Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 23, 2023

1,656 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 $184.01/cwt +23.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,227/hd at 667 lb · 176 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $183.20/cwt -6.23 vs last sale · ≈ $1,540/hd at 841 lb · 138 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $188.23/cwt -7.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,184/hd at 629 lb · 114 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,656 1,563 1,346
Feeder cattle 1,584 1,405 1,162
Slaughter cattle 65 158 165
Replacement cattle 7 — 19

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 5.00-10.00 higher, over 700 lbs steady to 3.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 600 lbs steady to 5.00 lower, over 600 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 higher, 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
270 fancy 270 1 235.00 $235.00 $634 +2.22
310–345 fancy 322 3 231.00–250.00 $243.21 $783 +15.88
365–395 fancy 378 12 242.50–273.00 $250.10 $945 +12.11
385 385 1 222.50 $222.50 $857 +12.09
406–449 fancy 433 20 232.00–261.00 $248.58 $1,076 +13.47
445 445 1 210.00 $210.00 $934 —
465 465 1 211.00 $211.00 $981 +8.32
450–495 fancy 482 9 222.00–245.00 $236.32 $1,139 +3.23
500–545 509 6 204.00–210.00 $208.76 $1,063 +8.68
500–545 value added 522 35 215.00–260.00 $238.65 $1,246 +14.20
553–570 563 14 203.00–209.00 $207.02 $1,166 +13.02
550–595 value added 576 42 211.00–230.00 $222.19 $1,280 +2.41
627 627 57 163.00 $163.00 $1,022 -13.00
630 fancy 630 30 220.50 $220.50 $1,389 —
616–647 value added 632 27 193.00–213.00 $205.62 $1,300 +9.09
665–675 670 2 185.00–188.00 $186.49 $1,249 +12.49
657–692 value added 685 101 192.00–213.00 $201.61 $1,381 +8.00
713–748 value added 719 77 187.00–200.00 $194.41 $1,398 +4.85
762 762 2 179.00 $179.00 $1,364 +6.00
776 value added 776 4 195.00 $195.00 $1,513 +3.66
825 825 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,382 —
810–842 value added 841 137 178.00–188.00 $183.31 $1,542 -6.12
856–878 value added 857 67 178.00 $178.00 $1,525 —
920 920 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,555 -3.30
925–938 value added 926 63 175.00–176.00 $175.90 $1,629 -9.10
977 977 2 154.00 $154.00 $1,505 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095 1095 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,632 —
1000–1202 1111 4 141.00–163.00 $148.52 $1,650 —
1385 1385 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,981 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,123 —
860 860 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,221 —
900 900 1 127.50 $127.50 $1,148 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 141.00 $141.00 $486 —
440 440 1 142.50 $142.50 $627 +2.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 3 185.00–195.00 $191.67 $527 -7.38
295 fancy 295 3 209.00 $209.00 $617 —
310–335 320 4 190.00–200.00 $193.08 $618 +8.24
315–345 fancy 330 2 202.50–205.00 $203.69 $672 -14.81
350–375 364 4 180.00–197.00 $187.11 $681 -9.98
350–395 fancy 375 3 202.00–210.00 $206.35 $774 -4.81
400–445 423 25 175.00–198.00 $184.99 $783 -3.57
418–446 fancy 426 13 200.00–209.00 $206.12 $878 -7.37
455 455 1 141.00 $141.00 $642 -47.49
450–485 464 9 179.00–193.00 $186.24 $864 -2.25
461–496 fancy 479 22 202.00–215.00 $205.51 $984 +0.08
505–535 520 2 180.00–181.00 $180.51 $939 +0.52
515–548 value added 533 47 191.00–211.00 $200.51 $1,069 +0.87
550 550 1 160.00 $160.00 $880 -23.18
551–597 value added 566 63 188.00–201.00 $196.55 $1,112 +4.59
590 590 1 139.00 $139.00 $820 -44.18
604–622 value added 609 16 193.00–207.00 $195.76 $1,192 +28.53
605–635 623 3 160.00–175.00 $169.62 $1,057 +14.93
652–670 value added 666 167 181.00–190.00 $184.80 $1,231 +7.38
650–693 678 9 165.00–175.00 $169.26 $1,148 +16.05
706–740 value added 707 75 176.00–181.75 $181.17 $1,281 +14.17
717–745 721 12 142.00–157.00 $155.21 $1,119 +12.66
752–782 value added 771 11 167.00–172.00 $168.77 $1,301 —
775 775 3 148.00–159.00 $155.33 $1,204 +18.56
830 830 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,162 +12.00
935 935 2 144.00 $144.00 $1,346 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–385 383 2 135.00–160.00 $147.42 $565 -22.58
400–445 421 6 143.00–173.00 $162.92 $686 -0.47
686 686 3 140.00 $140.00 $960 +9.50
700–730 715 2 131.00–133.00 $131.98 $944 —
776 776 3 135.00 $135.00 $1,048 —
830 830 1 103.00 $103.00 $855 —
880 880 2 112.00 $112.00 $986 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 fancy 290 1 227.50 $227.50 $660 —
332 fancy 332 4 221.00 $221.00 $734 -21.50
375–376 fancy 376 5 226.00–230.00 $226.80 $853 -53.20
405–445 fancy 424 4 233.00–265.00 $250.13 $1,061 +28.47
452–460 455 4 180.00–210.00 $194.54 $885 -5.16
455–497 fancy 484 10 229.00–262.00 $241.13 $1,167 +4.73
501–520 fancy 506 6 222.50–228.00 $224.42 $1,136 +2.21
516 516 3 197.00 $197.00 $1,017 +11.51
555–565 562 3 181.00–198.00 $190.96 $1,073 -0.04
555–585 fancy 566 6 210.00–220.00 $216.12 $1,223 +10.58
602–640 fancy 623 10 187.00–211.00 $197.30 $1,229 -0.79
655 fancy 655 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,297 +5.50
680 680 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,156 ±0.00
715–735 fancy 729 5 175.00–184.00 $177.57 $1,294 -6.43
740 740 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,221 +18.48
775–795 785 2 168.00–173.00 $170.53 $1,339 +35.53
985 985 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,369 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 2 132.50–177.50 $155.00 $666 -8.00
500–515 508 2 156.00–177.50 $166.91 $848 —
660 660 1 151.00 $151.00 $997 —
825 825 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,031 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1230 1205 80-85% 2 73.00–75.00 $73.98 $891 -0.79
1095–1390 1296 80-85% 5 91.00–94.00 $93.21 $1,208 -3.04
1130–1465 1306 80-85% 14 96.00–111.00 $103.46 $1,351 +17.31
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910 910 85-90% 1 63.00 $63.00 $573 +0.19
960–1034 997 85-90% 2 72.00–73.00 $72.52 $723 +0.63
985–1155 1055 85-90% 3 90.00–95.00 $91.88 $969 +7.69
1110–1185 1140 85-90% 3 80.00–89.00 $83.12 $948 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1660 1578 75-80% 3 99.00–113.00 $106.43 $1,679 —
1550–1735 1630 75-80% 4 90.00–95.00 $92.55 $1,509 -4.99

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1575 1439 4 104.00–118.00 $108.88 $1,567 —
1440–1715 1592 3 90.00–98.00 $93.32 $1,486 —
1170–2095 1759 4 125.00–145.00 $133.29 $2,345 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
830 830 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 110.00 $110.00 $913

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080 1080 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
730 730 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
790–960 875 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 975.00–1,100.00 $1,043.57

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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
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875 value added 875 59 149.00 $149.00 $1,304 —

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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.