Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 19, 2023

1,706 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $232.67/cwt -1.65 vs last sale · ≈ $2,041/hd at 877 lb · 211 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $253.37/cwt +3.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,956/hd at 772 lb · 210 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $229.26/cwt -3.74 vs last sale · ≈ $2,129/hd at 929 lb · 181 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,706 2,002 1,514
Feeder cattle 1,527 1,872 1,418
Slaughter cattle 177 126 84
Replacement cattle 2 4 12

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 7.00 higher with some instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. There was good to very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Strongest demand noted for weaned pre-conditioned feeder and yearling classes with favorable body condition. Fleshy bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher. There was good 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
200–225 213 2 222.50–240.00 $231.76 $494 -3.24
250 250 1 250.00 $250.00 $625 —
305–325 315 2 253.00 $253.00 $797 +12.00
325 fancy 325 1 280.00 $280.00 $910 —
360 fancy 360 1 292.00 $292.00 $1,051 —
385 385 1 257.50 $257.50 $991 +4.50
400–410 405 2 252.50–262.50 $257.44 $1,043 +20.04
400–415 fancy 408 2 285.00–290.00 $287.55 $1,173 +28.41
450–488 fancy 473 5 265.00–266.00 $265.38 $1,255 -10.43
455–490 475 5 240.00–258.00 $251.67 $1,195 +13.91
507–525 value added 511 10 265.00–271.00 $269.77 $1,379 —
505–537 525 12 252.50–262.50 $258.95 $1,359 +37.83
550–597 576 11 229.00–244.00 $235.03 $1,354 +10.43
567–592 value added 589 37 268.00–275.50 $274.72 $1,618 +28.51
605–641 value added 624 13 244.00–251.00 $247.13 $1,542 +0.42
605–643 629 17 229.00–245.00 $235.69 $1,482 +19.45
661–681 value added 671 6 240.00–243.00 $241.52 $1,621 +8.96
670–693 684 10 225.00–239.00 $233.51 $1,597 +16.34
700 fancy 700 74 269.85 $269.85 $1,889 -0.76
701 701 3 232.00 $232.00 $1,626 +21.20
706 value added 706 76 260.00 $260.00 $1,836 +22.50
750 fancy 750 66 262.70 $262.70 $1,970 —
762–765 762 12 223.00–241.00 $239.49 $1,825 —
765–798 value added 784 132 247.00–252.50 $249.96 $1,960 +0.46
831–845 833 47 213.00–231.00 $229.12 $1,909 +4.12
836 value added 836 63 247.90 $247.90 $2,072 —
862–897 value added 877 211 230.00–234.10 $232.67 $2,041 -1.84
916 916 5 220.00 $220.00 $2,015 —
913–940 value added 929 176 225.60–232.00 $229.52 $2,132 -3.48
1016 1016 8 202.00 $202.00 $2,052 —
1190 1190 4 165.00 $165.00 $1,964 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 220.00 $220.00 $473 —
412–445 426 4 237.50–241.00 $239.14 $1,019 —
470–495 482 3 230.00–239.00 $235.43 $1,135 +20.99
522–540 525 6 230.00–235.00 $234.14 $1,229 +42.79
558–595 582 13 219.00–225.00 $219.74 $1,279 —
600–620 610 2 210.00–217.00 $213.56 $1,303 +14.24
670–690 680 2 213.00–219.00 $216.04 $1,469 —
750 750 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,658 +46.92
815 815 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,650 —
925 925 3 166.00 $166.00 $1,536 —
1010 1010 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,838 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1495 1495 1 159.00 $159.00 $2,377 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 200.00 $200.00 $420 —
280 280 1 215.00 $215.00 $602 —
310–345 334 5 200.00–210.00 $205.35 $686 +29.13
355–397 383 3 210.00–229.00 $223.13 $855 +39.00
387 fancy 387 2 239.00 $239.00 $925 —
405–412 fancy 410 4 235.00–240.00 $237.51 $974 —
400–445 419 21 217.50–232.50 $228.20 $956 +39.46
450–476 fancy 469 7 217.00–220.00 $217.82 $1,022 —
465–492 481 5 200.00–212.00 $205.45 $988 +7.75
508–536 519 16 195.00–208.00 $204.41 $1,061 +5.70
527 value added 527 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,133 -4.06
552–597 575 13 195.00–200.00 $198.16 $1,139 +5.69
600–630 612 14 180.00–198.00 $192.44 $1,178 -2.42
642 value added 642 5 207.00 $207.00 $1,329 —
653–697 680 22 192.00–206.00 $201.15 $1,368 +11.57
700–725 705 6 189.00–201.00 $191.72 $1,352 +5.44
709 value added 709 8 213.00 $213.00 $1,510 -22.28
790 790 2 187.00 $187.00 $1,477 +19.00
823 value added 823 13 181.00 $181.00 $1,490 —
805–845 825 2 155.00–170.00 $162.32 $1,339 -7.68
865 865 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,548 —
908 value added 908 6 191.00 $191.00 $1,734 —
940 940 5 161.00 $161.00 $1,513 —
1038 1038 4 148.00 $148.00 $1,536 —
1236 1236 8 159.00 $159.00 $1,965 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 180.00 $180.00 $432 —
281 281 3 180.00 $180.00 $506 —
337 337 2 195.00 $195.00 $657 —
350 350 1 205.00 $205.00 $718 —
430 430 1 200.00 $200.00 $860 +35.51
490 490 1 193.00 $193.00 $946 +31.61
510–542 526 9 180.00–186.00 $182.98 $962 +15.76
550–567 561 6 181.00–182.00 $181.67 $1,019 +16.82
610 610 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,055 -0.15
670–696 690 4 178.00–180.00 $178.49 $1,232 +11.25
710–730 723 3 167.00–170.00 $168.01 $1,215 +6.01
835 835 1 148.00 $148.00 $1,236 —
927–943 937 5 140.00–141.00 $140.40 $1,316 —
955 955 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,117 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1390 1353 2 131.00–132.50 $131.77 $1,783 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 252.50 $252.50 $745 +22.50
325 325 1 220.00 $220.00 $715 +1.83
345 fancy 345 2 282.50 $282.50 $975 —
351 fancy 351 3 295.00 $295.00 $1,035 —
382–390 385 3 225.00–237.50 $233.28 $898 +17.53
435–445 440 2 232.50–240.00 $236.21 $1,039 +15.58
465–475 469 5 220.00–235.00 $227.93 $1,069 -0.99
502 fancy 502 2 242.50 $242.50 $1,217 -1.84
500–530 512 12 220.00–237.50 $230.25 $1,179 +3.48
560–583 570 7 225.00–237.50 $232.46 $1,325 +10.77
570 fancy 570 2 247.50 $247.50 $1,411 —
600–615 608 2 210.00–212.00 $210.99 $1,283 -2.79
643 fancy 643 4 228.00 $228.00 $1,466 —
653–665 656 4 196.00–206.00 $203.47 $1,335 -1.22
705 705 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,269 -12.37
757–770 761 3 177.00–183.00 $179.02 $1,362 -2.14
845 845 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,242 —
855–875 865 2 178.00–186.00 $182.05 $1,575 +29.05
925 925 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,563 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 2 212.50 $212.50 $531 —
330 330 1 205.00 $205.00 $676 +19.21
400 400 1 222.50 $222.50 $890 +52.50
485 485 1 198.00 $198.00 $960 +10.73
500–525 513 2 192.50–200.00 $196.34 $1,007 +13.06
590–595 593 2 202.00–207.50 $204.74 $1,214 —
625–645 635 2 180.00–183.00 $181.48 $1,152 -4.52
650–690 666 4 184.00–193.00 $187.56 $1,249 +25.53
745 745 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,199 —
850 850 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,386 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 177.50 $177.50 $612 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1425 1254 80-85% 25 88.00–96.00 $92.33 $1,158 +6.91
1165–1485 1304 80-85% 19 81.00–87.00 $84.05 $1,096 -12.16
1200–1435 1347 80-85% 11 97.00–105.00 $100.02 $1,347 +3.81
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1070 980 85-90% 5 61.00–68.00 $63.55 $623 +3.19
840–1050 988 85-90% 17 70.00–79.00 $74.39 $735 +14.03
915–1050 1003 85-90% 3 95.00–98.00 $96.61 $969 +23.53
915–1125 1012 85-90% 7 80.00–89.00 $83.98 $850 +10.90
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1455 1455 75-80% 1 81.00 $81.00 $1,179 —
1515–1540 1528 75-80% 2 97.00–98.00 $97.50 $1,490 —
1455–1825 1587 75-80% 9 90.00–96.00 $93.21 $1,479 +4.57

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1465 1440 2 111.00–115.00 $112.97 $1,627 +6.61
1695–2230 1885 7 117.00–125.00 $122.20 $2,303 —
1715–2170 1935 3 128.00–133.00 $131.52 $2,545 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010 1010 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00

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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.