Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 29, 2025

1,153 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $284.70/cwt +20.52 vs last sale · ≈ $2,296/hd at 806 lb · 176 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $299.29/cwt -6.89 vs last sale · ≈ $2,370/hd at 792 lb · 80 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $321.06/cwt +9.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,044/hd at 637 lb · 75 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,153 986 1,405
Feeder cattle 1,056 928 1,327
Slaughter cattle 96 56 74
Replacement cattle 1 2 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers steady to 5.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls 8.00-12.00 higher, 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
330–345 fancy 338 2 412.50–457.50 $434.50 $1,469 —
350–383 fancy 370 5 422.50–437.00 $431.51 $1,597 +17.61
370–390 380 2 382.50–397.50 $390.20 $1,483 +4.16
405–445 fancy 418 6 412.50–421.00 $417.09 $1,743 -33.03
425 425 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,615 -9.30
455–460 fancy 457 7 410.00–415.00 $412.84 $1,887 —
477 477 2 391.00 $391.00 $1,865 +8.41
500–542 value added 520 25 375.00–395.00 $383.71 $1,995 -8.79
505–545 525 2 350.00–362.50 $356.01 $1,869 -3.24
560–562 value added 562 22 378.00–382.50 $378.61 $2,128 +0.38
555–598 573 8 361.00–370.00 $365.55 $2,095 +12.21
603–645 value added 627 45 337.00–370.00 $348.44 $2,185 -4.92
650–690 value added 669 4 322.50–340.00 $331.00 $2,214 —
687 687 2 313.00 $313.00 $2,150 -3.73
700–745 value added 714 21 298.00–313.00 $304.78 $2,176 +0.41
730 730 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,080 ±0.00
755 755 2 289.00 $289.00 $2,182 —
762–796 value added 793 78 297.50–310.00 $299.55 $2,375 -6.63
805–835 value added 820 2 283.00–297.00 $290.13 $2,379 -17.21
871–894 value added 889 75 284.50–300.00 $296.56 $2,636 —
920–932 928 3 260.00–263.00 $262.01 $2,431 -7.99
928 value added 928 57 295.00 $295.00 $2,738 +2.51
970 970 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,570 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,530 +18.86
455 455 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,581 -2.31
595 595 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,889 -11.13
980 980 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,352 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1310 1248 2 185.00–219.00 $201.15 $2,510 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190–195 fancy 193 2 535.00–570.00 $552.27 $1,066 —
255–295 fancy 266 5 400.00–415.00 $408.80 $1,087 -21.20
375–395 fancy 388 9 385.00–397.50 $390.86 $1,517 -31.64
415–445 434 6 355.00–365.00 $359.15 $1,559 -4.63
480–481 480 7 357.50–370.00 $364.64 $1,750 +8.04
500–540 519 4 310.00 $310.00 $1,609 +5.00
500–547 value added 535 43 320.00–346.00 $341.00 $1,824 -7.08
550–570 557 3 290.00–317.00 $307.78 $1,714 +2.62
554–580 value added 564 26 320.00–350.00 $337.18 $1,902 +1.04
615–645 630 3 270.00–295.00 $282.53 $1,780 -15.36
600–645 value added 637 72 310.00–345.00 $322.67 $2,055 -4.73
655–683 value added 667 15 300.00–323.00 $316.26 $2,109 +4.15
660–680 667 11 280.00–295.00 $288.63 $1,925 -9.59
700–735 713 5 250.00–275.00 $266.57 $1,901 -13.43
703–746 value added 743 51 287.25–299.00 $287.90 $2,139 -25.41
750–780 765 2 264.00–267.50 $265.72 $2,033 +3.22
776 value added 776 3 282.50 $282.50 $2,192 -7.50
800–808 value added 806 174 275.25–288.00 $285.16 $2,298 —
830–835 833 2 242.50–247.50 $245.01 $2,041 -19.17
915 915 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,150 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–340 330 3 310.00–350.00 $336.26 $1,110 -3.48
370–385 378 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,361 +32.50
455–498 478 16 295.00–342.00 $326.92 $1,563 -11.37
510 510 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,466 —
550 550 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,884 +37.50
640 640 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,216 —
770–790 780 2 230.00–240.00 $234.94 $1,833 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–295 fancy 285 3 417.50–455.00 $432.06 $1,231 +32.06
300–345 fancy 320 5 405.00–440.00 $424.38 $1,358 —
355–395 fancy 366 4 407.50–420.00 $414.23 $1,516 +13.06
355–375 367 3 385.00–397.50 $392.63 $1,441 +8.84
400–430 fancy 415 3 402.50–422.50 $414.11 $1,719 +16.11
437 437 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,682 +7.42
460–495 472 6 377.50–390.00 $382.55 $1,806 +4.51
505–522 fancy 519 12 380.00–391.00 $389.44 $2,021 +7.59
535–545 539 7 350.00–367.50 $361.04 $1,946 -3.43
565–585 577 6 357.50–370.00 $364.16 $2,101 +6.05
605–635 fancy 623 5 322.50–350.00 $338.02 $2,106 +8.12
657–675 fancy 662 4 317.50–326.00 $323.58 $2,142 +11.91
680–685 682 3 310.00 $310.00 $2,114 +16.26
705–740 fancy 721 6 282.50–300.00 $292.87 $2,112 -7.13
760–770 fancy 765 2 285.00–286.00 $285.50 $2,184 —
810–820 814 7 230.00–247.50 $242.11 $1,971 —
855–890 873 2 240.00–257.50 $248.57 $2,170 +19.18
965 965 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,171 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302–330 311 3 340.00–360.00 $352.93 $1,098 —
390 390 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,404 +32.39
455–495 475 2 332.00–347.50 $340.08 $1,615 +0.08
570–580 579 8 325.00–347.00 $337.60 $1,955 +13.63
850 850 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,764 +47.50
910 910 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,934 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1265 1263 80-85% 2 129.00–130.00 $129.50 $1,636 —
1220–1405 1313 80-85% 4 106.00–124.00 $115.26 $1,513 -25.58
1170–1485 1338 80-85% 27 151.00–193.00 $165.70 $2,217 +24.86
1180–1510 1381 80-85% 5 135.00–149.00 $140.86 $1,945 -20.77
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1095 1004 85-90% 5 125.00–129.00 $126.97 $1,275 —
885–1110 1022 85-90% 3 114.00–120.00 $117.91 $1,205 —
875–1195 1076 85-90% 11 131.00–147.00 $137.64 $1,481 +0.78
1115–1175 1130 85-90% 4 150.00–156.00 $153.26 $1,732 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1565 1565 75-80% 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,784 —
1515–1875 1631 75-80% 5 161.00–191.00 $170.20 $2,776 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1910 1481 5 189.00–197.00 $192.32 $2,848 —
1110–1970 1748 6 201.00–237.50 $217.31 $3,799 +10.30

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1180 1180 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 192.50 $192.50 $2,272

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Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830 830 3 237.50 $237.50 $1,971 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840 840 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,932 —
905 905 1 231.00 $231.00 $2,091 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870 870 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,870 —
901 value added 901 55 237.00 $237.00 $2,135 —

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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.