Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 12, 2024

1,517 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $248.76/cwt +7.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,442/hd at 580 lb · 211 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $243.19/cwt -10.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,783/hd at 733 lb · 103 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $263.72/cwt -19.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,668/hd at 633 lb · 90 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,517 2,414 2,474
Feeder cattle 1,420 2,279 2,266
Slaughter cattle 93 125 193
Replacement cattle 4 10 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday feeder steers sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Feeder heifers sold 4.00 to 6.00 lower. There was moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Strongest demand noted for weaned and preconditioned feeder cattle and unweaned, fleshy, and bawling calves faced discounts. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower. There was moderate to 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
290 290 2 277.50–285.00 $281.25 $816 -0.29
300–348 338 5 280.00–285.00 $280.89 $949 -6.61
355–387 382 9 255.00–262.50 $256.08 $978 -34.15
405 fancy 405 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,174 -30.00
430–446 439 14 263.00–282.50 $273.99 $1,203 -5.70
475–490 fancy 480 3 280.00–282.50 $281.65 $1,352 —
465–498 494 8 253.00–270.00 $263.97 $1,304 -8.09
504 fancy 504 15 298.00 $298.00 $1,502 —
505–532 514 6 251.00–263.00 $256.24 $1,317 -4.08
505–538 value added 530 8 275.00–279.00 $278.05 $1,474 -25.83
555–580 569 15 250.00–265.00 $262.89 $1,496 -2.43
578 value added 578 13 289.00 $289.00 $1,670 +5.00
605–627 615 7 244.00–259.00 $252.33 $1,552 -0.19
628–648 value added 634 83 263.00–274.00 $264.68 $1,678 -22.79
650–685 671 11 235.00–242.50 $238.42 $1,600 -10.36
675 value added 675 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,688 -21.80
702–735 value added 733 81 245.00–250.00 $245.30 $1,798 -11.34
715–745 733 22 231.00–242.00 $235.43 $1,726 -3.24
763–780 765 7 221.00–233.00 $231.25 $1,769 -7.48
765 value added 765 68 251.75 $251.75 $1,926 +0.75
813–823 815 23 214.00–219.50 $218.67 $1,782 -11.33
887 887 14 205.00 $205.00 $1,818 -18.57
920 value added 920 54 233.60 $233.60 $2,149 -3.00
915–924 923 18 200.00–205.00 $204.17 $1,884 -0.43
1070 1070 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,980 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367 367 2 247.50 $247.50 $908 —
412 412 2 259.00 $259.00 $1,067 +14.00
461–487 471 5 243.00–245.00 $243.83 $1,148 +3.52
510–540 525 5 239.00–242.50 $240.32 $1,262 +16.78
582–595 586 6 240.00–245.00 $242.92 $1,424 +21.58
635 635 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,476 +3.36
665–685 672 3 209.00–211.00 $209.68 $1,409 -12.82
758 758 3 202.50 $202.50 $1,535 -23.50
840 840 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,604 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735 735 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,305 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 240.00 $240.00 $576 —
245 fancy 245 1 267.50 $267.50 $655 —
280 280 1 252.50 $252.50 $707 -7.50
330–345 338 2 210.00–222.50 $216.39 $731 -23.61
366–395 382 14 217.50–230.00 $222.44 $850 -33.78
425–431 fancy 430 4 237.50–240.00 $238.12 $1,024 -23.50
410–445 432 12 210.00–220.00 $217.87 $941 -30.48
450–497 478 26 210.00–227.50 $218.06 $1,042 -19.83
490 fancy 490 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,127 —
500–542 521 16 215.00–227.50 $222.32 $1,158 -18.72
543–549 value added 548 28 234.00–239.00 $237.76 $1,303 —
565 value added 565 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,300 —
550–598 568 42 210.00–220.00 $214.27 $1,217 -26.60
583 fancy 583 165 258.00 $258.00 $1,504 —
635–645 640 5 212.00–224.00 $218.44 $1,398 -9.10
646 value added 646 24 225.50 $225.50 $1,457 -14.50
663 value added 663 75 245.00 $245.00 $1,624 +2.75
665–691 676 9 200.00–211.00 $206.03 $1,393 -22.98
715–730 724 7 190.00–204.00 $196.76 $1,425 -4.47
757–775 760 10 189.00–195.00 $190.61 $1,449 -24.41
829 value added 829 66 204.75 $204.75 $1,697 -11.52
830 830 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,370 -27.82
878–880 878 5 181.00–193.00 $190.60 $1,673 +8.10
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 227.60 $227.60 $671 +17.60
330 330 1 207.50 $207.50 $685 —
365–370 368 3 210.00–217.50 $214.16 $788 -1.98
420 420 1 210.00 $210.00 $882 -12.04
470 470 1 200.00 $200.00 $940 -10.00
505–545 528 5 205.00–210.00 $207.34 $1,095 +3.80
565–590 581 4 200.00–207.00 $204.24 $1,187 -3.01
610–620 618 5 190.00–195.00 $190.99 $1,180 -9.84
655 655 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,186 -26.35
715 715 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,230 -18.00
1095 1095 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,369 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,575 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 325 4 257.50–270.00 $263.22 $855 -19.74
355–360 357 3 262.50 $262.50 $937 -17.18
405–445 426 8 240.00–257.50 $250.91 $1,069 -46.59
430 fancy 430 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,129 -48.75
455–480 fancy 460 9 262.50–276.00 $272.11 $1,252 —
450–475 462 10 225.00–242.00 $234.84 $1,085 -37.66
501–547 532 24 220.00–235.00 $230.03 $1,224 -11.03
555 fancy 555 6 240.00 $240.00 $1,332 —
560–578 568 12 222.00–232.50 $226.07 $1,284 -11.02
605–640 624 5 210.00–224.00 $215.88 $1,347 -13.21
660–675 670 5 200.00–213.00 $207.86 $1,393 —
745 745 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,564 +15.54
790 790 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,509 +11.00
802–840 817 5 173.00–195.00 $182.14 $1,488 -5.36
875 875 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,575 -5.00
980 980 2 190.00–195.00 $192.50 $1,886 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 220.00 $220.00 $539 —
300–320 310 2 202.50–210.00 $206.37 $640 —
390 390 1 245.00 $245.00 $956 -15.00
425–445 431 7 230.00–231.00 $230.70 $994 -16.64
495 495 2 210.00–217.50 $213.75 $1,058 -20.13
545 545 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,158 -6.26
565–575 570 2 212.50–215.00 $213.76 $1,218 -3.49
610 610 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,128 -9.95
660–670 663 3 192.50–193.00 $192.83 $1,278 -9.17
785 785 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,413 —
850 850 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,339 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1465 1278 80-85% 9 100.00–108.00 $103.58 $1,324 +2.58
1145–1470 1280 80-85% 10 109.00–115.00 $111.59 $1,428 +10.59
1090–1450 1300 80-85% 16 116.00–127.00 $120.51 $1,567 -14.21
1175–1426 1312 80-85% 7 128.00–136.00 $130.37 $1,710 -4.35
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910 910 85-90% 1 75.00 $75.00 $682 —
810–1125 950 85-90% 4 120.00–127.50 $122.76 $1,166 —
755–1130 993 85-90% 9 110.00–119.00 $113.76 $1,130 —
780–1190 1058 85-90% 6 106.00–109.00 $108.10 $1,144 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1465 1465 75-80% 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,919 —
1525–1565 1550 75-80% 3 117.00–124.00 $120.34 $1,865 —
1525–1590 1567 75-80% 3 110.00–115.00 $113.31 $1,776 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 1 142.00 $142.00 $2,102 —
1625–1700 1663 6 152.00–159.00 $154.65 $2,572 —
2120 2120 1 165.00 $165.00 $3,498 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
885 885 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
703 703 4 173.00 $173.00 $1,216 —
972 972 2 157.00 $157.00 $1,526 —

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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
1330 1330 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750 750 2 157.00 $157.00 $1,178 —
810 810 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,239 —
930 930 3 179.00 $179.00 $1,665 —
1043 1043 6 164.00 $164.00 $1,711 —

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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.