Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 16, 2025

2,153 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $246.00/cwt ≈ $2,285/hd at 929 lb · 243 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $268.33/cwt -18.78 vs last sale · ≈ $2,079/hd at 775 lb · 144 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $309.90/cwt +20.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,503/hd at 485 lb · 117 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,153 647 191
Feeder cattle 2,021 594 160
Slaughter cattle 126 50 30
Replacement cattle 6 3 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs sharply higher, over 700 lbs steady to 2.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 15.00-20.00 higher, over 600 lbs steady to 2.00 lower, Very Good demand for feeder classes, Good demand for yearling classes. Slaughter cows 8.00-12.00 higher, Slaughter bulls 6.00-8.00 higher, Very 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
220–235 fancy 228 2 342.50–357.50 $350.25 $799 —
275 275 1 310.00 $310.00 $852 —
300 300 2 300.00 $300.00 $900 +27.50
310 fancy 310 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,054 +4.78
355–380 fancy 368 6 345.00–370.00 $356.91 $1,313 —
400–425 413 2 305.00–312.50 $308.64 $1,275 —
405–436 fancy 425 13 342.50–385.00 $364.58 $1,549 +44.50
470–489 483 10 297.50–316.00 $311.92 $1,507 —
460–497 fancy 485 52 320.00–375.00 $338.63 $1,642 +31.37
502 fancy 502 2 365.00 $365.00 $1,832 —
500–545 value added 523 40 307.00–327.50 $315.44 $1,650 —
550–598 value added 571 48 300.00–335.00 $318.57 $1,819 +4.57
555–598 578 11 270.00–295.00 $283.93 $1,641 —
614–643 fancy 619 41 320.00–335.00 $321.52 $1,990 —
600–638 value added 620 32 275.00–305.00 $292.87 $1,816 -4.47
650–685 value added 661 96 278.50–296.00 $284.90 $1,883 -6.29
675–685 680 2 255.00–260.00 $257.52 $1,751 -1.48
702 fancy 702 2 310.00 $310.00 $2,176 —
705–720 713 2 252.00–260.00 $255.96 $1,825 +8.46
700–747 value added 714 44 273.00–290.00 $283.63 $2,025 +14.38
772–774 value added 774 128 270.00–275.00 $270.30 $2,092 -16.81
755–798 782 16 242.50–257.00 $252.58 $1,975 —
810 810 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,843 -12.50
810–832 value added 813 16 245.50–260.00 $247.36 $2,011 —
855–867 865 5 227.50–234.00 $232.71 $2,013 —
866 value added 866 3 262.50 $262.50 $2,273 —
904–938 value added 929 227 242.25–257.50 $247.23 $2,297 —
930 930 16 228.50 $228.50 $2,125 —
962 962 5 222.00 $222.00 $2,136 —
1017 value added 1017 57 240.75 $240.75 $2,448 -1.45
1022 1022 2 216.00 $216.00 $2,208 —
1164 value added 1164 60 229.75 $229.75 $2,674 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,076 —
435 435 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,022 —
485 485 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,334 +32.50
720–745 733 2 220.00–235.00 $227.37 $1,667 —
792 792 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,782 —
815 815 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,712 —
890 890 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,891 —
900 900 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,890 —
963 963 3 204.00 $204.00 $1,965 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 fancy 228 4 370.00 $370.00 $844 —
250–280 265 2 300.00–305.00 $302.64 $802 +22.64
310–330 fancy 319 5 300.00–345.00 $321.55 $1,026 —
345 345 2 267.50–295.00 $281.25 $970 —
352–395 fancy 368 15 302.50–340.00 $322.55 $1,187 +2.55
380 380 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,121 —
400–443 fancy 423 14 300.00–321.00 $311.13 $1,316 +17.84
435 435 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,207 +13.20
450–497 fancy 485 115 290.00–315.00 $310.35 $1,505 +21.20
485–495 490 2 280.00–287.50 $283.79 $1,391 —
505–535 520 5 250.00–275.00 $263.84 $1,372 +2.75
505–545 value added 522 69 280.00–307.50 $300.54 $1,569 —
550–590 569 8 251.00–275.00 $265.19 $1,509 —
550–587 value added 573 74 280.00–291.00 $283.98 $1,627 +8.31
610–645 631 19 227.50–242.50 $234.22 $1,478 —
612–639 value added 631 53 247.00–261.00 $252.82 $1,595 -13.35
655–681 674 11 230.00–242.50 $240.39 $1,620 +2.89
661–699 value added 694 86 255.00–267.50 $264.41 $1,835 +5.06
718–742 value added 724 16 230.00–250.00 $237.10 $1,717 -31.90
700–745 728 7 210.00–229.00 $224.08 $1,631 +2.81
766 value added 766 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,800 —
752–780 769 14 220.00–227.50 $224.83 $1,729 —
857–861 value added 860 6 229.00–237.50 $231.82 $1,994 —
860–897 884 24 214.00–219.00 $215.67 $1,907 —
910–945 914 10 215.00–217.00 $216.79 $1,981 —
945 value added 945 60 224.75 $224.75 $2,124 —
965 965 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,834 +5.77
1098 1098 13 181.00 $181.00 $1,987 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,033 —
695 695 2 210.00–220.00 $215.00 $1,494 —
750–770 764 4 185.00–201.00 $194.30 $1,484 —
865 865 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,665 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 fancy 335 2 322.50–350.00 $336.25 $1,126 —
370 370 2 272.00 $272.00 $1,006 —
427 fancy 427 2 317.50 $317.50 $1,356 -20.00
460–491 fancy 485 5 307.50–337.50 $319.65 $1,550 +1.18
507–537 520 9 280.00–297.50 $292.37 $1,520 —
500–545 fancy 528 15 300.00–315.00 $304.88 $1,610 -13.26
563–577 fancy 568 6 307.50–322.50 $317.42 $1,803 —
595 595 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,755 +35.00
600 600 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,464 -13.50
608–640 fancy 616 10 275.00–292.50 $287.65 $1,772 +22.65
655 655 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,605 +10.00
685 fancy 685 7 270.00–290.00 $272.86 $1,869 +7.86
725–740 fancy 730 3 255.00–265.00 $261.62 $1,910 —
800–825 813 2 213.00–215.00 $214.02 $1,740 -3.39
970 970 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,770 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,044 —
460–481 476 4 240.00–257.50 $253.27 $1,206 -1.73
505 505 4 232.50 $232.50 $1,174 —
665 665 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,330 —
860 860 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,462 —
977 977 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,417 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1385 1282 80-85% 3 127.00–129.00 $128.28 $1,645 —
1120–1495 1288 80-85% 19 130.00–158.00 $140.27 $1,807 —
1290–1565 1428 80-85% 2 100.00–103.00 $101.36 $1,447 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–1125 957 85-90% 3 85.00–93.00 $90.27 $864 —
920–1110 993 85-90% 4 100.00–110.00 $105.49 $1,048 -12.51
980–1130 1061 85-90% 5 130.00–152.50 $139.11 $1,476 +10.90
940–1160 1063 85-90% 5 120.00–129.00 $125.10 $1,330 -3.11
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1580 1580 75-80% 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,912 —
1500–1985 1654 75-80% 8 130.00–159.00 $144.88 $2,396 +22.88
1595–1750 1673 75-80% 2 109.00–115.00 $112.14 $1,876 -9.86

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265 1265 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,834 —
1200–1745 1406 6 151.00–158.00 $156.00 $2,193 —
1117–2095 1609 11 163.00–183.00 $172.86 $2,781 +17.23

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
805–1015 878 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 161.00–172.50 $167.02 $1,466

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135 1135 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,075.00 $2,075.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985 985 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00

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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
1170 1170 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785 value added 785 64 224.50 $224.50 $1,762 —

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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.