Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 6, 2023

1,697 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $206.51/cwt +2.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,170/hd at 567 lb · 182 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $183.98/cwt -3.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,640/hd at 891 lb · 141 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $190.58/cwt +7.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,561/hd at 819 lb · 114 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,697 2,528 1,560
Feeder cattle 1,564 2,392 1,430
Slaughter cattle 129 132 127
Replacement cattle 4 4 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers and heifers 3.00-5.00 higher, Very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 1.00-2.00 higher, Slaughter 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
260–295 fancy 283 3 230.00–259.00 $250.13 $708 —
285–286 286 4 197.50–200.00 $198.12 $567 +7.51
300–330 310 3 200.00–215.00 $205.65 $638 +1.49
300–345 fancy 322 3 237.00–257.50 $248.64 $801 +22.74
375–395 383 3 200.00–221.00 $210.98 $808 -3.89
386–390 fancy 387 8 227.50–263.00 $258.40 $1,000 +11.71
400–442 fancy 415 26 227.50–287.50 $251.14 $1,042 +12.12
440–445 443 2 198.00–222.50 $210.32 $932 —
450–495 fancy 472 43 230.00–255.00 $243.84 $1,151 +4.01
490–495 493 2 209.00–214.00 $211.51 $1,043 +6.43
520–521 521 6 210.00–216.00 $214.00 $1,115 +8.46
500–545 value added 523 37 221.00–254.00 $243.51 $1,274 +8.53
572–598 584 11 196.00–215.00 $205.78 $1,202 —
550–597 value added 586 75 223.00–239.00 $227.76 $1,335 -4.92
605 605 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,053 -22.04
600–627 value added 616 13 213.00–226.00 $220.21 $1,356 +0.56
650–699 value added 679 26 203.00–221.00 $215.15 $1,461 +1.66
665–690 685 5 174.00–197.00 $192.53 $1,319 +1.69
702–742 value added 711 37 190.00–202.00 $199.66 $1,420 -3.85
735 735 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,338 +4.55
765–775 770 2 181.00–183.00 $182.01 $1,401 +1.01
787 value added 787 63 192.30 $192.30 $1,513 -3.90
815–838 value added 819 113 185.00–195.00 $190.66 $1,562 +7.66
840 840 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,529 —
868–895 value added 890 73 187.00–193.00 $187.19 $1,666 —
855–897 893 68 180.50–181.00 $180.54 $1,612 +9.54
908–940 value added 911 69 187.00–190.25 $189.99 $1,731 +10.11
900–930 915 2 166.00–180.00 $173.11 $1,584 +12.11
970–990 value added 980 2 187.00–189.00 $187.99 $1,842 +6.99
980 980 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,568 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 187.50 $187.50 $591 —
370 370 1 170.00 $170.00 $629 —
410–440 422 3 170.00–180.00 $175.02 $739 —
455 455 1 177.50 $177.50 $808 +40.00
540 540 1 177.00 $177.00 $956 —
570 570 1 142.00 $142.00 $809 —
615–617 616 3 144.00–161.00 $155.35 $957 —
670–695 677 5 130.00–140.00 $136.38 $923 —
725 725 1 107.00 $107.00 $776 —
825–830 828 2 123.00–155.00 $138.95 $1,151 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1090 1073 2 155.00–173.00 $164.15 $1,761 —
1185 1185 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,493 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 fancy 215 1 210.00 $210.00 $452 —
235 235 1 192.50 $192.50 $452 -1.07
255–270 263 2 180.00 $180.00 $473 -18.16
287 fancy 287 2 220.00 $220.00 $631 +8.73
305–345 329 5 190.00–205.00 $198.03 $652 +0.79
320–345 fancy 331 7 209.00–231.00 $223.20 $739 -18.32
349 value added 349 55 264.00 $264.00 $921 —
350–375 fancy 359 21 209.00–253.00 $228.54 $820 +14.87
360–395 377 6 181.00–197.50 $190.11 $717 +0.40
405–448 fancy 421 26 201.00–257.00 $230.55 $971 +15.28
400–445 429 6 180.00–200.00 $185.69 $797 +0.59
456–495 473 17 180.00–200.00 $193.12 $913 +0.93
450–498 fancy 477 92 201.00–239.00 $213.79 $1,020 +1.00
505–540 520 11 181.00–199.00 $194.33 $1,011 +15.06
500–540 value added 522 21 200.00–214.00 $208.16 $1,087 +7.03
550–598 value added 557 112 200.00–215.50 $213.75 $1,191 +7.42
550–597 582 70 180.00–199.00 $194.92 $1,134 +17.40
600–645 value added 616 90 180.00–200.10 $198.68 $1,224 +6.81
605–645 629 12 161.00–179.00 $171.19 $1,077 -2.80
655–693 677 36 160.00–176.00 $170.83 $1,157 -0.75
715 value added 715 4 172.00 $172.00 $1,230 -5.16
700–730 725 16 151.00–161.00 $159.39 $1,156 +5.66
750–787 771 6 151.00–169.00 $160.22 $1,235 +4.64
803–835 813 11 145.00–164.00 $159.61 $1,298 +18.61
895 895 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,280 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–255 253 2 155.00–167.50 $161.19 $408 -4.95
307–340 318 3 162.50–175.00 $166.95 $531 —
360–390 375 4 170.00–175.00 $173.25 $650 +6.84
410–445 435 4 150.00–174.00 $159.80 $695 -10.20
463–490 471 7 140.00–175.00 $158.53 $747 -11.47
575–595 582 3 127.00–162.00 $150.07 $873 -14.41
610 610 1 152.00 $152.00 $927 +23.00
665–685 675 2 140.00–151.00 $145.42 $982 —
755–795 777 3 121.00–147.00 $137.46 $1,068 —
810–835 818 3 120.00–125.00 $121.70 $996 —
855–875 870 4 115.00–118.00 $117.26 $1,020 —
955 955 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,203 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 1 140.00 $140.00 $875 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,286 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 201.00 $201.00 $573 +21.00
305–315 310 2 195.00–212.50 $203.89 $632 —
350–352 fancy 351 3 252.50–263.00 $259.51 $911 +27.83
410–415 413 2 187.50–207.50 $197.56 $816 -7.44
400–448 fancy 432 16 220.00–270.00 $237.49 $1,026 +8.31
452–490 fancy 462 5 224.00–250.00 $231.86 $1,071 -0.57
455–485 470 3 190.00–214.00 $199.03 $935 -13.31
505–525 fancy 513 4 223.00–241.00 $234.90 $1,205 +12.84
525 525 2 205.00–208.00 $206.50 $1,084 +0.96
552–565 fancy 554 8 215.00–234.00 $225.10 $1,247 +5.23
565–595 583 3 192.00–210.00 $200.51 $1,169 +10.51
600 600 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,116 +28.50
600–640 fancy 620 2 211.00–218.00 $214.39 $1,329 +10.33
665 665 2 195.00–201.00 $198.00 $1,317 —
700–730 715 4 164.00–181.00 $173.28 $1,239 —
745 fancy 745 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,416 —
825–845 835 3 145.00–162.00 $153.07 $1,278 —
855 fancy 855 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,471 +13.67
860–885 875 3 145.00–152.00 $148.00 $1,295 —
910 910 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,383 —
980 980 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,372 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 140.00 $140.00 $686 —
610–635 623 2 156.00–170.00 $163.14 $1,016 —
685 685 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,117 —
845 845 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,158 —
865 865 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,211 —
930 930 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,014 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–935 898 85-90% 2 58.00–67.00 $62.31 $560 —
710–1175 999 85-90% 14 90.00–101.00 $95.47 $954 —
975–1125 1033 85-90% 3 75.00 $75.00 $775 -9.48
905–1205 1040 85-90% 16 80.00–89.00 $85.13 $885 +0.65
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1480 1256 80-85% 32 90.00–110.00 $100.30 $1,260 —
1310–1415 1377 80-85% 3 81.00–88.00 $85.78 $1,181 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1580 1509 75-80% 4 100.00–105.00 $102.72 $1,550 +3.88

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1975 1481 6 100.00–118.00 $112.72 $1,669 —
1210–2085 1609 4 122.00–132.00 $127.76 $2,056 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
940–980 960 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 110.00–112.00 $111.02 $1,066

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1175 1175 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1280 1280 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00

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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.