Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 22, 2024

1,751 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 $225.17/cwt +15.67 vs last sale · ≈ $2,054/hd at 912 lb · 242 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $231.74/cwt -0.40 vs last sale · ≈ $2,039/hd at 880 lb · 153 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $229.11/cwt +8.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,657/hd at 723 lb · 100 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,751 1,202 1,798
Feeder cattle 1,566 1,138 1,694
Slaughter cattle 171 59 102
Replacement cattle 14 5 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 400 lbs 15.00-20.00 higher, 400-700 lbs 8.00-12.00 higher, over 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 400 lbs steady, 400-500 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, 500-700 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, over 700 lbs steady, Good to very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 higher, slaughter bulls 1.00-3.00 higher, 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
245 fancy 245 1 315.00 $315.00 $772 —
265–280 fancy 273 2 317.50–345.00 $331.63 $905 +19.13
300 300 2 297.50 $297.50 $892 —
310–345 fancy 327 8 300.00–329.00 $316.81 $1,036 —
350–395 fancy 370 10 300.00–325.00 $305.01 $1,129 +2.51
370 370 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,045 +32.50
405–435 fancy 420 14 300.00–312.50 $305.49 $1,283 -4.08
400–440 431 6 280.00–295.00 $286.57 $1,235 +46.57
461–498 476 11 265.00–288.00 $280.94 $1,337 +31.03
475–492 fancy 485 12 290.00–310.00 $297.41 $1,442 +3.05
507–545 value added 517 13 279.00–301.00 $292.14 $1,510 +22.27
500–545 525 5 250.00–270.00 $260.58 $1,368 +9.65
550–594 value added 575 13 280.00–300.00 $289.52 $1,665 +15.52
570–587 581 3 255.00–261.00 $256.96 $1,493 -0.83
619 fancy 619 40 286.00 $286.00 $1,770 —
600–645 value added 625 20 253.00–283.00 $267.04 $1,669 +5.03
620–637 629 4 232.00–242.50 $237.32 $1,493 -0.74
660 660 2 241.00 $241.00 $1,591 +6.00
650–695 value added 676 38 261.00–271.00 $266.13 $1,799 -2.69
707–721 714 7 221.00–231.00 $225.82 $1,612 +12.16
725–748 value added 735 57 243.00–257.00 $254.83 $1,873 +20.61
765 765 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,767 +6.49
771–788 value added 772 86 252.00–256.40 $256.04 $1,977 +23.66
801–830 value added 808 26 229.00–249.00 $244.03 $1,972 +10.13
852–887 870 15 220.00–223.00 $221.85 $1,930 +6.85
851–899 value added 881 138 226.00–239.20 $232.82 $2,051 +0.39
905–921 value added 912 242 222.75–230.10 $225.17 $2,054 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475–495 485 2 255.00–256.00 $255.49 $1,239 —
545 545 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,254 —
745 745 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,535 —
780 780 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,661 —
810 810 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,304 —
945 945 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,720 +7.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–290 fancy 270 2 290.00–295.00 $292.69 $790 —
295 295 1 260.00 $260.00 $767 —
310–345 fancy 333 22 252.50–295.00 $287.00 $956 -8.00
353–370 357 4 240.00 $240.00 $857 -20.00
350–392 fancy 366 16 255.00–297.50 $280.64 $1,027 +6.81
405–440 fancy 431 25 256.00–292.50 $268.69 $1,158 -32.29
420–437 431 4 242.00–249.00 $246.30 $1,062 +2.74
450–495 fancy 475 41 250.00–277.00 $263.25 $1,250 -33.77
457–495 476 8 230.00–247.50 $238.85 $1,137 +3.96
502–542 value added 522 23 244.00–264.00 $251.15 $1,311 -21.75
502–540 525 17 220.00–239.00 $230.05 $1,208 -7.71
550–592 value added 574 20 241.00–254.00 $246.80 $1,417 —
595 595 2 238.00–239.00 $238.50 $1,419 +7.62
605–648 value added 626 73 231.00–251.00 $246.86 $1,545 +18.50
612–640 629 5 210.00–229.00 $216.72 $1,363 +3.81
650–695 676 6 206.00–223.00 $219.15 $1,481 +6.03
673–687 value added 677 24 233.00–241.00 $234.91 $1,590 —
700–725 708 10 190.00–216.00 $205.03 $1,452 +7.48
719–748 value added 725 90 223.50–234.25 $231.79 $1,680 +9.79
765–785 775 4 192.00–211.00 $201.38 $1,561 +8.73
788 value added 788 10 223.00 $223.00 $1,757 +2.75
800 800 8 190.00–201.00 $199.63 $1,597 +2.24
936 936 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,544 -23.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 197.50 $197.50 $672 —
490 490 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,078 +29.68
520–545 533 6 190.00–214.00 $204.91 $1,092 +24.91
650–690 668 3 182.50–190.00 $186.88 $1,248 -5.63
710–739 734 6 170.00–183.00 $180.90 $1,328 +9.77
760–795 786 6 148.00–180.00 $160.98 $1,265 -6.02
860 860 1 148.00 $148.00 $1,273 —
990 990 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,287 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
297 fancy 297 2 300.00 $300.00 $891 —
305–345 325 2 260.00–280.00 $269.38 $875 +25.86
320–345 fancy 333 2 300.00–347.00 $322.62 $1,074 +13.62
365–385 375 2 275.00–285.00 $279.87 $1,050 —
375–390 fancy 381 4 297.50–321.00 $308.23 $1,174 +9.23
403–445 fancy 412 7 290.00–310.00 $303.26 $1,249 +31.05
445 445 5 262.50–287.00 $280.90 $1,250 +40.90
465 465 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,221 +30.00
450–495 fancy 472 7 292.50–299.00 $296.87 $1,401 —
512–520 515 5 230.00–249.00 $241.58 $1,244 -1.03
510–545 fancy 527 17 196.00–300.00 $280.72 $1,479 +5.72
560–591 fancy 575 7 260.00–274.00 $266.55 $1,533 -12.45
552–597 581 10 239.00–257.00 $245.12 $1,424 -8.30
605–630 fancy 613 5 241.00–248.00 $243.97 $1,496 +2.97
610–645 635 11 210.00–237.50 $222.49 $1,413 -7.51
665–670 667 3 214.00–221.00 $216.68 $1,445 +1.48
725 725 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,530 +11.00
755–775 768 3 195.00–209.00 $199.59 $1,533 +10.00
840–845 843 2 171.00–180.00 $175.49 $1,479 —
860–870 865 2 162.50–172.50 $167.47 $1,449 -17.02
920 920 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,725 +13.80
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 250.00 $250.00 $750 —
350–352 351 3 230.00–250.00 $236.64 $831 —
525 525 1 185.00 $185.00 $971 -15.00
615 615 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,230 —
730 730 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,332 —
930 930 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,116 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1135 1135 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250 1250 80-85% 1 83.00 $83.00 $1,038 -11.31
1155–1480 1288 80-85% 13 92.00–105.00 $100.28 $1,292 +5.97
1145–1575 1303 80-85% 22 108.00–135.00 $116.63 $1,520 +6.74
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1195 1015 85-90% 16 108.00–122.50 $114.93 $1,167 +31.40
860–1180 1035 85-90% 11 93.00–105.00 $99.85 $1,033 +16.32
1015–1185 1093 85-90% 6 84.00–87.00 $85.28 $932 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1565 1565 75-80% 1 84.00 $84.00 $1,315 —
1690 1690 75-80% 1 98.00 $98.00 $1,656 -16.59
1655–1810 1738 75-80% 6 114.00–126.00 $119.12 $2,070 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1365 1298 3 123.00–127.00 $125.45 $1,628 +15.73
1750 1750 1 119.00 $119.00 $2,082 —
1650–1890 1771 8 130.00–146.00 $136.74 $2,422 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–925 903 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 127.00–130.00 $128.54 $1,161

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
960–1135 1040 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,400.00–1,750.00 $1,614.98
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00
1055–1345 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,425.00–1,700.00 $1,545.89
1110–1540 1325 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,600.00–1,850.00 $1,745.28

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
830 830 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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
1140 1140 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —

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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.