Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 28, 2023

1,309 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $259.63/cwt -2.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,905/hd at 734 lb · 167 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $248.54/cwt +8.39 vs last sale · ≈ $2,016/hd at 811 lb · 152 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $232.60/cwt +2.20 vs last sale · ≈ $2,186/hd at 940 lb · 58 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,309 2,222 1,606
Feeder cattle 1,199 2,087 1,507
Slaughter cattle 108 123 94
Replacement cattle 2 12 5

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
250–270 260 2 212.50–220.00 $216.39 $563 -43.61
330–332 331 3 205.00–220.00 $215.02 $712 -40.98
345 fancy 345 2 240.00 $240.00 $828 —
360–395 373 3 212.50–222.50 $217.47 $811 -37.53
370–395 fancy 380 3 250.00–257.50 $253.26 $962 -9.24
400–415 fancy 410 3 250.00–265.00 $260.12 $1,066 -2.83
400–435 413 6 210.00–230.00 $223.38 $923 -27.52
475–495 485 9 212.50–235.00 $228.29 $1,107 -12.08
495 fancy 495 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,188 -23.91
505–545 value added 532 3 240.00–252.00 $243.80 $1,297 -24.19
505–546 536 10 208.00–227.50 $214.04 $1,147 -26.81
555–590 571 12 210.00–230.00 $220.09 $1,257 -18.02
580–595 value added 590 8 238.00–257.00 $243.20 $1,435 -15.42
600–646 value added 614 23 240.00–262.50 $247.39 $1,519 -6.99
622–645 632 6 209.00–235.00 $227.52 $1,438 +1.52
650–685 670 7 206.00–227.50 $217.11 $1,455 -18.62
700–725 722 16 215.00–231.00 $228.17 $1,647 -4.82
729–741 value added 735 151 259.50–266.00 $262.96 $1,933 -0.33
765–784 775 10 219.00–235.00 $227.44 $1,763 -3.50
801–817 value added 810 139 247.00–253.75 $250.68 $2,031 +7.36
807–846 824 13 210.00–230.00 $225.68 $1,860 +15.05
867 867 12 229.00 $229.00 $1,985 +16.50
925–941 value added 940 58 224.00–232.90 $232.60 $2,186 +2.20
986 value added 986 52 228.00 $228.00 $2,248 -4.04
990 990 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,990 +8.06
1003 1003 12 206.00 $206.00 $2,066 +4.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 197.00 $197.00 $571 —
390 390 1 202.50 $202.50 $790 +37.50
400–425 413 2 195.00–202.50 $198.64 $820 +21.14
465–487 476 6 185.00–200.00 $189.75 $903 +20.86
515–545 525 3 177.00–182.00 $178.73 $938 -31.59
555–560 558 4 180.00–190.00 $186.11 $1,038 +1.04
600–605 603 2 179.00–197.00 $187.96 $1,133 -17.05
675–695 686 9 180.00–200.00 $190.15 $1,304 +4.97
700–710 707 7 160.00–182.00 $177.59 $1,256 -20.49
750–785 768 2 172.00–202.00 $187.34 $1,439 -24.66
820–840 828 3 170.00–183.00 $174.99 $1,449 —
865–885 873 3 150.00–190.00 $168.13 $1,468 —
990 990 1 162.00 $162.00 $1,604 -6.37
1045 1045 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,703 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–270 265 2 200.00 $200.00 $530 -26.96
305 305 1 222.00 $222.00 $677 -6.78
352–376 365 13 207.50–212.50 $210.60 $769 -11.47
403–415 fancy 408 7 232.50–240.00 $236.55 $965 —
415–435 424 4 200.00–203.00 $201.35 $854 -26.61
455–496 473 13 200.00–209.00 $201.90 $955 -24.70
505–540 525 26 200.00–219.00 $212.80 $1,117 -3.27
552–587 573 10 201.00–215.00 $207.00 $1,186 -10.28
600–647 624 30 180.00–196.00 $188.75 $1,178 -18.66
660–680 668 4 180.00–189.00 $183.78 $1,228 -15.53
715–729 722 12 186.00–201.00 $194.73 $1,406 -19.27
823–825 824 8 186.00–194.00 $191.00 $1,574 +40.00
901–913 908 7 171.00–172.00 $171.43 $1,557 —
977–998 988 8 162.00–175.00 $168.43 $1,664 +20.43
1013–1045 1018 6 145.00–165.00 $161.58 $1,645 —
1061–1075 1064 5 141.00–150.00 $148.18 $1,577 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 160.00 $160.00 $360 —
265–276 273 4 160.00 $160.00 $437 -35.00
310–345 333 3 170.00–190.00 $180.78 $602 -11.22
360–395 376 8 160.00–202.50 $185.99 $699 -8.62
417–445 434 17 160.00–202.50 $179.90 $781 -14.00
455–493 482 23 162.50–265.00 $185.91 $896 -9.45
500–545 528 36 160.00–196.00 $181.39 $958 -0.88
550–585 568 19 170.00–192.00 $181.95 $1,033 -3.30
600–645 632 6 151.00–174.00 $158.31 $1,001 -2.72
655–695 683 9 151.00–171.00 $167.35 $1,143 -13.08
705–748 736 7 140.00–165.00 $154.65 $1,138 -12.00
750–790 769 9 149.00–179.00 $160.96 $1,238 -7.23
810 810 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,231 +22.00
875 875 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,269 —
962 962 2 158.00 $158.00 $1,520 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,924 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 230.00 $230.00 $460 —
250–255 254 4 207.50–222.50 $215.67 $548 -36.83
317 fancy 317 2 252.50 $252.50 $800 -40.00
360–390 fancy 376 8 240.00–252.50 $248.88 $936 —
350–395 378 3 200.00–222.50 $209.37 $791 -45.42
416–445 427 5 202.50–210.00 $204.57 $874 -38.04
410–448 fancy 428 7 229.00–255.00 $238.84 $1,022 -21.16
455–495 481 15 200.00–225.00 $212.58 $1,023 -33.99
468–498 fancy 486 14 230.00–245.00 $237.41 $1,154 -28.47
500–545 518 6 207.00–230.00 $216.99 $1,124 -20.73
515–528 fancy 524 11 232.50–245.00 $239.36 $1,254 -26.51
560–597 580 9 200.00–216.00 $210.30 $1,220 -24.39
600–645 626 5 200.00–224.00 $217.55 $1,362 +1.71
650–652 651 4 199.00–200.00 $199.50 $1,299 -9.44
700–720 710 5 169.00–182.00 $175.01 $1,243 -13.36
778 778 3 171.00 $171.00 $1,330 -10.00
848 848 5 175.00 $175.00 $1,484 -1.59
955 955 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,461 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–240 233 2 175.00–202.50 $189.19 $441 —
395 395 1 183.00 $183.00 $723 -45.85
400–435 426 4 182.50–192.50 $189.36 $807 -3.14
455–495 477 10 176.00–200.00 $190.59 $909 -10.99
510–547 530 13 161.00–200.00 $182.68 $968 -27.48
552–590 567 10 161.00–195.00 $179.20 $1,016 -16.51
605–645 634 7 161.00–197.00 $186.96 $1,185 +7.00
652–685 661 6 165.00–180.00 $170.22 $1,125 -15.25
720–730 725 2 150.00–170.00 $159.93 $1,159 —
760 760 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,216 -7.99
945 945 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,210 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710–1545 1137 85-90% 21 42.00–74.00 $66.09 $751 —
720–1650 1143 85-90% 12 75.00–84.00 $78.73 $900 —
1090–1255 1151 85-90% 8 85.00–93.00 $87.94 $1,012 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1200 1180 80-85% 2 109.00–113.00 $111.03 $1,310 —
1175–1430 1314 80-85% 12 81.00–89.00 $85.76 $1,127 +9.25
1310–1365 1335 80-85% 3 75.00–78.00 $76.00 $1,015 -19.06
1135–1730 1360 80-85% 12 90.00–98.00 $93.84 $1,276 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1390–1640 1567 75-80% 7 91.00–99.00 $95.36 $1,494 -1.35
1525–1655 1584 75-80% 5 82.00–88.00 $85.64 $1,357 -17.79
1710–1885 1798 75-80% 2 102.00–104.00 $103.05 $1,853 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1250 1190 2 82.00–106.00 $93.39 $1,111 —
1545–2035 1851 5 120.00–129.00 $124.00 $2,295 —
1905–1930 1918 2 132.00–133.00 $132.50 $2,541 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1205 1205 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00

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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
1130 1130 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 142.00 $142.00 $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.