Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 16, 2023

1,316 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $225.02/cwt +6.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,860/hd at 827 lb · 186 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $222.55/cwt +13.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,056/hd at 924 lb · 181 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $214.92/cwt +29.92 vs last sale · ≈ $2,143/hd at 997 lb · 56 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,316 2,275 2,392
Feeder cattle 1,159 2,135 2,300
Slaughter cattle 153 134 90
Replacement cattle 4 6 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers mostly 3.00-5.00 higher except 600-700 lbs they were 3.00-5.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, over 600 lbs mostly steady, Moderate demand for plainer fleshier unweaned calves and good demand for fancy weaned preconditioned calves. Yearling steers were 5.00-8.00 higher and sold with good demand. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 higher, Slaughter bulls steady, 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
250–295 273 2 227.50–237.50 $232.91 $636 -11.28
362 fancy 362 2 269.00 $269.00 $974 —
385–388 387 4 250.00–257.50 $255.64 $989 +23.12
405–440 fancy 417 7 255.00–267.50 $263.44 $1,099 +5.43
410–443 427 6 237.50–253.00 $244.95 $1,046 +2.29
460–496 479 9 240.00–242.50 $240.56 $1,152 -7.18
505–532 value added 524 4 249.00–252.50 $251.62 $1,318 -5.85
510–540 536 24 233.00–245.00 $237.43 $1,273 -4.44
555–588 579 14 220.00–240.00 $232.73 $1,348 -10.12
606–645 614 19 226.00–227.00 $226.22 $1,389 -6.26
638–648 value added 644 26 231.00–236.50 $233.35 $1,503 -22.15
657–692 value added 678 15 228.00–231.00 $229.84 $1,558 -13.97
686 686 6 223.00 $223.00 $1,530 -3.92
713–737 721 6 207.00–215.00 $211.61 $1,526 -8.86
764–780 767 6 217.00–219.00 $217.34 $1,667 +1.97
807 807 2 214.00 $214.00 $1,727 +3.42
818–841 value added 827 184 220.25–227.75 $225.14 $1,862 +6.05
910–932 value added 924 181 220.75–224.20 $222.55 $2,056 +13.05
955–998 value added 997 56 214.90–216.00 $214.92 $2,143 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–365 363 2 189.00–217.00 $202.90 $737 -18.10
416 416 3 209.00 $209.00 $869 -13.25
460–485 477 3 200.00–220.00 $212.20 $1,012 -19.90
503–540 523 12 187.00–219.00 $206.89 $1,082 -7.25
570–588 579 14 202.00–219.00 $210.07 $1,216 -12.12
633 633 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,329 -5.22
750–765 756 5 180.00–190.00 $185.24 $1,400 -9.74
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1665 1665 1 130.00 $130.00 $2,164 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316 316 3 200.00 $200.00 $632 -27.50
380–395 386 5 197.50–220.00 $210.48 $812 -11.43
412–435 423 6 195.00–205.00 $198.73 $841 -13.32
450–485 470 19 190.00–212.00 $199.38 $937 -18.47
507–537 530 20 185.00–204.00 $193.81 $1,027 -14.82
553–585 572 25 184.00–204.00 $194.22 $1,111 -3.95
597 597 2 120.00 $120.00 $716 -78.17
615–645 641 15 178.00–199.00 $196.31 $1,258 -2.49
660 660 2 132.50 $132.50 $874 -56.85
655–695 682 14 183.00–190.00 $187.73 $1,280 -1.62
703–739 714 31 182.00–191.00 $187.75 $1,341 +6.27
822 822 2 162.00 $162.00 $1,332 —
862 862 12 176.00 $176.00 $1,517 -10.00
960 960 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,478 +9.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 170.00 $170.00 $544 -12.50
350–390 364 7 150.00–175.00 $165.05 $601 -32.42
400–446 431 12 160.00–185.00 $175.52 $756 -14.48
455–465 462 3 162.00–183.00 $176.10 $814 -18.07
545 545 4 181.00–183.00 $181.50 $989 -8.21
555–595 585 17 161.00–180.00 $178.34 $1,043 -7.29
600–630 621 4 160.00–174.00 $166.21 $1,032 -17.79
665–695 674 7 150.00–161.00 $155.14 $1,046 -17.25
700–712 709 4 147.50–166.00 $159.88 $1,134 -8.10
838 838 4 130.00 $130.00 $1,089 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1465 1325 2 132.00–135.00 $133.34 $1,767 —
1485 1485 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,797 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 210.00 $210.00 $546 -7.50
325–338 333 5 210.00–222.50 $214.88 $716 -14.44
350–390 373 3 215.00–230.00 $222.57 $830 -4.07
385–395 fancy 393 4 250.00–255.00 $251.26 $987 —
410 fancy 410 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,117 +15.00
400–445 417 3 220.00–242.50 $231.09 $964 -9.39
455–495 472 8 220.00–237.50 $230.31 $1,087 -4.71
510–535 519 19 200.00–220.00 $210.95 $1,095 -17.94
532 fancy 532 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,250 -5.00
560–585 573 2 207.50–209.00 $208.23 $1,193 -14.53
620 fancy 620 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,380 —
615–645 631 4 185.00–210.00 $192.56 $1,215 -10.36
660–695 685 8 177.00–184.00 $181.64 $1,244 -2.36
700–745 718 12 165.00–180.00 $174.04 $1,250 -9.75
750–785 768 2 170.00–180.00 $174.89 $1,343 +4.89
805–815 810 2 140.00–148.00 $143.98 $1,166 -24.59
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 177.50 $177.50 $559 -30.00
435 435 1 215.00 $215.00 $935 +13.78
460–475 467 4 200.00–215.00 $205.69 $961 -14.31
500–535 519 12 160.00–185.00 $177.89 $923 -33.71
555–580 564 4 155.00–183.00 $171.35 $966 -32.75
601–645 620 9 166.00–184.00 $176.44 $1,094 -10.56

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1395 1246 80-85% 17 82.00–89.00 $85.11 $1,060 -4.87
1135–1475 1286 80-85% 28 90.00–102.00 $93.66 $1,204 -7.07
1195–1465 1357 80-85% 6 70.00–77.00 $74.11 $1,006 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1100 967 85-90% 3 62.00–68.00 $64.18 $621 —
965–1130 1048 85-90% 2 90.00–103.00 $95.99 $1,006 +19.39
885–1295 1056 85-90% 9 70.00–78.00 $74.27 $784 —
1025–1155 1099 85-90% 7 83.00–89.00 $85.44 $939 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475–1505 1490 75-80% 2 87.00 $87.00 $1,296 —
1510–1710 1584 75-80% 14 91.00–110.00 $96.57 $1,530 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1375 1320 2 104.00–110.00 $106.88 $1,411 —
1655–2215 1942 3 125.00–130.00 $127.56 $2,477 —
2045 2045 1 119.00 $119.00 $2,434 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1005 1005 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,216

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990 990 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
1085 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
1705 1705 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 110.00 $110.00 $588 —
585 585 1 120.00 $120.00 $702 -24.00

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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.