Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 2, 2025

1,036 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 $338.02/cwt +11.90 vs last sale · ≈ $3,093/hd at 915 lb · 126 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $354.21/cwt +9.21 vs last sale · ≈ $2,317/hd at 654 lb · 81 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $324.19/cwt ≈ $2,309/hd at 712 lb · 76 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,036 1,237 1,461
Feeder cattle 951 1,182 1,286
Slaughter cattle 74 49 148
Replacement cattle 11 6 27

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 400 lbs sharply lower, over 400 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 400 lbs steady, 400-600 lbs 12.00-15.00 lower, over 600 lbs 1.00-3.00 lower, Moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. 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
293 293 3 380.00 $380.00 $1,113 —
295 fancy 295 2 407.50 $407.50 $1,202 —
330 fancy 330 2 427.50–432.50 $430.00 $1,419 +3.74
335 335 2 389.00 $389.00 $1,303 —
367 367 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,395 -21.25
360–385 fancy 373 2 422.50–435.00 $428.96 $1,600 -12.15
406–440 fancy 425 19 415.00–452.50 $422.64 $1,796 +8.26
470–480 fancy 478 4 423.00–425.00 $423.49 $2,024 —
520–535 value added 528 3 397.50–400.00 $399.16 $2,108 -1.45
535 fancy 535 1 427.50 $427.50 $2,287 +7.50
525–548 540 8 362.50–377.50 $372.49 $2,011 —
553 fancy 553 3 432.50 $432.50 $2,392 —
550–577 value added 562 13 395.00–415.00 $407.01 $2,287 +13.84
552–575 567 6 362.50–365.00 $364.19 $2,065 -4.12
605–610 fancy 608 2 402.50 $402.50 $2,447 +7.50
605–615 608 3 332.50–337.50 $335.82 $2,042 —
610–628 value added 617 18 361.00–387.50 $379.34 $2,341 +2.70
660–670 value added 666 5 350.00–363.00 $357.71 $2,382 -20.84
650–693 680 17 331.00–340.00 $338.88 $2,304 -7.52
716–727 value added 723 65 359.00–386.00 $383.34 $2,772 +12.34
736–740 737 6 295.00–305.00 $303.33 $2,236 —
762 762 4 342.00 $342.00 $2,606 +7.17
768–783 772 13 280.00–300.00 $293.78 $2,268 -41.05
838 value added 838 6 357.00 $357.00 $2,992 —
855 855 1 297.00 $297.00 $2,539 —
873 873 4 315.00 $315.00 $2,750 —
909–921 value added 915 121 339.50–339.75 $339.63 $3,108 +13.51
915 915 5 299.00 $299.00 $2,736 —
986 986 3 314.00 $314.00 $3,096 —
1005–1031 1025 4 272.50–285.00 $281.93 $2,890 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,088 —
440 440 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,320 -29.41
490 490 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,666 -15.33
680 680 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,108 -20.00
705 705 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,886 -22.50
782 782 2 317.50 $317.50 $2,483 +12.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1550 1365 2 231.00–246.00 $237.48 $3,242 —
1365 1365 1 220.00 $220.00 $3,003 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 fancy 370 1 417.50 $417.50 $1,545 —
383–390 384 5 355.00–357.50 $356.99 $1,371 -22.75
405 405 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,418 -20.90
400–437 fancy 425 3 370.00–375.00 $371.57 $1,579 -19.06
456 fancy 456 15 369.00 $369.00 $1,683 -13.50
462–482 473 8 339.00–350.00 $344.76 $1,631 -29.94
510–540 527 14 320.00–340.00 $332.87 $1,754 -3.68
515–537 value added 529 4 355.00–367.50 $358.05 $1,894 -34.70
581–585 582 6 330.00–337.50 $334.99 $1,950 -2.88
607 value added 607 13 348.00 $348.00 $2,112 -14.91
612–637 624 6 322.50–335.00 $326.66 $2,038 +16.66
654 value added 654 74 356.50 $356.50 $2,332 +11.50
655 655 7 330.00 $330.00 $2,162 —
711 value added 711 70 325.50 $325.50 $2,314 —
713–738 726 6 307.00–311.00 $308.97 $2,243 —
778 value added 778 30 339.00 $339.00 $2,637 -0.56
816 816 3 242.50 $242.50 $1,979 —
820 value added 820 6 324.00 $324.00 $2,657 -9.25
841 841 7 295.00 $295.00 $2,481 —
860 860 3 317.50 $317.50 $2,730 +3.50
920 920 2 282.00 $282.00 $2,594 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,072 —
385–390 388 2 310.00–330.00 $319.94 $1,241 -12.72
453–495 475 21 262.50–330.00 $315.12 $1,497 -23.49
525–535 532 6 300.00–315.00 $309.01 $1,644 —
555–580 569 4 285.00–314.00 $303.11 $1,725 -10.10
600–645 630 5 267.50–299.00 $282.60 $1,780 +24.47
660–680 671 6 260.00–301.00 $284.06 $1,906 +4.66
750–755 753 2 260.00–270.00 $265.02 $1,996 -24.15
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125 1125 1 217.50 $217.50 $2,447 —
1229–1262 1238 7 230.00–232.00 $230.58 $2,855 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 fancy 310 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,348 +17.50
335 335 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,256 —
360–397 fancy 380 9 407.50–435.00 $423.66 $1,610 +4.11
381–385 382 4 392.50–400.00 $394.39 $1,507 +8.14
412–445 fancy 425 7 403.00–452.50 $421.65 $1,792 +0.89
455–460 458 4 375.00–395.00 $386.20 $1,769 -9.24
465 fancy 465 6 435.00 $435.00 $2,023 —
505–535 522 9 352.00–377.50 $365.93 $1,910 -6.67
535–542 fancy 540 3 380.00–405.00 $396.74 $2,142 -15.20
580 fancy 580 1 387.50 $387.50 $2,248 -4.39
555–593 582 17 355.00–373.00 $364.97 $2,124 -2.71
614 fancy 614 5 365.00 $365.00 $2,241 +18.00
615–635 624 4 322.50–345.00 $334.19 $2,085 +21.69
655–687 674 10 310.00–317.00 $313.95 $2,116 -13.71
725 725 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,084 —
765–777 775 7 275.00–277.50 $275.35 $2,134 -24.65
860 860 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,472 —
972 972 2 250.00 $250.00 $2,430 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 2 325.00–352.50 $338.75 $1,118 —
475–495 490 4 320.00–367.00 $355.61 $1,742 +63.93
515–545 530 2 320.00–331.00 $325.34 $1,724 +39.46
550–595 567 9 297.00–342.50 $319.93 $1,814 +19.93
610–630 623 3 282.00–305.00 $289.50 $1,804 +19.50
687–692 690 5 275.00–297.50 $285.48 $1,970 +5.10
850 850 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,912 -45.00
925 925 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,804 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305 1305 80-85% 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,566 -28.68
1095–1440 1311 80-85% 11 154.00–163.00 $157.87 $2,070 +9.19
1095–1480 1317 80-85% 19 139.00–151.00 $145.20 $1,912 -3.48
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1115 996 85-90% 6 90.00–117.00 $104.09 $1,037 -7.64
830–1155 997 85-90% 5 122.50–132.00 $126.16 $1,258 +14.43
950–1195 1090 85-90% 10 135.00–153.00 $142.88 $1,557 +1.25
1080–1130 1105 85-90% 2 156.00–159.00 $157.47 $1,740 +3.50
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1575–1690 1633 75-80% 2 159.00 $159.00 $2,596 -6.14
1530–1780 1655 75-80% 4 144.00–151.00 $147.34 $2,438 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–1655 1508 2 190.00–193.00 $191.65 $2,890 —
1490–1690 1620 3 170.00–178.00 $174.16 $2,821 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820–1355 1011 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 157.00–215.00 $179.24 $1,812

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060 1060 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1095 1095 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
1040–1275 1158 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,825.00–2,450.00 $2,105.78

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,502 —

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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.