Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 3, 2025

624 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 $268.25/cwt -4.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,446/hd at 912 lb · 66 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $333.79/cwt -17.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,907/hd at 571 lb · 33 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $287.21/cwt -10.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,793/hd at 624 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 624 1,725 1,450
Feeder cattle 507 1,627 1,399
Slaughter cattle 67 89 50
Replacement cattle 50 9 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 3.00-5.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 700 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, over 700 lbs steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and 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
387–396 fancy 392 5 397.50–421.00 $411.73 $1,614 +3.43
435–445 fancy 438 5 377.50–400.00 $391.94 $1,717 -23.09
450–495 fancy 476 10 357.00–381.00 $367.19 $1,748 -14.61
527–540 value added 534 4 320.00–352.50 $339.09 $1,811 -13.63
545 545 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,608 -15.52
550–575 563 12 307.00–317.50 $311.30 $1,753 +8.02
557–597 value added 576 21 322.50–364.00 $346.64 $1,997 -17.35
620 620 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,658 -12.39
610–645 value added 634 14 307.50–323.00 $318.92 $2,022 -9.75
675–688 685 4 272.50–285.00 $281.92 $1,931 —
655–698 value added 692 7 299.00–305.00 $299.81 $2,075 -19.50
705–735 value added 711 11 282.00–295.00 $290.89 $2,068 -1.48
740 740 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,035 —
767 767 2 277.50 $277.50 $2,128 +4.50
805–846 value added 840 20 261.00–267.00 $263.88 $2,217 -17.18
858 value added 858 4 266.00 $266.00 $2,282 +2.86
860–865 863 2 237.50 $237.50 $2,050 -21.50
911–923 value added 912 66 250.00–270.80 $268.25 $2,446 -4.75
950 950 1 222.00 $222.00 $2,109 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750 750 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,725 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 fancy 320 2 392.50 $392.50 $1,256 +6.61
340–345 343 2 300.00–320.00 $309.93 $1,063 +12.43
350–395 fancy 372 7 332.50–380.00 $355.15 $1,321 -35.94
402–446 fancy 420 19 322.50–370.00 $354.77 $1,490 -14.74
455–470 463 2 280.00–302.50 $291.43 $1,349 -2.06
465–490 fancy 476 7 323.00–340.00 $332.88 $1,585 -20.56
505–525 518 6 300.00–307.50 $302.44 $1,567 +22.44
500–535 value added 521 18 315.00–330.00 $324.63 $1,691 +1.56
555–580 566 5 290.00–305.00 $300.44 $1,700 +8.94
560–578 value added 569 7 312.50–324.00 $316.88 $1,803 +1.92
610–635 value added 617 22 280.00–303.50 $298.49 $1,842 -0.14
630–641 640 10 260.00–263.00 $262.40 $1,679 +1.73
651–655 value added 653 5 275.00–280.00 $277.99 $1,815 -17.86
670 670 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,776 -2.66
707–740 value added 730 18 255.00–268.00 $263.43 $1,923 +0.09
740 740 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,702 +7.50
750–795 784 4 222.00–225.00 $224.28 $1,758 —
865–890 878 2 220.00–231.00 $225.42 $1,979 -27.33
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,106 —
445 445 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,068 —
515–535 522 5 260.00–280.00 $271.15 $1,415 —
550 550 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,334 —
628–630 629 4 207.50–225.00 $211.89 $1,333 —
730–738 736 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,472 —
781 781 5 217.50 $217.50 $1,699 +10.00
855–870 865 3 180.00–207.50 $195.92 $1,695 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,365 —
810 810 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,458 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 fancy 340 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,360 +22.46
370 370 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,240 —
365–385 fancy 372 6 360.00–430.00 $408.09 $1,518 +13.13
405–438 fancy 426 14 352.50–425.00 $398.26 $1,697 -2.33
450 450 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,440 +25.00
465–480 fancy 471 5 360.00–385.00 $376.91 $1,775 +19.06
515–540 528 2 300.00–317.50 $308.54 $1,629 +7.30
510–545 fancy 529 10 320.00–352.50 $339.62 $1,797 +0.74
570 fancy 570 1 327.00 $327.00 $1,864 -6.54
555–590 574 5 295.00–315.00 $304.51 $1,748 +6.97
600–613 fancy 612 9 320.00–327.50 $326.68 $1,999 +20.60
650–670 fancy 657 5 302.50–315.00 $307.99 $2,023 +17.94
671–680 673 5 287.50–290.00 $289.49 $1,948 —
705–735 fancy 720 2 280.00–295.00 $287.34 $2,069 +7.34
785 785 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,813 —
805 fancy 805 1 253.00 $253.00 $2,037 —
828 828 4 212.50 $212.50 $1,760 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,540 —
895 895 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,790 —
965 965 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,737 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1385 1277 80-85% 8 134.00–156.00 $141.11 $1,802 —
1350 1350 80-85% 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,728 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1090 1010 85-90% 3 125.00–129.00 $127.10 $1,284 —
1145 1145 85-90% 1 132.00 $132.00 $1,511 -9.74
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1620 1558 75-80% 3 141.00–165.00 $151.65 $2,363 +8.43

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1435 1212 13 140.00–159.00 $152.10 $1,843 —
1225–1775 1478 4 160.00–165.00 $163.10 $2,411 —
1125–2100 1611 5 173.00–197.00 $184.27 $2,969 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
585–880 701 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 141.00–235.00 $176.04 $1,234

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
655 655 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00
830–890 860 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,500.00–1,850.00 $1,681.10
780–1095 910 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 2,000.00–2,400.00 $2,205.06
765–1260 1002 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,975.00–2,525.00 $2,311.61
940–1215 1078 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,450.00–1,525.00 $1,492.29
725–1685 1186 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,500.00–2,500.00 $2,098.64
1165–1225 1195 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,775.00–2,050.00 $1,915.95

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
830 830 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00

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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
730–910 823 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,950.00–2,525.00 $2,178.64 —
910–1000 954 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 2,125.00–2,675.00 $2,394.07 —
1105 1105 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —
1150 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,275.00 $2,275.00 —
1045–1310 1155 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,825.00–2,625.00 $2,343.69 —
1190 1190 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,825.00 $2,825.00 —
1220 1220 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,150.00 $2,150.00 —
1510 1510 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1412 1412 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,450.00 $2,450.00 —

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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.