Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, July 20, 2023

1,880 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 $248.07/cwt +8.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,662/hd at 670 lb · 253 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $237.83/cwt +5.54 vs last sale · ≈ $1,789/hd at 752 lb · 200 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $244.87/cwt +11.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,156/hd at 881 lb · 183 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,880 1,724 1,554
Feeder cattle 1,789 1,639 1,476
Slaughter cattle 91 69 78
Replacement cattle — 16 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 1.00-3.00 higher, over 600 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, 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
235 fancy 235 1 252.50 $252.50 $593 —
300–320 fancy 310 2 247.50–251.00 $249.31 $773 +4.31
310–345 325 5 219.00–241.00 $233.40 $759 —
365 365 1 235.00 $235.00 $858 —
407–435 413 10 220.00–237.00 $231.05 $954 +10.24
405–434 fancy 428 14 251.00–305.00 $264.81 $1,133 -10.26
461–486 fancy 474 16 239.00–258.00 $248.35 $1,177 -18.20
470–495 490 10 229.00–236.00 $233.71 $1,145 —
500–537 526 4 211.00–229.00 $223.70 $1,177 -7.39
505–543 value added 529 29 230.00–263.50 $250.74 $1,326 -5.41
550–596 value added 576 42 237.00–265.00 $253.91 $1,463 -1.82
585 585 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,264 +6.00
605 605 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,316 -1.90
600–633 value added 628 60 242.00–274.50 $271.64 $1,706 +12.42
650–685 value added 675 73 236.00–267.00 $264.00 $1,782 +15.29
710–740 719 6 217.00–219.00 $217.67 $1,565 +3.63
751–795 762 7 215.00–226.00 $222.11 $1,692 -1.89
782 value added 782 64 252.00 $252.00 $1,971 +12.59
831–844 838 10 219.50–220.00 $219.75 $1,842 +12.28
853 853 3 212.00 $212.00 $1,808 —
879–886 value added 881 180 236.50–249.80 $245.42 $2,162 +11.98
977 value added 977 52 228.00 $228.00 $2,228 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,005 +16.00
785 785 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,452 —
832 832 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,539 —
910 910 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,502 —
955 955 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,729 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1537 1537 2 160.00 $160.00 $2,459 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 238 5 200.00–217.50 $204.34 $486 +1.29
266 266 5 220.00 $220.00 $585 +14.55
295 fancy 295 1 231.00 $231.00 $681 -1.50
310–340 320 3 205.00–225.00 $215.00 $688 -6.75
315–342 fancy 333 3 233.00–239.00 $237.11 $790 +0.90
397 397 2 225.00 $225.00 $893 +0.61
400–445 fancy 424 29 229.00–251.00 $237.22 $1,006 ±0.00
420–427 425 3 212.50–219.00 $216.86 $922 +1.01
451–495 fancy 473 41 230.00–249.00 $235.61 $1,114 +1.04
462–498 487 14 211.00–228.00 $224.42 $1,093 +5.30
505–547 value added 529 30 228.00–240.00 $233.86 $1,237 +4.82
500–543 532 14 213.00–225.00 $223.10 $1,187 +9.76
552–595 561 22 206.00–227.00 $222.39 $1,248 +3.24
552–592 value added 580 129 228.00–246.00 $243.32 $1,411 +6.07
605–645 631 13 209.00–216.00 $213.69 $1,348 -2.91
600–640 value added 632 11 221.00–226.00 $225.54 $1,425 -15.32
653–684 value added 670 251 221.00–252.00 $248.45 $1,665 +2.96
690 690 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,380 -8.56
705–715 712 6 210.00–216.00 $214.67 $1,528 +18.67
712–735 value added 724 147 233.00–236.00 $234.45 $1,697 +2.85
751–754 value added 752 196 234.85–240.00 $238.31 $1,792 +5.44
755–780 761 4 200.00–219.00 $214.13 $1,630 +19.13
806 value added 806 70 237.00 $237.00 $1,910 +8.29
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 190.00 $190.00 $817 —
865–870 868 2 153.00–162.00 $157.49 $1,367 —
900–925 913 2 161.00–166.00 $163.47 $1,492 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1175 1135 3 127.00–135.00 $130.90 $1,486 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 3 270.00 $270.00 $594 +51.20
278 fancy 278 3 266.00 $266.00 $739 —
320–345 338 6 215.00–230.00 $217.80 $736 -8.03
345 fancy 345 4 256.00 $256.00 $883 +1.77
355–395 fancy 365 7 245.00–259.00 $255.33 $932 -4.67
365–395 383 4 220.00–241.00 $232.07 $889 +7.99
400–445 426 4 220.00–235.00 $226.26 $964 -1.33
405–440 fancy 427 9 240.00–257.00 $252.65 $1,079 +7.68
450–465 fancy 458 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,168 +3.58
454–495 469 15 220.00–236.00 $230.75 $1,082 +2.46
505–540 fancy 523 4 233.00–251.00 $241.48 $1,263 +0.79
520–525 523 3 219.00–221.00 $220.00 $1,151 -6.41
557–570 561 4 215.00–230.00 $222.71 $1,249 +0.90
550–592 fancy 575 22 237.00–253.00 $246.15 $1,415 +9.59
640 640 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,427 +4.34
640 fancy 640 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,485 —
690 690 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,456 -3.53
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 207.00 $207.00 $880 +4.50
480 480 1 201.00 $201.00 $965 +1.39
502–520 508 3 189.00–190.00 $189.34 $962 +5.28
575 575 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,081 -13.00
977 977 2 142.00 $142.00 $1,387 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 80-85% 1 77.00 $77.00 $909 —
1185–1290 1238 80-85% 2 97.00–98.00 $97.52 $1,207 +0.52
1090–1480 1257 80-85% 18 103.00–121.00 $110.34 $1,387 +25.42
1250–1795 1523 80-85% 2 82.00–84.00 $83.18 $1,267 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1200 1072 85-90% 3 83.00–87.00 $85.44 $916 +0.80
1045–1110 1078 85-90% 2 102.00–104.00 $102.97 $1,110 +18.33
1090 1090 85-90% 1 75.00 $75.00 $818 -9.64
1115–1150 1133 85-90% 2 95.00 $95.00 $1,076 +1.41
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440–1735 1577 75-80% 3 107.00–113.00 $111.17 $1,753 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385–1690 1505 3 111.00–116.00 $113.34 $1,706 —
1595–1990 1769 4 122.00–128.00 $126.16 $2,232 -6.45
1640–2120 1860 5 130.00–140.00 $133.72 $2,487 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 2 151.00 $151.00 $891 +10.00

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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.