Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 16, 2023

1,364 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 heifers $154.13/cwt +0.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,048/hd at 680 lb · 114 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $170.84/cwt -0.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,256/hd at 735 lb · 88 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $193.73/cwt +0.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,125/hd at 581 lb · 70 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,364 1,456 1,737
Feeder cattle 1,277 1,308 1,650
Slaughter cattle 79 133 78
Replacement cattle 8 15 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, over 700 lbs steady, Feeder heifers steady, Very good demand for feeder classes, Good demand for yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls steady, 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
220–240 fancy 230 4 207.50–220.00 $213.48 $491 —
320–347 fancy 342 7 217.50–228.00 $218.90 $749 +5.99
358–380 fancy 367 9 207.00–230.00 $224.78 $825 +5.13
400–446 fancy 433 28 219.00–241.00 $226.45 $981 +9.54
465 465 1 162.00 $162.00 $753 -29.24
455–499 fancy 495 44 210.00–220.50 $218.90 $1,084 -7.21
505–548 value added 522 36 190.00–218.00 $206.33 $1,077 +2.49
520–547 540 11 168.00–187.00 $183.41 $990 +5.41
575 575 2 165.00 $165.00 $949 -15.97
555–596 value added 581 68 190.00–200.00 $194.58 $1,131 -4.46
603–634 value added 619 45 179.00–202.00 $191.06 $1,183 +8.75
625–637 631 4 165.00–169.00 $167.02 $1,054 —
666 666 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,099 +9.00
653–685 value added 667 36 180.00–190.00 $185.43 $1,237 +9.38
700–741 725 5 154.00–155.00 $154.61 $1,121 -2.00
715–749 value added 736 83 165.00–177.00 $171.82 $1,265 +1.50
752–787 value added 774 14 169.00–178.00 $172.57 $1,336 +0.54
800 800 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,200 —
806 thin fleshed 806 63 183.90 $183.90 $1,482 —
828 value added 828 4 172.00 $172.00 $1,424 —
880 880 5 154.00 $154.00 $1,355 -5.97
900 900 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,431 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 152.50 $152.50 $412 —
370 370 1 145.00 $145.00 $536 —
482 482 2 165.00 $165.00 $795 -1.00
690 690 1 122.50 $122.50 $845 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235–240 238 2 167.50–180.00 $173.82 $414 —
260–295 266 7 162.50–177.00 $173.43 $461 +13.43
287–290 fancy 288 3 190.00–198.00 $195.31 $562 -4.69
320 320 1 170.00 $170.00 $544 +5.70
300–345 fancy 330 10 187.00–223.00 $205.33 $678 -1.12
380–395 388 4 162.00–179.00 $172.18 $668 +1.66
365–398 fancy 390 16 185.00–209.00 $193.90 $756 -2.06
400–447 fancy 418 28 180.00–201.00 $196.51 $821 +3.65
405–445 418 13 153.00–176.00 $168.00 $702 —
452–493 fancy 479 30 181.00–195.00 $188.94 $905 +4.51
465–495 481 7 157.00–179.00 $170.11 $818 +4.93
505–535 value added 521 50 175.00–186.00 $177.79 $926 +1.12
500–535 528 18 169.00–174.00 $170.59 $901 +9.80
550–553 value added 553 24 176.00–178.00 $177.83 $983 +6.02
555–595 578 21 160.00–170.00 $165.62 $957 +6.51
612–620 617 5 132.00–144.00 $138.84 $857 -1.16
604–644 value added 626 41 154.00–166.00 $158.72 $994 -2.31
658–695 678 36 133.00–151.00 $146.91 $996 +6.05
655–681 value added 681 78 154.00–157.50 $157.46 $1,072 +0.32
705–720 713 2 130.00 $130.00 $927 -10.57
775 775 7 126.00–135.00 $133.71 $1,036 -13.79
825–833 828 10 133.00–142.00 $136.62 $1,131 -7.38
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 145.00 $145.00 $348 —
325 325 1 140.00 $140.00 $455 +7.50
375 375 1 152.50 $152.50 $572 +20.50
411 411 4 137.50 $137.50 $565 —
495 495 1 148.00 $148.00 $733 —
500 500 1 149.00 $149.00 $745 +8.68
625 625 1 135.00 $135.00 $844 —
665–690 678 2 108.00–114.00 $110.94 $752 -11.91
771 771 5 124.00 $124.00 $956 +1.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 122.50 $122.50 $441 —

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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 1 170.00 $170.00 $357 —
245 fancy 245 1 200.00 $200.00 $490 —
280 fancy 280 1 212.50 $212.50 $595 +10.00
295 295 1 175.00 $175.00 $516 -12.03
315–325 fancy 320 2 200.00–211.00 $205.59 $658 -22.76
345 345 1 180.00 $180.00 $621 -10.77
360–385 fancy 377 8 200.00–222.50 $209.91 $791 -9.86
400–446 fancy 427 9 204.00–221.00 $212.98 $909 -2.08
435–440 438 2 182.00–199.00 $190.55 $835 -2.42
450–485 fancy 466 6 204.00–218.00 $207.81 $968 -4.35
450–495 471 9 176.00–192.00 $182.46 $859 -9.04
505–533 523 8 179.00–186.00 $182.38 $954 +0.75
520–545 fancy 532 5 189.00–200.00 $193.23 $1,028 -2.87
555–585 fancy 571 4 188.00–192.00 $190.25 $1,086 -2.88
575–595 582 3 176.00–184.00 $180.28 $1,049 +2.26
615–633 fancy 629 5 180.00–182.00 $181.61 $1,142 -3.55
645 645 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,051 +12.00
675–690 684 7 161.00–168.00 $165.86 $1,134 +8.84
700 700 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,085 +23.00
805–830 816 4 121.00–131.00 $127.46 $1,040 -4.54
905 905 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,240 +27.00
965 965 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,110 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 132.50 $132.50 $278 —
330–335 333 2 145.00–152.50 $148.78 $495 -16.30
380 380 1 162.50 $162.50 $618 —
400–445 431 4 161.00–170.00 $164.10 $707 —
550–585 568 2 143.00–164.00 $153.82 $874 +33.82
685 685 1 121.00 $121.00 $829 -16.50
745 745 1 119.00 $119.00 $887 +19.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1415 1271 80-85% 12 73.00–80.00 $76.91 $978 -0.07
1165–1435 1300 80-85% 22 81.00–95.00 $85.99 $1,118 —
1300 1300 80-85% 1 68.00 $68.00 $884 —
1350 1350 80-85% 1 57.00 $57.00 $770 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1065 958 85-90% 3 45.00–56.00 $52.34 $501 -10.90
920–1030 971 85-90% 4 60.00–68.00 $62.62 $608 -0.62
985–1125 1072 85-90% 9 73.00–80.00 $76.61 $821 +0.34
1000–1165 1098 85-90% 5 81.00–88.00 $83.23 $914 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1680 1565 75-80% 9 82.00–100.00 $88.88 $1,391 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1495 1455 2 100.00–102.00 $100.97 $1,469 —
1395–1945 1774 4 112.00–118.00 $115.46 $2,048 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890 890 (<2 yrs)Open 1 105.00 $105.00 $934
1045 1045 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 90.00 $90.00 $940
1005–1205 1116 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 92.00–104.00 $97.01 $1,083

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
715 715 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 790.00 $790.00
1130 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 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
370 370 1 120.00 $120.00 $444 —
913 value added 913 55 147.75 $147.75 $1,349 —

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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.