Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 30, 2024

1,405 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $238.80/cwt +6.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,976/hd at 828 lb · 161 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $256.50/cwt +26.48 vs last sale · ≈ $2,122/hd at 827 lb · 144 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $245.12/cwt -2.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,905/hd at 777 lb · 112 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,405 1,430 1,650
Feeder cattle 1,327 1,329 1,469
Slaughter cattle 74 83 174
Replacement cattle 4 18 7

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
225 fancy 225 1 365.00 $365.00 $821 -75.00
327 fancy 327 4 345.00 $345.00 $1,128 +17.50
340–345 343 2 322.50–323.00 $322.75 $1,107 —
360–390 373 8 295.00–320.00 $314.77 $1,174 —
404–433 fancy 409 20 327.00–348.00 $343.56 $1,405 +6.89
405–440 429 7 290.00–315.00 $301.76 $1,295 +2.76
470–497 fancy 472 29 322.00–336.00 $329.91 $1,557 -10.24
465–485 475 2 300.00–310.00 $304.89 $1,448 +8.94
505–540 516 9 280.00–300.00 $289.40 $1,493 -9.79
510–530 value added 520 14 304.00–333.00 $327.52 $1,703 +9.51
551–580 value added 559 32 302.00–317.00 $311.90 $1,744 +4.30
553–590 577 22 281.00–300.00 $292.23 $1,686 +6.76
605–615 606 16 256.00–280.00 $277.26 $1,680 +22.26
602–637 value added 618 13 283.00–297.00 $288.42 $1,782 -14.33
620 620 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,283 -48.00
660 value added 660 5 298.00 $298.00 $1,967 +4.55
660–697 682 12 259.00–281.00 $274.18 $1,870 +33.43
709–731 value added 713 21 271.00–274.50 $273.82 $1,952 +7.85
700–745 727 9 241.00–256.00 $248.61 $1,807 +9.55
756 value added 756 44 259.75 $259.75 $1,964 -9.61
755–775 761 13 235.00–253.00 $247.71 $1,885 +6.84
819–834 value added 827 135 241.00–260.25 $258.26 $2,136 —
822–843 834 9 220.00–240.00 $230.03 $1,918 +0.01
850–861 859 7 220.00–236.00 $226.57 $1,946 +6.57
878 value added 878 102 244.75–247.75 $246.57 $2,165 —
935 935 1 222.00 $222.00 $2,076 +11.45
1075 1075 1 204.00 $204.00 $2,193 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 422 4 270.00 $270.00 $1,139 —
460–495 480 4 260.00–281.00 $268.45 $1,289 —
515–545 530 2 260.00–277.00 $268.74 $1,424 —
558–560 559 4 277.00–279.00 $277.50 $1,551 —
705–745 725 13 220.00–229.00 $225.35 $1,634 —
770 770 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,786 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–375 373 2 245.00–260.00 $252.45 $942 —
450–485 468 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,076 -32.50
517 517 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,241 —
560 560 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,372 —
610–630 620 3 201.00–225.00 $215.36 $1,335 -27.14
655–690 672 3 200.00–211.00 $204.63 $1,375 —
700 700 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,379 -23.00
840 840 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,596 —
855–880 865 3 197.50–210.00 $204.21 $1,766 -9.79

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–295 283 2 287.50–300.00 $294.03 $832 -8.47
300–330 315 2 293.00 $293.00 $923 -10.97
370–385 377 8 287.50–312.50 $299.34 $1,129 —
397 fancy 397 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,310 —
400–435 fancy 417 5 297.50–313.00 $306.07 $1,276 +14.66
420–445 434 8 275.00–293.00 $287.64 $1,248 +23.74
450–460 fancy 458 4 297.50–300.00 $298.11 $1,365 +13.85
455–490 473 13 270.00–290.00 $278.34 $1,317 +13.72
500–547 529 31 250.00–270.00 $262.05 $1,386 +9.29
500–544 value added 533 45 274.00–289.00 $276.96 $1,476 +5.66
550–597 571 35 250.00–270.00 $258.90 $1,478 +7.17
576–582 value added 577 11 275.00–276.00 $275.18 $1,588 +2.36
605–612 value added 610 3 260.00–264.00 $261.32 $1,594 +4.03
620–640 625 6 230.00–251.00 $246.75 $1,542 —
650–693 686 33 231.00–247.00 $243.99 $1,674 +5.13
700–725 716 7 220.00–223.00 $221.29 $1,584 -10.93
705–740 value added 740 76 239.70–240.00 $239.70 $1,774 -4.98
775–779 value added 776 101 244.00–248.50 $247.16 $1,918 -2.59
780–790 788 11 215.00–230.00 $226.38 $1,784 -3.75
800–810 805 3 211.00–224.00 $217.32 $1,749 -6.59
817–831 value added 828 158 234.50–242.00 $239.21 $1,981 +5.21
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–330 318 2 272.50–275.00 $273.80 $871 —
350–372 365 3 265.00–277.50 $269.00 $982 —
410–430 417 3 253.00–267.50 $262.51 $1,095 —
460–495 479 14 252.50–268.00 $263.48 $1,262 +27.56
525–530 528 2 202.50–210.00 $206.27 $1,089 +1.27
580–585 583 2 232.50–235.00 $233.74 $1,363 +6.40
635 635 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,289 +3.00
650–695 673 2 210.00–215.00 $212.42 $1,430 -2.56
723–725 724 4 180.00–201.00 $195.74 $1,417 -9.26
790 790 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,343 -41.51
830–845 838 2 175.00–199.00 $187.11 $1,568 —
995 995 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,692 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
537 537 2 247.00 $247.00 $1,326 —
565–595 587 6 243.00–248.00 $244.99 $1,438 —
637–640 638 3 220.00–222.50 $220.84 $1,409 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–290 282 3 300.00–310.00 $306.80 $865 -10.70
317 317 2 300.00 $300.00 $951 —
380 380 2 305.00–322.50 $313.75 $1,192 +4.02
425–435 430 2 290.00–310.00 $299.88 $1,289 -6.30
435 fancy 435 2 319.00 $319.00 $1,388 -5.60
455–495 471 4 290.00–307.50 $298.26 $1,405 -6.74
450–495 fancy 475 10 314.00–328.00 $321.68 $1,528 -12.88
505–545 518 6 285.00–297.00 $292.50 $1,515 +17.09
520–525 fancy 523 3 310.00–320.00 $316.69 $1,656 +25.82
550–553 fancy 552 4 302.50–305.00 $304.38 $1,680 +21.22
570–590 581 7 270.00–296.00 $286.82 $1,666 +24.27
610–630 fancy 617 3 267.50–285.00 $273.44 $1,687 +7.70
600–647 626 6 237.00–255.00 $248.47 $1,555 +53.47
660–685 669 7 239.00–250.00 $245.42 $1,642 +35.42
712–725 716 3 231.00–240.00 $234.04 $1,676 -0.77
750 750 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,815 —
830 830 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,760 -11.00
967 967 2 208.00 $208.00 $2,011 —
1005–1010 1007 3 177.00–180.00 $178.66 $1,799 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 270.00 $270.00 $756 —
340 340 1 252.50 $252.50 $858 —
385 385 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,030 —
400–425 413 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,156 +5.00
470–495 483 2 267.50–270.00 $268.78 $1,298 -6.54
520–547 532 6 237.00–252.50 $246.64 $1,312 —
570–590 580 2 223.00–250.00 $236.27 $1,370 -11.90
615–625 620 2 220.00–222.50 $221.26 $1,372 —
1045 1045 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,505 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,498 —
690 690 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,580 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1465 1307 80-85% 21 136.00–153.00 $141.59 $1,851 +2.51
1070–1610 1335 80-85% 15 124.00–134.00 $129.98 $1,735 -9.10
1420 1420 80-85% 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,605 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670 670 85-90% 1 77.50 $77.50 $519 —
875–1035 973 85-90% 4 101.00–103.00 $102.02 $993 —
1085 1085 85-90% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,291 —
945–1335 1093 85-90% 8 126.00–149.00 $134.33 $1,468 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480–1495 1488 75-80% 2 145.00–147.00 $146.01 $2,173 —
1490–1820 1633 75-80% 7 131.00–136.00 $132.94 $2,171 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,640 —
1185–1955 1676 6 145.00–162.00 $155.93 $2,613 —
1645–2095 1789 7 166.00–172.00 $168.37 $3,012 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
635–1020 828 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 155.00–167.00 $162.40 $1,345

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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
1130 1130 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
860 860 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 224.00 $224.00 $739 —
715 715 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,509 —

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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.