Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 5, 2024

2,414 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $253.36/cwt +4.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,860/hd at 734 lb · 285 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $241.07/cwt ≈ $1,973/hd at 819 lb · 171 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $215.49/cwt +32.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,757/hd at 816 lb · 151 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,414 218 2,152
Feeder cattle 2,279 150 2,025
Slaughter cattle 125 61 125
Replacement cattle 10 7 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Limited Comparison on feeder and yearling classes due to limited supply last week. However Good demand for weaned calves and good demand for yearling loads of steers , Moderate demand for yearling loads heifers. Slaughter cows 6.00-10.00 lower, Slaughter bulls steady, Moderate 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
260–285 273 2 275.00–287.50 $281.54 $769 —
330 330 1 287.50 $287.50 $949 —
355–395 375 4 277.50–302.50 $290.23 $1,088 —
400–425 413 3 272.50–290.00 $279.69 $1,155 +19.63
420 fancy 420 11 320.00 $320.00 $1,344 —
461–480 466 7 270.00–277.00 $272.06 $1,268 +2.06
500–533 value added 503 32 282.50–308.00 $303.88 $1,529 —
520–545 534 18 250.00–273.00 $260.32 $1,390 +2.43
580 value added 580 5 284.00 $284.00 $1,647 —
572–597 587 29 257.50–268.00 $265.32 $1,557 —
600–645 value added 608 111 260.00–292.50 $287.47 $1,748 —
621–642 627 16 250.00–258.00 $252.52 $1,583 -4.98
658–687 value added 673 24 263.00–286.00 $271.80 $1,829 —
650–685 677 8 245.00–257.50 $248.78 $1,684 —
700–741 731 52 230.00–243.00 $238.67 $1,745 -10.33
715–748 value added 735 233 254.75–265.00 $256.64 $1,886 —
750–791 786 39 230.00–240.00 $238.73 $1,876 —
796 value added 796 64 251.00 $251.00 $1,998 —
804–839 value added 818 167 234.00–253.00 $241.34 $1,974 —
842 842 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,937 —
851–853 852 14 220.00–230.00 $223.57 $1,905 —
861 value added 861 65 235.00 $235.00 $2,023 —
902–920 908 3 194.00–210.00 $204.60 $1,858 —
912 value added 912 58 236.60 $236.60 $2,158 —
961–981 value added 972 114 222.50–229.85 $226.47 $2,201 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 261.00 $261.00 $887 —
420 420 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,029 —
450–498 488 15 230.00–255.00 $240.31 $1,173 —
532–542 537 5 217.50–230.00 $223.54 $1,200 —
565–590 578 3 200.00–245.00 $221.34 $1,279 —
615–630 623 3 224.00–232.50 $229.14 $1,428 +19.14
675 675 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,502 —
760 760 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,718 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 260.00 $260.00 $767 —
335 335 1 240.00 $240.00 $804 —
370–395 386 7 242.50–262.50 $256.22 $989 —
415–432 fancy 426 3 260.00–265.00 $261.62 $1,115 —
410–440 431 11 237.50–257.50 $248.35 $1,070 —
451–487 470 24 230.00–242.50 $237.89 $1,118 -4.61
505–547 527 33 232.50–250.00 $241.04 $1,270 +11.04
550–598 581 52 230.00–249.00 $240.87 $1,399 +9.84
602–648 622 23 220.00–238.00 $227.54 $1,415 +1.23
615–624 value added 624 91 240.00 $240.00 $1,498 —
650–696 672 47 220.00–236.00 $229.01 $1,539 +39.01
678 value added 678 74 242.25 $242.25 $1,642 —
700–745 728 14 193.00–215.00 $201.23 $1,465 +20.23
703–735 value added 733 75 224.00–229.00 $228.74 $1,677 —
755 value added 755 73 232.00 $232.00 $1,752 —
753–775 757 11 202.00–218.00 $215.02 $1,628 —
805–818 value added 815 146 214.00–217.00 $216.27 $1,763 —
810–845 832 5 182.00–200.00 $192.82 $1,604 +9.60
860 860 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,570 +10.50
922–940 926 5 187.00–191.00 $190.19 $1,761 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 210.00 $210.00 $598 —
370–375 373 2 200.00–232.50 $216.14 $806 —
405–442 425 10 185.00–232.00 $222.04 $944 +8.34
490 490 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,029 -10.00
500–540 515 7 195.00–220.00 $203.54 $1,048 -6.46
555–591 574 6 177.50–225.00 $207.25 $1,190 +14.57
600–645 619 7 180.00–210.00 $200.83 $1,243 —
650–690 674 11 182.50–218.00 $207.35 $1,398 —
715–735 725 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,378 —
775 775 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,453 +16.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120 1120 4 160.00 $160.00 $1,792 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–345 338 2 281.00–285.00 $282.96 $956 +25.58
365–395 383 6 265.00–289.00 $279.68 $1,071 +22.92
400–401 fancy 401 6 307.50–315.00 $311.25 $1,248 —
415 415 2 297.50 $297.50 $1,235 +35.00
450 450 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,226 —
503–545 519 13 230.00–255.00 $241.06 $1,251 -7.01
563–580 570 7 230.00–240.00 $237.09 $1,351 -0.45
605–630 621 8 220.00–236.00 $229.09 $1,423 +4.09
710–735 716 4 190.00–196.00 $194.46 $1,392 —
795 795 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,431 —
815 815 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,528 —
870 870 3 185.00 $185.00 $1,610 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,001 —
400–430 416 5 240.00–262.00 $247.34 $1,029 —
465–490 478 8 220.00–245.00 $233.88 $1,118 +23.08
500–535 515 4 212.50–222.50 $218.76 $1,127 +9.01
570–585 580 6 207.50–222.00 $217.25 $1,260 +14.86
630–645 638 2 177.50–212.00 $194.95 $1,244 —
665 665 2 202.00 $202.00 $1,343 —
950 950 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,568 +15.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 80-85% 1 101.00 $101.00 $1,308 —
1090–1560 1305 80-85% 19 130.00–144.00 $134.72 $1,758 —
1350–1475 1432 80-85% 5 121.00–129.00 $124.64 $1,785 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510–1615 1548 75-80% 3 114.00–118.00 $115.95 $1,795 —
1500–1860 1620 75-80% 4 122.00–128.00 $125.55 $2,034 -6.04
1545–1740 1660 75-80% 3 132.00–143.00 $135.84 $2,255 +29.84
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–1145 1021 85-90% 4 120.00–126.00 $122.89 $1,255 —
1110–1165 1128 85-90% 3 130.00 $130.00 $1,466 -5.94
1145–1155 1150 85-90% 2 114.00–117.00 $115.51 $1,328 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1940 1603 2 147.00–152.00 $148.97 $2,388 —
1625–1880 1767 3 169.00–173.00 $171.77 $3,035 —
1455–2115 1844 12 154.00–165.00 $158.84 $2,929 -10.16

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–900 890 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 162.50–165.00 $163.76 $1,457

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1365 1365 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1265–1765 1442 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,725.00–2,125.00 $1,916.26

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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
1470 1470 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035 value added 1035 50 183.50 $183.50 $1,899 —

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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.