Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 26, 2024

1,977 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 $241.56/cwt -0.39 vs last sale · ≈ $2,026/hd at 839 lb · 213 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $238.99/cwt +25.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,613/hd at 675 lb · 155 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $234.45/cwt +24.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,129/hd at 908 lb · 137 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,977 858 1,309
Feeder cattle 1,898 776 1,199
Slaughter cattle 70 74 108
Replacement cattle 9 8 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers steady to 3.00 higher, Feeder and yearling Heifers steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 2.00-3.00 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
355–390 383 5 281.00–290.00 $282.67 $1,083 -8.33
440 440 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,210 -5.00
440–449 fancy 448 7 287.50–291.00 $290.51 $1,301 -9.49
453–480 fancy 460 21 285.00–311.00 $293.66 $1,351 -4.41
450–495 469 10 265.00–283.00 $273.53 $1,283 -8.01
500–538 value added 511 17 278.00–289.00 $285.07 $1,457 -1.19
510–547 520 15 248.00–267.50 $258.22 $1,343 -14.21
555–595 576 15 247.00–265.00 $257.86 $1,485 -2.95
595 value added 595 80 285.00 $285.00 $1,696 +5.00
612–620 value added 613 11 253.00–266.00 $259.09 $1,588 —
602–645 614 8 230.00–252.50 $237.30 $1,457 -10.34
673 value added 673 79 266.25 $266.25 $1,792 +10.45
661–696 674 31 241.00–248.00 $246.01 $1,658 +8.90
700–720 708 3 242.00–247.50 $244.20 $1,729 +20.08
750–791 784 109 234.00–240.00 $236.76 $1,856 +16.76
800 800 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,760 -1.00
824 fancy 824 67 252.00 $252.00 $2,076 —
846–848 value added 846 144 237.00 $237.00 $2,005 -6.00
862–875 866 3 219.00–220.00 $219.34 $1,899 —
856–880 value added 869 115 237.00–239.50 $238.34 $2,071 +0.09
903 value added 903 120 236.50 $236.50 $2,136 —
945 945 17 220.00 $220.00 $2,079 —
957–958 value added 957 117 228.00–228.75 $228.37 $2,186 —
1005 1005 1 209.00 $209.00 $2,100 —
1020 value added 1020 50 223.95 $223.95 $2,284 —
1096 1096 5 195.00 $195.00 $2,137 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 250.00 $250.00 $950 —
470 470 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,058 +12.50
500–545 523 11 210.00–242.50 $220.64 $1,154 -19.82
570–595 584 14 210.00–241.00 $230.38 $1,345 -8.62
616–645 631 6 217.50–225.00 $221.59 $1,398 -5.21
656–670 658 8 217.50–225.00 $220.31 $1,450 +1.56
730 730 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,515 -2.50
785 785 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,711 —
845 845 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,690 -10.00
980 980 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,960 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 fancy 255 1 295.00 $295.00 $752 —
300 300 2 242.50 $242.50 $728 +3.78
330 fancy 330 1 265.00 $265.00 $874 —
375 375 1 231.00 $231.00 $866 +6.94
405–442 420 22 235.00–255.00 $247.19 $1,038 +11.50
461–495 480 19 225.00–235.00 $229.17 $1,100 -12.72
500–546 525 22 214.00–232.50 $221.91 $1,165 -3.69
550–585 572 12 209.00–225.00 $216.57 $1,239 -7.35
601–643 622 49 195.00–218.00 $208.54 $1,297 -5.03
650–680 668 5 190.00–202.00 $196.28 $1,311 -16.91
661–689 value added 675 150 235.25–245.50 $240.41 $1,623 —
705–731 725 13 190.00–219.00 $212.79 $1,543 -2.81
750–773 767 4 197.00–211.00 $207.58 $1,592 -5.91
828–846 837 30 203.00–204.00 $203.49 $1,703 —
805–840 value added 839 62 216.10–222.00 $216.19 $1,814 —
855–865 860 2 184.00–190.00 $186.98 $1,608 +26.98
932 932 2 183.00 $183.00 $1,706 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 227.50 $227.50 $671 —
335 335 1 210.00 $210.00 $704 -12.00
350–385 363 5 170.00–222.50 $193.08 $701 -6.92
410–445 431 12 190.00–225.00 $210.50 $907 -12.40
442 442 2 200.00 $200.00 $884 -22.90
455–495 480 12 191.00–224.00 $215.32 $1,034 -7.75
515–540 533 21 175.00–210.00 $191.37 $1,020 -22.83
553–595 567 22 182.50–207.00 $199.71 $1,132 -11.68
620–645 635 4 160.00–180.00 $175.12 $1,112 -12.38
655–661 660 4 160.00–174.00 $170.52 $1,125 -28.19
715 715 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,308 -12.00
800 800 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,320 +40.00
890 890 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,326 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,115 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 fancy 235 1 310.00 $310.00 $728 —
355–395 372 7 257.00–282.50 $275.18 $1,024 -4.39
375 fancy 375 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,088 -18.94
400 fancy 400 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,160 -0.80
408–442 416 9 260.00–280.00 $272.51 $1,134 +31.24
450–470 463 12 270.00–282.50 $275.46 $1,275 -5.27
470–491 fancy 479 7 285.00–303.00 $295.09 $1,413 +5.09
500–525 517 12 262.50–277.50 $271.38 $1,403 +11.20
566–585 572 8 240.00–260.00 $254.91 $1,458 +13.39
605–627 621 10 211.00–222.50 $218.70 $1,358 -6.95
653–680 662 8 195.00–220.00 $204.56 $1,354 -8.15
701–740 722 10 190.00–209.00 $198.24 $1,431 +12.24
756–760 758 5 191.00–205.00 $199.38 $1,511 +6.92
975 975 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,687 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–397 387 6 200.00–240.00 $219.45 $849 +4.45
430 430 1 180.00 $180.00 $774 -55.00
475–490 483 2 212.50–217.50 $214.96 $1,038 -47.54
500–540 522 11 205.00–232.50 $215.80 $1,126 -28.53
570–595 581 4 217.50–230.00 $224.26 $1,303 -0.07
635 635 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,175 -21.56
695 695 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,251 -3.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–425 423 2 200.00–222.50 $211.32 $894 —
477 477 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,002 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1475 1286 80-85% 9 115.00–121.00 $117.33 $1,509 —
1260–1460 1349 80-85% 5 124.00–128.00 $125.77 $1,697 +2.24
1180–1445 1360 80-85% 4 90.00–95.00 $92.88 $1,263 —
1285–1485 1369 80-85% 5 98.00–110.00 $103.60 $1,418 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1145 1037 85-90% 6 99.00–110.00 $105.51 $1,094 -9.49
990–1095 1053 85-90% 3 89.00–95.00 $91.22 $961 -10.03
1035–1095 1065 85-90% 2 118.00–119.00 $118.51 $1,262 +17.26
1135 1135 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,476 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525–1630 1578 75-80% 2 107.00–109.00 $108.03 $1,705 —
1600 1600 75-80% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,952 +16.62

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–2010 1679 4 134.00–146.00 $139.79 $2,347 —
1830 1830 1 167.00 $167.00 $3,056 —
1940–2120 2030 2 150.00–153.00 $151.43 $3,074 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,617

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1145–1275 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,600.00–1,625.00 $1,613.17
1320–1385 1353 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,700.00–1,800.00 $1,748.80
1335–1485 1410 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,075.00–2,400.00 $2,228.86

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118 value added 1118 52 171.50 $171.50 $1,917 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1055–1135 1095 (<2 yrs)Open 2 2,025.00–2,425.00 $2,232.31 —

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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.