Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 2, 2024

1,282 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $227.50/cwt -0.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,770/hd at 778 lb · 147 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $234.81/cwt +7.26 vs last sale · ≈ $2,078/hd at 885 lb · 124 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $231.70/cwt +2.70 vs last sale · ≈ $2,148/hd at 927 lb · 114 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,282 1,630 1,253
Feeder cattle 1,117 1,524 1,129
Slaughter cattle 160 95 107
Replacement cattle 5 11 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 800 lbs 6.00-8.00 lower, over 800 lbs 2.00-4.00 higher, Feeder heifers 3.00-5.00 lower, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 lower, Slaughter bulls 3.00-5.00 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
265–295 fancy 280 2 345.00–347.50 $346.32 $970 +18.65
305 305 1 302.50 $302.50 $923 —
345 fancy 345 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,121 -31.87
360–395 fancy 382 6 330.00–350.00 $339.09 $1,295 -2.92
400–445 fancy 426 27 312.50–342.50 $325.14 $1,385 +1.93
425–445 435 2 267.50–300.00 $284.12 $1,236 -7.85
455–497 fancy 484 12 312.50–322.50 $316.00 $1,529 -3.42
500–542 value added 515 13 301.00–319.00 $308.06 $1,587 -9.68
500–545 523 2 280.00–286.00 $283.13 $1,481 -0.27
550 value added 550 1 309.00 $309.00 $1,700 +5.93
575–595 587 8 281.00–285.00 $283.32 $1,663 -10.45
600–645 623 2 230.00–240.00 $234.82 $1,463 -33.56
600–647 value added 636 17 257.50–290.00 $285.39 $1,815 -14.64
660–682 value added 676 7 259.00–273.00 $269.23 $1,820 -9.78
675–695 683 5 235.00–251.00 $243.57 $1,664 -30.43
700–745 732 6 230.00–237.50 $234.19 $1,714 -9.80
728–740 value added 734 19 250.00–259.00 $254.70 $1,869 -17.72
765–770 768 2 233.00 $233.00 $1,789 -12.69
806–840 816 5 217.00–228.00 $224.35 $1,831 +4.35
855–890 873 2 221.00–225.00 $223.04 $1,947 +1.04
882–888 value added 885 122 235.00 $235.00 $2,080 +7.06
925–929 value added 927 114 230.75–232.75 $231.70 $2,148 +2.70
979 value added 979 59 226.00 $226.00 $2,213 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 2 200.00 $200.00 $940 —
540 540 1 246.00 $246.00 $1,328 —
560–590 572 3 215.00–250.00 $228.69 $1,308 +13.69
690 690 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,518 -15.00
725 725 2 209.00 $209.00 $1,515 —
775 775 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,666 +10.05
900 900 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,719 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1148 1148 5 212.00 $212.00 $2,434 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 695 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,425 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–230 fancy 217 3 330.00–355.00 $343.00 $744 +25.30
255–265 260 2 285.00–300.00 $292.64 $761 -12.36
290 fancy 290 1 312.50 $312.50 $906 -6.18
320–335 fancy 330 3 300.00–312.50 $305.20 $1,007 -6.44
320–345 337 3 270.00–284.00 $274.44 $925 -18.44
352–395 fancy 370 9 305.00–320.00 $309.42 $1,145 -1.70
350–385 373 3 272.50–292.50 $282.66 $1,054 -14.71
405–445 fancy 430 10 273.00–305.00 $289.35 $1,244 -6.53
420–435 430 3 245.00–261.00 $251.90 $1,083 -14.92
453–495 fancy 468 40 271.00–297.50 $285.80 $1,338 -0.57
470–490 480 2 259.00–267.50 $263.34 $1,264 -6.91
500–526 value added 517 25 262.50–282.50 $270.09 $1,396 -11.82
502–540 524 6 245.00–260.00 $253.55 $1,329 -11.74
555–590 572 33 240.00–259.00 $249.47 $1,427 -12.05
560–580 value added 572 16 262.00–268.00 $265.63 $1,519 -14.37
600–630 value added 619 11 243.00–269.00 $253.32 $1,568 -5.63
605–636 623 10 230.00–240.00 $232.96 $1,451 -10.50
662–684 value added 680 21 241.00–243.00 $241.19 $1,640 -10.83
660–691 685 18 220.00–236.00 $231.54 $1,586 -7.18
710–725 722 5 206.00–216.00 $214.03 $1,545 -19.10
754–795 762 7 202.00–222.00 $216.85 $1,652 -11.23
768–789 value added 779 140 223.00–233.00 $228.03 $1,776 —
805 805 3 203.00 $203.00 $1,634 +1.00
871 871 6 214.00 $214.00 $1,864 +12.00
905 905 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,656 —
994 994 5 198.00 $198.00 $1,968 —
1085 value added 1085 51 188.50 $188.50 $2,045 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 2 240.00–245.00 $242.50 $885 —
432 432 2 200.00 $200.00 $864 -40.33
455 455 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,046 -0.95
530 530 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,166 -10.00
570–580 577 3 209.00–225.00 $219.73 $1,268 -5.36
603–640 610 5 212.00–217.00 $215.95 $1,317 +30.97
695 695 2 211.00–216.00 $213.50 $1,484 +23.50
702–748 732 6 163.00–191.00 $176.70 $1,293 -0.78
770 770 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,147 -8.50
805–830 809 7 160.00–172.00 $169.01 $1,367 +15.01

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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 1 287.50 $287.50 $848 +17.50
315 fancy 315 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,024 -5.22
350–365 358 2 305.00–317.50 $311.12 $1,114 +5.71
395 fancy 395 2 332.50–333.00 $332.75 $1,314 +2.16
405–430 418 2 292.50–295.00 $293.79 $1,228 +10.66
410–430 fancy 423 4 313.00–330.00 $321.87 $1,362 +4.35
455–495 470 3 297.50–305.00 $301.85 $1,419 +6.97
470–490 fancy 479 10 310.00–333.00 $321.27 $1,539 +8.01
500–545 fancy 518 11 300.00–312.50 $307.26 $1,592 -6.35
505–546 531 6 280.00–297.50 $285.95 $1,518 -2.95
560–590 579 5 272.00–287.50 $280.28 $1,623 -2.26
605–645 fancy 617 7 251.00–280.00 $263.16 $1,624 -19.69
601–647 628 12 240.00–250.00 $248.33 $1,560 -21.37
650–677 fancy 671 7 259.00–270.00 $267.06 $1,792 -5.32
665–695 680 3 240.00–249.00 $244.73 $1,664 -9.19
705–710 708 2 238.00–254.00 $245.97 $1,741 +3.44
750–765 758 4 224.00–231.00 $227.01 $1,721 -0.49
865–890 878 2 210.00–220.00 $214.93 $1,887 —
945 945 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,729 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,079 +52.76
450–475 460 3 240.00–270.00 $257.12 $1,183 +31.31
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 220.00 $220.00 $957 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240 1240 80-85% 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,190 +5.00
1110–1545 1284 80-85% 17 100.00–114.00 $109.79 $1,410 -10.30
1085–1460 1296 80-85% 44 115.00–135.00 $122.74 $1,591 +2.65
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1495–1730 1594 75-80% 4 110.00–114.00 $112.05 $1,786 -5.15
1460–1930 1612 75-80% 35 115.00–138.00 $124.42 $2,006 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1090 1046 85-90% 5 115.00–134.00 $122.74 $1,284 +23.69
925–1125 1051 85-90% 6 104.00–113.00 $109.51 $1,151 -2.80
1035–1150 1083 85-90% 3 94.00–99.00 $96.09 $1,041 -16.22

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–2385 1739 7 154.00–167.00 $157.33 $2,736 —
1605–2050 1757 5 142.00–149.00 $146.37 $2,572 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1175–1310 1243 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,475.00–1,500.00 $1,486.82
1420 1420 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1515 1515 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

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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
1265 1265 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00 +175.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
862 862 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,569 —
923 value added 923 57 195.00 $195.00 $1,800 —
950 950 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,624 —

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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.