Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 20, 2023

1,952 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $197.94/cwt +13.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,705/hd at 861 lb · 187 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $237.70/cwt +14.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,470/hd at 618 lb · 120 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $197.20/cwt -4.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,314/hd at 666 lb · 116 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,952 2,724 2,290
Feeder cattle 1,828 2,539 2,069
Slaughter cattle 114 171 198
Replacement cattle 10 14 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week feeder steers sold 10.00 to 15.00 higher, yearling steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher, yearling heifers sold steady to 4.00 higher. There was very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Strongest demand noted for weaned and pre-conditioned feeder classes suitable for grass. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher. There was 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
255–260 258 2 252.50–257.50 $254.98 $658 —
308–327 fancy 316 5 257.00–260.00 $258.24 $816 +12.85
312–330 319 4 237.50–245.00 $240.67 $768 +36.97
350–395 375 12 242.50–260.00 $252.02 $945 +37.50
367–398 fancy 389 7 265.00–269.00 $266.08 $1,035 +3.30
413–422 fancy 414 15 280.00–281.00 $280.86 $1,163 +17.75
400–433 value added 423 22 267.00–272.50 $270.73 $1,145 —
405–445 432 21 245.00–260.00 $251.63 $1,087 +29.63
469–488 fancy 483 22 259.00–269.00 $266.35 $1,286 +20.26
460–498 494 33 240.00–252.50 $248.26 $1,226 +38.06
510 value added 510 18 266.00 $266.00 $1,357 +23.61
510–537 530 9 229.00–242.50 $235.81 $1,250 +25.57
555–595 576 16 230.00–248.00 $238.95 $1,376 +43.55
595 value added 595 13 256.00 $256.00 $1,523 +20.39
604–648 617 34 213.00–230.00 $221.86 $1,369 +20.99
601–642 value added 619 86 240.00–245.00 $243.96 $1,510 +18.27
657–678 value added 675 12 231.00–236.00 $231.81 $1,565 +10.10
655–697 685 53 207.00–223.00 $211.49 $1,449 +17.49
702–727 717 19 198.00–210.00 $206.79 $1,483 +26.79
705–724 value added 722 9 213.00–215.00 $213.22 $1,539 +2.78
759–768 value added 759 90 210.00–211.00 $210.14 $1,595 +2.16
750–793 777 13 192.00–205.00 $200.58 $1,559 +21.97
820 820 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,533 -4.00
841 value added 841 8 204.50 $204.50 $1,720 -0.51
859–866 value added 861 183 194.50–200.00 $198.16 $1,706 —
880–890 883 4 182.00–190.00 $187.98 $1,660 +3.41
910 910 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,502 —
1005 1005 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,799 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 2 230.00–231.00 $230.50 $611 —
330–345 336 4 220.00–225.00 $221.48 $744 —
350–385 371 4 230.00–232.50 $230.59 $855 —
410–442 429 6 237.50–243.00 $240.10 $1,030 +90.10
460–493 479 17 230.00–237.50 $233.99 $1,121 +77.47
500–540 514 9 220.00–227.00 $222.30 $1,143 +51.45
570–590 587 7 219.00–225.00 $219.83 $1,290 +70.63
620–638 635 7 201.00–211.00 $203.29 $1,291 +30.68
675 675 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,357 +68.50
720–725 723 2 179.00–181.00 $180.00 $1,301 —
760–765 763 2 180.00–186.00 $183.01 $1,396 +19.01
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1675–1825 1750 2 119.00–126.00 $122.35 $2,141 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–245 223 4 210.00–225.00 $218.79 $488 +11.64
283–291 287 6 207.50–219.00 $213.17 $612 +14.49
300–335 319 16 201.00–217.50 $208.67 $666 +11.64
330 fancy 330 5 225.00 $225.00 $742 -2.64
354–395 378 34 206.00–228.00 $217.45 $822 +14.52
370–395 fancy 383 2 230.00–233.00 $231.55 $887 +20.32
400–448 422 37 199.00–214.00 $207.51 $876 +18.57
405–441 fancy 436 23 218.00–225.00 $219.94 $959 +7.22
450–496 472 47 192.00–210.00 $199.83 $943 +5.90
486 value added 486 40 223.00 $223.00 $1,084 —
500–548 525 42 189.00–202.00 $194.19 $1,019 +0.61
565 value added 565 46 213.25 $213.25 $1,205 -5.73
555–596 576 41 190.00–201.00 $195.57 $1,126 +3.48
602–641 623 32 184.00–195.00 $187.58 $1,169 -2.57
654–683 value added 663 86 198.00–202.75 $200.92 $1,332 -4.82
650–690 676 30 180.00–196.00 $186.52 $1,261 +2.34
705–738 value added 718 17 190.00–197.00 $191.11 $1,372 -2.93
705–748 741 15 171.00–186.00 $179.88 $1,333 -4.09
753 value added 753 12 195.00 $195.00 $1,468 —
757–798 765 24 169.00–183.50 $180.57 $1,381 +0.92
813–830 817 4 175.00–178.00 $177.24 $1,448 +21.24
880 880 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,144 -36.84
900–903 903 18 140.00–152.00 $151.34 $1,367 —
965–975 968 3 140.00–150.00 $146.64 $1,419 —
1045 1045 4 130.00 $130.00 $1,358 —
1075 1075 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,494 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
221 221 3 190.00 $190.00 $420 +10.00
285 285 1 200.00 $200.00 $570 +30.00
300 300 2 200.00 $200.00 $600 +40.47
355–375 366 7 203.00–205.00 $203.87 $746 +39.18
400–445 434 8 190.00–196.00 $192.01 $833 +38.67
450–480 472 14 186.00–191.00 $188.07 $888 +26.43
507–545 526 9 180.00–187.00 $184.60 $971 +26.72
555–595 572 11 180.00–185.00 $182.20 $1,042 +25.55
612–621 618 7 174.00–176.00 $174.85 $1,081 +25.50
665–690 685 7 171.00–176.00 $175.14 $1,200 +25.69
700–712 708 3 150.00–158.00 $152.64 $1,081 +7.16
780–790 785 2 160.00–165.00 $162.52 $1,276 +43.12
825 825 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,238 —
900–920 910 2 113.00–120.00 $116.46 $1,060 -4.54
977–995 980 7 129.00–130.00 $129.15 $1,266 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
696 696 9 155.00 $155.00 $1,079 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130 1130 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,446 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
251–270 256 4 220.00–240.00 $225.28 $577 +25.28
315–335 327 5 230.00–240.00 $231.93 $758 +21.93
385–395 390 2 237.50–239.00 $238.26 $929 +17.33
400–441 425 7 242.50–252.50 $246.30 $1,047 +28.07
450–480 458 24 235.00–248.00 $245.13 $1,123 +36.66
500 fancy 500 7 236.00 $236.00 $1,180 +7.37
510–548 534 6 205.00–221.00 $209.19 $1,117 -0.81
560–568 566 4 214.00–233.00 $228.30 $1,292 +26.88
604–635 614 9 199.00–210.00 $207.29 $1,273 —
625 fancy 625 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,356 +7.32
660–690 673 4 193.00–199.00 $194.98 $1,312 +5.68
720–740 730 2 169.00–180.00 $174.58 $1,274 +2.61
763–775 765 6 160.00–186.00 $181.61 $1,389 +6.61
837 837 7 159.00 $159.00 $1,331 +1.50
850–880 865 2 162.00–167.50 $164.80 $1,426 —
930 930 2 149.00 $149.00 $1,386 ±0.00
950 950 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,577 —
1065 1065 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,321 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 2 195.00 $195.00 $478 —
327 327 2 215.00 $215.00 $703 —
390 390 1 212.50 $212.50 $829 +40.10
415 415 1 200.00 $200.00 $830 +34.93
488–491 489 9 228.00–229.00 $228.67 $1,118 +58.67
560–581 576 4 200.00–203.00 $202.27 $1,165 +15.27
605–610 608 3 191.00–195.00 $193.67 $1,178 +20.65
695–696 696 5 179.00–180.00 $179.40 $1,249 —
710 710 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,065 —
985 985 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,340 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1395 1180 80-85% 24 90.00–99.00 $94.82 $1,119 —
1045–1430 1190 80-85% 10 82.00–89.00 $85.60 $1,019 —
1075–1395 1232 80-85% 6 100.00–106.00 $103.35 $1,273 +3.48
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1035 956 85-90% 6 71.00–79.00 $74.91 $716 -22.63
855–1050 964 85-90% 13 82.00–88.00 $84.34 $813 -13.20
925–1045 988 85-90% 3 91.00–95.00 $93.35 $922 +16.14
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525 1525 75-80% 1 87.00 $87.00 $1,327 —
1470–1880 1646 75-80% 4 100.00–102.00 $101.04 $1,663 —
1495–1820 1651 75-80% 6 97.00–99.00 $98.02 $1,618 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115 1115 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,193 —
1590–2240 1904 5 120.00–127.00 $123.33 $2,348 —

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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 1 105.00 $105.00 $872

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1160 1160 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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
1100–1375 1217 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,125.00–1,225.00 $1,162.67 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 1 102.00 $102.00 $898 -50.00
970–995 983 2 90.00–97.00 $93.46 $919 —

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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.