $630 -2.91
805 805 1 115.00 $115.00 $926 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 130.00 $130.00 $306 —
270 270 1 155.00 $155.00 $418 +7.48
305–345 325 2 133.00–150.00 $142.02 $462 +8.43
350–385 fancy 359 7 150.00–162.50 $153.42 $551 +1.26
350–395 376 5 126.00–133.00 $128.93 $485 +2.52
410–435 fancy 427 6 150.00–151.00 $150.32 $642 —
410–442 428 22 131.00–146.00 $137.61 $589 +4.42
459 fancy 459 7 153.00 $153.00 $702 —
452–497 469 15 127.00–138.00 $131.77 $618 -5.31
505–547 value added 518 25 135.00–142.00 $140.07 $726 -0.43
510–545 530 15 120.00–131.00 $124.41 $659 -5.47
561–582 value added 563 19 138.00 $138.00 $777 -1.51
555–585 569 8 120.00–132.00 $124.89 $711 +0.12
600–640 626 16 110.00–129.00 $121.06 $758 -2.69
620–631 value added 627 25 136.00–139.50 $138.25 $867 -1.79
654–675 value added 662 235 138.00–145.60 $144.10 $954 -5.90
660–695 684 5 110.00–129.00 $119.25 $816 +3.65
710–733 720 12 115.00–126.00 $125.10 $901 -0.22
743 value added 743 72 146.90 $146.90 $1,091 —
771 771 7 125.00 $125.00 $964 +3.08
920 920 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,104 —
970 970 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,154 +4.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–390 383 3 117.00–120.00 $118.98 $456 —
410 410 1 114.00 $114.00 $467 -10.00
635 635 1 105.00 $105.00 $667 —
667–690 677 5 100.00–108.00 $103.02 $697 -7.73
742 742 2 90.00 $90.00 $668 -5.00
845 845 1 90.00 $90.00 $760 -4.08
885 885 1 110.00 $110.00 $974 +8.00
915 915 1 101.00 $101.00 $924 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500–525 512 3 101.00–110.00 $104.08 $533 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 167.00 $167.00 $576 —
365 fancy 365 2 192.50 $192.50 $703 +0.49
370 370 1 156.00 $156.00 $577 -16.00
417–445 424 5 160.00–181.00 $172.65 $732 —
475–490 481 10 150.00–171.00 $158.68 $763 -10.68
508–535 fancy 519 10 159.00–165.00 $161.85 $840 -2.45
530–548 538 7 133.00–145.00 $139.09 $748 -6.84
560–590 572 8 142.00–154.00 $147.44 $843 +6.66
610–625 fancy 619 11 144.00–146.00 $145.27 $899 —
600–645 624 11 130.00–143.00 $139.36 $870 +4.07
661–695 669 5 119.00–131.00 $121.98 $816 -10.46
700–735 726 4 121.00–126.00 $122.20 $887 +5.37
815–830 823 2 112.00–125.00 $118.44 $975 +7.06
875 875 2 122.00 $122.00 $1,068 +19.00
945 945 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,040 +4.00
970 970 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,125 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 140.00 $140.00 $574 —
465 465 1 148.00 $148.00 $688 +7.00
512 512 2 130.00 $130.00 $666 —
575–590 582 3 120.00–130.00 $125.04 $728 +1.69
615 615 1 120.00 $120.00 $738 —
670–675 673 2 115.00–118.00 $116.51 $784 —
777–790 781 3 91.00–100.00 $94.03 $734 —
845 845 1 90.00 $90.00 $760 —
867 867 4 102.00 $102.00 $884 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 110.00 $110.00 $506 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1475 1310 80-85% 9 53.00–56.00 $54.34 $712 +2.09
1245–1490 1310 80-85% 4 58.00–63.00 $59.90 $785 +7.65
1315 1315 80-85% 1 45.00 $45.00 $592 -7.25
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1130 993 85-90% 3 39.00–48.00 $42.70 $424 —
995–1170 1088 85-90% 6 52.00–56.00 $53.29 $580 +9.05
1080–1140 1103 85-90% 3 58.00–65.00 $60.65 $669 +2.21
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1635 1585 75-80% 3 58.00–66.00 $61.40 $973 +6.20
1610–1695 1653 75-80% 2 51.00–56.00 $53.44 $883 -5.31

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1440 1335 2 79.00–86.00 $82.78 $1,105 —
1285–2630 1824 8 89.00–98.00 $93.86 $1,712 -5.83
1720–2215 1933 3 106.00–107.00 $106.68 $2,062 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
900 900 (<2 yrs)Open 1 93.00 $93.00 $837
1215 1215 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 75.00 $75.00 $911

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
870 870 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00
1450 1450 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–1025 983 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 680.00–700.00 $690.43

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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.