Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 6, 2025

901 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 $248.20/cwt -4.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,277/hd at 917 lb · 72 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $257.91/cwt -5.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,986/hd at 770 lb · 63 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $233.61/cwt -25.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,586/hd at 679 lb · 61 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 901 2,333 3,575
Feeder cattle 827 2,214 3,350
Slaughter cattle 57 112 212
Replacement cattle 17 7 13

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 400 lbs steady, 400-700 lbs 15.00-20.00 lower, over 700 lbs 4.00-6.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 15.00-20.00 higher, 500-700 lbs 8.00-12.00 lower, over 700 lbs 2.00-4.00 lower, Moderate to good demand for all feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 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
295 fancy 295 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,062 +30.00
305–330 fancy 314 4 375.00–377.50 $376.26 $1,181 -8.54
362–393 fancy 384 7 360.00–395.00 $370.89 $1,424 -14.90
400–445 428 3 300.00–310.00 $306.02 $1,310 —
477–491 482 12 300.00–309.00 $303.33 $1,462 -10.03
490 fancy 490 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,556 -23.78
505–530 518 5 273.00–282.50 $279.96 $1,450 -8.25
515–520 value added 518 7 300.00–313.00 $308.42 $1,598 -22.03
550–595 573 2 271.00–272.50 $271.72 $1,557 -9.53
560–595 value added 584 29 290.00–323.00 $307.15 $1,794 -15.51
600–647 value added 619 24 281.00–301.00 $295.53 $1,829 -0.17
605–635 620 2 247.50–255.00 $251.34 $1,558 -11.41
675–695 value added 681 35 271.00–285.00 $278.75 $1,898 -12.49
687–697 694 7 260.00–269.00 $266.46 $1,849 +5.21
720 720 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,764 +3.12
730 value added 730 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,825 -25.16
766–795 value added 769 59 250.00–260.50 $258.90 $1,991 -6.15
777–792 785 4 239.00–247.50 $243.29 $1,910 +3.90
822 value added 822 10 256.00 $256.00 $2,104 -8.10
896 896 4 238.00 $238.00 $2,132 —
912–917 value added 917 71 239.00–249.80 $248.74 $2,281 -6.26
940 940 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,974 -19.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 262.50 $262.50 $814 —
570–597 587 5 220.00–252.50 $242.14 $1,421 -9.86
600 600 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,320 -16.13
655 655 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,572 —
875 875 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,838 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220 1220 1 190.00 $190.00 $2,318 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
150 fancy 150 1 390.00 $390.00 $585 —
200–240 fancy 220 2 337.50–352.50 $345.68 $760 +0.68
282 282 2 310.00 $310.00 $874 —
290 fancy 290 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,058 +38.37
300–330 fancy 313 7 330.00–367.50 $346.52 $1,085 -2.66
355–390 fancy 368 7 340.00–352.50 $347.79 $1,280 +17.32
388–390 389 9 280.00–312.50 $291.14 $1,133 -8.40
403–441 fancy 425 38 302.50–342.50 $321.70 $1,367 +6.37
455–480 fancy 469 16 297.50–305.00 $301.21 $1,413 -9.24
470–490 480 6 270.00–285.00 $280.98 $1,349 -11.50
500–540 519 15 259.00–277.50 $269.92 $1,401 -10.32
500–545 value added 524 39 284.00–305.00 $291.62 $1,528 -8.56
550 value added 550 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,554 -5.51
555–596 582 15 261.00–265.00 $262.62 $1,528 -14.35
606–630 value added 611 29 235.00–253.00 $250.27 $1,529 -11.90
620–626 624 5 230.00–233.00 $231.81 $1,446 -10.73
660–682 value added 671 41 235.00–240.00 $237.19 $1,592 -24.14
675–697 695 20 220.00–232.00 $226.28 $1,573 -11.71
713 713 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,676 +6.48
732–735 value added 733 13 240.00–257.50 $244.05 $1,789 -10.10
763 763 18 224.00 $224.00 $1,709 -3.42
835 835 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,754 -5.00
855–885 870 2 200.00–210.00 $204.91 $1,783 —
905 905 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,900 —
955 955 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,814 -4.76
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 240.00 $240.00 $792 +2.50
355–380 370 3 240.00–262.50 $250.62 $927 +11.20
440 440 1 215.00 $215.00 $946 —
455–460 458 3 217.50–220.00 $219.17 $1,004 -50.83
515–535 522 3 215.00–240.00 $228.35 $1,192 -7.84
552–575 566 6 215.00–250.00 $225.13 $1,274 -11.72
625–630 627 5 205.00–215.00 $209.99 $1,317 -5.01
660–690 667 5 170.00–217.50 $202.62 $1,351 -8.95
710 710 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,285 -27.71
766–775 768 4 157.50–207.50 $170.11 $1,306 -39.87
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690 690 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,173 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
160 fancy 160 1 400.00 $400.00 $640 —
285 fancy 285 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,083 +45.00
316–340 fancy 328 6 350.00–355.00 $352.41 $1,156 +14.07
360–390 fancy 381 5 347.50–372.50 $364.95 $1,390 -1.75
400–415 fancy 408 2 327.50–357.50 $342.78 $1,399 -17.98
420–448 433 7 285.00–290.00 $287.92 $1,247 -22.03
477–478 fancy 478 10 305.00–320.00 $309.50 $1,479 -23.45
455–497 482 7 285.00–297.50 $292.18 $1,408 -11.80
522–525 fancy 523 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,517 -25.07
515–535 528 5 260.00–272.50 $267.46 $1,412 -10.00
555–572 565 4 267.50–282.50 $272.42 $1,539 -5.58
575–587 fancy 583 3 290.00–292.50 $290.82 $1,695 -6.12
616–640 fancy 622 7 270.00–302.50 $288.08 $1,792 +13.72
600–645 628 9 250.00–267.50 $255.57 $1,605 +2.83
660–695 683 8 242.50–260.00 $252.80 $1,727 +1.77
705 fancy 705 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,851 —
720–740 728 4 220.00–230.00 $223.16 $1,625 -11.53
760–780 770 2 220.00–227.50 $223.70 $1,722 -11.30
800–807 806 7 210.00–216.00 $215.15 $1,734 -5.85
902–910 905 3 204.00–210.00 $206.01 $1,864 -21.49
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
467–490 475 3 230.00–270.00 $256.24 $1,217 -23.76
545 545 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,322 +5.00
565–590 585 10 240.00–260.00 $250.17 $1,463 -10.96
600 600 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,260 —
785 785 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,578 —
830 830 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,639 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1490 1270 80-85% 5 109.00–119.00 $114.40 $1,453 —
1210–1455 1304 80-85% 6 121.00–129.00 $126.22 $1,646 —
1220–1475 1337 80-85% 8 130.00–155.00 $142.76 $1,909 +3.55
1455 1455 80-85% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,295 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980 980 85-90% 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,460 —
940–1170 1064 85-90% 7 103.00–116.00 $110.37 $1,174 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505–1920 1669 75-80% 4 136.00–153.00 $144.18 $2,406 —
1720 1720 75-80% 1 121.00 $121.00 $2,081 -1.84

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–2090 1721 8 162.00–170.00 $165.70 $2,852 —
1575–2065 1820 2 153.00–154.00 $153.57 $2,795 —
2090–2250 2170 2 140.00–145.00 $142.41 $3,090 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,744

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010 1010 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1070–1310 1192 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,400.00–2,425.00 $2,415.84
1175–1405 1315 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,650.00–1,825.00 $1,762.67
1245–1430 1367 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,975.00–2,450.00 $2,166.74

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
840–955 910 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,450.00–2,350.00 $2,055.95

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 3 223.00 $223.00 $1,438 —
679 679 5 223.00 $223.00 $1,514 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,564 —

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1410 1410 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,125.00 $2,125.00 —
1495 1495 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00 +975.00

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,128 —

↑ Back to top

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.