Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 15, 2025

1,532 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $344.75/cwt +15.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,851/hd at 537 lb · 131 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $274.52/cwt ≈ $2,438/hd at 888 lb · 129 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $277.97/cwt -3.28 vs last sale · ≈ $2,174/hd at 782 lb · 100 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,532 977 1,371
Feeder cattle 1,422 865 1,306
Slaughter cattle 103 100 65
Replacement cattle 7 12 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 500 lbs sharply lower, over 500 lbs 5.00-8.00 lower, Feeder and yearling heifers 4.00-6.00 lower, Moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows steady, Slaughter bulls 3.00-5.00 higher, 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
190 fancy 190 1 630.00 $630.00 $1,197 —
255–297 fancy 281 5 410.00–500.00 $452.17 $1,271 —
300 fancy 300 1 449.00 $449.00 $1,347 +34.99
335 335 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,273 —
350–375 fancy 370 7 405.00–442.50 $414.40 $1,533 -9.95
400–440 420 3 375.00–380.00 $377.92 $1,587 -7.08
417–430 fancy 427 10 391.00–412.50 $395.20 $1,688 -17.96
457–495 470 4 360.00–370.00 $365.49 $1,718 -0.20
515–526 525 14 332.50–355.00 $348.28 $1,828 —
515–527 value added 525 25 377.00–385.00 $383.43 $2,013 -4.26
551–588 value added 581 31 361.00–370.50 $368.76 $2,142 -0.44
575–595 585 8 340.00–357.50 $346.62 $2,028 -11.51
617–620 618 3 285.00–304.00 $297.65 $1,839 -26.35
600–643 value added 625 43 321.00–357.00 $350.02 $2,188 +2.61
660–690 value added 677 32 310.00–335.00 $326.60 $2,211 -14.44
711–740 value added 723 21 320.00–325.00 $322.58 $2,332 +6.59
769 value added 769 65 295.00 $295.00 $2,269 —
800 800 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,080 —
801–835 value added 802 66 272.50–281.00 $280.87 $2,253 —
881–895 value added 888 129 266.50–282.95 $274.52 $2,438 —
913 value added 913 58 284.40 $284.40 $2,597 -1.57
988 value added 988 58 271.70 $271.70 $2,684 —
1004 value added 1004 56 260.00 $260.00 $2,610 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470–477 476 7 305.00–330.00 $326.47 $1,554 -15.18
505 505 1 312.50 $312.50 $1,578 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1255 1175 2 205.00–265.00 $232.96 $2,737 -3.04

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 372.50 $372.50 $1,080 -7.50
310–335 fancy 324 11 375.00–442.50 $395.67 $1,282 -2.09
335–345 340 2 357.50–365.00 $361.19 $1,228 —
355–369 fancy 366 9 382.50–405.00 $387.35 $1,418 -15.11
360–390 371 5 345.00–370.00 $361.79 $1,342 —
412–445 426 18 340.00–360.00 $346.47 $1,476 +18.23
415–440 fancy 428 2 377.50–387.50 $382.35 $1,636 +2.09
452–495 466 22 337.50–367.50 $354.50 $1,652 +18.00
481 fancy 481 4 370.00 $370.00 $1,780 +0.25
500 fancy 500 4 370.00 $370.00 $1,850 —
510–545 528 10 310.00–327.50 $316.67 $1,672 +9.47
500–548 value added 539 117 337.00–357.50 $346.29 $1,867 +8.91
550–575 value added 559 10 335.00–342.50 $339.95 $1,900 +10.56
565–593 578 25 297.50–327.00 $318.79 $1,843 +7.57
615–647 value added 634 12 289.00–305.00 $293.39 $1,860 -11.16
635 635 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,714 -22.60
650–695 value added 692 98 287.50–310.00 $290.23 $2,008 -8.07
705 fancy 705 3 299.00–302.50 $300.17 $2,116 —
710 710 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,810 +8.00
756 fancy 756 33 290.50 $290.50 $2,196 —
755–796 value added 795 67 271.75–275.00 $271.80 $2,161 -9.45
826 826 3 259.00 $259.00 $2,139 +36.50
830–832 value added 832 67 272.50–274.50 $274.47 $2,284 +14.47
870 870 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,979 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–345 337 3 335.00–340.00 $338.34 $1,140 —
350–380 361 4 330.00–340.00 $334.34 $1,207 —
435–440 438 2 281.00–330.00 $305.64 $1,339 —
470 470 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,410 —
550–596 582 5 255.00–290.00 $272.07 $1,583 —
610 610 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,525 —
700–745 723 2 202.50–232.50 $217.97 $1,576 —
760 760 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,368 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 fancy 265 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,232 -10.00
325–335 fancy 332 3 432.50–455.00 $447.65 $1,486 —
350–360 fancy 356 5 400.00–417.50 $403.44 $1,436 -6.73
370–380 373 3 380.00–385.00 $381.70 $1,424 +29.20
400–437 fancy 417 8 410.00–460.00 $441.65 $1,842 +22.35
410–445 426 5 362.50–377.50 $370.39 $1,578 -12.11
450–475 456 7 367.00–382.50 $374.81 $1,709 -2.19
465 fancy 465 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,860 -12.00
500–547 515 12 340.00–357.50 $351.42 $1,810 +14.75
502–536 fancy 525 6 362.50–367.50 $364.09 $1,911 -9.91
551–597 572 23 332.00–350.00 $340.33 $1,947 +4.93
578 fancy 578 3 362.50 $362.50 $2,095 -1.97
615–640 fancy 635 10 290.00–337.00 $331.88 $2,107 -3.59
657–697 fancy 672 6 297.50–330.00 $312.76 $2,102 -18.24
690 690 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,932 -16.14
750–795 773 2 250.00–270.00 $260.29 $2,012 —
820 fancy 820 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,091 —
820 820 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,919 —
865 865 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,990 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–340 335 2 325.00–327.50 $326.23 $1,093 —
460–490 470 10 317.50–355.00 $345.82 $1,625 +14.75
515–545 528 3 320.00 $320.00 $1,690 —
587 587 2 317.50 $317.50 $1,864 +7.50
655 655 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,768 —
715 715 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,394 —
750 750 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,744 —
840 840 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,806 —
875 875 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,794 +1.00
980 980 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,823 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690 690 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,570 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 80-85% 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,522 —
1130–1445 1277 80-85% 26 150.00–173.00 $159.40 $2,036 +2.21
1085–1425 1293 80-85% 7 140.00–148.00 $143.93 $1,861 -13.26
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1180 1026 85-90% 5 122.00–130.00 $126.90 $1,302 -6.78
885–1140 1052 85-90% 8 131.00–146.00 $139.64 $1,469 -12.12
960–1150 1084 85-90% 12 149.00–168.00 $153.76 $1,667 +2.00
1155 1155 85-90% 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,282 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1635 1635 75-80% 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,864 -49.89
1570–1840 1666 75-80% 7 155.00–172.00 $164.32 $2,738 —
1770 1770 75-80% 1 127.00 $127.00 $2,248 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1865 1510 6 183.00–190.00 $186.69 $2,819 —
1510 1510 1 171.00 $171.00 $2,582 —
1305–2090 1750 10 195.00–221.00 $205.80 $3,602 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045–1350 1188 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,850.00–2,450.00 $2,142.85
1225 1225 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,425.00 $2,425.00
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,325.00 $2,325.00

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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
1400 1400 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,150.00 $3,150.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
990 990 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,225.00 $2,225.00 —

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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.