Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 16, 2025

923 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 $388.24/cwt +27.87 vs last sale · ≈ $2,610/hd at 672 lb · 158 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $397.08/cwt +37.86 vs last sale · ≈ $2,306/hd at 581 lb · 118 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $379.45/cwt ≈ $3,001/hd at 791 lb · 64 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 923 702 1,859
Feeder cattle 807 630 1,707
Slaughter cattle 109 69 145
Replacement cattle 7 3 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers sharply Higher, Feeder heifers under 700 lbs sharply Higher, over 700 lbs steady, Most increase on the weaned pre-conditioned and high quality part of the offering. Very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows steady, Slaughter bulls 3.00-5.00 higher, 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 fancy 210 1 472.50 $472.50 $992 +12.50
290 fancy 290 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,406 —
300–347 331 3 400.00–407.50 $402.26 $1,331 -0.22
330–335 fancy 333 3 452.50–457.00 $455.52 $1,517 +35.52
370–375 fancy 374 5 425.00–440.00 $437.03 $1,634 —
370–380 375 2 390.00–415.00 $402.33 $1,509 +2.33
420–430 fancy 423 3 410.00–420.00 $415.00 $1,755 -6.07
435 435 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,718 -11.32
455 455 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,843 +4.00
450–493 fancy 477 18 415.00–461.00 $443.35 $2,115 +33.35
505 505 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,906 —
505–537 value added 524 13 410.00–467.50 $453.24 $2,375 +46.21
565 565 1 385.00 $385.00 $2,175 +7.74
550–590 value added 573 18 405.00–435.00 $423.88 $2,429 +36.49
605 605 1 362.50 $362.50 $2,193 +41.50
605–632 value added 619 8 380.00–425.00 $409.45 $2,534 +46.92
650 650 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,275 +18.06
661–695 value added 680 23 379.00–390.00 $383.15 $2,605 —
748 value added 748 3 370.00 $370.00 $2,768 +12.00
760–791 value added 791 64 360.00–379.75 $379.45 $3,001 —
959–975 961 8 300.00–301.00 $300.87 $2,891 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,664 -6.12
610 610 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,013 —
995 995 1 269.00 $269.00 $2,677 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305 1305 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,871 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 328 2 370.00–395.00 $383.17 $1,257 +14.29
350–397 374 7 370.00–392.50 $377.77 $1,413 +2.47
381 fancy 381 3 402.50 $402.50 $1,534 —
405–440 fancy 421 13 380.00–415.00 $401.11 $1,689 +18.15
452–465 fancy 459 10 382.50–402.50 $394.17 $1,809 —
460–485 475 7 350.00–357.50 $352.64 $1,675 -13.16
500–527 value added 523 12 367.50–411.00 $404.66 $2,116 +38.83
502–545 532 11 340.00–357.50 $346.60 $1,844 -0.40
552–585 568 17 333.00–355.00 $342.63 $1,946 +0.65
560–588 value added 583 101 367.50–412.00 $406.24 $2,368 +42.32
622 value added 622 5 364.00 $364.00 $2,264 —
615–645 626 4 312.50–332.50 $327.35 $2,049 -0.15
652–695 value added 672 155 382.50–396.00 $389.43 $2,617 +27.43
680–685 683 3 320.00–340.00 $326.63 $2,231 -10.87
705–721 717 4 283.00–300.00 $287.18 $2,059 -33.29
750–765 754 4 292.50–315.00 $298.83 $2,253 -21.17
865–890 879 5 269.00–282.50 $277.18 $2,436 -60.82
908 908 4 286.00 $286.00 $2,597 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–335 323 3 331.00–350.00 $340.35 $1,099 —
365–397 382 9 317.50–360.00 $343.13 $1,311 +4.14
400–447 424 4 320.00–355.00 $338.47 $1,435 +9.12
470–495 483 2 332.50–340.00 $336.35 $1,625 +4.02
540 540 4 315.00–330.00 $321.75 $1,737 +40.75
565 565 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,808 +20.95
655–665 661 6 287.50–300.00 $296.66 $1,961 -16.34
705 705 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,939 -14.99
792 792 2 265.00 $265.00 $2,099 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1245 1200 2 181.00–207.00 $193.51 $2,322 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,046 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–340 fancy 335 2 447.50–470.00 $458.58 $1,536 +33.55
340 340 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,309 +3.00
370–375 373 2 360.00–380.00 $370.07 $1,380 -36.93
415–435 420 6 380.00–401.00 $391.08 $1,643 +0.69
405–447 fancy 434 8 405.00–437.50 $418.16 $1,815 +2.85
465–497 479 6 380.00–403.00 $394.12 $1,888 +12.54
460–491 fancy 483 5 407.50–427.50 $413.80 $1,999 -6.83
500–525 fancy 507 7 390.00–430.00 $417.05 $2,114 +7.05
505–510 509 4 360.00–370.00 $362.48 $1,845 +6.56
565 565 1 382.50 $382.50 $2,161 +22.24
560–580 fancy 572 8 390.00–430.00 $411.97 $2,356 —
600–607 fancy 604 4 390.00–417.50 $403.83 $2,439 +46.37
605–620 615 3 351.00–357.50 $353.13 $2,172 +40.76
655 655 3 330.00–351.00 $337.00 $2,207 +22.00
705–741 722 7 315.00–322.50 $319.06 $2,304 +5.31
800 800 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,300 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 345.00 $345.00 $845 —
305–320 313 2 342.50–350.00 $346.16 $1,083 -8.84
350–390 369 4 325.00–362.50 $339.83 $1,254 —
405–445 425 5 330.00–355.00 $343.38 $1,459 +1.34
450–495 470 6 315.00–365.00 $343.87 $1,616 +14.56
500–530 521 4 300.00–345.00 $324.68 $1,692 +13.92
560–590 575 2 330.00–340.00 $334.87 $1,926 +5.59
605–645 633 4 310.00–325.00 $316.16 $2,001 —
655–675 660 4 322.00–322.50 $322.13 $2,126 +16.73
705 705 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,981 +8.50
940 940 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,622 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
452 452 2 322.50 $322.50 $1,458 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1495 1292 80-85% 8 145.00–154.00 $148.72 $1,921 +4.15
1135–1445 1302 80-85% 21 155.00–171.00 $160.74 $2,093 -4.28
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–975 938 85-90% 3 92.50–111.00 $104.48 $980 —
905–1175 1045 85-90% 12 140.00–154.00 $147.81 $1,545 -13.23
930–1140 1058 85-90% 4 155.00–160.00 $157.16 $1,663 +10.20
890–1170 1061 85-90% 5 127.00–134.00 $130.57 $1,385 -16.39
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505–2100 1683 75-80% 9 159.00–173.00 $165.17 $2,780 +23.71

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475–1565 1520 2 168.00–186.00 $176.73 $2,686 —
1580–1835 1695 4 191.00–199.00 $193.32 $3,277 —
1765–2240 2018 6 203.00–219.00 $212.46 $4,287 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745–1060 912 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 160.00–220.00 $193.96 $1,769

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 4 305.00 $305.00 $1,806 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605–642 630 3 267.50–285.00 $273.10 $1,721 —
745 745 1 319.00 $319.00 $2,377 —
812 812 2 265.00 $265.00 $2,152 —

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1350 1350 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00 —

↑ 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.