Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 22, 2025

986 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 $292.40/cwt +8.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,707/hd at 926 lb · 237 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $306.18/cwt +11.18 vs last sale · ≈ $2,416/hd at 789 lb · 82 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $347.82/cwt +3.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,823/hd at 524 lb · 36 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 986 1,532 1,430
Feeder cattle 928 1,422 1,329
Slaughter cattle 56 103 83
Replacement cattle 2 7 18

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 6.00-10.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers 5.00-8.00 higher, Good demand for a mostly attractive quality offering. 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
320–340 330 2 377.50–385.00 $381.14 $1,258 +1.14
355–380 368 2 380.00–392.50 $386.04 $1,421 —
377–395 fancy 386 6 400.00–425.00 $413.90 $1,598 -0.50
410–423 fancy 420 5 430.00–455.00 $450.12 $1,891 +54.92
420–435 430 3 377.50–395.00 $389.30 $1,674 +11.38
455–490 470 9 372.50–390.00 $382.59 $1,798 +17.10
516 value added 516 9 392.50 $392.50 $2,025 +9.07
525–545 533 3 350.00–365.00 $359.25 $1,915 +10.97
562–565 563 3 352.50–355.00 $353.34 $1,989 +6.72
550–595 value added 572 7 377.50–380.00 $378.23 $2,163 +9.47
612–645 625 4 302.50–322.50 $315.01 $1,969 +17.36
615–639 value added 637 23 345.00–372.50 $353.36 $2,251 +3.34
665–683 681 10 305.00–318.00 $316.73 $2,157 —
703 703 3 285.00 $285.00 $2,004 —
703–745 value added 728 9 295.00–310.00 $304.37 $2,216 -18.21
761–796 value added 789 82 294.00–309.00 $306.18 $2,416 +11.18
822–824 value added 823 27 296.00–314.00 $307.34 $2,529 +26.47
830 830 1 282.50 $282.50 $2,345 +22.50
855–890 873 2 255.00–260.00 $257.55 $2,248 —
905 905 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,444 —
923–933 value added 926 236 288.00–296.10 $292.49 $2,708 +8.09
1018 value added 1018 55 271.75 $271.75 $2,766 +11.75
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 365.00 $365.00 $949 —
355 355 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,278 —
405–442 430 5 330.00–362.50 $341.14 $1,467 —
478–491 486 8 337.50–357.00 $349.81 $1,700 +23.34
500–530 510 3 317.50–342.50 $326.16 $1,663 +13.66
565–575 570 2 315.00–342.50 $328.63 $1,873 —
645 645 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,693 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,125 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 fancy 220 1 425.00 $425.00 $935 —
250 fancy 250 2 420.00–440.00 $430.00 $1,075 —
280 280 3 370.00–393.00 $382.67 $1,071 +10.17
300–340 320 2 370.00–385.00 $377.97 $1,210 +16.78
363 fancy 363 3 422.50 $422.50 $1,534 +35.15
355–390 369 5 375.00–392.50 $383.26 $1,414 +21.47
415–425 fancy 420 2 390.00–392.50 $391.24 $1,643 +8.89
402–446 429 22 352.50–377.50 $363.78 $1,561 +17.31
450–497 478 17 347.50–365.00 $356.60 $1,705 +2.10
502–533 fancy 521 5 362.50–365.00 $363.46 $1,894 -6.54
500–546 value added 523 29 320.00–357.50 $348.08 $1,820 +1.79
547 547 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,668 -11.67
550–596 value added 583 27 320.00–352.50 $336.14 $1,960 -3.81
580–595 588 2 292.50–317.50 $305.16 $1,794 -13.63
600–625 611 7 292.50–305.00 $297.89 $1,820 +27.89
610–630 value added 620 6 320.00–340.00 $327.40 $2,030 +34.01
650–693 677 18 290.00–304.00 $298.22 $2,019 —
682–698 value added 693 7 310.00–317.50 $312.11 $2,163 +21.88
707–731 value added 723 6 312.50–315.00 $313.31 $2,265 —
735 735 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,058 +25.00
750 value added 750 6 290.00 $290.00 $2,175 —
780 780 2 262.50 $262.50 $2,048 —
805–810 807 3 260.00–272.50 $264.18 $2,132 +5.18
851–885 856 7 255.00–274.00 $271.19 $2,321 +43.69
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–325 317 3 332.00–345.00 $339.74 $1,077 +1.40
360 360 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,179 -6.84
405–445 438 8 330.00–345.00 $332.04 $1,454 +26.40
455–495 469 6 330.00–345.00 $338.29 $1,587 +38.29
560 560 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,708 +32.93
720 720 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,710 +19.53
910 910 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,756 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,708 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,372 —

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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 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,140 -65.00
350–395 fancy 373 2 400.00–402.50 $401.17 $1,496 -2.27
370–375 373 2 377.50–390.00 $383.79 $1,432 +2.09
420 fancy 420 2 395.00–401.00 $398.00 $1,672 -43.65
420–430 427 3 367.50–387.50 $377.58 $1,612 +7.19
467–495 478 11 367.00–390.00 $378.04 $1,807 +3.23
515–545 fancy 528 5 370.00–389.00 $381.85 $2,016 +17.76
500–546 535 5 360.00–367.50 $364.47 $1,950 +13.05
560–590 568 11 350.00–365.00 $358.11 $2,034 +17.78
585–595 fancy 588 5 370.00–395.00 $385.94 $2,269 +23.44
600–640 620 2 292.50–295.00 $293.79 $1,821 —
610–637 fancy 627 4 320.00–350.00 $329.90 $2,068 -1.98
660–675 668 2 292.50–295.00 $293.74 $1,962 +13.74
660–686 fancy 680 4 309.00–320.00 $311.67 $2,119 -1.09
740 fancy 740 3 300.00 $300.00 $2,220 —
868–880 870 5 227.00–230.00 $229.39 $1,996 -0.61
940 940 1 227.50 $227.50 $2,138 —
1035 1035 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,174 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 330.00 $330.00 $891 —
350–395 377 3 300.00–340.00 $327.61 $1,235 —
405–410 408 2 340.00–342.50 $341.24 $1,392 —
480 480 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,632 -5.82
515–545 527 3 327.50–335.00 $332.56 $1,753 +12.56
560–595 578 4 297.50–337.50 $323.97 $1,873 +6.47
830 830 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,801 +2.00
855 855 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,368 -45.00
995 995 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,492 -36.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1385 1337 80-85% 3 130.00–147.00 $140.84 $1,883 —
1205–1490 1373 80-85% 14 151.00–173.00 $161.63 $2,219 —
1450 1450 80-85% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,668 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050 1050 85-90% 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,302 -15.64
880–1175 1059 85-90% 5 155.00–165.00 $158.45 $1,678 +18.81
960–1175 1064 85-90% 5 131.00–145.00 $136.86 $1,456 -2.78
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535–1545 1538 75-80% 3 155.00–158.00 $156.33 $2,404 —
1565–1755 1667 75-80% 3 140.00–147.00 $144.47 $2,408 -19.85

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–2115 1548 5 189.00–199.00 $193.34 $2,993 —
1645–1800 1738 3 205.00–210.00 $207.01 $3,598 —
2370 2370 1 177.00 $177.00 $4,195 —

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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
1370 1370 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
888 value added 888 53 236.00 $236.00 $2,096 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
730 730 (<2 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 —

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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.