Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 23, 2024

1,430 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 $242.61/cwt +32.61 vs last sale · ≈ $2,235/hd at 921 lb · 285 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $260.36/cwt +15.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,986/hd at 763 lb · 114 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $244.24/cwt +3.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,791/hd at 733 lb · 112 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,430 1,371 1,035
Feeder cattle 1,329 1,306 945
Slaughter cattle 83 65 90
Replacement cattle 18 — 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: feeder steers under 600 lbs steady, over 600 lbs 4.00-6.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, over 700 lbs steady, Good demand for feeders and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 4.00-6.00 higher, Slaughter bulls 2.00-4.00 higher, Very 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
240 fancy 240 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,056 +72.50
320 fancy 320 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,048 —
390–398 fancy 397 12 339.00–340.00 $339.16 $1,346 -20.84
410 fancy 410 3 330.00–340.00 $336.67 $1,380 -16.31
430 430 4 299.00 $299.00 $1,286 -26.70
450–478 fancy 463 11 337.50–342.50 $340.15 $1,575 —
450–495 473 2 290.00–302.50 $295.95 $1,400 -31.55
500–535 value added 523 35 312.00–330.00 $318.01 $1,663 +1.97
525–540 531 5 298.00–300.00 $299.19 $1,589 +12.67
552–597 value added 569 6 302.00–315.00 $307.60 $1,750 -2.40
550–595 570 8 281.00–289.00 $285.47 $1,627 -6.52
605 605 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,543 -10.07
600–645 value added 621 67 274.00–308.00 $302.75 $1,880 +9.46
655–670 value added 667 10 272.50–299.00 $293.45 $1,957 —
675–686 683 4 240.00–241.00 $240.75 $1,644 -18.44
715–730 723 2 233.00–245.00 $239.06 $1,728 +4.94
705–731 value added 727 16 253.00–267.00 $265.97 $1,934 +6.97
757–759 value added 759 78 250.00–270.40 $269.36 $2,044 +18.36
752–798 771 36 230.00–243.50 $240.87 $1,857 -0.58
835–840 838 2 223.00–237.00 $230.02 $1,928 +7.16
870 870 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,914 -1.92
914–930 value added 921 276 237.50–247.90 $243.66 $2,244 —
920–926 925 9 210.00–215.00 $210.55 $1,948 +0.55
975 975 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,145 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435–445 438 3 267.00–267.50 $267.17 $1,170 +19.67
480 480 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,260 +22.50
635 635 2 242.50 $242.50 $1,540 —
730 730 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,606 -1.00
762 762 5 221.00 $221.00 $1,684 —
892 892 2 214.00 $214.00 $1,909 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1129–1167 1140 7 176.00–182.00 $180.24 $2,055 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 302.50 $302.50 $786 -12.50
315–335 325 2 303.00–305.00 $303.97 $988 -13.53
325–345 fancy 332 3 312.50–317.50 $315.77 $1,048 -15.23
350 fancy 350 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,120 -1.50
400–433 fancy 423 12 284.00–300.00 $291.41 $1,233 -13.74
405–445 431 4 262.50–265.00 $263.90 $1,137 -10.86
458–488 fancy 475 16 281.00–292.00 $284.26 $1,350 -15.98
483–492 487 6 261.00–271.00 $264.62 $1,289 -19.86
503–538 value added 521 37 267.00–278.00 $271.30 $1,413 -15.11
510–544 537 8 240.00–257.50 $252.76 $1,357 -12.20
550–590 value added 566 34 261.00–276.00 $272.82 $1,544 -7.38
570–597 587 26 250.00–257.00 $251.73 $1,478 -10.45
603–645 value added 638 46 250.00–259.75 $257.29 $1,642 +1.85
682–684 value added 683 14 252.00–257.00 $255.57 $1,746 -2.97
660–699 685 12 230.00–245.00 $238.86 $1,636 -1.16
700–745 713 4 222.00–237.50 $232.22 $1,656 -2.35
711–744 value added 734 108 238.00–246.80 $244.68 $1,796 +2.68
754 value added 754 70 249.75 $249.75 $1,883 -1.25
795–797 797 8 227.50–230.50 $230.13 $1,834 —
801 value added 801 64 234.00 $234.00 $1,874 —
819–822 821 11 223.00–225.00 $223.91 $1,838 +4.59
950 950 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,900 -1.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
462–495 480 7 212.50–248.00 $235.92 $1,132 -21.08
505 505 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,035 -43.00
575–596 590 5 224.00–235.00 $227.34 $1,341 -1.29
640 640 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,280 —
690–695 693 2 210.00–220.00 $214.98 $1,490 +15.98
725 725 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,486 —
755–770 763 2 210.00–213.00 $211.51 $1,614 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1370 1370 1 174.00 $174.00 $2,384 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 302.50 $302.50 $741 —
292 292 2 317.50 $317.50 $927 +5.00
295 fancy 295 2 347.50 $347.50 $1,025 —
325 fancy 325 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,113 —
363 fancy 363 3 332.00 $332.00 $1,205 -35.50
360–380 370 2 300.00–320.00 $309.73 $1,146 -8.45
407–435 417 4 300.00–310.00 $306.18 $1,277 +9.89
410–430 fancy 421 8 315.00–335.00 $324.60 $1,367 -9.60
455–476 fancy 471 4 317.50–340.00 $334.56 $1,576 -12.86
480 480 2 300.00–310.00 $305.00 $1,464 -7.14
515–541 fancy 531 14 290.00–294.00 $290.87 $1,545 -16.22
530–545 537 8 260.00–281.00 $275.41 $1,479 -17.23
558–590 fancy 564 5 280.00–284.00 $283.16 $1,597 —
566–585 569 9 260.00–277.50 $262.55 $1,494 -27.89
620 620 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,209 -49.88
605–645 fancy 624 8 260.00–271.00 $265.74 $1,658 -10.78
655 fancy 655 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,703 —
675 675 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,418 —
700–725 708 3 232.50–237.00 $234.81 $1,662 —
790 790 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,754 -7.00
800 800 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,784 +23.00
800 fancy 800 3 232.00 $232.00 $1,856 —
850–885 868 2 200.00–214.00 $206.86 $1,796 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,155 —
455–480 474 4 270.00–278.00 $275.32 $1,305 —
555–580 571 4 230.00–261.00 $248.17 $1,417 —
690 690 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,484 —
770 770 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,386 —
890 890 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,566 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,202 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1755 1312 80-85% 39 122.00–157.00 $139.08 $1,825 —
1345–1420 1383 80-85% 2 106.00–115.00 $110.38 $1,527 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800–1145 1039 85-90% 15 121.00–144.00 $134.67 $1,399 +19.00
910–1180 1047 85-90% 3 108.00–113.00 $110.12 $1,153 -5.55
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475–1700 1580 75-80% 3 132.00–139.00 $136.82 $2,162 -0.70

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1620–1845 1740 3 161.00–170.00 $164.65 $2,865 +4.28
1735–2215 1910 3 148.00–159.00 $154.75 $2,956 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1160–1620 1398 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,350.00–2,150.00 $1,906.79
1315–1685 1483 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,725.00–2,175.00 $1,903.54

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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
1180–1235 1208 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,975.00–2,450.00 $2,217.91 —
1190–1510 1309 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 2,375.00–2,575.00 $2,501.27 —
1370 1370 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,625.00 $2,625.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
755 755 (<2 yrs)Open 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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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.