Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 21, 2023

2,222 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $243.46/cwt -9.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,909/hd at 784 lb · 303 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $262.50/cwt +1.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,929/hd at 735 lb · 229 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $240.15/cwt -8.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,956/hd at 814 lb · 196 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,222 2,474 1,260
Feeder cattle 2,087 2,266 1,176
Slaughter cattle 123 193 76
Replacement cattle 12 15 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 800 lbs steady, over 800 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, Feeder heifers steady except 500-700 lbs they were 3.00-5.00 lower, Moderate demand for the average to plain quality feeders, Good demand for weaned and pre-conditioned feeders and yearlings with favorable body condition. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 lower, Slaughter bulls 2.00-4.00 lower, Moderate 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 1 250.00 $250.00 $575 -5.00
255 255 1 260.00 $260.00 $663 —
250–262 fancy 260 5 279.00–282.50 $279.67 $727 -3.33
345 345 2 256.00 $256.00 $883 +9.36
355 fancy 355 1 262.50 $262.50 $932 -7.50
362 362 5 255.00 $255.00 $923 +25.00
413–442 fancy 423 7 260.00–267.50 $262.95 $1,112 +3.11
440–447 445 3 237.50–257.50 $250.90 $1,117 +1.47
450–495 480 9 232.50–247.50 $240.37 $1,154 -1.41
462–495 fancy 482 9 260.00–267.50 $263.91 $1,272 -2.35
500–540 value added 513 12 257.50–280.00 $267.99 $1,375 +12.73
505–535 523 3 230.00–247.00 $240.85 $1,260 +1.61
551–595 value added 568 13 252.50–270.00 $258.62 $1,469 -2.34
550–593 581 13 230.00–245.00 $238.11 $1,383 -1.02
596 fancy 596 3 297.50 $297.50 $1,773 —
605–640 value added 627 14 245.00–262.50 $254.38 $1,595 +7.10
630 630 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,424 -12.13
655–697 value added 676 4 244.00–263.00 $255.56 $1,728 +7.56
670–695 685 3 230.00–239.00 $235.73 $1,615 +2.87
727–745 733 6 225.00–235.00 $232.99 $1,708 +0.97
716–744 value added 735 223 262.00–263.90 $263.29 $1,935 +2.24
774–788 value added 782 233 242.75–253.50 $247.22 $1,933 -9.03
770–797 792 70 230.75–234.00 $230.94 $1,829 -1.38
800–805 800 19 204.00–211.00 $210.63 $1,685 —
811–825 value added 816 177 230.00–247.60 $243.32 $1,985 -5.44
855–875 value added 865 121 242.25–244.25 $243.25 $2,104 -4.35
875 875 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,859 -8.50
920–949 value added 936 118 224.90–236.20 $230.40 $2,157 -6.11
951–960 value added 955 118 228.80–235.20 $232.04 $2,216 +0.54
965–987 980 3 189.00–201.00 $192.94 $1,891 -30.06
1022 1022 48 201.50 $201.50 $2,059 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 332 2 220.00 $220.00 $730 —
380 380 1 165.00 $165.00 $627 —
410 410 1 177.50 $177.50 $728 -35.00
460–475 468 2 160.00–177.50 $168.89 $790 -13.61
505–535 522 3 202.50–221.00 $210.32 $1,098 —
555–570 563 2 180.00–190.00 $185.07 $1,042 -29.82
605–610 608 2 202.50–207.50 $205.01 $1,246 +15.01
675–685 680 2 160.00–210.00 $185.18 $1,259 —
715–731 728 5 197.00–202.50 $198.08 $1,442 -5.23
778 778 3 212.00 $212.00 $1,649 -4.00
950–975 963 2 159.00–177.50 $168.37 $1,621 -2.63
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 1 167.50 $167.50 $2,018 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–296 280 9 210.00–235.00 $226.96 $635 -8.04
286 fancy 286 10 253.00 $253.00 $724 +0.50
317–347 329 9 215.00–235.00 $228.78 $753 -0.63
367–397 377 9 207.50–230.00 $222.07 $837 -8.95
385–396 fancy 394 7 244.00–246.00 $244.28 $962 +3.41
410–445 432 10 220.00–238.00 $227.96 $985 -5.53
470 fancy 470 6 245.00 $245.00 $1,152 —
470–490 476 15 216.00–237.00 $226.60 $1,079 -2.23
500–547 525 27 210.00–224.00 $216.07 $1,134 -9.13
525–540 value added 530 11 227.00–234.00 $229.46 $1,216 -6.44
550–597 580 14 210.00–225.00 $217.28 $1,260 -8.36
605 value added 605 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,410 +2.44
620–635 627 5 200.00–213.00 $207.41 $1,300 -10.06
655–665 660 3 190.00–208.00 $199.31 $1,315 -19.40
716 716 4 214.00 $214.00 $1,532 +5.94
749 value added 749 69 235.25 $235.25 $1,762 +6.14
765–785 774 14 211.00–213.50 $212.41 $1,644 —
842 842 2 151.00 $151.00 $1,271 —
855–870 861 8 148.00–165.00 $159.10 $1,370 -35.90
866–881 value added 868 58 197.50–198.00 $197.57 $1,715 —
995 995 1 148.00 $148.00 $1,473 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 195.00 $195.00 $526 —
300–340 328 10 160.00–200.00 $192.00 $630 -18.04
351–395 366 12 165.00–201.00 $194.61 $712 -5.56
420–445 434 6 160.00–210.00 $193.90 $842 -9.68
450–495 476 10 155.00–214.00 $195.36 $930 -6.49
510–540 524 7 172.50–201.00 $182.27 $955 -14.61
565–590 583 5 167.00–201.00 $185.25 $1,080 -8.41
605–640 623 2 160.00–162.00 $161.03 $1,003 -30.15
655–695 677 5 172.50–184.00 $180.43 $1,222 -15.07
705–745 724 7 157.00–188.00 $166.65 $1,207 -5.93
755–795 783 4 150.00–183.00 $168.19 $1,317 +11.43
810 810 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,053 —
930 930 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,256 -5.44
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1080 1063 3 131.00–145.00 $139.58 $1,484 -11.12

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 fancy 235 —— 1 297.50 $297.50 $699 +22.50
246 246 —— 3 200.00 $200.00 $492 —
250 fancy 250 —— 1 282.50 $282.50 $706 +15.00
250 250 —— 1 252.50 $252.50 $631 -7.50
305 fancy 305 —— 1 292.50 $292.50 $892 +35.00
325–342 336 —— 5 242.00–252.50 $245.26 $824 +16.41
350–385 371 —— 14 240.00–259.00 $254.79 $945 +9.82
417 fancy 417 —— 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,084 ±0.00
405–447 432 —— 20 232.50–252.50 $242.61 $1,048 +4.54
460–491 fancy 473 —— 14 257.00–277.00 $265.88 $1,258 +3.38
450–495 480 —— 13 237.50–255.00 $246.57 $1,184 +5.16
500–540 511 —— 18 231.00–249.00 $237.72 $1,215 +6.58
505–532 fancy 524 —— 6 255.00–275.00 $265.87 $1,393 +20.87
568–585 574 —— 8 227.50–240.00 $234.69 $1,347 +7.26
555–590 fancy 579 —— 16 250.00–272.50 $259.54 $1,503 +2.04
600–645 616 —— 16 200.00–224.00 $215.84 $1,330 -1.39
640 fancy 640 —— 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,472 -17.22
650–680 665 —— 6 198.00–220.00 $208.94 $1,389 +9.09
700–735 713 —— 6 180.00–194.00 $188.37 $1,343 +0.37
750 750 —— 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,358 +2.36
805–840 822 —— 3 173.00–184.00 $176.59 $1,452 —
855–885 868 —— 3 177.00–191.00 $185.59 $1,611 —
910–940 925 —— 2 173.00–185.00 $179.10 $1,657 +7.10
1080 1080 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,404 —
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,688 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 2 210.00 $210.00 $567 ±0.00
350–395 379 12 222.50–231.00 $228.85 $867 +13.85
425 425 3 192.50 $192.50 $818 -27.50
450–485 470 13 198.00–222.50 $201.58 $947 -12.46
500–535 520 8 201.00–222.00 $210.16 $1,093 +16.58
555–595 573 8 180.00–215.00 $195.71 $1,121 -11.52
615–640 631 5 175.00–185.00 $179.96 $1,136 +3.13
670–685 676 4 177.00–190.00 $185.47 $1,254 +17.77
785–790 788 2 165.00–171.00 $167.99 $1,324 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 150.00 $150.00 $428 —
370–390 380 2 152.50–162.50 $157.37 $598 —
492 492 2 185.00 $185.00 $910 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1400 1243 80-85% 7 102.00–114.00 $106.79 $1,327 —
1160–1355 1277 80-85% 8 81.00–89.00 $86.25 $1,101 -13.17
1310–1340 1325 80-85% 2 76.00–77.00 $76.51 $1,014 -13.40
1190–1470 1329 80-85% 23 90.00–101.00 $95.06 $1,263 +5.15
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1105 982 85-90% 5 61.00–78.00 $73.36 $720 —
885–1115 999 85-90% 11 90.00–99.00 $92.71 $926 —
800–1180 1013 85-90% 8 81.00–88.00 $83.94 $850 -3.58
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1455–1750 1552 75-80% 9 92.00–101.00 $96.71 $1,501 —
1415–1855 1584 75-80% 10 102.00–109.00 $103.43 $1,638 —
1865 1865 75-80% 1 62.50 $62.50 $1,166 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1785 1600 3 113.00–115.00 $114.08 $1,825 —
1350–2260 1765 11 122.00–126.00 $124.65 $2,200 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860–1145 980 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 110.00–122.00 $114.98 $1,127

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1005 1005 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
975–1445 1210 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 875.00–1,350.00 $1,158.63
1265–1600 1433 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,150.00–1,500.00 $1,345.46

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950 950 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00

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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
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
920 920 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

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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.