Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 4, 2025

2,438 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 $353.37/cwt +23.37 vs last sale · ≈ $3,084/hd at 873 lb · 300 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $344.76/cwt +7.17 vs last sale · ≈ $3,192/hd at 926 lb · 289 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $402.37/cwt +57.76 vs last sale · ≈ $2,123/hd at 528 lb · 245 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,438 1,700 2,414
Feeder cattle 2,284 1,636 2,279
Slaughter cattle 143 61 125
Replacement cattle 11 3 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 8.00-10.00 higher with most increase on lite weight calves and weaned and vaccinated packages of high quality feeders, Feeder heifers under 600 lbs 12.00-15.00 higher, over 600 lbs steady to 3.00 higher with most increase on the high quality end of the offering. Good to very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows steady, Slaughter bulls 1.00-3.00 lower, 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
210–240 fancy 228 7 540.00–625.00 $588.12 $1,341 —
280 fancy 280 1 620.00 $620.00 $1,736 +84.12
320–348 fancy 345 9 495.00–535.00 $501.93 $1,732 —
353–365 fancy 358 7 450.00–505.00 $473.56 $1,695 -48.94
380–397 391 3 412.50–437.50 $429.41 $1,679 —
400–445 422 3 377.50–392.50 $382.24 $1,613 -40.82
410–445 fancy 427 14 410.00–450.00 $428.85 $1,831 -43.73
462–499 fancy 480 39 405.00–445.00 $426.78 $2,049 -13.73
470–497 488 3 370.00–383.00 $378.83 $1,849 -38.37
507–545 value added 519 20 380.00–420.00 $404.13 $2,097 -17.52
515–525 522 3 360.00–362.00 $361.34 $1,886 -4.65
502–536 fancy 527 33 430.00–435.00 $431.10 $2,272 —
557–586 value added 576 22 382.50–417.50 $402.71 $2,320 +11.71
550–590 578 7 352.50–377.00 $364.73 $2,108 +2.27
581 fancy 581 45 448.00 $448.00 $2,603 —
602–645 value added 617 92 360.00–409.00 $404.57 $2,496 +29.42
614–642 fancy 623 122 416.50–425.00 $419.44 $2,613 —
650–675 658 10 340.00–357.50 $350.98 $2,309 +10.72
650–690 value added 680 4 362.00–372.50 $369.99 $2,516 -21.32
702 fancy 702 77 411.00 $411.00 $2,885 —
705–715 708 3 330.00–340.00 $336.64 $2,383 +3.99
717–745 value added 725 7 385.00–387.50 $385.73 $2,797 -0.41
758–765 value added 760 4 362.50–377.50 $366.28 $2,784 +10.61
797 797 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,790 +30.00
802 fancy 802 68 380.75 $380.75 $3,054 —
840 840 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,688 -7.36
862 862 8 320.00 $320.00 $2,758 -10.00
865–894 value added 873 292 347.00–359.25 $354.28 $3,093 —
912–937 value added 926 289 338.50–349.95 $344.76 $3,192 +7.17
987 987 55 315.00 $315.00 $3,109 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,330 —
447 447 2 347.50 $347.50 $1,553 —
450–480 461 4 342.50–355.00 $346.79 $1,599 —
500–530 518 3 325.00–335.00 $329.98 $1,709 —
615 615 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,937 +7.30
707–717 709 9 294.00–307.50 $297.03 $2,106 +11.13
753–795 764 4 320.00–321.00 $320.74 $2,450 +13.24
820 820 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,460 -7.39
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705 705 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,009 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–285 fancy 270 11 475.00–565.00 $527.38 $1,424 +35.70
310–315 fancy 312 3 450.00–485.00 $471.74 $1,472 +17.11
322–340 328 3 381.00–415.00 $392.75 $1,288 +12.75
350–357 fancy 355 3 422.50–447.50 $430.72 $1,529 —
360–393 384 19 380.00–412.50 $399.19 $1,533 +16.93
403–445 fancy 424 30 380.00–420.00 $404.68 $1,716 +16.25
422–427 425 4 357.50–362.50 $360.01 $1,530 -11.71
455–495 477 9 357.50–377.00 $366.89 $1,750 +0.10
452–491 fancy 479 59 387.50–425.00 $403.73 $1,934 +17.04
500–546 value added 521 59 350.00–390.00 $371.32 $1,935 +4.62
500–545 526 8 337.50–347.50 $343.14 $1,805 +8.35
506–543 fancy 530 178 405.00–425.00 $415.32 $2,201 —
550–580 561 10 330.00–342.50 $335.28 $1,881 +4.53
550–592 value added 572 19 350.00–362.50 $358.10 $2,048 -8.23
600–627 value added 611 35 330.00–381.00 $349.82 $2,137 -4.64
606–645 624 14 310.00–325.00 $319.00 $1,991 -13.43
650–682 671 5 312.50–327.50 $321.52 $2,157 -14.33
679 value added 679 81 363.50 $363.50 $2,468 +0.41
710–738 734 18 310.00–332.50 $312.83 $2,296 +4.56
852 value added 852 62 338.00 $338.00 $2,880 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,088 —
350–390 383 6 290.00–363.00 $340.95 $1,306 -5.27
400–435 412 5 320.00–355.00 $343.17 $1,414 +13.17
450–495 473 13 331.00–350.00 $340.93 $1,613 +33.06
500–545 526 5 295.00–320.00 $310.63 $1,634 +8.25
550–590 570 8 290.00–322.50 $314.43 $1,792 +14.67
605–645 625 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,875 +34.62
652–675 666 7 257.50–307.50 $288.96 $1,924 -8.04
730 730 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,642 -72.50
805 805 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,771 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1075 1032 3 180.00–195.00 $185.21 $1,911 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 370.00 $370.00 $925 —
282–290 fancy 285 3 515.00–580.00 $557.93 $1,590 —
320–327 fancy 326 5 500.00–550.00 $540.17 $1,761 +20.17
315–340 328 2 392.50–400.00 $396.39 $1,300 —
355–380 fancy 363 6 447.50–522.50 $496.35 $1,802 +25.95
375–390 382 7 385.00–420.00 $405.41 $1,549 —
405–440 fancy 416 5 420.00–485.00 $440.06 $1,831 -31.19
400–431 418 8 400.00–417.50 $410.51 $1,716 +15.51
450–490 469 7 402.00–415.00 $409.49 $1,921 +27.25
481 fancy 481 5 440.00 $440.00 $2,116 +17.18
502–545 517 7 350.00–367.00 $356.76 $1,844 -8.96
505–528 fancy 520 11 383.00–395.00 $388.07 $2,018 +5.31
550–585 fancy 568 2 385.00–387.50 $386.21 $2,194 -2.71
552–587 574 9 350.00–377.50 $363.28 $2,085 +5.75
600–640 621 7 320.00–330.00 $324.26 $2,014 -9.80
610–630 fancy 621 4 350.00–385.00 $363.72 $2,259 +8.72
657–685 665 15 320.00–342.50 $329.46 $2,191 +0.60
715–720 717 5 307.00–315.00 $311.90 $2,236 -0.54
780–790 784 4 300.00–315.00 $308.72 $2,420 +9.72
865 865 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,552 +32.50
900–935 918 2 250.00–273.00 $261.28 $2,399 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–440 425 2 340.00–367.50 $354.24 $1,506 +6.88
455–495 478 19 325.00–392.50 $380.11 $1,817 +35.12
502–545 518 7 312.50–342.50 $334.45 $1,732 +7.56
555–598 583 8 307.50–347.50 $333.01 $1,941 +3.10
615–645 631 4 280.00–315.00 $300.09 $1,894 +9.09
683 683 3 325.00 $325.00 $2,220 +17.50
705–745 723 3 270.00–290.00 $281.79 $2,037 —
750 750 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,081 —
860 860 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,150 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1380 1380 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255 1255 80-85% 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,318 -5.00
1095–1435 1296 80-85% 11 160.00–185.00 $166.47 $2,157 +56.47
1135–1490 1323 80-85% 30 140.00–159.00 $150.66 $1,993 —
1270–1350 1328 80-85% 4 122.00–136.00 $131.38 $1,745 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–965 878 85-90% 2 97.50–110.00 $104.37 $916 —
950–1100 1026 85-90% 5 115.00–135.00 $126.03 $1,293 -0.88
980–1150 1064 85-90% 9 139.00–159.00 $147.83 $1,573 +48.83
895–1170 1079 85-90% 5 160.00–172.00 $165.49 $1,786 +66.49
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1605 1605 75-80% 1 132.00 $132.00 $2,119 —
1535–1830 1617 75-80% 6 139.00–159.00 $152.32 $2,463 —
1540–1835 1731 75-80% 9 160.00–176.00 $167.51 $2,900 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1680 1573 3 174.00–187.00 $179.96 $2,831 —
1245–2050 1710 6 189.00–201.00 $195.80 $3,348 +1.51
1690–1835 1763 2 208.00–209.00 $208.52 $3,676 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990–1340 1115 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,800.00–2,600.00 $2,252.47
1005–1420 1213 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,000.00–2,350.00 $2,204.95
1145–1450 1308 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,250.00–2,350.00 $2,303.89

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
557 value added 557 2 407.50 $407.50 $2,270 —

↑ Back to top

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.