Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 17, 2024

1,859 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 heifers $243.41/cwt ≈ $1,779/hd at 731 lb · 152 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $242.56/cwt +35.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,531/hd at 631 lb · 138 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $233.57/cwt +11.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,287/hd at 979 lb · 113 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,859 850 1,706
Feeder cattle 1,707 784 1,527
Slaughter cattle 145 64 177
Replacement cattle 7 2 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 8.00-12.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers 5.00-8.00 higher, Very good demand for all feeder classes. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 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
220 fancy 220 1 300.00 $300.00 $660 —
270 fancy 270 1 330.00 $330.00 $891 —
310 fancy 310 3 310.00 $310.00 $961 +7.00
310–320 317 3 287.50–295.00 $291.71 $925 +16.71
350–390 fancy 374 5 302.50–315.00 $311.25 $1,164 -0.21
390 390 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,082 +26.50
405–445 421 17 270.00–292.50 $283.48 $1,193 +0.17
415–431 fancy 428 6 295.00–301.00 $300.03 $1,284 -7.70
470 fancy 470 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,410 -20.00
455–495 476 23 271.00–292.50 $281.34 $1,339 -7.49
506–545 value added 515 40 281.00–295.00 $286.17 $1,474 +14.16
505–545 529 21 255.00–278.00 $264.13 $1,397 +6.54
558 value added 558 19 286.00 $286.00 $1,596 —
557–595 579 27 262.50–275.00 $269.85 $1,562 +23.16
603 fancy 603 32 285.00 $285.00 $1,719 —
606–630 value added 618 41 253.00–276.00 $266.54 $1,647 —
617–627 620 6 240.00–245.00 $241.68 $1,498 +7.08
653–696 value added 665 41 250.00–262.50 $256.35 $1,705 +2.35
665–685 675 2 232.50–242.50 $237.43 $1,603 +7.66
705–720 709 6 232.50–240.00 $238.76 $1,693 +18.76
706–747 value added 735 84 241.00–261.00 $254.07 $1,867 —
752–782 value added 775 39 241.00–255.00 $244.17 $1,892 —
750–797 790 7 237.00–237.50 $237.07 $1,873 +10.74
849 value added 849 46 231.25 $231.25 $1,963 -19.50
865–897 value added 871 20 240.00–245.00 $241.01 $2,099 —
902–927 920 7 215.00–226.00 $222.92 $2,051 +5.92
943 value added 943 59 228.75 $228.75 $2,157 —
972–985 value added 979 113 232.00–235.10 $233.57 $2,287 +11.82
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387–397 392 4 250.00–263.00 $256.42 $1,005 +53.92
450–495 471 8 239.00–267.50 $254.59 $1,199 -5.41
555–597 580 8 220.00–250.00 $236.02 $1,369 +18.86
625–645 635 2 187.50–220.00 $204.01 $1,295 -6.33
670–690 680 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,496 +15.85
715 715 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,502 +10.00
752–765 755 5 210.00–222.00 $219.57 $1,658 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1325 1240 2 170.00–179.00 $174.19 $2,160 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–275 fancy 270 4 270.00–295.00 $280.12 $756 —
330 330 1 242.50 $242.50 $800 +1.35
350–390 368 11 240.00–257.50 $250.54 $922 +7.44
400–440 418 17 230.00–247.00 $237.81 $994 -2.03
417–435 fancy 427 12 250.00–255.00 $253.66 $1,083 +4.33
457–482 469 40 227.50–247.50 $234.88 $1,102 +6.14
495 fancy 495 10 252.50 $252.50 $1,250 +2.50
500–528 value added 519 14 247.50–251.00 $249.02 $1,292 —
500–545 522 28 224.00–245.00 $237.40 $1,239 +11.13
561–575 value added 571 73 248.00–254.00 $252.39 $1,441 —
550–587 573 34 224.00–242.50 $230.43 $1,320 +0.48
600–635 616 44 210.00–227.50 $219.42 $1,352 +12.13
614–641 value added 638 94 235.00–255.25 $253.39 $1,617 —
650–690 665 16 215.00–233.00 $221.00 $1,470 +18.65
700–725 713 2 191.00–205.00 $197.88 $1,411 —
723–739 value added 731 150 243.25–244.75 $244.02 $1,784 —
770 770 15 211.00 $211.00 $1,625 —
813 value added 813 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,850 —
800–824 819 18 201.00–206.00 $204.91 $1,678 —
901 901 4 204.00 $204.00 $1,838 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 226.00 $226.00 $486 —
380–390 384 5 227.50–233.00 $229.13 $880 +20.12
400–447 438 7 200.00–225.00 $215.60 $944 +6.53
455–490 468 3 222.50–227.00 $223.96 $1,048 +19.25
500–545 529 5 180.00–222.00 $207.31 $1,097 +0.82
565–590 573 9 180.00–221.00 $211.91 $1,214 +6.34
622–645 636 10 177.50–207.50 $195.35 $1,242 +10.96
655–695 682 7 172.50–205.00 $191.75 $1,308 +9.21
780 780 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,326 +3.73
825–840 833 2 150.00–157.50 $153.78 $1,281 +3.78
875–880 878 2 160.00–170.00 $165.01 $1,449 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1140 1103 2 186.00–210.00 $197.59 $2,179 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240–245 243 2 290.00–295.00 $292.47 $711 —
250 250 1 272.50 $272.50 $681 —
270 fancy 270 1 300.00 $300.00 $810 —
320–345 fancy 334 4 310.00–340.00 $329.34 $1,100 +0.34
385 385 1 291.00 $291.00 $1,120 +35.65
390–395 fancy 394 4 302.00–317.50 $305.84 $1,205 —
400–447 421 15 260.00–287.50 $275.15 $1,158 +17.65
440 fancy 440 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,309 —
460–480 474 10 260.00–280.00 $275.26 $1,305 +2.15
500–542 521 24 250.00–272.50 $259.64 $1,353 +2.34
500–537 fancy 525 3 277.50–288.00 $280.84 $1,474 -1.66
555–585 570 20 250.00–272.00 $260.52 $1,485 +18.02
605–640 625 4 217.50–232.50 $223.69 $1,398 -11.17
650 fancy 650 2 247.50 $247.50 $1,609 —
661–683 669 15 215.00–225.00 $217.98 $1,458 -3.43
710–740 730 5 180.00–203.00 $195.06 $1,424 -3.88
775 775 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,550 +4.69
850 850 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,547 -8.00
900–935 914 4 170.00–182.50 $176.20 $1,610 -13.80
985 985 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,674 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 260.00 $260.00 $897 —
350 350 1 200.00 $200.00 $700 -26.44
435–447 442 4 240.00–250.00 $246.30 $1,089 +12.35
465–495 479 5 202.50–242.50 $226.71 $1,086 +10.65
500–548 527 7 212.50–248.00 $235.40 $1,241 +18.01
555–595 576 15 195.00–247.50 $227.88 $1,313 +6.55
630 630 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,228 -11.53
667–680 671 4 190.00–207.00 $201.62 $1,353 -10.10
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,012 —
465 465 1 202.50 $202.50 $942 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1430 1279 80-85% 9 115.00–122.00 $119.64 $1,530 —
1150–1535 1328 80-85% 29 123.00–137.50 $127.47 $1,693 -0.76
1170–1490 1330 80-85% 2 106.00–110.00 $108.24 $1,440 -19.99
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1140 1013 85-90% 5 85.00–98.00 $91.89 $931 -0.25
930–1175 1066 85-90% 11 115.00–122.00 $118.88 $1,267 —
965–1185 1070 85-90% 10 104.00–114.00 $110.21 $1,179 —
945–1165 1074 85-90% 10 123.00–130.00 $126.93 $1,363 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1805 1587 75-80% 12 123.00–138.00 $128.09 $2,033 —
1595 1595 75-80% 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,659 —
1550–1710 1605 75-80% 5 115.00–121.00 $116.95 $1,877 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1475 1400 3 151.00–159.00 $155.27 $2,174 —
1535–1870 1663 3 162.00–169.00 $165.24 $2,748 +5.17

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1110–1225 1168 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 140.00–162.50 $150.70 $1,760

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010–1180 1095 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,625.00–1,675.00 $1,651.94
990–1265 1167 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,150.00–1,775.00 $1,553.75

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
941 941 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,882 —

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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.