Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 23, 2025

1,200 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 $367.46/cwt -20.77 vs last sale · ≈ $2,526/hd at 688 lb · 90 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $360.67/cwt -18.78 vs last sale · ≈ $2,837/hd at 787 lb · 76 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $357.99/cwt ≈ $2,910/hd at 813 lb · 73 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,200 923 1,490
Feeder cattle 1,038 807 1,333
Slaughter cattle 139 109 148
Replacement cattle 23 7 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers 300-400 lbs 6.00-10.00 higher, 400-600 lbs 8.00-10.00 lower, over 600 lbs mostly steady, Feeder heifers under 400 lbs 10.00--15.00 higher, over 400 lbs mostly steady except 500-600 lbs they were 10.00-12.00 lower, Moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 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
345 fancy 345 1 475.00 $475.00 $1,639 +19.48
355–387 fancy 372 4 450.00–472.50 $464.68 $1,729 +27.65
405 405 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,539 -15.00
435–448 fancy 443 9 412.50–437.50 $427.16 $1,892 +12.16
452–490 fancy 461 5 412.50–445.00 $424.84 $1,959 -18.51
475 475 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,805 -25.00
525 525 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,890 -17.50
510–547 value added 528 12 397.50–427.50 $414.68 $2,190 -38.56
557–595 value added 573 22 385.00–419.00 $402.30 $2,305 -21.58
590 590 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,065 -35.00
613–645 622 6 321.00–340.00 $331.02 $2,059 -31.48
626–637 value added 630 7 367.50–402.50 $381.39 $2,403 -28.06
650–666 value added 662 11 350.00–400.00 $367.20 $2,431 -15.95
652–695 665 6 322.50–347.00 $336.27 $2,236 -13.73
665 665 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,829 -75.00
710–740 723 8 330.00–341.00 $335.34 $2,425 —
750–778 774 12 335.00–341.00 $337.58 $2,613 —
789 value added 789 64 365.00 $365.00 $2,880 -14.45
810 810 1 332.50 $332.50 $2,693 —
800–843 value added 813 72 354.50–360.00 $358.34 $2,913 —
870–880 873 27 345.50–348.00 $347.25 $3,031 —
907 value added 907 58 349.80 $349.80 $3,173 —
950 value added 950 56 344.50 $344.50 $3,273 —
999 999 8 310.00 $310.00 $3,097 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500–515 508 2 332.50–340.00 $336.19 $1,708 +16.19
550–580 563 7 305.00–342.50 $324.97 $1,830 —
600–645 620 4 293.00–317.50 $306.25 $1,899 -23.75
975 975 1 293.00 $293.00 $2,857 +24.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,125 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 fancy 235 1 405.00 $405.00 $952 —
265–280 fancy 273 3 435.00–440.00 $438.32 $1,197 —
300–340 fancy 323 6 400.00–452.50 $412.79 $1,333 —
300–345 323 13 370.00–397.50 $391.39 $1,264 +8.22
355–395 373 12 370.00–395.00 $385.58 $1,438 +7.81
400–440 fancy 431 15 380.00–403.00 $388.77 $1,676 -12.34
435–445 440 5 357.00–375.00 $365.34 $1,607 —
453–495 468 14 350.00–370.00 $360.59 $1,688 +7.95
510–545 value added 527 32 350.00–375.00 $358.13 $1,887 -46.53
500–547 528 18 330.00–349.00 $339.94 $1,795 -6.66
555–565 value added 560 13 350.00–357.50 $355.73 $1,992 -50.51
550–597 574 32 330.00–349.00 $335.00 $1,923 -7.63
580 580 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,595 -67.63
601–645 621 18 300.00–325.00 $308.50 $1,916 -18.85
651–692 674 14 299.00–300.00 $299.41 $2,018 -27.22
690 value added 690 76 380.00 $380.00 $2,622 -9.43
700–728 717 5 270.00–300.00 $281.13 $2,016 -6.05
771–775 772 5 225.00–257.00 $231.43 $1,787 -67.40
910 910 7 260.00 $260.00 $2,366 -26.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 320.00 $320.00 $640 —
330 330 1 351.00 $351.00 $1,158 +10.65
455–490 484 12 330.00–350.00 $336.62 $1,629 +0.27
505–543 534 6 310.00–327.50 $322.03 $1,720 +0.28
555–597 578 15 300.00–327.50 $313.27 $1,811 -6.73
605 605 2 281.00 $281.00 $1,700 —
650–695 666 5 260.00–286.00 $278.23 $1,853 -18.43
745 745 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,788 —
795 795 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,709 -50.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 fancy 200 1 560.00 $560.00 $1,120 —
270–280 275 3 400.00–415.00 $408.30 $1,123 —
275 fancy 275 1 452.50 $452.50 $1,244 —
315–342 fancy 330 5 440.00–485.00 $460.58 $1,520 +2.00
355–390 fancy 368 7 447.50–477.50 $462.88 $1,703 —
385 385 2 375.00 $375.00 $1,444 +4.93
400–430 415 3 400.00–402.50 $400.80 $1,663 +9.72
405–448 fancy 433 14 429.00–482.50 $447.42 $1,937 +29.26
470 470 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,410 -94.12
450–485 471 14 382.00–407.50 $392.71 $1,850 -1.41
450–490 fancy 477 11 410.00–430.00 $421.22 $2,009 +7.42
510–537 fancy 524 14 385.00–433.00 $409.53 $2,146 -7.52
532–540 537 5 365.00–375.00 $371.01 $1,992 +8.53
555–595 fancy 570 12 382.50–407.00 $399.48 $2,277 -12.49
560–591 581 5 360.00–375.00 $372.11 $2,162 -10.39
600–640 fancy 623 5 357.50–397.00 $373.23 $2,325 -30.60
615–629 627 8 332.00–349.00 $346.92 $2,175 -6.21
660–683 677 4 335.00–337.00 $336.51 $2,278 -0.49
700 700 1 289.00 $289.00 $2,023 -30.06
700–730 fancy 708 4 320.00–333.00 $329.65 $2,334 —
762–780 771 4 287.50–291.00 $289.23 $2,230 —
915 915 6 290.00 $290.00 $2,654 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 302.50 $302.50 $877 —
345 345 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,225 +8.84
425 425 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,402 -13.38
465–495 483 5 357.50–381.00 $375.04 $1,811 +31.17
525–540 533 2 300.00–335.00 $317.75 $1,694 -6.93
560–585 572 3 300.00–322.50 $314.51 $1,799 -20.36
605–640 617 7 300.00–320.00 $311.11 $1,920 -5.05
635 fancy 635 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,064 —
670 fancy 670 2 317.50 $317.50 $2,127 —
655–692 673 6 291.00–302.50 $299.93 $2,019 -22.20
755–767 763 3 265.00–270.00 $266.65 $2,035 —
810 810 1 252.50 $252.50 $2,045 —
910–930 918 3 213.00–257.50 $233.52 $2,144 +61.02
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,425 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1400 1262 80-85% 10 139.00–154.00 $146.15 $1,844 -2.57
1145–1455 1340 80-85% 32 155.00–176.00 $163.97 $2,197 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1045 952 85-90% 3 105.00–117.00 $110.98 $1,057 —
930–1110 1042 85-90% 3 129.00–135.00 $133.21 $1,388 -14.60
915–1160 1044 85-90% 11 140.00–152.50 $147.42 $1,539 -0.39
1030–1165 1105 85-90% 10 155.00–177.00 $161.34 $1,783 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1550–1585 1568 75-80% 2 145.00–154.00 $149.45 $2,343 —
1500–1980 1619 75-80% 18 160.00–173.00 $167.51 $2,712 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1775 1436 7 170.00–187.00 $180.44 $2,591 —
1495 1495 1 193.00 $193.00 $2,885 —
1580–1990 1785 2 205.00–210.00 $207.21 $3,699 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–1070 993 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 174.00–227.50 $198.66 $1,973

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
880–935 908 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,125.00–1,475.00 $1,305.30
1025 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00
985–1250 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,800.00–2,300.00 $2,021.31
1135–1705 1366 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,850.00–2,650.00 $2,250.26
1790 1790 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
830–845 838 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,875.00–2,200.00 $2,036.04
1030 1030 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00 —
1670 1670 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,375.00 $3,375.00 —

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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.