Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 4, 2024

2,378 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 $212.51/cwt -7.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,843/hd at 867 lb · 359 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $207.39/cwt -10.41 vs last sale · ≈ $2,005/hd at 967 lb · 278 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $212.94/cwt +29.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,458/hd at 685 lb · 235 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,378 560 2,047
Feeder cattle 2,185 516 1,897
Slaughter cattle 192 42 150
Replacement cattle 1 2 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

No Comparison due to Christmas Holiday. However all feeder cattle under 700 lbs. were met with very good demand.

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
215 fancy 215 1 265.00 $265.00 $570 —
270 fancy 270 1 270.00 $270.00 $729 —
271 271 3 240.00 $240.00 $650 —
317 317 2 262.50 $262.50 $832 —
355–385 fancy 369 7 285.00–315.00 $298.23 $1,100 —
375–395 385 2 270.00–277.50 $273.85 $1,054 +38.22
430 430 2 245.00–257.50 $251.25 $1,080 —
415–446 fancy 431 14 272.50–295.00 $277.12 $1,194 —
453–483 466 14 231.00–251.00 $240.02 $1,118 +10.02
450–496 fancy 490 8 260.00–280.00 $277.71 $1,361 —
501–540 value added 511 22 252.50–275.00 $265.21 $1,355 —
508–545 515 7 234.00–247.50 $238.81 $1,230 +3.17
550–598 value added 577 91 250.00–275.00 $260.91 $1,505 +13.91
575–596 591 7 227.00–247.00 $235.56 $1,392 —
602–642 value added 624 39 230.00–253.00 $243.34 $1,518 —
625–645 640 15 213.00–220.00 $216.26 $1,384 —
651–697 value added 666 24 225.00–239.00 $228.09 $1,519 -20.91
660–697 680 24 210.00–224.50 $220.17 $1,497 +12.17
700–735 718 35 202.00–218.00 $208.02 $1,494 —
707–738 value added 721 25 221.00–231.00 $227.39 $1,639 —
750–790 782 22 205.00–215.00 $211.25 $1,652 —
813–846 819 40 199.00–200.00 $199.15 $1,631 —
808–827 value added 825 52 212.00–214.00 $212.19 $1,751 —
861–884 value added 865 321 209.75–216.00 $214.24 $1,853 -5.56
872–893 888 36 196.00–200.00 $199.13 $1,768 —
890 890 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,558 —
941 941 3 187.00 $187.00 $1,760 —
951–995 value added 967 278 198.00–212.85 $207.39 $2,005 -10.41
1223 value added 1223 49 182.90 $182.90 $2,237 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 235.00 $235.00 $717 —
475 475 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,069 —
520 520 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,118 +37.50
555–571 567 5 190.00–221.00 $211.24 $1,198 —
650–690 668 5 171.00–200.00 $187.30 $1,251 -2.70
710–748 729 11 167.00–195.00 $184.62 $1,346 —
785 785 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,515 —
835 835 2 181.00–187.50 $184.25 $1,538 +14.25

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 215.00 $215.00 $494 —
235 fancy 235 1 237.50 $237.50 $558 —
280–295 288 2 190.00–201.00 $195.36 $563 —
330 fancy 330 4 225.00 $225.00 $742 —
331–337 334 6 190.00–212.50 $207.50 $693 —
355–390 366 11 192.50–220.00 $204.94 $750 -15.06
361–380 fancy 366 4 230.00 $230.00 $842 —
405–410 408 2 190.00 $190.00 $775 -19.88
402–447 fancy 424 12 220.00–235.00 $227.19 $963 —
456–496 481 14 190.00–217.50 $201.28 $968 -7.86
450–499 fancy 483 29 220.00–242.50 $230.57 $1,114 —
507–545 value added 524 21 219.00–231.00 $223.72 $1,172 —
511–547 533 16 200.00–217.50 $206.62 $1,101 +6.87
552–567 value added 559 7 224.00–229.00 $226.43 $1,266 +8.21
551–595 575 41 200.00–217.00 $212.54 $1,222 +4.54
600–625 609 6 180.00–202.00 $186.18 $1,134 -11.44
605–622 value added 610 16 205.00–214.00 $209.22 $1,276 —
652–699 673 36 180.00–204.00 $194.70 $1,310 +10.96
650–698 value added 687 199 202.00–219.85 $216.24 $1,486 —
700–715 704 15 160.00–180.00 $170.68 $1,202 —
765–796 792 16 158.00–166.00 $165.52 $1,311 —
805 805 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,308 —
915 915 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,327 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
258–290 263 6 167.50–175.00 $173.62 $457 —
310 310 1 180.00 $180.00 $558 +20.00
350 350 2 187.50 $187.50 $656 -1.13
405 405 1 160.00 $160.00 $648 -30.00
500–542 528 5 170.00–190.00 $180.86 $955 —
550–595 569 8 176.00–196.00 $189.59 $1,079 —
610–625 618 10 150.00–178.00 $169.67 $1,049 —
655–693 677 14 150.00–177.50 $168.92 $1,144 +8.92
700–742 732 8 140.00–155.00 $150.00 $1,098 —
775 775 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,046 —
817 817 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,062 +20.00
921 921 3 106.00 $106.00 $976 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340 1340 1 122.50 $122.50 $1,642 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 222.50 $222.50 $601 ±0.00
275 fancy 275 1 257.50 $257.50 $708 —
310 310 1 215.00 $215.00 $666 —
310–340 fancy 325 2 262.50–287.50 $275.58 $896 —
350–385 fancy 361 7 295.00–317.50 $303.13 $1,094 —
396 396 3 240.00 $240.00 $950 —
420 fancy 420 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,239 —
460–497 485 3 235.00–240.00 $238.42 $1,156 +13.42
517–540 fancy 531 10 243.00–249.00 $245.39 $1,303 —
570 fancy 570 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,414 —
595 595 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,267 —
615–625 620 2 190.00–195.00 $192.52 $1,194 —
660–687 679 4 205.00–219.00 $211.04 $1,433 —
720–743 732 9 188.00–200.00 $192.38 $1,408 —
905–945 925 2 143.00–155.00 $149.13 $1,379 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–385 377 3 200.00–210.00 $203.19 $766 -1.81
445 445 1 215.00 $215.00 $957 —
475 475 1 180.00 $180.00 $855 —
555–595 577 3 180.00–200.00 $186.88 $1,078 +0.88
685 685 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,267 —
760 760 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,292 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1285 1224 80-85% 5 70.00–78.00 $75.37 $923 -9.56
1155–1585 1302 80-85% 28 91.00–107.00 $95.25 $1,240 -2.51
1155–1590 1323 80-85% 25 80.00–89.00 $85.30 $1,129 -12.46
1310–1480 1395 80-85% 2 64.00–68.00 $65.88 $919 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1025 970 85-90% 5 53.00–64.00 $59.11 $573 —
1040–1105 1073 85-90% 2 92.00–100.00 $96.12 $1,031 +0.31
860–1165 1077 85-90% 16 81.00–89.00 $85.31 $919 -10.50
920–1195 1078 85-90% 10 72.00–79.00 $76.97 $830 -18.84
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1825 1618 75-80% 15 92.00–108.00 $97.90 $1,584 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1970 1720 3 103.00–109.00 $106.51 $1,832 —
1575–1905 1763 3 112.00–114.00 $113.02 $1,993 —
2065–2220 2143 2 120.00–126.00 $122.89 $2,634 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
925 925 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,027

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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.