Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 4, 2024

1,450 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $254.48/cwt +10.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,602/hd at 629 lb · 236 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $227.91/cwt -3.23 vs last sale · ≈ $2,061/hd at 904 lb · 204 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $261.46/cwt -20.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,773/hd at 678 lb · 104 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,450 1,375 1,697
Feeder cattle 1,399 1,276 1,564
Slaughter cattle 50 97 129
Replacement cattle 1 2 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs 8.00-10.00 lower, over 700 steady to 2.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 4.00-8.00 lower, over 600 lbs steady, Moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 8.00-10.00 lower, Slaughter bulls steady, Moderate demand for slaughter cows and good demand for slaughter bulls.

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
215–245 fancy 230 2 315.00–327.50 $321.66 $740 -19.25
270–285 fancy 278 2 310.00–315.00 $312.43 $869 —
310 310 1 285.00 $285.00 $884 +9.00
325 fancy 325 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,081 +9.09
365 365 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,095 +1.70
380–397 fancy 384 9 312.50–355.00 $345.23 $1,326 +27.91
411–435 fancy 415 10 295.00–320.00 $308.70 $1,281 -14.40
415 415 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,079 -32.50
482 482 2 271.00 $271.00 $1,306 -14.41
475–499 fancy 494 15 290.00–332.50 $300.51 $1,485 -22.59
505 fancy 505 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,768 +4.69
503–545 value added 525 25 280.00–322.50 $298.48 $1,567 -18.34
550–587 value added 561 17 271.00–303.00 $289.26 $1,623 -24.41
580–596 588 10 260.00–262.00 $260.81 $1,534 -29.81
600–645 617 15 228.00–243.00 $232.67 $1,436 -26.27
602–642 value added 628 14 260.00–277.50 $268.70 $1,687 -25.84
655–685 value added 677 90 260.00–272.50 $264.83 $1,793 -18.14
680–686 684 14 237.00–245.00 $239.79 $1,640 -19.05
700–717 value added 714 47 250.00–263.00 $258.32 $1,844 -0.82
700–745 726 6 237.50–248.00 $242.78 $1,763 +8.14
750–791 788 66 227.00–239.00 $235.17 $1,853 -10.44
823 value added 823 64 236.10 $236.10 $1,943 -6.00
802–840 825 18 215.00–232.00 $222.39 $1,835 -7.61
850–868 862 6 220.00–224.00 $222.69 $1,920 -6.93
900–902 value added 901 182 230.50–237.50 $230.54 $2,077 -0.77
925–940 932 22 198.00–213.00 $206.12 $1,921 -16.85
956 value added 956 8 228.00 $228.00 $2,180 —
980 980 3 211.00 $211.00 $2,068 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,188 -22.50
500–505 503 2 190.00–227.50 $208.84 $1,050 -26.16
615 615 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,230 -39.00
690 690 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,518 —
700 700 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,407 —
860 860 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,694 -13.33
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1230 1155 2 170.00–200.00 $184.03 $2,126 —
1220 1220 1 185.00 $185.00 $2,257 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 142.50 $142.50 $598 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 fancy 220 1 320.00 $320.00 $704 -12.50
270 fancy 270 1 302.50 $302.50 $817 -10.67
290–295 293 2 277.50–280.00 $278.76 $817 -1.24
320–330 325 2 260.00–285.00 $272.69 $886 —
328–337 fancy 331 9 290.00–312.50 $300.61 $995 -15.41
351–360 fancy 353 4 315.00 $315.00 $1,112 —
376–390 381 6 260.00–277.50 $267.59 $1,020 -14.05
402–446 fancy 425 14 270.00–300.00 $283.69 $1,206 -6.27
413–445 430 11 251.00–262.00 $256.77 $1,104 -13.49
455–497 480 38 243.00–267.00 $254.46 $1,221 -9.80
511–518 value added 514 8 250.00–254.00 $251.51 $1,293 -7.65
500–540 525 22 230.00–249.00 $243.46 $1,278 +1.62
554 value added 554 6 254.00 $254.00 $1,407 -3.00
565–586 579 21 230.00–244.00 $240.48 $1,392 -1.24
606–637 fancy 624 136 261.10–262.00 $261.47 $1,632 —
605–635 625 10 210.00–233.00 $215.06 $1,344 -12.49
620–645 value added 638 90 236.00–254.00 $248.31 $1,584 -0.29
663 value added 663 10 247.00 $247.00 $1,638 -1.37
655–695 675 6 190.00–217.50 $208.55 $1,408 -18.69
700–748 722 32 205.00–222.00 $214.75 $1,550 +14.69
750–760 753 3 205.00–208.00 $206.99 $1,559 -1.59
767–768 value added 768 86 226.00–236.00 $232.98 $1,789 +1.57
816–835 value added 825 21 219.00–223.00 $221.07 $1,824 —
980 980 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,519 -27.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 2 230.00 $230.00 $667 -20.00
300–345 320 3 210.00–232.50 $221.21 $708 —
380 380 1 205.00 $205.00 $779 -5.00
430–445 438 2 180.00–234.00 $207.46 $909 —
452–480 464 5 200.00–238.00 $218.42 $1,013 -21.80
530–540 535 3 200.00–220.00 $212.49 $1,137 -1.51
560–585 570 3 195.00–220.00 $208.32 $1,187 -16.68
600–627 618 3 175.00–200.00 $183.09 $1,131 -22.03
680 680 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,272 +1.07
700 700 5 160.00–185.00 $180.00 $1,260 -3.71
805–820 810 3 130.00–165.00 $151.75 $1,229 —
870 870 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,392 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 150.00 $150.00 $600 —
535 535 1 167.50 $167.50 $896 —
575 575 1 120.00 $120.00 $690 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 283.00 $283.00 $877 —
370 370 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,110 —
410–440 fancy 423 8 307.50–332.50 $317.03 $1,341 -6.40
430 430 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,118 -28.34
470–480 473 3 250.00–275.00 $259.27 $1,226 -22.47
475–492 fancy 487 7 297.50–331.00 $307.68 $1,498 -24.82
508–535 fancy 518 7 276.00–308.00 $291.88 $1,512 -10.20
527–541 536 7 260.00–270.00 $264.23 $1,416 —
552–575 fancy 560 4 273.00–285.00 $277.16 $1,552 -5.83
570–585 574 5 270.00–272.50 $270.51 $1,553 -4.45
600 600 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,470 —
637 fancy 637 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,784 +20.42
665 665 1 247.00 $247.00 $1,643 +6.00
655–688 fancy 679 7 252.50–262.50 $258.92 $1,758 +2.65
781 781 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,796 +8.00
845 845 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,817 —
850–887 875 3 161.00–178.00 $172.49 $1,509 —
945 945 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,536 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–335 323 2 250.00 $250.00 $808 —
370 370 1 212.50 $212.50 $786 —
405–420 413 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,032 —
455–460 458 2 240.00–250.00 $245.03 $1,122 —
505–540 523 3 210.00–240.00 $227.01 $1,187 —
570–590 580 2 221.00–225.00 $223.03 $1,294 +26.03
690 690 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,332 —
835 835 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,336 —
895 895 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,271 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–955 903 85-90% 2 91.00–94.00 $92.59 $836 -4.89
925 925 85-90% 1 89.00 $89.00 $823 -8.48
920–1145 1063 85-90% 6 115.00–145.00 $123.97 $1,318 —
860–1180 1073 85-90% 10 98.00–112.00 $105.14 $1,128 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1475 1352 80-85% 10 115.00–125.00 $122.04 $1,650 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1580 1580 75-80% 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,912 —
1760 1760 75-80% 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,971 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1530 1295 5 137.00–149.00 $142.41 $1,844 —
1600–2065 1764 9 153.00–177.00 $161.18 $2,843 —

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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
1565 1565 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00 —

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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.