Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 16, 2023

1,563 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $190.37/cwt +5.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,371/hd at 720 lb · 149 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $181.67/cwt +5.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,660/hd at 914 lb · 80 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $189.43/cwt +6.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,550/hd at 818 lb · 78 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,563 1,744 1,729
Feeder cattle 1,405 1,680 1,571
Slaughter cattle 158 60 158
Replacement cattle — 4 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, over 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers steady to 3.00 lower, Good to 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
240 240 1 210.00 $210.00 $504 —
265 265 1 200.00 $200.00 $530 -2.69
272–283 fancy 280 7 230.00–240.00 $232.78 $652 —
322–337 331 5 197.50–210.00 $203.51 $674 -11.92
300–346 fancy 334 8 217.00–235.00 $227.33 $759 -21.32
350–385 364 6 200.00–212.50 $210.41 $766 +5.41
352–396 fancy 379 24 224.00–265.00 $237.99 $902 -10.08
413–442 fancy 423 16 222.00–247.00 $235.11 $995 -8.19
450–480 fancy 470 25 219.00–247.00 $233.09 $1,096 -3.96
462–485 473 6 191.00–214.00 $202.68 $959 -10.70
500–548 value added 521 48 209.00–232.00 $224.45 $1,169 -12.91
515–535 528 4 190.00–204.00 $200.08 $1,056 +2.87
553 553 3 194.00 $194.00 $1,073 +16.96
550–598 value added 571 42 209.00–238.00 $219.78 $1,255 -4.41
625 625 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,100 -21.06
605–646 value added 641 49 194.00–212.00 $196.53 $1,260 -22.50
655 655 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,140 -20.95
653–695 value added 667 47 189.00–198.00 $193.61 $1,291 -22.28
704–720 704 43 172.00–176.00 $174.95 $1,232 +0.75
726 fancy 726 70 200.25 $200.25 $1,454 —
705–744 value added 729 36 180.00–198.00 $189.56 $1,382 +3.72
756–789 value added 781 38 181.00–196.00 $191.34 $1,494 +4.86
787 787 12 173.00 $173.00 $1,362 -8.35
815–819 value added 818 78 189.30–190.00 $189.43 $1,550 +6.26
855 fancy 855 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,710 —
850–895 872 5 171.00–180.00 $177.42 $1,547 +17.91
905 value added 905 59 185.00 $185.00 $1,674 +8.44
900–945 938 21 165.00–174.00 $172.30 $1,616 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–315 310 2 145.00–180.00 $162.22 $503 —
385 385 1 132.50 $132.50 $510 —
435 435 1 165.00 $165.00 $718 -7.50
465 465 1 175.00 $175.00 $814 +17.21
535 535 1 152.00 $152.00 $813 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1052 1052 2 131.00 $131.00 $1,378 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 140.00 $140.00 $595 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 195.00 $195.00 $448 +23.66
275–285 283 4 193.00–201.00 $199.05 $563 +32.98
305–341 fancy 325 12 205.00–229.00 $218.50 $710 +1.67
305–337 326 3 182.50–190.00 $184.84 $603 -16.03
350–395 fancy 365 34 200.00–225.00 $211.16 $771 -8.46
365–390 375 11 194.00–199.00 $197.09 $739 -2.42
407–440 fancy 420 27 202.00–222.00 $213.49 $897 -0.20
421–445 430 10 177.00–196.00 $188.56 $811 -3.56
467–498 481 52 181.00–199.00 $188.49 $907 -5.05
478–490 fancy 484 13 201.00–214.00 $205.43 $994 +0.04
500–515 506 4 175.00–185.00 $179.99 $911 -2.78
500–545 value added 518 48 190.00–212.00 $199.64 $1,034 +1.07
550–585 value added 558 41 187.00–202.00 $191.96 $1,071 -9.22
566–595 578 5 179.00–185.00 $183.18 $1,059 +11.92
605–625 value added 622 7 163.00–180.00 $167.23 $1,040 -19.90
630–645 638 9 145.00–161.00 $154.69 $987 -6.31
669–678 value added 675 21 162.00–183.50 $177.42 $1,198 -1.94
655–698 691 51 140.00–156.00 $153.21 $1,059 -9.11
729 value added 729 6 167.00 $167.00 $1,217 -8.08
730–740 735 2 135.00–150.00 $142.55 $1,048 -8.20
750–779 771 11 130.00–143.00 $136.77 $1,054 -7.23
810 810 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,037 -9.00
860 860 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,213 —
955 955 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,184 +1.00
1000 1000 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,300 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 170.00 $170.00 $561 —
385 385 1 170.00 $170.00 $654 +26.23
425–445 433 5 143.00–172.00 $163.39 $707 +6.10
480 480 1 121.00 $121.00 $581 -38.73
535 535 1 135.00 $135.00 $722 —
555–580 569 7 130.00–159.00 $135.49 $771 -26.52
685–695 690 2 130.00–131.00 $130.50 $900 —
940 940 2 119.00 $119.00 $1,119 +8.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895 895 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,164 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750 750 1 110.00 $110.00 $825 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
293 293 3 217.50 $217.50 $637 —
345 fancy 345 2 242.50 $242.50 $837 +27.50
365 fancy 365 3 280.00 $280.00 $1,022 +60.71
406–445 fancy 428 11 210.00–234.00 $221.66 $949 -28.92
455–480 fancy 472 15 212.00–246.00 $236.40 $1,116 +0.21
470–485 475 3 198.00–203.00 $199.70 $949 -15.30
500–547 fancy 515 29 200.00–246.00 $222.21 $1,144 +2.23
535–540 538 2 184.00–187.00 $185.49 $998 +14.49
550 550 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,050 +3.12
554–580 fancy 562 9 200.00–217.00 $205.54 $1,155 -12.76
600–645 fancy 620 6 185.00–208.00 $198.09 $1,228 -2.92
650 650 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,105 +10.00
683–685 fancy 684 4 188.00–194.00 $192.50 $1,317 +1.48
700 fancy 700 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,288 +9.00
715–730 723 2 145.00–148.00 $146.52 $1,059 —
795 795 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,073 —
800–820 810 3 150.00–165.00 $157.94 $1,279 +10.94
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 163.00 $163.00 $660 —
485 485 1 171.00 $171.00 $829 —
620 620 1 139.00 $139.00 $862 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1415 1237 80-85% 6 71.00–78.00 $74.77 $925 -19.90
1130–1435 1265 80-85% 33 90.00–107.00 $96.25 $1,218 —
1185–1425 1309 80-85% 7 83.00–89.00 $86.15 $1,128 +23.15
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1130 919 85-90% 7 49.00–67.00 $62.81 $577 —
800–1170 976 85-90% 10 66.00–77.00 $71.89 $702 —
960–1140 1056 85-90% 11 80.00–89.00 $84.19 $889 -7.81
1030–1100 1068 85-90% 11 90.00–99.00 $93.27 $996 +1.27
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1820 1606 75-80% 8 91.00–101.00 $97.54 $1,566 —
1585–1790 1653 75-80% 3 86.00–89.00 $87.68 $1,449 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1345 1210 5 102.00–116.00 $108.37 $1,311 —
1490 1490 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,386 —
1225–2235 1640 9 118.00–137.00 $125.47 $2,058 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
437 437 2 132.00 $132.00 $577 —
465 465 2 140.00 $140.00 $651 —

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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.