Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 8, 2024

1,684 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 steers $250.45/cwt -1.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,023/hd at 808 lb · 252 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $235.41/cwt -6.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,293/hd at 974 lb · 216 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $259.20/cwt -17.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,880/hd at 725 lb · 164 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,684 1,602 2,013
Feeder cattle 1,587 1,508 1,882
Slaughter cattle 93 82 125
Replacement cattle 4 12 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 2.00-5.00 lower, Feeder and yearling heifers 5.00-10.00 lower, Moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bull steady, 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
317 fancy 317 2 317.50 $317.50 $1,006 -32.50
380 380 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,045 —
445 445 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,202 ±0.00
485 485 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,382 +17.31
527 value added 527 4 290.00 $290.00 $1,528 -17.00
525–540 535 3 279.00–285.00 $280.96 $1,503 +20.31
577–589 value added 584 17 292.00–299.00 $294.85 $1,722 —
570–597 590 8 250.00–267.50 $255.64 $1,508 -12.67
615–640 628 2 239.00–257.50 $248.43 $1,560 +3.47
678 678 3 245.00 $245.00 $1,661 -4.02
715–736 value added 725 139 259.00–266.00 $262.52 $1,903 -15.58
716–746 726 25 238.00–243.00 $240.72 $1,748 +1.75
803–812 804 13 225.00–229.00 $225.62 $1,814 —
806–815 value added 808 239 244.00–254.75 $251.80 $2,035 -0.49
898 value added 898 60 242.00 $242.00 $2,173 —
916–928 value added 922 118 233.50–237.50 $235.45 $2,171 -8.42
936–945 938 10 200.00–209.00 $207.19 $1,943 -26.31
961–994 value added 974 216 233.00–238.00 $235.41 $2,293 -6.59
1005 1005 1 200.00 $200.00 $2,010 —
1060 1060 5 199.50 $199.50 $2,115 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
407 407 2 242.50 $242.50 $987 —
471 471 3 241.00 $241.00 $1,135 +23.62
545 545 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,226 -7.59
555 555 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,304 -6.22
620 620 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,132 -40.45
650 650 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,482 +3.00
930 930 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,776 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–280 265 2 279.00–287.50 $283.49 $751 -18.17
310–333 327 6 269.00–282.50 $273.18 $893 -21.19
360–395 382 4 247.50–265.00 $254.85 $974 -41.43
405 fancy 405 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,225 +20.00
403–445 412 13 257.00–277.00 $264.36 $1,089 +0.37
458–498 484 34 240.00–262.50 $250.73 $1,214 -11.17
510–547 532 24 231.00–257.50 $245.49 $1,306 -5.20
550–595 565 22 230.00–255.00 $239.70 $1,354 -16.60
612–642 value added 618 87 240.00–256.00 $251.11 $1,552 -12.90
600–640 623 19 220.00–237.50 $227.60 $1,418 -16.34
670–695 687 18 224.00–229.00 $226.58 $1,557 -7.17
713–723 value added 718 144 233.75–242.60 $238.27 $1,711 -5.48
700–730 727 11 202.50–225.00 $221.30 $1,609 -10.47
755–760 757 3 200.00–201.00 $200.33 $1,516 -35.67
800–840 817 6 187.00–210.00 $199.99 $1,634 —
828–846 value added 845 67 224.00–228.75 $228.54 $1,931 -11.87
897 897 6 187.00 $187.00 $1,677 -26.96
910 910 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,684 -28.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 241.00 $241.00 $807 -19.00
385 385 1 232.50 $232.50 $895 -27.50
405–435 422 6 220.00–242.50 $230.46 $973 -13.54
455–492 479 11 200.00–237.00 $226.51 $1,085 -16.82
520–530 523 3 229.00–230.00 $229.34 $1,199 +6.60
560–591 585 7 195.00–223.00 $216.86 $1,269 -13.60
615–645 629 5 183.00–210.00 $202.55 $1,274 -7.45
650–695 669 5 180.00–214.00 $194.70 $1,303 —
700–730 713 10 160.00–197.00 $183.93 $1,311 —
770 770 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,394 -37.50
830 830 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,411 +16.00
945 945 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,228 —
970 970 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,358 -35.00

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 fancy 235 1 350.00 $350.00 $822 —
265–290 fancy 278 2 322.50–355.00 $338.02 $940 +18.02
290 290 1 312.50 $312.50 $906 —
333 333 3 280.00 $280.00 $932 -27.50
335–340 fancy 338 3 312.50–317.50 $314.15 $1,062 -15.35
365 fancy 365 1 312.50 $312.50 $1,141 —
365–390 378 2 289.00–300.00 $294.68 $1,114 +9.68
405–440 427 6 270.00–290.00 $282.94 $1,208 +15.06
450–495 479 7 271.00–287.50 $277.04 $1,327 +21.21
521–535 525 4 270.00–277.50 $275.59 $1,447 +12.93
555–585 569 7 262.50–272.00 $269.28 $1,532 +13.53
630–645 638 2 242.00–251.00 $246.45 $1,572 +13.95
650–695 678 8 227.50–242.00 $237.47 $1,610 +9.11
710–745 730 4 211.00–228.00 $218.60 $1,596 -11.40
755 755 1 227.00 $227.00 $1,714 —
800 800 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,592 —
890 890 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,646 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–390 373 5 232.50–270.00 $256.93 $958 —
400–425 410 4 240.00–261.00 $253.80 $1,041 +13.80
470 470 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,198 +24.01
510–545 533 7 213.00–250.00 $237.45 $1,266 -1.55
550–595 581 12 227.50–245.00 $232.03 $1,348 -5.47
630–635 633 2 222.50 $222.50 $1,408 —
655–660 658 3 202.00–223.00 $215.37 $1,417 —
702–730 711 3 200.00–205.00 $203.29 $1,445 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1295 1195 80-85% 4 125.00–129.00 $127.18 $1,520 —
1070–1440 1234 80-85% 21 131.00–144.00 $136.09 $1,679 +11.25
1355 1355 80-85% 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,599 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1115 959 85-90% 7 105.00–119.00 $113.32 $1,087 -10.76
980–1175 1068 85-90% 6 120.00–129.00 $125.09 $1,336 -5.85
985–1150 1068 85-90% 5 130.00–141.00 $136.31 $1,456 +5.37
1070–1105 1088 85-90% 2 95.00–99.00 $96.97 $1,055 +5.74
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510–1850 1650 75-80% 4 135.00–150.00 $142.60 $2,353 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535 1535 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,149 —
1170–1825 1578 3 154.00–159.00 $157.03 $2,478 —
1600–2140 1883 4 164.00–181.00 $173.21 $3,262 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800 800 (<2 yrs)Open 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,380

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
840–970 905 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,400.00–1,800.00 $1,614.36
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,125.00 $2,125.00

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 190.00 $190.00 $694 —
440 440 3 202.50 $202.50 $891 —

↑ Back to top

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.