Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 27, 2023

2,064 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $220.40/cwt +26.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,134/hd at 514 lb · 157 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $190.22/cwt +4.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,487/hd at 782 lb · 151 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $204.40/cwt +1.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,674/hd at 819 lb · 128 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,064 1,952 1,774
Feeder cattle 1,919 1,828 1,612
Slaughter cattle 142 114 149
Replacement cattle 3 10 13

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers steady to 3.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers 2.00-4.00 lower, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 1.00-3.00 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
230 230 1 208.00 $208.00 $478 —
270–285 fancy 278 4 242.50–259.00 $250.97 $698 —
295 295 2 200.00 $200.00 $590 —
300–320 fancy 313 3 230.00–240.00 $233.19 $730 -25.05
370 370 1 201.00 $201.00 $744 -51.02
368–398 fancy 385 14 230.00–257.50 $242.36 $933 -23.72
413–440 422 3 207.00–222.50 $217.11 $916 -34.52
415–445 fancy 431 32 232.00–302.50 $250.60 $1,080 -30.26
452–497 fancy 470 40 232.00–290.00 $261.41 $1,229 -4.94
475 475 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,045 -28.26
503–547 value added 523 125 229.00–266.00 $253.13 $1,324 -12.87
560–590 583 13 201.00–224.00 $215.44 $1,256 -23.51
565–598 value added 585 40 234.00–252.00 $245.30 $1,435 -10.70
618–640 value added 619 97 221.00–233.00 $230.18 $1,425 -13.78
620 620 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,296 -12.86
650–660 654 7 202.00–209.00 $204.30 $1,336 -7.19
660–685 value added 673 11 222.00–227.00 $225.18 $1,515 -6.63
710–740 value added 717 20 209.00–219.00 $212.45 $1,523 -0.77
715–725 722 3 190.00–191.00 $190.33 $1,374 -16.46
755–790 value added 778 3 198.00–202.00 $200.71 $1,562 -9.43
812–835 value added 819 125 195.00–208.90 $205.13 $1,680 +0.63
827 827 3 174.00 $174.00 $1,439 -13.00
851–860 value added 859 73 194.25–203.00 $194.96 $1,675 -3.20
895 895 3 186.00–191.00 $189.33 $1,695 +1.35
900–930 value added 928 61 195.20–199.00 $195.38 $1,813 —
955–965 value added 957 59 192.50–199.00 $192.80 $1,845 —
976 976 34 179.50 $179.50 $1,752 —
1064 1064 20 177.50 $177.50 $1,889 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 187.50 $187.50 $834 -52.60
450–475 463 2 161.00–174.00 $167.68 $776 -66.31
615 615 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,119 -21.29
970 970 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,271 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1500 1313 4 147.00–151.00 $149.55 $1,964 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 fancy 245 1 212.00 $212.00 $519 —
298 298 5 200.00 $200.00 $596 -13.17
300–320 314 10 190.00–202.50 $193.16 $607 -15.51
302–337 fancy 330 14 210.00–213.00 $211.89 $699 -13.11
355–385 364 7 182.50–202.00 $192.90 $702 -24.55
371–386 fancy 377 19 204.00–215.00 $207.74 $783 -23.81
405–440 fancy 426 49 200.00–215.00 $208.07 $886 -11.87
415–430 427 5 195.00 $195.00 $833 -12.51
455–496 fancy 479 56 201.00–207.00 $204.02 $977 —
460–495 480 6 186.00–196.00 $192.99 $926 -6.84
500–546 value added 512 136 201.00–231.75 $225.07 $1,152 —
500–540 530 21 182.00–199.00 $190.13 $1,008 -4.06
556–587 value added 566 41 201.00–212.00 $207.29 $1,173 -5.96
552–580 568 10 183.00–198.00 $191.57 $1,088 -4.00
600–631 value added 624 18 191.00–198.00 $191.59 $1,196 —
621–626 624 8 180.00–184.00 $181.38 $1,132 -6.20
651 value added 651 5 198.00 $198.00 $1,289 -2.92
650–695 668 22 172.00–184.00 $180.87 $1,208 -5.65
702–730 721 6 179.00–180.00 $179.32 $1,293 -0.56
719–721 value added 721 25 191.00–193.00 $191.40 $1,380 +0.29
760–794 779 18 171.00–177.00 $173.60 $1,352 -6.97
767–793 value added 782 133 182.00–194.00 $192.47 $1,505 -2.53
814 value added 814 68 167.00 $167.00 $1,359 —
825 825 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,180 -34.24
850 850 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,232 +15.00
900 900 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,260 -11.34
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–295 280 2 165.00–172.50 $168.55 $472 -31.45
325 325 1 185.00 $185.00 $601 -15.00
350–385 373 8 173.00–180.00 $176.36 $658 -27.51
400–430 415 2 160.00–170.00 $164.82 $684 -27.19
455–487 475 4 140.00–166.00 $155.97 $741 -32.10
500–515 510 6 160.00–171.00 $167.84 $856 -16.76
560 560 1 170.00 $170.00 $952 -12.20
615 615 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,002 -11.85
675–695 685 2 120.00–140.00 $129.85 $889 -45.29
720 720 2 153.00 $153.00 $1,102 +0.36
922 922 2 123.00 $123.00 $1,134 +6.54
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365 1365 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,720 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 200.00 $200.00 $490 —
255–290 275 4 200.00–225.00 $214.33 $589 -10.95
295 fancy 295 1 232.50 $232.50 $686 —
308–320 fancy 310 10 227.50–242.50 $239.41 $742 —
325 325 2 210.00–212.50 $211.25 $687 -20.68
350–390 fancy 357 25 230.00–260.00 $251.26 $897 —
355–395 367 10 210.00–225.00 $222.31 $816 -15.95
400–405 fancy 403 3 252.50 $252.50 $1,018 —
407–445 432 6 205.00–210.00 $208.26 $900 -38.04
460–492 470 11 210.00–230.00 $220.96 $1,039 -24.17
457–493 fancy 476 25 233.00–262.00 $247.55 $1,178 —
510–535 522 3 214.00–226.00 $219.94 $1,148 +10.75
510–533 fancy 525 8 231.00–279.00 $248.78 $1,306 +12.78
550 fancy 550 15 260.00 $260.00 $1,430 —
565–590 578 16 203.00–228.00 $220.73 $1,276 -7.57
600–630 fancy 617 19 209.00–223.00 $215.80 $1,331 -1.20
610–640 631 7 191.00–201.00 $195.96 $1,237 -11.33
670 fancy 670 4 211.00 $211.00 $1,414 —
677 677 2 181.00 $181.00 $1,225 -13.98
700–740 720 2 180.00–185.00 $182.43 $1,313 +7.85
750 fancy 750 2 197.00 $197.00 $1,478 —
820–825 fancy 823 3 185.00–187.00 $185.66 $1,528 —
831 831 3 167.00 $167.00 $1,388 +8.00
862 fancy 862 4 181.00–184.00 $182.50 $1,573 —
980 980 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,617 -1.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 195.00 $195.00 $497 —
340 340 1 190.00 $190.00 $646 -25.00
465–470 468 2 187.50–192.00 $189.76 $888 -38.91
505–545 525 2 142.50–190.00 $165.35 $868 —
550–570 560 2 180.00–185.00 $182.46 $1,022 -19.81
655 655 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,114 —
735 735 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,176 +10.00
765 765 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,331 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1105 1058 80-85% 3 69.00–83.00 $77.01 $815 —
1180–1395 1269 80-85% 8 84.00–94.00 $89.30 $1,133 —
1195–1430 1348 80-85% 7 96.00–105.00 $100.07 $1,349 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1020 938 85-90% 4 62.00–67.50 $65.18 $611 —
945–1125 1035 85-90% 2 101.00–107.00 $104.26 $1,079 —
1035–1130 1083 85-90% 3 82.00–90.00 $85.59 $927 —
1010–1230 1110 85-90% 4 69.00–78.00 $73.28 $813 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1540 1498 75-80% 6 95.00–107.00 $99.72 $1,494 —
1440–1600 1508 75-80% 5 89.00–94.00 $91.36 $1,378 +4.36

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–2375 1663 7 105.00–118.00 $112.85 $1,877 —
1400–2345 1911 8 119.00–128.00 $122.63 $2,343 -0.70

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815–1060 938 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 110.00–120.00 $114.35 $1,073

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 1 107.50 $107.50 $683 —

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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.