Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 9, 2023

1,456 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 $172.02/cwt +2.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,507/hd at 876 lb · 200 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $161.95/cwt +35.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,244/hd at 768 lb · 80 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $160.70/cwt -13.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,009/hd at 628 lb · 64 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,456 1,107 2,235
Feeder cattle 1,308 1,069 2,081
Slaughter cattle 133 38 151
Replacement cattle 15 — 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 4.00-6.00 higher, over 600 lbs steady, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, over 500 lbs steady, Very good demand for feeder classes, Good demand for yearlings. Slaughter cows Fully steady, Slaughter bulls 2.00-4.00 higher, 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
220 220 1 190.00 $190.00 $418 —
300–340 fancy 324 6 200.00–220.00 $212.91 $690 -9.09
325 325 1 170.00 $170.00 $552 —
375–392 fancy 386 3 219.00–221.00 $219.65 $848 -8.74
400–446 fancy 419 17 203.00–240.00 $216.91 $909 -4.00
430 430 1 180.00 $180.00 $774 —
450–488 fancy 473 18 211.00–230.00 $226.11 $1,070 +4.11
450–488 473 11 181.00–199.00 $191.24 $905 -0.51
505–542 value added 518 14 196.00–213.00 $203.84 $1,056 +7.66
535 535 1 178.00 $178.00 $952 +13.00
560–595 value added 576 25 190.00–204.00 $199.04 $1,146 +6.99
550–594 583 12 174.00–184.00 $180.97 $1,055 -0.03
603–632 fancy 610 31 194.00–195.50 $194.98 $1,189 —
607–642 value added 621 28 170.00–189.00 $182.31 $1,132 -4.08
650–680 value added 662 38 170.00–183.00 $176.05 $1,165 -3.74
690 690 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,076 -15.19
704 fancy 704 7 183.00 $183.00 $1,288 —
702–735 value added 712 38 167.00–178.00 $170.32 $1,213 -15.58
700–740 727 3 155.00–160.00 $156.61 $1,139 -3.56
753–788 value added 764 41 169.00–173.50 $172.03 $1,314 +0.23
795 795 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,296 -0.06
800–848 836 4 149.00–160.00 $157.37 $1,316 -1.06
867–872 868 15 158.50–164.00 $159.97 $1,389 +5.47
863–892 value added 877 185 170.90–174.90 $173.00 $1,517 +1.66
1049 value added 1049 18 138.50 $138.50 $1,453 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 166.00 $166.00 $822 —
605 605 1 140.00 $140.00 $847 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265 1265 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,505 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,015 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 160.00 $160.00 $448 +5.05
270–290 fancy 286 5 200.00 $200.00 $572 —
321–342 fancy 330 13 180.00–225.00 $206.45 $681 +28.73
315–345 333 6 152.50–173.00 $164.30 $547 —
360–385 373 2 170.00–171.00 $170.52 $636 +20.52
360–397 fancy 377 15 179.00–211.00 $195.96 $739 +13.14
410–445 fancy 431 18 175.00–200.00 $192.86 $831 +3.72
450–496 fancy 478 30 170.00–195.00 $184.43 $882 +3.98
455–491 481 7 150.00–169.00 $165.18 $795 +1.01
500–542 value added 518 35 169.00–184.00 $176.67 $915 +5.67
505–547 520 13 150.00–167.00 $160.79 $836 -1.59
550–590 570 13 152.00–165.00 $159.11 $907 -2.26
554–593 value added 574 25 168.00–177.00 $171.81 $986 +3.81
600 600 1 140.00 $140.00 $840 -17.87
602–639 value added 628 63 155.00–170.00 $161.03 $1,011 -14.12
654–687 value added 662 27 154.00–158.00 $157.14 $1,040 -3.36
658–675 664 8 136.00–152.00 $140.86 $935 -8.44
713 value added 713 5 151.00 $151.00 $1,077 -12.50
705–740 722 6 129.00–149.00 $140.57 $1,015 -0.35
765 value added 765 68 164.50 $164.50 $1,258 —
786 786 12 147.50 $147.50 $1,159 +21.50
812 812 2 144.00 $144.00 $1,169 +19.00
864 value added 864 45 155.00 $155.00 $1,339 —
861–887 870 6 125.00–128.00 $126.02 $1,096 —
906 value added 906 5 145.00 $145.00 $1,314 —
963 963 3 125.00 $125.00 $1,204 +1.00
1104 1104 13 110.00 $110.00 $1,214 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 132.50 $132.50 $398 —
375 375 1 132.00 $132.00 $495 —
500–542 528 3 140.00–141.00 $140.32 $741 —
595 595 1 147.00 $147.00 $875 —
655–680 668 2 115.00–131.00 $122.85 $821 -9.15
780 780 1 123.00 $123.00 $959 —
825–845 835 2 120.00–122.00 $121.01 $1,010 +20.01

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–295 278 2 180.00–195.00 $187.03 $520 —
295 fancy 295 1 202.50 $202.50 $597 —
305–335 316 5 180.00–197.50 $190.77 $603 —
300–334 fancy 325 7 210.00–235.00 $228.35 $742 —
355–385 367 3 172.50–180.00 $177.58 $652 —
350–398 fancy 384 12 200.00–232.50 $219.77 $844 —
400–440 fancy 420 12 200.00–232.50 $215.06 $903 —
421–430 425 5 182.00–198.00 $192.97 $820 —
460–495 473 12 180.00–199.00 $191.50 $906 —
450–499 fancy 484 22 201.00–226.00 $212.16 $1,027 —
500–546 fancy 523 12 187.00–204.00 $196.10 $1,026 +11.10
520–527 525 5 171.00–186.00 $181.63 $954 +19.63
550–580 569 7 171.00–183.00 $178.02 $1,013 +23.02
560–595 fancy 580 6 189.00–199.00 $193.13 $1,120 +5.13
607–640 fancy 616 4 178.00–188.00 $185.16 $1,141 —
635 635 2 151.00 $151.00 $959 -14.00
680–692 688 3 153.00–159.00 $157.02 $1,080 +4.02
715 715 1 132.00 $132.00 $944 -9.00
710–726 fancy 718 8 153.00–159.00 $157.63 $1,132 —
760 760 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,117 —
812 812 2 132.00 $132.00 $1,072 —
850 850 4 129.00 $129.00 $1,096 +10.51
930 930 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,023 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–310 305 2 160.00–170.00 $165.08 $503 —
450 450 1 150.00 $150.00 $675 —
580 580 1 120.00 $120.00 $696 —
665 665 1 137.50 $137.50 $914 —
740 740 1 100.00 $100.00 $740 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230 1230 80-85% 1 65.00 $65.00 $800 —
1180–1405 1293 80-85% 6 73.00–80.00 $76.98 $995 -0.85
1185–1535 1338 80-85% 23 81.00–109.00 $90.54 $1,211 -8.01
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1105 989 85-90% 7 60.00–67.00 $63.24 $625 —
895–1180 1038 85-90% 4 41.00–56.00 $48.02 $498 -10.98
960–1165 1058 85-90% 6 73.00–80.00 $76.27 $807 —
1080–1125 1103 85-90% 2 84.00–89.00 $86.45 $954 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1690 1545 75-80% 2 72.00–77.00 $74.73 $1,155 —
1420–1855 1607 75-80% 11 82.00–98.00 $87.23 $1,402 -14.21

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275 1275 1 88.00 $88.00 $1,122 —
1245–2390 1532 7 98.00–103.00 $100.80 $1,544 —
1855–2000 1928 2 120.00–123.00 $121.56 $2,344 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
755–960 850 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 86.00–110.00 $96.49 $820

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865 865 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 975.00 $975.00
1015–1165 1090 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,225.00 $1,118.12
1275–1585 1407 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 975.00–1,425.00 $1,208.47
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
935 935 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
880–945 913 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 950.00–1,025.00 $986.16
975 975 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,040.00 $1,040.00

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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
985–1140 1063 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,000.00–1,050.00 $1,026.82 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
978 978 3 93.00 $93.00 $910 —

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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.