Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 30, 2025

2,333 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 $262.31/cwt +23.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,869/hd at 713 lb · 160 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $287.55/cwt -2.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,940/hd at 675 lb · 130 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $278.36/cwt -7.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,589/hd at 571 lb · 119 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,333 1,393 1,685
Feeder cattle 2,214 1,346 1,599
Slaughter cattle 112 46 78
Replacement cattle 7 1 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 3.00-5.00 lower except 600-700 lbs they were 5.00-8.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers 3.00-5.00 higher, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 4.00-6.00 lower, 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
260 fancy 260 1 330.00 $330.00 $858 -20.00
312 312 2 280.00 $280.00 $874 —
325–345 fancy 332 3 375.00–390.00 $384.80 $1,278 -2.70
365–398 fancy 381 14 377.50–397.50 $385.79 $1,470 +17.34
380–390 385 2 295.00–325.00 $309.81 $1,193 +9.81
400–446 fancy 425 35 337.50–380.00 $355.81 $1,512 -33.47
450–495 fancy 471 34 327.50–369.00 $341.28 $1,607 -58.66
475–492 484 6 310.00–317.50 $313.36 $1,517 -16.68
508 fancy 508 10 377.00 $377.00 $1,915 —
502–545 value added 524 38 300.00–352.50 $330.45 $1,732 -22.41
520–547 538 13 280.00–297.50 $288.21 $1,551 -3.35
550–598 value added 573 61 300.00–337.50 $322.66 $1,849 -5.25
550–596 578 15 270.00–290.00 $281.25 $1,626 -11.08
600–632 613 17 259.00–272.50 $262.75 $1,611 -6.50
615–619 fancy 616 31 315.00–316.00 $315.74 $1,945 —
600–645 value added 628 54 275.00–312.50 $295.70 $1,857 -7.37
653–687 666 16 252.00–274.00 $261.25 $1,740 +3.28
660–691 value added 676 114 277.50–299.00 $291.24 $1,969 -3.62
702 fancy 702 12 295.50 $295.50 $2,074 —
701–747 value added 715 92 250.00–285.00 $275.16 $1,967 +4.86
705–730 718 2 235.00–249.00 $241.88 $1,737 +1.88
750–790 value added 766 70 250.00–279.00 $265.05 $2,030 +5.77
755–785 770 4 237.50–240.00 $239.39 $1,843 -5.35
800 800 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,880 —
802–840 value added 822 54 255.00–270.50 $264.10 $2,171 —
850 850 10 249.00 $249.00 $2,116 +16.64
852–879 value added 865 36 250.00–265.00 $260.77 $2,256 -1.07
901 value added 901 20 255.00 $255.00 $2,298 -7.35
917 917 2 229.00 $229.00 $2,100 -2.00
976–982 value added 979 34 249.00–250.00 $249.56 $2,443 —
980 980 1 237.50 $237.50 $2,328 —
1075 1075 1 213.00 $213.00 $2,290 —
1075–1076 value added 1076 51 239.00–240.00 $239.02 $2,572 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 297.50 $297.50 $803 —
493 493 3 285.00 $285.00 $1,405 —
522 522 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,357 +25.00
572 572 2 252.00 $252.00 $1,441 +32.00
600–640 620 2 232.50–240.00 $236.13 $1,464 -3.87
690–695 693 2 220.00–249.00 $234.45 $1,625 -1.97
795 795 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,789 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 fancy 245 1 345.00 $345.00 $845 —
250–290 fancy 268 3 322.50–330.00 $326.63 $875 —
300–335 318 2 280.00–292.50 $286.59 $911 —
310–345 fancy 333 9 320.00–367.50 $349.18 $1,163 +1.33
350–395 fancy 374 29 310.00–352.50 $330.47 $1,236 -20.83
381–395 387 5 297.50–302.50 $299.54 $1,159 —
405–426 416 7 283.00–295.00 $287.96 $1,198 —
400–445 fancy 417 22 300.00–322.50 $315.33 $1,315 -6.94
450–495 fancy 472 90 300.00–317.50 $310.45 $1,465 -0.97
461–495 473 7 285.00–297.50 $292.48 $1,383 +2.60
500–530 value added 510 26 290.00–310.00 $300.18 $1,531 +6.89
515–548 535 27 265.00–285.00 $280.24 $1,499 +12.74
553–559 value added 555 15 287.00–290.00 $288.01 $1,598 +1.06
550–598 573 104 260.00–282.50 $276.97 $1,587 +7.16
605–643 value added 622 67 250.00–271.00 $262.17 $1,631 -18.94
605–640 627 11 240.00–247.50 $242.54 $1,521 -2.73
650–688 value added 663 76 250.00–289.00 $261.33 $1,733 -10.46
660–680 670 8 230.00–247.00 $237.99 $1,595 -3.75
701 fancy 701 75 276.00 $276.00 $1,935 —
705–735 716 13 220.00–234.00 $228.52 $1,636 +11.01
703–746 value added 724 72 245.00–259.00 $254.15 $1,840 +8.30
751–793 value added 769 11 251.00–256.00 $253.94 $1,953 —
765–772 771 5 217.00–230.00 $227.42 $1,753 +6.60
810 810 3 215.00 $215.00 $1,742 -4.00
803–831 value added 822 36 240.00–252.00 $249.19 $2,048 +5.19
861 value added 861 4 240.00 $240.00 $2,066 —
960–993 990 10 192.50–195.00 $194.76 $1,928 +5.27
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 273 2 247.50 $247.50 $676 —
325 325 1 237.50 $237.50 $772 —
365–390 378 2 222.50–257.50 $239.42 $905 —
475 475 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,282 —
530–542 539 4 202.50–257.00 $236.19 $1,273 -2.08
560–592 575 8 220.00–252.50 $236.85 $1,362 +5.85
640 640 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,376 +16.32
665–685 675 6 200.00–220.00 $211.57 $1,428 -1.48
720–730 727 3 200.00–213.00 $208.71 $1,517 +6.21
750–760 755 2 207.50–212.50 $209.98 $1,585 —
885 885 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,735 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 200.00 $200.00 $870 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
155 155 1 560.00 $560.00 $868 —
255–290 273 2 285.00–310.00 $298.30 $814 —
290 fancy 290 1 335.00 $335.00 $972 —
330 330 1 302.50 $302.50 $998 +2.50
305–340 fancy 331 4 330.00–362.50 $338.34 $1,120 +0.84
357–392 fancy 372 12 352.00–405.00 $366.70 $1,364 —
380 380 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,168 —
410–447 fancy 431 7 355.00–375.00 $360.76 $1,555 -28.38
430–442 438 3 307.50–315.00 $309.95 $1,358 —
450–491 fancy 472 19 320.00–355.00 $332.95 $1,572 +0.99
458–497 480 15 290.00–312.00 $303.98 $1,459 —
505–545 fancy 520 14 295.00–332.50 $315.07 $1,638 +7.70
512–540 520 4 275.00–280.00 $277.46 $1,443 +10.01
551–595 567 13 270.00–287.50 $278.00 $1,576 +13.00
555–588 fancy 570 13 292.50–307.50 $296.94 $1,693 —
600–620 607 5 247.00–260.00 $252.74 $1,534 +4.10
600–648 fancy 631 17 265.00–302.50 $274.36 $1,731 -4.64
655–665 fancy 657 6 265.00–275.00 $271.25 $1,782 —
655–680 663 3 247.50–253.00 $251.03 $1,664 +10.99
700–747 731 7 222.50–240.00 $234.69 $1,716 -1.31
780–790 788 4 230.00–241.00 $235.00 $1,852 +5.86
825 825 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,823 +4.00
890 890 1 227.00 $227.00 $2,020 —
920 920 1 227.50 $227.50 $2,093 —
965–990 978 2 199.00–212.50 $205.84 $2,013 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 250.00 $250.00 $825 —
350 350 1 265.00 $265.00 $928 —
435 435 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,174 —
495 495 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,386 —
525 525 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,247 -2.50
551–595 569 13 247.50–265.00 $261.13 $1,486 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1090 1004 85-90% 4 131.00–144.00 $136.80 $1,373 +13.86
795–1150 1007 85-90% 7 120.00–129.00 $125.83 $1,267 +2.89
880–1170 1020 85-90% 3 88.00–99.00 $92.40 $942 -30.54
875–1170 1048 85-90% 14 100.00–118.00 $111.39 $1,167 -22.71
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1465 1343 80-85% 12 132.00–151.00 $139.21 $1,870 +59.21
1200–1495 1350 80-85% 12 121.00–129.00 $125.79 $1,698 —
1290–1495 1387 80-85% 3 104.00–117.00 $110.91 $1,538 —
1395 1395 80-85% 1 87.50 $87.50 $1,221 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510 1510 75-80% 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,601 —
1515–1845 1601 75-80% 10 130.00–149.00 $140.21 $2,245 —
1580–1860 1720 75-80% 2 121.00–125.00 $122.84 $2,113 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1495 1293 2 147.00–150.00 $148.74 $1,923 —
1350–2095 1645 11 153.00–164.00 $159.70 $2,627 —
1425–2135 1777 9 165.00–178.00 $170.67 $3,033 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
795–1155 953 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 154.00–179.00 $165.26 $1,575

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
895 895 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995 995 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,990 —

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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
1495 1495 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,232 —
750 750 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,500 —

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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.