Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 17, 2025

1,878 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $285.08/cwt +13.21 vs last sale · ≈ $2,528/hd at 887 lb · 300 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $270.76/cwt -1.72 vs last sale · ≈ $2,493/hd at 921 lb · 256 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $263.37/cwt +8.49 vs last sale · ≈ $2,545/hd at 966 lb · 248 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,878 1,183 1,786
Feeder cattle 1,803 1,084 1,654
Slaughter cattle 68 92 113
Replacement cattle 7 7 19

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 8.00-12.00 higher with instances of 20.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers 8.00-12.00 higher, Very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 5.00-8.00 higher, Slaughter bulls steady, 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
297 fancy 297 2 435.00 $435.00 $1,292 +24.25
315 fancy 315 1 372.50 $372.50 $1,173 -60.02
350–395 fancy 373 8 372.50–430.00 $396.52 $1,479 -7.55
415 415 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,411 -32.56
420–440 fancy 430 9 375.00–450.00 $421.88 $1,814 +18.63
465–474 472 7 341.00–360.00 $346.02 $1,633 -9.03
460–492 fancy 479 20 382.50–420.00 $405.95 $1,945 +3.62
500–535 518 2 317.50–327.50 $322.33 $1,670 —
505–545 value added 526 20 355.00–405.00 $387.73 $2,039 +31.91
550–585 value added 571 14 345.00–380.00 $359.69 $2,054 -0.29
610 fancy 610 2 365.00 $365.00 $2,226 —
600–645 value added 621 56 320.00–355.00 $340.20 $2,113 +19.23
635 635 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,968 +25.00
673–690 678 7 289.00–299.00 $296.12 $2,008 +3.62
650–694 value added 687 22 315.00–322.50 $317.08 $2,178 -0.34
705–735 value added 710 13 295.00–315.00 $310.59 $2,205 +13.56
710 710 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,995 —
775–795 781 8 273.00–280.00 $274.89 $2,147 +3.66
756–792 value added 789 73 292.00–302.50 $301.53 $2,379 +4.03
805–840 815 17 253.00–269.00 $266.28 $2,170 +16.20
811–828 value added 816 48 275.00–280.00 $279.64 $2,282 +10.64
855 855 2 250.00 $250.00 $2,138 -2.95
863–895 value added 887 298 273.00–288.75 $285.32 $2,531 +12.82
910–935 919 17 244.00–253.00 $251.93 $2,315 +11.93
900–941 value added 921 239 257.00–285.00 $272.10 $2,506 -0.92
957 957 14 235.00 $235.00 $2,249 —
952–985 value added 967 234 256.75–271.50 $265.07 $2,563 +10.07
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–385 370 2 310.00–320.00 $314.80 $1,165 —
810 810 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,883 —
890 890 1 227.00 $227.00 $2,020 —
930 930 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,139 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135 1135 2 228.00 $228.00 $2,588 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–285 fancy 275 3 365.00–390.00 $374.82 $1,031 -0.28
280 280 1 345.00 $345.00 $966 —
325 fancy 325 3 390.00–415.00 $406.67 $1,322 +30.07
360–391 fancy 378 9 361.00–392.50 $372.61 $1,408 -3.92
370–390 383 3 340.00–347.50 $344.80 $1,321 -13.24
400–448 fancy 426 21 352.50–402.50 $360.33 $1,535 -1.00
415–445 435 3 335.00–340.00 $338.41 $1,472 +1.26
450–495 fancy 481 25 342.50–370.00 $352.58 $1,696 -8.53
480–495 488 2 325.00–339.00 $331.89 $1,620 -7.24
507–537 value added 524 40 321.00–352.50 $340.48 $1,784 +8.79
505–542 532 4 290.00–318.00 $310.19 $1,650 +13.19
550–590 569 12 290.00–317.50 $306.45 $1,744 +24.51
570–594 value added 582 146 320.00–341.00 $330.29 $1,922 +3.53
600–640 630 22 262.50–287.50 $282.00 $1,777 +42.00
600–637 value added 632 80 295.00–325.00 $314.17 $1,986 +15.90
655–695 666 19 261.00–285.00 $276.45 $1,841 +30.08
680 value added 680 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,972 +9.70
700–713 value added 708 9 273.00–280.00 $277.37 $1,964 +8.50
705–740 729 30 257.50–267.00 $263.76 $1,923 +14.75
759–760 759 13 252.50–258.00 $257.58 $1,955 +7.65
750–776 value added 761 17 270.00–273.00 $271.78 $2,068 —
821–845 827 4 241.00 $241.00 $1,993 +16.00
840 840 8 254.00 $254.00 $2,134 +29.00
865–891 889 15 239.00–247.00 $239.52 $2,129 —
890 890 5 260.00 $260.00 $2,314 —
929 929 13 255.50 $255.50 $2,374 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,125 -23.00
490 490 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,372 -25.31
515 515 2 250.00–260.00 $255.00 $1,313 —
570–590 582 3 245.00–285.00 $270.26 $1,573 +6.26
600–645 623 4 227.50–247.50 $240.04 $1,495 —
650–660 657 3 240.00–250.00 $246.70 $1,621 +44.20
715–725 720 3 210.00–242.00 $222.94 $1,605 +5.44
775 775 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,806 —
800–820 810 2 193.00–205.00 $198.93 $1,611 —
970 970 2 193.00–203.00 $198.00 $1,921 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 fancy 285 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,097 +0.18
310 310 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,093 -1.38
300–335 fancy 326 4 392.50–427.50 $406.07 $1,324 -18.97
355 355 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,207 -22.50
350–385 fancy 372 5 371.00–432.50 $414.30 $1,541 +28.05
405–440 fancy 428 24 380.00–445.00 $420.79 $1,801 +40.49
460–470 465 2 312.50–330.00 $321.16 $1,493 -11.84
455–495 fancy 475 18 360.00–440.00 $400.07 $1,900 +19.74
500–540 fancy 529 9 357.00–393.00 $378.16 $2,000 +11.84
548 548 4 320.00 $320.00 $1,754 +15.00
550–580 fancy 569 7 347.00–360.00 $354.45 $2,017 -0.56
580 580 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,900 +7.50
600–625 fancy 614 7 332.50–342.50 $334.52 $2,054 +37.93
630 630 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,827 —
655–680 fancy 669 5 300.00–307.50 $304.71 $2,039 +3.57
680–685 683 3 277.50–290.00 $284.16 $1,941 +24.91
710–715 fancy 713 2 287.50–290.00 $288.75 $2,059 -2.38
780 fancy 780 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,184 -7.00
825 825 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,062 —
935 935 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,010 —
965 965 1 222.50 $222.50 $2,147 -6.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,228 —
780 780 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,911 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,163 —
510 510 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,237 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 80-85% 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,768 -9.94
1085–1455 1303 80-85% 23 140.00–169.00 $154.42 $2,012 +8.48
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960 960 85-90% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,142 +5.09
875–1175 1037 85-90% 8 125.00–139.00 $133.83 $1,388 -11.73
915–1140 1069 85-90% 10 141.00–155.00 $148.51 $1,588 +22.27
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1550–1600 1588 75-80% 6 150.00–167.00 $158.00 $2,509 +12.36

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1625 1503 2 163.00–166.00 $164.38 $2,471 —
1830 1830 1 189.00 $189.00 $3,459 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735 735 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,948
1140 1140 (<2 yrs)Open 1 207.50 $207.50 $2,366

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
975 975 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00
1010 1010 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1015 1015 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
780 780 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00
810 810 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00

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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.