Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 7, 2023

2,152 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $239.89/cwt +2.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,257/hd at 941 lb · 298 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $240.45/cwt -3.11 vs last sale · ≈ $2,116/hd at 880 lb · 204 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $256.77/cwt +27.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,843/hd at 718 lb · 193 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,152 2,716 1,804
Feeder cattle 2,025 2,566 1,708
Slaughter cattle 125 148 92
Replacement cattle 2 2 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 500 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, over 500 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers 3.00-5.00 lower, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 8.00-12.00 higher, Slaughter bulls steady, Very good demand for the high dressing slaughter cows, Good demand for slaughter bulls.

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
275 275 1 245.00 $245.00 $674 +3.26
278 fancy 278 3 262.50 $262.50 $730 -40.00
335 fancy 335 1 261.00 $261.00 $874 -12.74
350–380 365 2 252.50–255.00 $253.70 $926 +4.70
420 fancy 420 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,176 +15.44
450–477 fancy 468 3 285.00–297.50 $293.49 $1,374 +14.23
455–485 470 2 220.00–230.00 $224.84 $1,057 -16.16
517 517 4 248.00 $248.00 $1,282 +13.05
515–540 value added 527 6 260.00–270.00 $264.46 $1,394 +10.11
535 fancy 535 1 291.00 $291.00 $1,557 —
554–595 value added 561 18 250.00–270.00 $258.55 $1,450 +3.58
580–596 fancy 586 10 288.00–292.00 $290.37 $1,702 +2.47
618–645 625 4 221.00–237.50 $225.26 $1,408 -5.74
605–643 value added 628 30 241.00–261.00 $256.94 $1,614 +1.49
653–698 value added 670 33 244.00–279.00 $261.46 $1,752 +11.98
660–685 678 5 236.00–238.00 $237.19 $1,608 —
705 705 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,629 +4.61
704–743 value added 718 192 243.50–264.75 $256.90 $1,845 +23.66
785 785 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,806 +2.00
755–790 value added 788 71 248.00–260.00 $255.22 $2,011 +11.95
813–822 value added 818 130 244.80–252.25 $248.50 $2,033 +16.75
825–845 835 3 224.00–230.00 $227.66 $1,901 +15.17
855–875 859 18 222.00–231.00 $227.90 $1,958 —
860–896 value added 882 186 239.00–244.00 $241.66 $2,131 -1.90
938 938 4 214.00 $214.00 $2,007 +8.45
936–948 value added 941 294 236.25–243.75 $240.24 $2,261 +1.93
960 960 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,920 -6.00
954–999 value added 976 107 235.95–237.00 $236.47 $2,308 +15.97
1024 1024 7 203.00 $203.00 $2,079 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
323 323 3 217.50 $217.50 $703 -14.50
370 370 1 220.00 $220.00 $814 —
510 510 1 180.00 $180.00 $918 —
830 830 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,726 —
857 857 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,825 +30.75
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080 1080 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,955 —
1298 1298 3 174.00 $174.00 $2,259 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 202.50 $202.50 $435 -0.81
280 280 2 205.00–217.50 $211.25 $592 +8.75
375 fancy 375 1 247.50 $247.50 $928 -0.08
385–387 386 4 210.00–222.50 $214.37 $827 -13.42
406–420 fancy 410 4 240.00–241.00 $240.74 $987 -4.52
407–442 429 15 217.50–230.00 $225.67 $968 -0.17
460–495 473 7 220.00–239.00 $229.21 $1,084 +6.15
505–525 515 10 210.00–226.00 $220.17 $1,134 +0.36
510–525 value added 518 10 230.00–243.00 $237.39 $1,230 -7.47
555–595 568 17 210.00–227.00 $215.19 $1,222 -7.25
573–584 value added 580 10 233.00–236.00 $234.81 $1,362 -21.24
606–642 value added 614 108 227.00–248.75 $243.20 $1,493 +13.23
613–625 618 10 206.00–224.00 $216.72 $1,339 -4.35
675–680 value added 675 75 232.00–240.80 $240.45 $1,623 +2.55
676–685 678 14 210.00–220.00 $216.44 $1,467 +0.76
703–705 704 4 191.00–192.00 $191.75 $1,350 +0.48
719–720 value added 719 47 224.00–233.25 $231.87 $1,667 -0.84
750 750 5 181.00–201.00 $185.00 $1,388 -21.00
757–786 value added 762 96 218.50–235.00 $230.96 $1,760 —
800–840 817 3 179.00–183.00 $181.47 $1,483 —
957 957 2 181.00 $181.00 $1,732 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 177.50 $177.50 $453 -13.50
325 325 1 199.00 $199.00 $647 +13.87
350–355 353 2 200.00 $200.00 $706 —
460–490 470 4 192.50–212.50 $204.24 $960 +17.82
505–520 513 3 180.00–201.00 $193.91 $995 +13.58
595 595 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,190 —
620 620 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,240 +11.00
670–690 680 6 180.00–200.00 $189.32 $1,287 -6.15
732–740 735 3 159.00–175.00 $169.63 $1,247 —
765 765 2 167.00–170.00 $168.50 $1,289 -1.50
825 825 2 110.00–120.00 $115.00 $949 —
870 870 2 151.00–155.00 $153.00 $1,331 -9.01
935 935 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,309 —
980–990 985 3 107.00–145.00 $130.32 $1,284 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 152.50 $152.50 $602 —
425–430 428 2 157.50–160.00 $158.74 $679 —
555 555 1 122.50 $122.50 $680 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1395 1262 3 131.00–142.00 $135.51 $1,710 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 251.00 $251.00 $540 +29.26
292 292 2 262.50 $262.50 $766 —
325–347 340 3 240.00–247.50 $245.11 $833 +8.34
365–385 fancy 374 4 251.00–265.00 $258.95 $968 -17.12
410–445 432 3 230.00–240.00 $236.60 $1,022 -9.48
448 fancy 448 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,210 —
450–462 fancy 458 3 267.50–290.00 $282.63 $1,294 —
460–496 484 8 230.00–252.50 $241.78 $1,170 -1.61
507–530 517 5 235.00–242.50 $238.50 $1,233 +12.37
530 fancy 530 3 252.00–264.00 $260.00 $1,378 +13.62
562–590 571 6 225.00–235.00 $231.82 $1,324 —
565–587 fancy 576 5 246.00–252.50 $247.68 $1,427 +1.68
605–625 618 9 210.00–229.00 $221.23 $1,367 +9.62
633–635 fancy 634 4 235.00–236.00 $235.75 $1,495 —
655 fancy 655 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,539 —
725–727 726 6 211.00–212.00 $211.33 $1,534 +26.83
787 787 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,582 +1.76
870–885 878 2 160.00–171.00 $165.55 $1,454 +11.37
925 925 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,480 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–345 343 3 200.00–220.00 $213.40 $732 -6.60
415–427 423 3 211.00–225.00 $215.58 $912 -5.42
475–482 480 3 200.00–221.00 $214.07 $1,028 —
565–575 570 2 190.00–210.00 $200.09 $1,141 +13.09
665 665 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,330 +19.00
705 705 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,311 +11.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 170.00 $170.00 $756 +28.00
485 485 1 125.00 $125.00 $606 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 80-85% 1 83.00 $83.00 $971 —
1165–1290 1219 80-85% 8 100.00–108.00 $104.38 $1,272 +22.38
1130–1480 1304 80-85% 22 112.00–129.00 $119.40 $1,557 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–990 915 85-90% 2 64.00–79.00 $70.89 $649 -11.11
905–1075 999 85-90% 5 109.00–119.00 $112.75 $1,126 —
925–1055 1016 85-90% 4 102.00–108.00 $105.49 $1,072 +4.95
1005–1065 1037 85-90% 3 82.50–89.00 $84.84 $880 -5.49
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1530 1530 75-80% 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,438 —
1610–1755 1692 75-80% 3 128.00–131.00 $129.04 $2,183 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1485 1332 3 117.00–119.00 $117.66 $1,567 —
1620 1620 1 129.00 $129.00 $2,090 +3.66
1655–2065 1822 3 136.00–140.00 $137.21 $2,500 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1140 1140 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,436

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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
1635 1635 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 145.00 $145.00 $616 —
1278 value added 1278 87 158.80 $158.80 $2,029 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1395 1395 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,632 —

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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.