Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 30, 2023

2,528 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 $184.93/cwt +0.92 vs last sale · ≈ $1,223/hd at 661 lb · 267 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $190.87/cwt -0.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,185/hd at 621 lb · 178 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $179.77/cwt +3.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,670/hd at 929 lb · 167 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,528 1,656 1,922
Feeder cattle 2,392 1,584 1,811
Slaughter cattle 132 65 102
Replacement cattle 4 7 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs steady, over 600 lbs 4.00-6.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 12.00-15.00 higher, over 500 lbs steady to 5.00 higher, Good to very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls 1.00-3.00 lower, 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
233–235 234 4 210.00–215.00 $211.26 $494 —
250–280 265 2 180.00–202.50 $190.61 $505 —
310–342 fancy 321 10 220.00–251.00 $225.90 $725 -17.31
305–340 327 4 192.00–210.00 $204.16 $668 —
357–395 fancy 373 12 220.00–267.50 $246.69 $920 -3.41
355–397 377 6 210.00–217.50 $214.87 $810 -7.63
400–448 fancy 427 26 221.00–260.00 $239.02 $1,021 -9.56
450–495 fancy 472 31 225.00–260.00 $239.83 $1,132 +3.51
450–490 475 4 197.50–217.50 $205.08 $974 -5.92
505–516 512 9 200.00–209.00 $205.54 $1,052 -3.22
504–545 value added 520 49 211.00–250.00 $234.98 $1,222 -3.67
551–590 value added 566 40 211.00–255.00 $232.68 $1,317 +10.49
605–640 617 3 195.00–198.00 $196.04 $1,210 +33.04
601–648 value added 636 115 202.00–229.00 $219.65 $1,397 +14.03
655–690 663 6 189.00–192.00 $190.84 $1,265 +4.35
661–693 value added 683 18 211.00–220.00 $213.49 $1,458 +11.88
700–735 value added 713 20 196.00–206.00 $203.51 $1,451 +9.10
730–740 735 2 170.00–185.00 $177.45 $1,304 —
775 775 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,403 +2.00
753–792 value added 787 132 192.00–201.00 $196.20 $1,544 +1.20
825 value added 825 4 183.00 $183.00 $1,510 -0.31
854–870 value added 854 67 185.00–188.00 $187.95 $1,605 +9.95
870 870 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,488 —
920 920 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,481 -8.00
901–946 value added 929 166 177.75–186.00 $179.88 $1,671 +3.98
955 value added 955 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,729 —
1042 value added 1042 48 173.75 $173.75 $1,810 —
1069 value added 1069 58 160.50 $160.50 $1,716 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110 1110 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,432 -19.52
1130 1130 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,966 +25.48
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 137.50 $137.50 $619 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 140.00 $140.00 $707 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–240 233 8 187.50–203.00 $193.57 $451 —
265–270 269 8 185.00–200.00 $198.16 $533 +6.49
280–290 fancy 285 2 210.00–212.50 $211.27 $602 +2.27
311–325 315 6 190.00–201.00 $197.24 $621 +4.16
316–322 fancy 319 7 230.00–250.00 $241.52 $770 +37.83
353–392 370 20 180.00–202.50 $189.71 $702 +2.60
358–395 fancy 370 16 209.00–217.00 $213.67 $791 +7.32
400–448 fancy 430 57 200.00–240.00 $215.27 $926 +9.15
425–437 430 7 177.00–191.00 $185.10 $796 +0.11
450–498 472 23 181.00–199.00 $192.19 $907 +5.95
450–497 fancy 477 27 200.00–239.00 $212.79 $1,015 +7.28
500–549 value added 527 91 190.00–217.00 $201.13 $1,060 +0.62
520–545 530 5 170.00–183.00 $179.27 $950 -1.24
550–598 value added 570 137 192.00–211.00 $206.33 $1,176 +9.78
550–591 578 10 170.00–186.00 $177.52 $1,026 +38.52
600–648 value added 620 168 181.00–197.00 $191.87 $1,190 -3.89
630–642 635 10 171.00–175.00 $173.99 $1,105 +4.37
650–669 value added 658 229 180.00–188.75 $187.14 $1,231 +2.34
660–689 682 38 160.00–176.00 $171.58 $1,170 +2.32
711–725 value added 713 13 177.00–178.00 $177.16 $1,263 -4.01
705–728 724 6 142.00–156.00 $153.73 $1,113 -1.48
755–757 757 7 141.00–158.00 $155.58 $1,178 +0.25
760–794 value added 792 65 169.00–170.00 $169.03 $1,339 +0.26
818–827 value added 820 10 167.00–172.00 $170.99 $1,402 —
827 827 2 141.00 $141.00 $1,166 +1.00
853 value added 853 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,407 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–290 285 2 160.00–172.50 $166.14 $473 —
365–395 378 4 149.00–177.50 $166.41 $629 +18.99
415 415 3 170.00 $170.00 $706 +7.08
460 460 1 170.00 $170.00 $782 —
525–540 533 2 125.00–151.00 $137.82 $735 —
575–580 578 2 161.00–168.00 $164.48 $951 —
610 610 1 129.00 $129.00 $787 —
735 735 1 120.00 $120.00 $882 -11.98
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 122.50 $122.50 $404 —
630 630 1 140.00 $140.00 $882 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,379 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 fancy 280 1 222.50 $222.50 $623 -5.00
290 290 1 180.00 $180.00 $522 —
302–310 fancy 303 6 224.00–232.50 $231.05 $700 +10.05
350–393 fancy 377 12 225.00–237.50 $231.68 $873 +4.88
410–446 fancy 438 25 221.00–245.00 $229.18 $1,004 -20.95
445 445 1 205.00 $205.00 $912 —
455–485 fancy 469 13 222.00–251.00 $232.43 $1,090 -8.70
450–483 470 9 192.00–218.00 $212.34 $998 +17.80
500–547 fancy 525 23 214.00–231.00 $222.06 $1,166 -2.36
505–537 525 5 203.00–210.00 $205.54 $1,079 +8.54
565 565 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,074 -0.96
560–592 fancy 584 8 213.00–226.00 $219.87 $1,284 +3.75
620 620 1 157.50 $157.50 $976 —
600–638 fancy 621 11 191.00–208.00 $204.06 $1,267 +6.76
650–695 fancy 663 11 183.00–212.00 $203.72 $1,351 +5.72
703–730 fancy 709 9 177.00–188.00 $184.43 $1,308 +6.86
780–785 783 2 160.00–171.00 $165.48 $1,296 -5.05
805–818 fancy 817 22 170.00–173.00 $172.87 $1,412 —
865–884 fancy 881 6 158.00–160.00 $158.33 $1,395 —
1053 1053 5 139.00 $139.00 $1,464 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1250 1250 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745 745 1 130.00 $130.00 $968 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1260 1225 80-85% 4 74.00–77.00 $75.25 $922 +1.27
1145–1350 1245 80-85% 11 81.00–89.00 $86.10 $1,072 —
1195–1475 1320 80-85% 22 90.00–105.00 $95.22 $1,257 -8.24
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820 820 85-90% 1 60.00 $60.00 $492 —
895–1145 1007 85-90% 11 68.00–79.00 $73.88 $744 —
915–1155 1031 85-90% 8 82.00–87.50 $84.48 $871 —
1025–1150 1086 85-90% 5 90.00–96.00 $92.40 $1,003 +0.52
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1650 1535 75-80% 6 93.00–109.00 $98.84 $1,517 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–2575 1912 6 105.00–117.00 $113.39 $2,168 —
1630–2265 1957 6 123.00–137.00 $127.86 $2,502 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 101.00 $101.00 $1,010

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1290 1290 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
805 805 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 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
385 385 1 142.50 $142.50 $549 —
495 495 1 122.50 $122.50 $606 —
836 value added 836 61 136.50 $136.50 $1,141 —

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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.