Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 17, 2022

1,737 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $152.98/cwt +1.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,315/hd at 859 lb · 186 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $153.82/cwt -0.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,296/hd at 843 lb · 102 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $154.85/cwt -15.58 vs last sale · ≈ $979/hd at 632 lb · 95 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,737 2,235 0
Feeder cattle 1,650 2,081 0
Slaughter cattle 78 151 0
Replacement cattle 9 3 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 6.00-8.00 higher,over 600 lbs 2.00-4.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 6.00-8.00 higher, over 500 lbs steady to 2.00 lower, Very good demand under 600 lbs, Good demand over 600 lbs. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 lower, Slaughter 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
260–290 fancy 276 9 200.00–222.00 $211.87 $585 +11.87
265–295 277 5 191.00–195.00 $194.23 $538 —
318–335 321 5 188.00–192.50 $188.94 $606 +3.28
320–338 fancy 333 5 200.00–206.00 $204.20 $680 -2.46
360 360 1 191.00 $191.00 $688 +0.76
365–390 fancy 378 6 201.00–205.00 $203.22 $768 +0.55
400–420 409 12 187.50–199.00 $193.93 $793 +14.32
415–426 fancy 422 17 211.00–214.00 $211.87 $894 +2.32
450–495 fancy 465 4 201.00–202.00 $201.49 $937 —
455–498 480 15 171.00–199.00 $184.01 $883 -3.74
505–523 value added 514 12 186.00–202.00 $196.99 $1,013 +12.20
542–544 543 7 172.00–181.00 $178.44 $969 +13.99
550–596 value added 557 40 176.50–179.00 $176.91 $985 -0.02
560–590 575 4 166.00–169.00 $166.73 $959 +4.89
600–640 value added 627 17 159.00–169.00 $164.84 $1,034 -8.37
600–642 633 78 142.00–157.00 $152.67 $966 +5.22
653–682 value added 657 49 160.00–169.00 $161.14 $1,059 -10.16
658–688 676 11 138.00–156.00 $151.28 $1,023 +3.19
700–742 value added 720 9 150.00–165.00 $155.55 $1,120 -7.16
736 736 6 145.00 $145.00 $1,067 +0.36
753–776 value added 765 34 151.00–157.00 $154.75 $1,184 -5.95
770–784 783 44 146.00–147.00 $146.93 $1,150 +1.47
832 832 2 142.00 $142.00 $1,181 -4.49
841–845 value added 843 100 150.00–156.75 $154.06 $1,299 -5.85
851–867 value added 858 178 149.00–156.50 $153.34 $1,316 -3.46
890 890 8 145.00 $145.00 $1,290 -2.07
908 value added 908 57 147.00 $147.00 $1,335 -2.32
956 value added 956 53 147.95 $147.95 $1,414 —
991 991 9 138.50 $138.50 $1,373 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 142.50 $142.50 $299 —
440 440 1 150.00 $150.00 $660 +2.00
450–490 470 2 158.00–165.00 $161.35 $758 +6.35
527 527 2 153.00 $153.00 $806 +13.00
550–595 571 4 131.00–154.00 $142.60 $814 —
605–623 618 5 120.00–138.00 $132.66 $820 —
715 715 1 112.00 $112.00 $801 -11.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 fancy 235 1 175.00 $175.00 $411 —
280–290 283 3 156.00–167.50 $159.92 $453 +12.42
300–325 314 5 150.00–165.00 $160.09 $503 +4.14
341–343 fancy 342 9 171.00–182.00 $178.35 $610 +9.62
373–395 382 11 148.00–165.00 $157.93 $603 -1.99
384–390 fancy 385 8 170.00–181.00 $179.61 $691 +10.41
419–426 fancy 423 29 166.00–175.00 $171.62 $726 +8.14
420–437 431 4 152.00–156.00 $153.24 $660 -0.01
450–490 464 28 140.00–159.00 $151.88 $705 +2.10
500–543 value added 518 50 155.00–161.00 $156.98 $813 -1.17
505–545 527 12 138.00–152.00 $147.03 $775 +9.70
555–585 value added 571 15 154.00–155.00 $154.13 $880 -5.28
555–595 578 20 135.00–151.00 $145.66 $842 +5.39
601–646 625 9 137.00–149.00 $142.99 $894 +3.50
607–648 value added 639 30 150.00–154.00 $151.97 $971 -6.60
672–696 688 27 130.00–145.50 $138.74 $955 -2.07
718 value added 718 79 140.50–147.75 $146.92 $1,055 +1.92
700–728 722 5 131.00–138.00 $136.64 $987 -0.90
770 770 2 133.00 $133.00 $1,024 -1.31
792 value added 792 25 134.00 $134.00 $1,061 —
935 935 8 125.00 $125.00 $1,169 +3.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 133.00 $133.00 $565 —
475 475 2 130.00 $130.00 $618 -5.00
510 510 1 122.00 $122.00 $622 -7.00
580 580 1 101.00 $101.00 $586 —
655–695 680 4 110.00–125.00 $118.83 $808 -4.17
740 740 2 118.00 $118.00 $873 —
793 793 3 114.00 $114.00 $904 —
897 897 2 104.00 $104.00 $933 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1391 1391 4 85.00 $85.00 $1,182 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 187.50 $187.50 $394 —
352 fancy 352 2 200.00 $200.00 $704 —
380 380 1 191.00 $191.00 $726 +6.50
400–415 408 4 170.00–194.00 $181.04 $739 -1.23
425 fancy 425 3 200.00 $200.00 $850 -7.50
465–497 475 22 175.00–199.00 $191.37 $909 +15.48
492 fancy 492 4 202.00 $202.00 $994 —
540 540 1 145.00 $145.00 $783 -21.02
535–548 fancy 545 4 185.00–190.00 $186.23 $1,015 +12.91
556 fancy 556 6 185.00 $185.00 $1,029 —
553–595 575 12 152.00–165.00 $161.97 $931 +2.38
605 fancy 605 1 160.00 $160.00 $968 +5.32
615–637 629 4 149.00–154.00 $151.24 $951 +8.46
655–690 675 10 133.00–154.00 $141.06 $952 +5.90
705–720 713 5 123.00–131.00 $127.17 $907 -1.82
752–780 761 3 127.00–138.00 $134.24 $1,022 —
820–847 836 6 118.00–124.00 $121.34 $1,014 -2.93
870 870 1 110.00 $110.00 $957 -11.00
953–990 962 4 112.00–113.00 $112.26 $1,080 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 2 165.00 $165.00 $647 —
425–445 435 2 160.00–161.00 $160.49 $698 -4.06
457 457 4 161.00 $161.00 $736 +23.12
585 585 1 133.00 $133.00 $778 -8.00
650 650 1 122.00 $122.00 $793 —
790 790 1 114.00 $114.00 $901 —
800 800 1 100.00 $100.00 $800 -4.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1480 1319 80-85% 19 62.00–71.00 $66.29 $874 -1.34
1260–1410 1335 80-85% 2 59.00–60.00 $59.47 $794 -8.16
1190–1485 1354 80-85% 19 72.00–77.00 $74.02 $1,002 -6.54
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–1045 932 85-90% 5 33.00–51.00 $42.50 $396 -17.72
1000 1000 85-90% 1 59.00 $59.00 $590 +6.35
925–1185 1083 85-90% 4 61.00–66.00 $63.85 $691 -5.23
1000–1195 1120 85-90% 3 71.00–75.00 $73.32 $821 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500 1500 75-80% 1 70.00 $70.00 $1,050 —
1490–1585 1544 75-80% 4 73.00–80.00 $77.55 $1,197 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–2190 1778 7 106.00–116.00 $110.53 $1,965 —
1570–2665 2118 2 90.00–99.00 $93.34 $1,977 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820–1205 953 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 85.00–100.00 $92.68 $883

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1260 1260 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
1350 1350 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 900.00 $900.00 —
1430 1430 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1049 1049 56 114.25 $114.25 $1,198 —

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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.