Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 12, 2023

2,002 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 $264.02/cwt +5.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,888/hd at 715 lb · 259 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $228.78/cwt +28.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,775/hd at 776 lb · 189 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $232.64/cwt +39.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,634/hd at 703 lb · 167 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,002 1,025 1,977
Feeder cattle 1,872 941 1,855
Slaughter cattle 126 75 111
Replacement cattle 4 9 11

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs steady to 2.00 higher with increase on fancy and value added classes, over 700 lbs 2.00-4.00 lower, Feeder heifers 6.00-10.00 lower, Moderate to lite demand for plainer feeders and Very good demand for high quality weaned and vaccinated calves and yearlings with favorable body condition. Slaughter cows steady to 2.00 higher, 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
220 220 1 235.00 $235.00 $517 —
310 310 1 241.00 $241.00 $747 +13.50
393 393 3 253.00 $253.00 $994 —
400–436 fancy 425 10 250.00–270.00 $259.14 $1,101 -13.86
410–445 428 2 235.00–240.00 $237.40 $1,016 +19.01
470–490 474 6 236.00–242.50 $237.76 $1,127 +10.26
473–495 fancy 477 6 251.00–281.00 $275.81 $1,316 —
507 fancy 507 2 277.00 $277.00 $1,404 —
500–545 526 7 212.00–230.00 $221.12 $1,163 -0.14
550–580 557 6 216.00–234.00 $224.60 $1,251 —
555–572 value added 568 14 245.00–247.50 $246.21 $1,398 -5.24
600–648 value added 616 9 236.00–255.00 $246.71 $1,520 +4.21
612–648 629 11 206.00–227.00 $216.24 $1,360 +16.24
633 fancy 633 81 275.60 $275.60 $1,745 +4.60
659 fancy 659 74 262.25 $262.25 $1,728 —
660–694 value added 679 11 232.00–233.00 $232.56 $1,579 +7.45
650–695 680 14 211.00–227.00 $217.17 $1,477 +26.18
708–726 fancy 714 222 268.00–271.90 $270.61 $1,932 —
715 value added 715 19 237.50 $237.50 $1,698 -21.55
702–745 726 18 195.00–226.00 $210.80 $1,530 -11.68
767 value added 767 68 249.50 $249.50 $1,914 —
811 811 9 225.00 $225.00 $1,825 +6.75
861–871 value added 866 122 233.25–235.75 $234.51 $2,031 —
870 870 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,836 -15.48
914 value added 914 60 233.00 $233.00 $2,130 +2.12
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 217.50 $217.50 $848 —
467–480 474 4 210.00–219.00 $214.44 $1,016 +14.44
505–520 513 2 181.00–202.00 $191.35 $982 —
608–615 609 6 191.00–201.00 $199.32 $1,214 +16.32
715 715 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,237 -12.00
775–795 785 2 168.00–180.00 $174.08 $1,367 -16.49

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–310 308 4 170.00–185.00 $176.22 $543 —
350–398 378 13 171.00–197.50 $184.13 $696 -23.68
410 value added 410 44 229.00 $229.00 $939 —
405–445 417 14 176.00–195.00 $188.74 $787 -19.97
455–495 474 27 180.00–214.00 $197.70 $937 -14.61
500–547 520 34 180.00–213.00 $198.71 $1,033 -14.57
521–540 value added 530 13 218.00–220.00 $219.06 $1,161 -9.01
550–597 568 41 180.00–212.00 $192.47 $1,093 -21.15
601–645 622 24 181.00–209.00 $194.86 $1,212 -8.69
609–645 fancy 626 136 245.00–252.60 $248.86 $1,558 —
665–680 676 5 185.00–194.00 $189.58 $1,282 -17.24
672–681 value added 679 20 212.00–217.00 $216.01 $1,467 -20.56
701 value added 701 158 235.00–235.50 $235.28 $1,649 —
713–740 729 9 175.00–190.00 $186.28 $1,358 -6.96
775 775 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,302 -31.96
760–795 value added 776 187 226.00–231.50 $229.43 $1,780 —
800 800 6 170.00 $170.00 $1,360 +1.16
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 165.00 $165.00 $644 -3.75
415–440 425 4 151.00–177.50 $164.49 $699 -16.74
465–490 480 5 150.00–172.00 $161.39 $775 -20.56
505–545 523 6 160.00–174.00 $167.22 $875 -12.83
550–590 569 4 155.00–172.00 $164.85 $938 -15.69
605–621 614 6 172.00–175.00 $173.15 $1,063 +7.71
650–685 674 7 160.00–175.00 $167.24 $1,127 -9.55
725 725 2 162.00 $162.00 $1,174 +1.50
785–790 788 2 147.00–160.00 $153.52 $1,210 -19.48
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 150.00 $150.00 $622 —
595 595 1 140.00 $140.00 $833 -27.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010 1010 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,212 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 240.00 $240.00 $504 —
285 285 1 230.00 $230.00 $656 —
325–342 339 8 202.50–225.00 $218.17 $740 -4.33
375–387 385 6 210.00–230.00 $215.75 $831 -20.61
422 fancy 422 4 250.00 $250.00 $1,055 —
410–445 429 5 210.00–231.00 $220.63 $947 +0.29
455–498 477 13 210.00–237.50 $228.92 $1,092 +15.95
465–495 fancy 484 4 240.00–260.00 $252.09 $1,220 —
506–545 521 8 225.00–232.00 $226.77 $1,181 -0.80
500–538 fancy 525 7 242.50–247.00 $244.34 $1,283 —
556–597 581 13 207.00–230.00 $221.69 $1,288 +4.16
610–613 612 4 192.00–221.00 $213.78 $1,308 +11.49
653–670 661 10 189.00–212.00 $204.69 $1,353 +28.12
719–740 724 10 181.00–197.00 $192.37 $1,393 +2.37
750–775 763 2 171.00–191.00 $181.16 $1,382 +16.20
870 870 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,331 +2.45
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–317 314 4 160.00–200.00 $185.79 $583 —
425 425 1 170.00 $170.00 $722 —
475–485 482 3 172.50–204.00 $187.27 $903 +9.77
510–525 517 3 172.00–200.00 $183.28 $948 -13.50
550–560 555 2 176.00–188.00 $182.05 $1,010 —
640 640 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,190 +16.00
670–675 673 2 154.00–170.00 $162.03 $1,090 —
780 780 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,256 +1.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1050 956 85-90% 7 52.00–66.00 $60.36 $577 —
850–1210 1036 85-90% 10 67.00–78.00 $73.08 $757 -13.96
975–1135 1055 85-90% 2 91.00–100.00 $95.16 $1,004 +17.15
985–1165 1078 85-90% 12 80.00–90.00 $84.19 $908 -9.81
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1280 1230 80-85% 2 75.00–77.00 $76.04 $935 —
1135–1475 1280 80-85% 11 81.00–89.00 $85.42 $1,093 +6.74
1110–1460 1312 80-85% 8 91.00–105.00 $96.21 $1,262 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535–1650 1593 75-80% 3 87.00–90.00 $88.64 $1,412 —
1485–1875 1633 75-80% 8 92.00–104.00 $95.34 $1,557 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1635 1446 6 101.00–110.00 $106.36 $1,538 —
1525–2080 1720 3 113.00–117.00 $115.09 $1,980 —
1945–2250 2098 2 125.00–127.00 $125.93 $2,642 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1005 1005 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1210 1210 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
1505 1505 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990 990 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00

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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.