Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 9, 2023

1,744 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $176.56/cwt +4.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,638/hd at 928 lb · 131 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $182.02/cwt -1.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,586/hd at 871 lb · 124 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $183.17/cwt +27.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,489/hd at 813 lb · 88 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,744 1,395 1,150
Feeder cattle 1,680 1,281 1,034
Slaughter cattle 60 111 111
Replacement cattle 4 3 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 6.00-8.00 higher, over 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 2.00-4.00 lower, over 500 lbs 4.00-6.00 higher, Very good demand for feeder and 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
250–290 270 2 200.00–205.00 $202.69 $547 +13.93
318–335 323 7 201.00–222.00 $215.43 $696 —
334–345 fancy 336 6 230.00–252.50 $248.65 $835 +11.74
350 350 1 205.00 $205.00 $718 +0.54
350–395 fancy 368 30 232.50–267.50 $248.07 $913 -1.48
400–435 413 5 190.00–211.00 $201.33 $831 -6.24
401–445 fancy 422 33 219.00–259.00 $243.30 $1,027 +5.92
455–495 fancy 471 26 220.00–254.00 $237.05 $1,117 -1.42
455–497 476 15 205.00–218.00 $213.38 $1,016 +3.11
512–522 517 5 195.00–200.00 $197.21 $1,020 -0.79
500–543 value added 520 61 219.00–248.00 $237.36 $1,234 +10.71
565–575 570 2 173.00–181.00 $177.04 $1,009 -20.77
558–597 value added 577 34 212.50–231.00 $224.19 $1,294 +12.38
600–649 value added 625 33 205.00–224.00 $219.03 $1,369 +12.95
617–640 634 8 190.00–200.00 $197.06 $1,249 +7.93
653–680 660 16 185.00–200.00 $194.95 $1,287 +11.31
655–686 value added 671 57 202.00–223.00 $215.89 $1,449 +21.14
722 722 10 171.00–179.00 $174.20 $1,258 +6.45
727–749 value added 747 74 184.00–191.00 $185.84 $1,388 +0.20
751–784 value added 772 53 185.00–192.00 $186.48 $1,440 -2.55
750–797 787 12 171.00–183.50 $181.35 $1,427 +17.43
809–835 value added 813 88 179.00–184.00 $183.17 $1,489 —
855–882 value added 871 119 180.00–186.00 $182.97 $1,594 -1.03
855–890 877 5 151.00–173.00 $159.51 $1,399 +0.97
920–935 value added 928 131 170.00–181.50 $176.56 $1,638 +1.56
955–995 957 22 154.00–159.00 $158.76 $1,519 —
976 value added 976 51 175.00 $175.00 $1,708 -1.80
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 172.50 $172.50 $716 —
470–495 482 5 153.00–161.00 $157.79 $761 +17.79
595 595 1 157.00 $157.00 $934 —
630 630 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,008 —
660 660 1 142.00 $142.00 $937 —
805 805 1 115.00 $115.00 $926 —
945 945 1 103.00 $103.00 $973 -13.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240–245 243 2 162.50–180.00 $171.34 $416 -10.02
245 fancy 245 1 222.50 $222.50 $545 —
270–295 fancy 278 4 200.00–212.50 $204.32 $568 +4.32
275–290 280 3 160.50–170.00 $166.07 $465 -12.62
305–335 317 5 192.50–203.00 $200.87 $637 +13.08
300–345 fancy 319 11 210.00–225.00 $216.83 $692 +0.07
350–392 fancy 370 16 209.00–227.00 $219.62 $813 -10.01
358–390 378 9 180.00–207.50 $199.51 $754 +12.82
400–445 fancy 414 43 200.00–223.00 $213.69 $885 +0.98
400–445 426 23 185.00–198.00 $192.12 $818 +8.53
450–496 469 26 180.00–199.00 $193.54 $908 +10.84
455–494 fancy 473 44 200.00–212.00 $205.39 $971 +1.25
505–545 value added 523 45 190.00–222.50 $198.57 $1,039 +7.55
525–542 537 4 180.00–185.00 $182.77 $981 +13.64
550–598 value added 568 70 190.00–207.00 $201.18 $1,143 +13.47
570–583 580 4 169.00–172.00 $171.26 $993 -3.32
600–647 value added 625 53 180.00–194.00 $187.13 $1,170 +10.19
632 632 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,018 +3.68
665–680 671 9 151.00–172.00 $162.32 $1,089 +1.54
652–694 value added 672 49 174.00–187.00 $179.36 $1,205 +5.81
708–745 value added 720 27 173.00–176.00 $175.08 $1,261 +5.43
735–736 736 4 150.00–151.00 $150.75 $1,110 +8.74
755–795 value added 766 19 172.00–179.00 $175.44 $1,344 +14.44
770 770 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,109 +1.00
822 value added 822 5 158.00 $158.00 $1,299 —
825 825 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,130 -7.00
892 value added 892 5 152.00 $152.00 $1,356 —
970 970 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,193 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–365 360 2 142.50–145.00 $143.77 $518 -6.23
410–440 430 5 145.00–170.00 $157.29 $676 -1.47
450–475 463 3 154.00–165.00 $159.73 $740 +15.91
565–570 568 2 160.00–164.00 $162.01 $920 +32.76
600–640 610 5 122.50–147.50 $137.85 $841 +21.04
705–725 715 2 120.00–132.50 $126.34 $903 +13.81
855–890 873 2 119.00–120.00 $119.51 $1,043 —
925 925 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,027 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 194.50 $194.50 $632 —
340 fancy 340 1 215.00 $215.00 $731 -40.00
365 365 1 190.00 $190.00 $694 —
360–375 fancy 370 5 201.00–232.50 $219.29 $811 -10.21
405–441 fancy 432 15 232.00–260.00 $250.58 $1,083 +14.50
425–445 435 2 215.00–222.00 $218.42 $950 +23.47
460–490 fancy 484 10 228.00–239.00 $236.19 $1,143 +19.08
495 495 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,064 +24.73
515–525 fancy 520 2 218.00–222.00 $219.98 $1,144 -2.11
535 535 1 171.00 $171.00 $915 -16.78
565–585 fancy 570 23 202.00–222.00 $218.30 $1,244 +16.16
560–595 573 6 183.00–196.00 $187.88 $1,077 -3.14
601–645 fancy 612 5 185.00–210.00 $201.01 $1,230 —
626 626 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,064 +5.66
660–680 fancy 674 8 181.00–198.00 $191.02 $1,287 +6.48
680 680 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,088 —
705 fancy 705 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,234 -24.00
845 845 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,242 +1.00
850–895 873 2 130.00–139.00 $134.62 $1,175 +6.49
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 170.00 $170.00 $756 ±0.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1420 1235 80-85% 8 87.00–102.00 $94.67 $1,169 —
1330 1330 80-85% 1 63.00 $63.00 $838 -27.54
1315–1410 1363 80-85% 2 81.00–83.00 $81.97 $1,117 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1660 1390 75-80% 11 87.00–105.00 $96.69 $1,344 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–1125 1002 85-90% 3 62.00–71.00 $67.28 $674 -16.87
1075 1075 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $989 —
1065–1140 1099 85-90% 4 73.00–83.00 $78.60 $864 —
1135 1135 85-90% 1 55.00 $55.00 $624 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1495 1320 2 116.00–118.00 $116.87 $1,543 —
1340–2550 1846 8 120.00–137.00 $128.27 $2,368 +0.66

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 90.00 $90.00 $720

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1095 1095 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1160 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00

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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
1335 1335 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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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.