Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 5, 2023

1,025 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 $230.88/cwt -1.72 vs last sale · ≈ $2,136/hd at 925 lb · 246 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $233.23/cwt +49.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,592/hd at 683 lb · 89 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $258.12/cwt -1.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,918/hd at 743 lb · 79 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,025 1,309 2,327
Feeder cattle 941 1,199 2,210
Slaughter cattle 75 108 111
Replacement cattle 9 2 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs 1.00-3.00 higher, over 600 lbs steady to 2.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs steady, over 500 lbs 1.00-3.00 higher, Moderate demand for feeder classes and good demand for yearlings. Slaughter cows 1.00-3.00 lower, Slaughter bulls steady, 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
310 fancy 310 2 290.00 $290.00 $899 +50.00
345 345 1 227.50 $227.50 $785 +12.48
350 350 1 240.00 $240.00 $840 +22.53
363 fancy 363 3 257.50 $257.50 $935 +4.24
400–440 413 3 212.50–222.50 $218.39 $902 -4.99
420 fancy 420 2 273.00 $273.00 $1,147 +12.88
458 458 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,042 -0.79
510–515 513 2 220.00–222.50 $221.26 $1,135 +7.22
515–520 value added 517 8 242.00–252.50 $248.54 $1,285 +4.74
563 fancy 563 4 274.00 $274.00 $1,543 —
561–595 value added 572 5 245.00–255.00 $251.45 $1,438 +8.25
605 value added 605 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,467 -4.89
615 615 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,230 -27.52
629 fancy 629 24 271.00 $271.00 $1,705 —
653–667 value added 656 11 224.00–230.00 $225.11 $1,477 —
675–680 678 2 187.00–195.00 $190.99 $1,295 -26.12
735–745 740 2 220.00–225.00 $222.48 $1,646 -5.69
732–744 value added 743 77 259.00–260.00 $259.05 $1,925 -3.91
755–795 782 3 232.00–232.50 $232.16 $1,815 +4.72
800–805 804 4 216.00–220.00 $218.25 $1,755 -7.43
829 value added 829 8 234.00 $234.00 $1,940 -16.68
850–897 881 3 226.00–227.50 $226.48 $1,995 -2.52
903–940 value added 925 246 227.00–236.40 $230.88 $2,136 -1.72
955 955 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,977 +6.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 200.00 $200.00 $970 +10.25
550–590 570 2 193.00–207.00 $199.75 $1,139 +13.64
630 630 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,153 -4.96
720 720 2 180.00–190.00 $185.00 $1,332 +7.41
775–785 780 2 180.00–201.00 $190.57 $1,486 +3.23
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1130 1125 2 170.00–171.00 $170.50 $1,918 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 160.00 $160.00 $640 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 296 3 197.50 $197.50 $585 -2.50
360–370 362 5 207.50–209.00 $207.81 $752 -2.79
405–447 438 9 195.00–212.50 $208.71 $914 +7.36
460–498 488 13 197.50–224.00 $212.31 $1,036 +10.41
510–535 523 10 200.00–218.00 $213.28 $1,115 +0.48
507–533 value added 524 19 225.00–230.00 $228.07 $1,195 —
552–577 566 10 202.50–222.00 $213.62 $1,209 +6.62
581 value added 581 68 241.00 $241.00 $1,400 —
601 value added 601 5 221.00 $221.00 $1,328 —
600–646 622 20 191.00–215.00 $203.55 $1,266 +14.80
655–684 value added 682 79 230.00–237.00 $236.57 $1,613 —
660–692 689 10 200.00–212.50 $206.82 $1,425 +23.04
705–717 713 3 185.00–210.00 $193.24 $1,378 -1.49
767–791 786 9 198.00–200.50 $199.96 $1,572 —
806–820 809 5 166.00–180.00 $168.84 $1,366 -22.16
862 862 2 194.00 $194.00 $1,672 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–315 310 2 180.00–185.00 $182.54 $566 +1.76
355 355 2 160.00–177.50 $168.75 $599 -17.24
405–445 439 8 170.00–188.00 $181.23 $796 +1.33
450–495 477 8 170.00–190.00 $181.95 $868 -3.96
510–520 515 3 170.00–185.00 $180.05 $927 -1.34
585–590 588 2 171.00–190.00 $180.54 $1,062 -1.41
600–640 615 3 160.00–171.00 $165.44 $1,017 +7.13
665–680 673 3 169.00–182.50 $176.79 $1,190 +9.44
710–745 721 5 149.00–170.00 $160.50 $1,157 +5.85
755 755 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,306 +12.04
805–810 808 2 137.00–146.00 $141.49 $1,143 -10.51
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,451 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 167.50 $167.50 $997 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–335 fancy 320 2 257.50 $257.50 $824 +5.00
330 330 1 222.50 $222.50 $734 —
360–395 370 4 220.00–242.50 $236.36 $875 +26.99
405–420 413 3 220.00–221.00 $220.34 $910 +15.77
460–492 476 13 200.00–225.00 $212.97 $1,014 +0.39
500–545 523 16 220.00–234.00 $227.57 $1,190 +10.58
555–590 569 5 202.50–235.00 $217.53 $1,238 +7.23
600–620 fancy 610 6 219.00–250.00 $228.73 $1,395 —
605–640 623 13 187.50–215.00 $202.29 $1,260 -15.26
665–676 674 5 171.00–185.00 $176.57 $1,190 -22.93
700 700 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,330 +14.99
755–790 772 3 160.00–170.00 $164.96 $1,273 -6.04
835–840 838 2 150.00–163.00 $156.52 $1,312 -18.48
885–895 890 2 142.00–159.00 $150.55 $1,340 —
950 950 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,644 +20.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 175.00 $175.00 $630 -8.00
450 450 1 177.50 $177.50 $799 -13.09
510–545 523 3 186.00–205.00 $196.78 $1,029 +14.10
590–595 593 2 160.00–190.00 $174.94 $1,037 -4.26
630 630 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,071 -16.96
770 770 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,232 ±0.00
800–810 805 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,046 —
915 915 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,125 -5.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1475 1281 80-85% 5 74.00–83.00 $78.68 $1,008 —
1215–1475 1363 80-85% 8 95.00–102.00 $97.85 $1,334 +4.01
1190–1430 1372 80-85% 9 86.00–92.00 $88.64 $1,216 -5.20
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–995 940 85-90% 4 65.00–73.00 $68.92 $648 —
970–1045 1008 85-90% 2 86.00–88.00 $87.04 $877 —
1020–1110 1061 85-90% 4 75.00–80.00 $78.01 $828 —
1065 1065 85-90% 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,001 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1490 1490 75-80% 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,535 —
1670–1775 1723 75-80% 2 87.00–92.00 $89.42 $1,541 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1590 1335 7 103.00–117.00 $111.43 $1,488 —
1110–1905 1508 2 121.00 $121.00 $1,825 —
1710–1845 1805 4 129.00–136.00 $132.46 $2,391 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
990 990 (<2 yrs)Open 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,158
1070 1070 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,316

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1165 1165 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1205–1285 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,200.00–1,425.00 $1,316.11

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00

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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
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —
1340 1340 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00 —
1360 1360 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —

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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.