Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 26, 2023

968 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $175.62/cwt +20.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,483/hd at 845 lb · 136 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $177.72/cwt +15.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,268/hd at 714 lb · 85 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $175.89/cwt +16.86 vs last sale · ≈ $1,348/hd at 767 lb · 85 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 968 1,239 2,010
Feeder cattle 945 1,110 1,926
Slaughter cattle 18 126 82
Replacement cattle 5 3 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 1.00-3.00 lower, over 600 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 2.00-4.00 higher, over 500 lbs 1.00-3.00 lower, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 1.00-2.00 higher, 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
270 270 1 167.50 $167.50 $452 —
335 fancy 335 1 215.00 $215.00 $720 +10.00
351–370 fancy 357 5 202.50–206.00 $204.70 $731 -5.34
385–395 390 2 175.00–190.00 $182.60 $712 +4.05
415 415 2 175.00–187.50 $181.25 $752 -6.38
405–436 fancy 421 8 201.00–210.00 $206.32 $869 -10.68
450–485 470 12 178.00–196.00 $190.86 $897 -2.84
473 value added 473 20 199.00 $199.00 $941 —
505–530 518 2 173.00–176.00 $174.54 $904 -3.96
511–542 value added 530 15 184.00–196.00 $191.86 $1,017 +3.80
556–598 value added 579 20 183.00–192.00 $187.99 $1,088 +1.04
601–635 value added 607 33 176.00–191.00 $186.03 $1,129 +10.63
610–625 619 4 163.00–166.00 $165.00 $1,021 +6.00
665–675 673 4 150.00–165.00 $161.29 $1,085 +3.29
670–689 value added 680 23 170.00–175.00 $174.09 $1,184 -1.65
710–714 value added 712 79 169.00–180.80 $178.72 $1,272 +15.80
728–743 736 6 163.00–166.00 $164.52 $1,211 +10.52
764–775 value added 765 77 169.00–178.25 $177.03 $1,354 +16.74
760–786 781 8 152.50–168.00 $164.87 $1,288 +16.84
808–840 827 10 165.00–167.00 $165.78 $1,371 +15.88
844–847 value added 846 126 174.80–178.00 $176.40 $1,492 +15.40
984 value added 984 58 167.60 $167.60 $1,649 —
1006 value added 1006 55 164.80 $164.80 $1,658 —
1055–1090 1073 2 138.00–151.00 $144.39 $1,549 —
1092 value added 1092 51 160.00 $160.00 $1,747 +1.79
1130 1130 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,571 —
1155 1155 2 133.00–152.00 $142.50 $1,646 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–305 303 2 145.00–155.00 $150.04 $455 —
365–385 375 2 140.00–150.00 $144.87 $543 —
635 635 1 142.00 $142.00 $902 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
247 247 2 172.00 $172.00 $425 —
275–290 283 2 165.00–172.50 $168.85 $478 +17.43
305–335 316 4 160.00–169.00 $165.00 $521 +17.54
340 fancy 340 3 172.50–177.50 $175.83 $598 +0.83
355–385 377 5 159.00–165.00 $160.83 $606 +6.56
355–397 fancy 381 20 182.00–194.00 $191.69 $730 +12.63
400–443 fancy 422 21 170.00–183.00 $180.85 $763 -2.10
430–435 433 2 156.00–169.00 $162.46 $703 +8.95
455–495 485 9 147.00–161.00 $154.58 $750 +4.66
465–498 fancy 490 23 172.00–183.00 $181.10 $887 +5.13
500–535 value added 519 9 165.00–171.00 $168.73 $876 +1.40
510–540 521 8 147.00–163.00 $156.57 $816 -2.05
550–591 563 20 149.00–162.00 $157.43 $886 +2.56
606–645 value added 611 25 157.00–159.00 $158.92 $971 +5.69
600–625 612 3 136.00–153.00 $144.73 $886 +3.87
655–690 671 6 139.00–153.00 $150.11 $1,007 +8.11
711 value added 711 23 142.00 $142.00 $1,010 -17.95
720–745 733 2 123.00–132.00 $127.42 $934 +7.42
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 140.00 $140.00 $294 —
255 255 1 115.00 $115.00 $293 —
305 305 2 141.00 $141.00 $430 —
410 410 1 142.00 $142.00 $582 —
470 470 1 120.00 $120.00 $564 -5.65
545 545 1 130.00 $130.00 $708 +5.34
675–691 688 5 124.00–126.00 $125.61 $864 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 117.50 $117.50 $599 —
645 645 1 105.00 $105.00 $677 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,384 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–357 356 4 183.00–187.50 $184.62 $657 -10.38
370 fancy 370 1 200.00 $200.00 $740 —
405–435 fancy 430 12 207.00–216.00 $214.59 $923 +4.59
475 475 1 181.00 $181.00 $860 -7.32
501–523 fancy 513 11 181.00–187.00 $184.80 $948 -2.22
564 fancy 564 6 190.00 $190.00 $1,072 +3.00
570–590 582 3 161.00–170.00 $164.69 $958 -8.30
610–627 fancy 621 3 164.00–170.00 $165.96 $1,031 -8.04
610–645 628 2 155.00–163.00 $159.11 $999 +6.15
655 655 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,055 +9.57
803 803 3 132.00 $132.00 $1,060 —
895 895 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,074 —
905 905 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,077 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272 272 2 160.00 $160.00 $435 —
455–460 458 2 148.00–160.00 $154.03 $705 +9.03
520 520 1 120.00 $120.00 $624 -28.00
840 840 1 117.00 $117.00 $983 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1170 1031 85-90% 8 52.00–59.00 $54.58 $563 -1.83
1035 1035 85-90% 1 76.00 $76.00 $787 +19.59
1040–1050 1045 85-90% 2 64.00–72.00 $68.02 $711 +11.61
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1237 1237 80-85% 2 89.00 $89.00 $1,101 —
1255–1325 1290 80-85% 2 65.00–72.00 $68.59 $885 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1955 1955 75-80% 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,799 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,347 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1145 1145 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
1310 1310 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1575 1575 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
915–1045 980 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 850.00–875.00 $863.33 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740 740 1 101.00 $101.00 $747 —

↑ 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.