Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 3, 2024

1,461 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 $256.65/cwt +12.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,894/hd at 738 lb · 229 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $241.86/cwt +4.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,120/hd at 877 lb · 147 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $241.23/cwt +6.78 vs last sale · ≈ $2,251/hd at 933 lb · 112 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,461 1,977 1,025
Feeder cattle 1,286 1,898 941
Slaughter cattle 148 70 75
Replacement cattle 27 9 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers under 400 lbs steady, over 400 lbs 6.00-10.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers under 400 lbs steady, 500-600 lbs 12.00-15.00 higher, over 600 lbs 4.00-8.00 higher, Good to Very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 5.00-8.00 higher, Slaughter bulls 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
285 fancy 285 1 307.50 $307.50 $876 —
362–390 fancy 366 8 287.50–289.00 $288.80 $1,057 —
425 425 2 286.00 $286.00 $1,216 +11.00
430 fancy 430 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,279 +6.99
462 fancy 462 2 302.50 $302.50 $1,398 +8.84
490–497 496 10 280.00–289.00 $285.65 $1,417 +12.12
500–540 value added 518 3 285.00–295.00 $290.13 $1,503 +5.06
535–545 541 4 242.50–265.00 $250.55 $1,355 -7.67
550 550 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,471 +9.64
558–587 value added 566 27 282.00–289.00 $283.88 $1,607 -1.12
605–630 610 10 237.00–261.00 $248.52 $1,516 +11.22
615 value added 615 21 272.00 $272.00 $1,673 +12.91
618 fancy 618 5 292.00 $292.00 $1,805 —
655–688 678 12 242.00–255.00 $247.47 $1,678 +1.46
698 value added 698 14 272.00 $272.00 $1,899 +5.75
736 736 7 230.00 $230.00 $1,693 -14.20
703–746 value added 738 222 250.00–260.00 $257.49 $1,900 —
750–793 771 17 225.00–242.00 $234.93 $1,811 -1.83
808 value added 808 61 251.25 $251.25 $2,030 —
820–822 822 10 228.00–232.00 $231.60 $1,904 +11.60
861–889 value added 874 123 244.90–245.00 $244.95 $2,141 +6.61
890 890 24 226.00 $226.00 $2,011 +6.66
929–937 value added 933 112 238.90–243.90 $241.23 $2,251 +4.73
972 value added 972 52 240.00 $240.00 $2,333 +11.63
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,033 —
455 455 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,092 +15.00
505 505 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,162 +9.36
610–625 613 6 215.00–235.00 $228.29 $1,399 +6.70
655–675 659 9 213.00–230.00 $220.97 $1,456 +0.66
710 710 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,555 +11.50
835 835 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,728 +7.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 fancy 286 3 280.00 $280.00 $801 -15.00
335 fancy 335 1 265.00 $265.00 $888 ±0.00
345 345 2 240.00 $240.00 $828 —
377 377 2 245.00 $245.00 $924 +14.00
415–446 438 17 221.00–237.00 $231.86 $1,016 -15.33
458–497 482 20 222.50–236.00 $231.56 $1,116 +2.39
502–542 519 18 232.50–247.50 $240.83 $1,250 +18.92
555–578 566 17 231.00–247.50 $239.62 $1,356 +23.05
580 value added 580 3 267.00 $267.00 $1,549 —
628 value added 628 18 250.00 $250.00 $1,570 —
645 645 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,419 +11.46
652–682 668 12 215.50–227.00 $221.78 $1,481 +25.50
694 value added 694 73 252.10 $252.10 $1,750 +11.69
747 747 18 218.00–225.00 $219.56 $1,640 +6.77
774 774 26 220.00 $220.00 $1,703 +12.42
820 820 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,738 +8.51
855 855 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,693 +11.02
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 2 223.00 $223.00 $836 +29.92
440 440 1 202.50 $202.50 $891 +2.50
467–480 475 6 185.00–210.00 $205.83 $978 -9.49
505–540 518 10 217.50–227.50 $222.39 $1,152 +31.02
550–595 566 11 197.00–222.50 $215.46 $1,220 +15.75
610–645 631 6 192.50–212.50 $204.00 $1,287 +28.88
687–690 688 3 187.50–200.00 $195.82 $1,347 +25.30
760–780 767 3 180.00–197.50 $185.93 $1,426 —
839 839 11 191.00 $191.00 $1,602 —
880 880 1 147.50 $147.50 $1,298 -1.50

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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 1 317.50 $317.50 $746 +7.50
325–330 328 2 255.00–270.00 $262.56 $861 —
345 fancy 345 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,000 —
355–381 368 8 261.00–282.50 $275.72 $1,015 +0.54
403–440 419 8 260.00–277.00 $270.02 $1,131 -2.49
440 fancy 440 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,276 —
458–490 466 4 275.00–277.00 $275.53 $1,284 +0.07
475 fancy 475 1 293.00 $293.00 $1,392 -2.09
507–510 fancy 509 4 289.00–297.00 $292.99 $1,491 —
500–540 511 19 252.50–275.00 $264.02 $1,349 -7.36
550–572 558 14 252.50–270.00 $260.75 $1,455 +5.84
605–615 607 5 220.00–230.00 $223.51 $1,357 +4.81
618 fancy 618 3 244.00 $244.00 $1,508 —
697 697 2 217.00 $217.00 $1,512 +12.44
720 720 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,368 -8.24
965 965 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,544 -13.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 233.00 $233.00 $781 —
420 420 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,008 +60.00
450–460 453 5 200.00–245.00 $225.04 $1,019 +10.08
520–546 539 11 210.00–238.00 $230.42 $1,242 +14.62
570–595 578 3 220.00–225.00 $221.71 $1,281 -2.55
620–630 625 3 202.50–213.00 $209.47 $1,309 +24.47
695 695 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,418 +24.00
735 735 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,286 —
760 760 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,349 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1620 1282 80-85% 34 112.00–122.00 $116.20 $1,490 -1.13
1120–1570 1297 80-85% 10 104.00–111.00 $107.92 $1,400 -9.41
1025–1485 1310 80-85% 16 123.00–130.00 $125.29 $1,641 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1075 976 85-90% 5 91.00–94.00 $92.80 $906 —
930–1075 1003 85-90% 2 96.00–106.00 $101.36 $1,017 -4.15
1010–1115 1059 85-90% 4 115.00–120.00 $117.06 $1,240 +25.84
965–1155 1077 85-90% 13 121.00–137.50 $130.69 $1,408 +12.18
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1450–1580 1509 75-80% 5 126.00–132.00 $128.66 $1,941 —
1520–1915 1597 75-80% 9 115.00–120.00 $117.17 $1,871 +9.14
1520–2020 1723 75-80% 4 107.00–112.00 $110.43 $1,903 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1910 1676 5 150.00–157.00 $152.55 $2,557 +12.76
1330–2420 1768 6 144.00–148.00 $146.63 $2,592 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
790–1560 1202 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 1,300.00–2,100.00 $1,662.10
1105–1620 1304 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,400.00–2,000.00 $1,757.91
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865–1015 940 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,100.00 $1,065.49
835–1130 1030 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,075.00–1,275.00 $1,168.41
1185 1185 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
697 697 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,220 —
760–790 780 3 182.50–187.50 $184.12 $1,436 —

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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
980–1415 1129 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,350.00–2,500.00 $2,028.27 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810 810 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,288 —
860 860 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,127 —
1060 1060 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,208 —

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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.