Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 18, 2025

1,085 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $353.94/cwt +30.77 vs last sale · ≈ $2,387/hd at 674 lb · 91 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $378.75/cwt +18.69 vs last sale · ≈ $2,988/hd at 789 lb · 67 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $312.00/cwt ≈ $2,827/hd at 906 lb · 63 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,085 1,582 858
Feeder cattle 1,005 1,473 776
Slaughter cattle 74 105 74
Replacement cattle 6 4 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers steady on the high quality weaned and vaccinated classes, plainer quality and fleshier calves are still facing discounts. Feeder heifers steady except 300-500 lbs they were 6.00-8.00 lower, Good demand for the high quality feeders and moderate demand for the plainer quality feeders. Slaughter cows 3.00-5.00 higher, Slaughter 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
210–235 fancy 227 3 445.00–515.00 $493.38 $1,120 +23.81
245 245 1 401.00 $401.00 $982 —
285 fancy 285 2 430.00–450.00 $440.00 $1,254 -71.33
320 320 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,152 -45.00
320 fancy 320 1 427.50 $427.50 $1,368 -13.85
352–390 fancy 370 10 417.50–465.00 $434.15 $1,606 -26.62
400–440 fancy 420 8 397.50–415.00 $408.25 $1,715 -52.59
415–445 438 5 367.50–382.00 $372.97 $1,634 -31.22
455 fancy 455 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,820 -32.82
451–498 469 25 371.00–390.00 $384.77 $1,805 -20.05
500–547 value added 525 52 380.00–403.00 $388.09 $2,037 -16.80
505–538 531 8 360.00–367.50 $364.67 $1,936 -7.90
550–589 value added 573 26 380.00–387.50 $384.68 $2,204 +4.68
551–596 576 26 350.00–370.00 $360.47 $2,076 -4.01
600–632 value added 612 30 350.00–382.50 $362.18 $2,217 -4.18
610–630 620 2 332.50–344.00 $338.16 $2,097 +3.08
670–696 678 10 340.00–349.00 $345.04 $2,339 +10.33
650–699 value added 690 25 350.00–389.00 $383.78 $2,648 +28.78
700–728 724 7 330.00–339.00 $331.24 $2,398 -7.71
736 value added 736 5 348.00 $348.00 $2,561 -26.11
789 value added 789 67 378.75 $378.75 $2,988 +10.61
862 862 12 326.00 $326.00 $2,810 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,394 -31.27
460–475 468 2 315.00–350.00 $332.22 $1,555 -27.07
555–595 572 3 311.00–342.00 $327.80 $1,875 -15.66
715–740 728 2 282.50–319.00 $300.44 $2,187 +10.44
755 755 1 317.50 $317.50 $2,397 +4.29
805 805 1 291.00 $291.00 $2,343 -17.71
885 885 1 312.00 $312.00 $2,761 +4.12
975 975 1 281.00 $281.00 $2,740 —
1055–1065 1058 3 270.00 $270.00 $2,857 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400 1400 1 170.00 $170.00 $2,380 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 fancy 215 1 445.00 $445.00 $957 -8.16
215–230 223 2 380.00–385.00 $382.58 $853 —
265 265 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,047 —
260–292 fancy 277 4 405.00–450.00 $418.18 $1,158 -22.91
305–325 315 2 355.00–362.50 $358.87 $1,130 -17.90
355–395 370 4 352.50–372.50 $361.00 $1,336 -15.68
415–432 425 8 360.00–370.00 $365.02 $1,551 —
452–487 467 7 350.00–375.00 $362.92 $1,695 -2.12
456–490 fancy 476 25 381.00–387.50 $383.36 $1,825 -8.85
510–530 520 4 320.00–335.00 $328.77 $1,710 -10.55
505–540 value added 525 42 352.00–385.00 $373.33 $1,960 +15.09
550–595 value added 580 36 357.50–371.00 $365.61 $2,121 +5.83
580 580 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,958 -0.93
601–605 value added 602 4 350.00–355.00 $353.74 $2,130 +4.48
610–640 623 4 322.50–340.00 $329.32 $2,052 +1.98
650–685 672 16 315.00–332.50 $325.55 $2,188 +5.72
675 value added 675 75 360.00 $360.00 $2,430 ±0.00
715–723 718 7 322.00–327.50 $324.37 $2,329 +15.17
750–765 758 4 312.50–323.00 $317.70 $2,408 +9.70
906 value added 906 63 312.00 $312.00 $2,827 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–290 273 5 325.00–363.00 $338.95 $925 —
310–345 324 8 320.00–340.00 $327.79 $1,062 -8.46
350–390 375 10 300.00–347.50 $330.28 $1,239 -20.11
400–445 420 24 300.00–345.00 $322.64 $1,355 —
450–495 462 14 300.00–349.00 $327.57 $1,513 -0.84
520–535 528 2 300.00–310.00 $304.93 $1,610 -5.73
560–570 567 3 300.00–301.00 $300.33 $1,703 -19.67
615–625 620 2 275.00–295.00 $285.08 $1,767 +0.49
660–690 673 4 284.00–305.00 $290.81 $1,957 +7.18
700 700 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,925 -1.37
775–798 793 5 299.00–300.00 $299.80 $2,377 +46.51
805–840 823 2 275.00 $275.00 $2,263 -7.50
850–875 865 3 231.00–270.00 $252.20 $2,182 -28.71
905 905 1 277.00 $277.00 $2,507 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1205 1123 2 201.00–203.00 $202.07 $2,269 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 fancy 220 1 505.00 $505.00 $1,111 -37.42
272 fancy 272 2 480.00 $480.00 $1,306 -10.00
325–340 fancy 332 3 417.50–425.00 $422.44 $1,403 -15.06
375 375 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,500 -3.36
357–398 fancy 379 9 422.50–475.00 $441.16 $1,672 -5.80
420 fancy 420 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,722 -6.89
410–445 436 7 370.00–385.00 $377.04 $1,644 -12.82
450–495 465 16 360.00–375.00 $369.32 $1,717 -17.77
505 fancy 505 6 400.00 $400.00 $2,020 —
500–541 524 11 350.00–377.50 $363.80 $1,906 +1.25
562–572 568 9 333.00–352.00 $341.36 $1,939 +0.95
610 610 2 307.50 $307.50 $1,876 -27.20
612–635 fancy 620 11 355.00–360.00 $356.60 $2,211 -6.47
625–640 633 3 339.00–341.00 $340.00 $2,152 +5.30
653–695 666 7 335.00–345.00 $340.35 $2,267 +4.52
715–725 720 3 305.00–327.50 $314.97 $2,268 -3.57
870 870 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,436 ±0.00
920 920 1 261.00 $261.00 $2,401 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–330 318 2 320.00–365.00 $343.39 $1,092 -36.61
350 350 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,068 —
440 440 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,474 -5.00
480 480 1 322.50 $322.50 $1,548 -7.50
500–547 534 21 297.50–347.50 $337.09 $1,800 +10.48
555–575 568 3 301.00–309.00 $306.40 $1,740 -4.40
665–695 679 12 301.00–320.00 $307.21 $2,086 -7.79
740 740 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,998 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,680 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1124 1006 85-90% 5 124.00–135.00 $130.02 $1,308 —
825–1150 1037 85-90% 11 136.00–150.00 $144.25 $1,496 —
940–1245 1051 85-90% 5 80.00–111.00 $101.96 $1,072 -53.79
965–1160 1063 85-90% 2 156.00–160.00 $157.82 $1,678 +2.07
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1460 1261 80-85% 7 136.00–152.00 $146.17 $1,843 -10.30
1270 1270 80-85% 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,689 -23.47
1305–1510 1379 80-85% 6 158.00–174.00 $165.91 $2,288 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1490–1650 1583 75-80% 4 139.00–152.00 $146.09 $2,313 —
1420–1710 1625 75-80% 8 154.00–168.00 $161.79 $2,629 +14.44

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1700 1700 1 150.00 $150.00 $2,550 —
1180–2025 1733 4 195.00–202.00 $198.40 $3,438 —
1320–2370 1809 4 182.00–192.00 $188.61 $3,412 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1020–1100 1062 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 190.00–220.00 $209.97 $2,230

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060–1405 1190 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,725.00–2,250.00 $1,969.43

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
776 776 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,707 —

↑ 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.