Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 2, 2023

1,395 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $194.69/cwt +4.90 vs last sale · ≈ $933/hd at 479 lb · 93 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $187.89/cwt -1.21 vs last sale · ≈ $987/hd at 525 lb · 77 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $172.21/cwt +2.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,619/hd at 940 lb · 69 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,395 1,798 2,491
Feeder cattle 1,281 1,694 2,351
Slaughter cattle 111 102 140
Replacement cattle 3 2 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 10.00-15.00 higher with instances of 20.00-25.00 higher, over 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 15.00-20.00 higher, over 500 lbs 6.00-10.00 higher, Very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 higher, Slaughter bulls 6.00-10.00 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
205 205 1 202.50 $202.50 $415 —
205–230 fancy 218 2 210.00–222.50 $215.89 $471 -4.11
260–265 263 2 187.50–190.00 $188.76 $496 —
290–295 fancy 293 3 232.50–247.50 $239.62 $702 —
305–336 fancy 325 16 220.00–262.50 $236.91 $770 +6.47
360–385 368 3 200.00–210.00 $204.46 $752 -10.40
350–398 fancy 375 11 241.00–275.00 $249.55 $936 +16.74
410–440 420 6 195.00–212.00 $207.57 $872 -0.30
405–448 fancy 430 29 221.00–245.00 $237.38 $1,021 +16.22
450–498 fancy 474 43 225.00–243.00 $238.47 $1,130 +17.34
477–495 483 3 205.00–213.00 $210.27 $1,016 +12.36
500–530 508 6 190.00–205.00 $198.00 $1,006 +2.21
500–545 value added 517 55 209.00–233.00 $226.65 $1,172 +10.62
550–580 value added 564 15 205.00–215.00 $211.81 $1,195 -3.36
550–591 576 22 181.00–203.00 $197.81 $1,139 +1.16
600–623 value added 612 32 201.00–214.00 $206.08 $1,261 +14.04
615–645 626 6 173.00–195.00 $189.13 $1,184 —
650–695 669 7 172.00–186.50 $183.64 $1,229 +22.13
650–698 value added 677 26 189.00–201.00 $194.75 $1,318 +12.40
701–740 value added 718 7 180.00–188.00 $185.64 $1,333 -1.10
735–745 738 4 167.00–168.00 $167.75 $1,238 +15.19
753–771 value added 767 22 183.00–191.00 $189.03 $1,450 +13.90
770–790 780 2 158.00–170.00 $163.92 $1,279 —
835 835 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,303 +5.00
875–885 880 2 152.00–165.00 $158.54 $1,395 —
899 value added 899 57 184.00 $184.00 $1,654 +5.62
918 918 11 157.50 $157.50 $1,446 -1.50
944 value added 944 58 175.00 $175.00 $1,652 +5.50
959 value added 959 59 176.80 $176.80 $1,696 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
477 477 2 140.00 $140.00 $668 -30.00
940 940 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,090 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 145.00 $145.00 $638 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 239 6 167.50–185.00 $181.36 $433 +6.17
262 fancy 262 2 200.00 $200.00 $524 +3.00
250–285 268 5 172.50–187.50 $178.69 $479 -11.31
301–345 fancy 324 17 205.00–242.50 $216.76 $702 +17.76
305–340 327 9 177.50–195.00 $187.79 $614 +6.25
350–385 362 3 172.50–199.00 $186.69 $676 +3.53
350–385 fancy 368 32 201.00–245.00 $229.63 $845 +21.79
400–442 fancy 413 18 200.00–233.00 $212.71 $878 +19.88
400–448 433 19 176.00–199.00 $183.59 $795 +3.71
455–498 476 41 170.00–190.00 $182.70 $870 +4.30
460–493 fancy 482 52 194.00–211.00 $204.14 $984 +11.19
507–547 value added 525 66 181.00–206.00 $191.02 $1,003 -0.66
512–540 527 11 160.00–177.00 $169.13 $891 -1.21
550–582 571 7 170.00–177.00 $174.58 $997 +4.42
551–597 value added 571 51 183.00–195.50 $187.71 $1,072 +5.49
600–607 605 3 155.00–162.00 $157.32 $952 +4.64
600–649 value added 629 50 170.00–188.00 $176.94 $1,113 -4.97
655–685 665 4 150.00–169.00 $160.78 $1,069 +12.78
650–695 value added 671 24 170.00–176.00 $173.55 $1,165 -7.82
700–720 710 2 141.00–143.00 $142.01 $1,008 -2.02
720–725 value added 723 3 166.00–177.00 $169.65 $1,227 —
761 value added 761 14 161.00 $161.00 $1,225 -0.73
775 775 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,108 +9.79
832 832 7 144.00 $144.00 $1,198 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 155.00 $155.00 $411 —
310–330 320 2 160.00 $160.00 $512 +17.74
380–390 387 3 150.00 $150.00 $580 —
410–440 426 7 130.00–172.50 $158.76 $676 +4.76
460–496 487 4 140.00–145.00 $143.82 $700 -7.40
505 505 1 137.50 $137.50 $694 —
560–585 578 6 125.00–141.00 $129.25 $747 —
630–645 638 2 101.00–133.00 $116.81 $745 —
685–690 688 2 114.00–140.00 $127.05 $874 —
707–735 721 4 111.00–114.00 $112.53 $811 -6.98
790 790 1 117.50 $117.50 $928 —
835 835 1 111.00 $111.00 $927 -6.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 fancy 205 1 202.50 $202.50 $415 -37.50
257–290 fancy 272 6 225.00–255.00 $240.22 $653 +25.22
347 fancy 347 2 255.00 $255.00 $885 —
353–375 fancy 359 6 215.00–240.00 $229.50 $824 —
400–445 420 8 175.00–200.00 $194.95 $819 —
410–440 fancy 432 15 212.00–240.00 $236.08 $1,020 +35.08
450–475 463 2 180.00–200.00 $190.27 $881 +7.72
450–496 fancy 481 14 205.00–230.00 $217.11 $1,044 +0.11
507–520 514 5 179.00–194.00 $187.78 $965 —
511–530 fancy 516 4 205.00–228.00 $222.09 $1,146 +12.68
550–561 fancy 559 6 199.00–212.00 $202.14 $1,130 —
555–570 564 5 185.00–194.00 $191.02 $1,077 +9.58
600–635 618 2 159.00–170.00 $164.34 $1,016 -4.53
660–685 fancy 670 7 177.00–197.00 $184.54 $1,236 —
735 fancy 735 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,463 —
780 fancy 780 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,388 —
790 790 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,264 -0.60
830 830 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,212 +1.00
855–890 867 3 123.00–138.00 $128.13 $1,111 —
915 915 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,190 +0.07
975–995 985 2 124.00–138.00 $130.93 $1,290 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 160.00 $160.00 $600 —
415 415 1 170.00 $170.00 $706 —
480 480 1 150.00 $150.00 $720 —
760 760 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,064 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1465 1255 80-85% 13 74.00–84.00 $80.14 $1,006 —
1160–1455 1339 80-85% 19 85.00–105.00 $90.54 $1,212 -3.34
1465 1465 80-85% 1 70.00 $70.00 $1,026 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1155 1015 85-90% 6 82.00–86.00 $84.15 $854 +7.13
950–1140 1028 85-90% 6 64.00–69.00 $66.67 $685 -10.35
940–1165 1033 85-90% 9 73.00–81.00 $77.18 $797 +21.02
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1805 1600 75-80% 13 84.00–108.00 $96.21 $1,539 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 1 98.00 $98.00 $1,171 —
1270–1830 1490 4 105.00–110.00 $106.66 $1,589 —
1780–1895 1838 2 124.00–131.00 $127.61 $2,345 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890–940 915 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 95.00–112.00 $101.69 $930

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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.