Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 18, 2023

1,698 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $202.82/cwt -0.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,691/hd at 834 lb · 220 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $205.65/cwt +9.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,598/hd at 777 lb · 155 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $190.78/cwt +14.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,578/hd at 827 lb · 135 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,698 2,106 1,960
Feeder cattle 1,598 1,974 1,850
Slaughter cattle 88 116 109
Replacement cattle 12 16 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 1.00-3.00 lower except 600-700 lbs they were 4.00-6.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 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
310–345 328 2 210.00–212.50 $211.32 $693 +8.04
366–390 375 5 210.00–226.00 $213.29 $800 -2.39
375–395 fancy 385 4 240.00–260.00 $247.60 $953 +4.27
400–445 418 13 204.00–220.00 $212.36 $888 +4.08
415–430 fancy 424 8 233.00–251.00 $240.36 $1,019 +0.37
450–495 fancy 466 20 225.00–259.00 $238.72 $1,112 -5.38
450–495 479 5 220.00–221.00 $220.19 $1,055 +4.43
510–530 520 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,097 -2.67
505–546 value added 521 28 227.00–246.00 $238.11 $1,241 +1.39
555–590 564 5 200.00–217.00 $213.38 $1,203 -2.00
563–592 value added 582 29 221.00–249.00 $234.73 $1,366 -8.36
604–641 value added 619 33 223.00–245.00 $239.78 $1,484 +14.15
615–641 633 7 200.00–214.00 $210.48 $1,332 +12.97
655–675 value added 670 23 220.00–234.00 $229.95 $1,541 +11.62
650–692 672 6 201.00–216.00 $209.64 $1,409 +14.95
705 705 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,382 +26.00
705–745 value added 730 11 203.00–213.00 $209.64 $1,530 +1.02
755–795 value added 770 86 201.00–215.75 $214.12 $1,649 +17.29
760–790 786 69 184.00–195.50 $195.09 $1,533 +5.36
820 820 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,558 —
802–848 value added 834 218 195.00–204.20 $202.94 $1,693 +0.07
850–860 value added 858 8 195.00–200.00 $198.88 $1,706 +2.51
877 877 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,666 —
901–910 value added 903 117 187.25–192.95 $190.18 $1,717 -2.99
930–935 934 7 181.00–182.00 $181.86 $1,699 -2.14
974 value added 974 56 186.85 $186.85 $1,820 -2.65
1015 1015 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,827 —
1055 1055 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,699 —
1089 value added 1089 47 181.00 $181.00 $1,971 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 182.00 $182.00 $410 —
280 280 1 181.00 $181.00 $507 +1.00
325 325 1 195.00 $195.00 $634 —
375 375 1 140.00 $140.00 $525 —
405–435 420 2 170.00–181.00 $175.70 $738 -17.47
565 565 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,017 —
710 710 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,030 -17.88
750 750 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,350 +16.00
982 982 2 157.00 $157.00 $1,542 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235–245 240 2 190.00–210.00 $200.21 $481 —
305–335 319 5 200.00–207.50 $203.60 $649 +2.61
355–398 fancy 375 10 210.00–222.00 $216.71 $813 -0.30
370–395 383 4 190.00–201.00 $197.79 $758 -5.40
400–441 fancy 422 17 205.00–219.00 $212.86 $898 +5.13
405–445 425 15 189.00–204.00 $199.46 $848 +3.08
450–495 466 26 183.00–203.00 $197.47 $920 -1.26
479–490 fancy 483 8 207.00–208.00 $207.62 $1,003 -1.82
500–545 value added 528 38 195.00–210.00 $203.99 $1,077 +0.48
533 533 3 193.00 $193.00 $1,029 +5.02
550–598 value added 571 60 197.00–204.00 $200.39 $1,144 -1.78
550–595 578 9 179.00–193.00 $185.70 $1,073 +3.86
600–637 value added 614 22 192.00–202.00 $197.33 $1,212 -15.75
622–641 631 12 170.00–190.00 $184.10 $1,162 -0.35
650–665 658 2 181.00–183.00 $181.99 $1,197 +2.66
657–660 value added 658 100 210.00–215.25 $214.25 $1,410 +12.82
700–740 value added 716 43 185.00–200.00 $195.53 $1,400 -5.86
720–730 725 2 174.00–181.00 $177.52 $1,287 +9.59
750–775 value added 758 87 187.00–196.00 $188.53 $1,429 —
790 790 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,351 —
821–832 value added 827 135 188.50–193.00 $190.78 $1,578 +14.28
850–875 value added 871 8 178.00–185.00 $183.76 $1,601 +12.76
922 922 2 146.00 $146.00 $1,346 —
985 985 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,527 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 132.50 $132.50 $398 -44.67
350–385 357 6 152.50–180.00 $165.18 $590 +9.06
405–430 420 6 150.00–165.00 $160.78 $675 -9.73
450–495 473 4 150.00–173.00 $161.02 $762 -0.77
505–535 520 2 151.00–174.00 $162.83 $847 -6.19
705 705 1 140.00 $140.00 $987 —
765–777 775 5 100.00–123.00 $104.54 $810 -16.18
870 870 1 113.00 $113.00 $983 +15.50

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282 282 —— 2 215.00 $215.00 $606 —
355–395 374 —— 6 200.00–212.00 $206.94 $774 —
375–380 fancy 379 —— 8 220.00–241.00 $236.43 $896 -6.47
400 fancy 400 —— 2 231.00 $231.00 $924 -11.82
415–449 433 —— 13 210.00–218.00 $215.57 $933 +0.89
460–490 fancy 478 —— 10 228.00–233.00 $229.09 $1,095 -2.91
480–495 488 —— 2 200.00–220.00 $210.15 $1,026 -5.63
525–540 fancy 532 —— 5 219.00–229.00 $221.78 $1,180 -11.55
545 545 —— 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,144 ±0.00
555–570 fancy 565 —— 15 221.00–226.00 $223.60 $1,263 +0.60
555–595 576 —— 5 202.00–217.00 $208.86 $1,203 -1.83
615–643 fancy 630 —— 13 213.00–222.00 $217.54 $1,371 -6.81
630–640 635 —— 2 197.00–200.00 $198.49 $1,260 +7.94
655 655 —— 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,376 +27.43
775 775 —— 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,434 +8.97
895 895 —— 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,468 +7.31
1000 1000 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,425 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 155.00 $155.00 $527 —
470 470 1 187.50 $187.50 $881 -1.50
510 510 1 160.00 $160.00 $816 -26.60
575 575 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,035 -10.00
640 640 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,024 —
785 785 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,185 -5.56

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1265 1082 80-85% 13 82.00–93.00 $88.07 $953 —
970–1390 1172 80-85% 33 94.00–115.00 $103.50 $1,213 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920 920 85-90% 1 67.00 $67.00 $616 —
870–950 923 85-90% 3 92.00–95.00 $93.97 $867 —
765–1075 928 85-90% 3 71.00–75.00 $72.78 $675 —
920–990 946 85-90% 5 81.00–86.00 $82.59 $781 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1890 1578 75-80% 9 102.00–118.00 $112.59 $1,777 +8.51

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430 1430 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,358 —
1365–2460 1913 2 111.00–114.00 $112.93 $2,160 —
1770–2415 2035 4 121.00–127.00 $123.74 $2,518 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
950 950 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 93.00 $93.00 $884
965–1250 1111 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 90.00–108.00 $100.29 $1,114

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1365–1370 1368 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,300.00–1,450.00 $1,375.14

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1040 1040 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.