Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 8, 2026

2,066 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $365.52/cwt +28.07 vs last sale · ≈ $2,817/hd at 771 lb · 165 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $330.62/cwt +10.87 vs last sale · ≈ $3,157/hd at 955 lb · 162 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $353.71/cwt ≈ $2,411/hd at 682 lb · 145 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,066 725 647
Feeder cattle 1,932 629 594
Slaughter cattle 129 96 50
Replacement cattle 5 — 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

No comparison due to Christmas Holiday.

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
240 240 1 400.00 $400.00 $960 —
295 fancy 295 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,328 -44.04
305 305 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,250 —
320–345 fancy 333 2 445.00–460.00 $452.22 $1,506 -20.42
350–397 fancy 381 7 437.50–472.50 $451.85 $1,722 +1.65
395 395 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,540 —
410–420 415 2 400.00–410.00 $404.94 $1,681 +21.58
420 fancy 420 2 450.00–462.50 $456.25 $1,916 +13.59
455–497 fancy 477 15 420.00–432.50 $426.16 $2,033 +16.44
485 485 2 387.50–400.00 $393.75 $1,910 +33.75
510 fancy 510 5 487.00 $487.00 $2,484 —
500–545 value added 522 26 385.00–460.00 $424.91 $2,218 +9.16
560–597 575 11 360.00–382.50 $374.02 $2,151 +6.52
555–596 value added 581 32 382.50–467.50 $415.58 $2,415 +28.31
600–645 value added 627 18 360.00–401.00 $386.14 $2,421 -16.48
640–645 643 2 350.00–357.50 $353.74 $2,275 —
659–685 value added 664 42 360.00–377.00 $373.21 $2,478 —
665–678 672 11 355.00 $355.00 $2,386 +7.66
707–727 value added 725 70 355.00–376.25 $373.60 $2,709 —
705–740 729 13 325.00–340.00 $328.79 $2,397 +2.56
766 766 12 340.00–342.50 $341.46 $2,616 +20.28
760–778 value added 771 153 350.00–370.75 $367.41 $2,833 +28.91
816–833 value added 825 142 338.25–353.00 $340.21 $2,807 —
825 825 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,681 —
852–855 854 11 322.50–328.00 $325.00 $2,776 —
850–890 value added 870 118 336.00–342.50 $339.18 $2,951 —
937 937 17 310.00 $310.00 $2,905 —
953–958 value added 955 162 328.25–332.25 $330.62 $3,157 +10.87
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–735 728 2 320.00–322.50 $321.26 $2,339 —
750–770 763 3 310.00–319.00 $316.05 $2,411 —
885 885 1 301.00 $301.00 $2,664 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,350 —
610 610 1 322.50 $322.50 $1,967 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 fancy 215 1 412.50 $412.50 $887 —
225 225 1 400.00 $400.00 $900 —
278–285 fancy 279 5 425.00–455.00 $448.88 $1,252 +18.88
326–330 fancy 327 7 405.00–407.50 $405.36 $1,326 -10.86
360–384 fancy 379 7 405.00–427.50 $418.30 $1,585 -8.75
390–395 393 5 380.00–400.00 $395.02 $1,552 +24.02
400–448 fancy 430 18 385.00–427.50 $397.59 $1,710 -15.31
420–437 431 9 360.00–380.00 $371.13 $1,600 +23.34
450–491 fancy 476 36 390.00–407.50 $397.34 $1,891 +9.40
450–495 480 5 367.50–382.50 $373.50 $1,793 +23.24
505–547 value added 526 54 362.50–399.00 $382.96 $2,014 +16.59
525–530 526 4 340.00–352.50 $347.48 $1,828 +16.73
552–583 value added 567 35 357.50–380.00 $369.60 $2,096 —
550–590 574 7 337.50–355.00 $343.97 $1,974 +17.37
600–648 value added 614 32 342.50–375.00 $359.85 $2,209 +19.85
605–635 619 5 327.50–335.00 $330.44 $2,045 +11.12
650 650 2 325.00–339.00 $332.00 $2,158 —
652–696 value added 682 143 340.00–357.00 $354.01 $2,414 —
706–731 value added 723 128 331.00–345.50 $342.40 $2,476 —
720–730 727 3 275.00–292.50 $280.78 $2,041 -8.22
753 value added 753 4 329.00 $329.00 $2,477 —
760 760 3 290.00 $290.00 $2,204 —
830 value added 830 2 331.00 $331.00 $2,747 —
858–897 value added 859 60 321.00–322.50 $322.45 $2,770 —
865–895 880 2 291.00–297.00 $293.95 $2,587 —
1006 value added 1006 58 277.00 $277.00 $2,787 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
371 371 3 337.50 $337.50 $1,252 -2.50
415–438 433 5 320.00–352.50 $326.22 $1,413 —
465–495 485 5 320.00–350.00 $329.33 $1,597 +12.78
532 532 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,702 +9.19
613–640 619 7 295.00–317.50 $313.09 $1,938 +13.09
676–690 682 5 277.50–317.50 $287.09 $1,958 +27.09
755 755 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,529 —
990 990 2 210.00 $210.00 $2,079 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 fancy 290 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,348 —
335 fancy 335 1 492.50 $492.50 $1,650 +62.50
350–388 fancy 371 10 432.50–475.00 $454.64 $1,687 +12.04
365–390 378 2 402.50 $402.50 $1,521 —
415–438 fancy 425 9 420.00–467.50 $443.13 $1,883 +10.95
445 445 1 382.50 $382.50 $1,702 -4.00
455–460 457 4 380.00–407.50 $396.91 $1,814 +8.61
450–498 fancy 472 19 412.50–445.00 $427.95 $2,020 -22.05
511–540 fancy 520 20 390.00–417.50 $407.27 $2,118 -27.61
522 522 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,984 +17.50
550–583 573 10 360.00–375.00 $367.30 $2,105 -5.23
575–598 fancy 593 5 387.50–395.00 $393.55 $2,334 —
600 600 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,980 ±0.00
600–646 fancy 625 14 350.00–375.00 $363.79 $2,274 +9.27
650–655 653 2 330.00–340.00 $334.98 $2,187 +27.48
650–688 fancy 667 14 350.00–370.00 $362.79 $2,420 —
707 fancy 707 2 352.50 $352.50 $2,492 —
735 735 1 327.50 $327.50 $2,407 +32.50
755 755 3 327.50–337.50 $330.83 $2,498 +28.33
815 815 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,323 -15.00
865 865 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,508 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–390 370 2 300.00–350.00 $323.65 $1,198 —
410–448 439 4 330.00–360.00 $337.01 $1,479 —
450–480 463 8 337.50–370.00 $357.77 $1,656 +17.77
500–540 528 14 312.50–355.00 $348.77 $1,842 —
555–582 567 7 330.00–355.00 $343.01 $1,945 +11.25
670 670 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,144 +28.51
710 710 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,166 —
750–775 768 4 275.00–305.00 $284.85 $2,188 +4.85
820 820 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,050 +10.00
855 855 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,095 —
935 935 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,987 —
990 990 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,782 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,744 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1410 1296 80-85% 8 120.00–131.00 $125.09 $1,621 —
1310 1310 80-85% 1 65.00 $65.00 $852 -78.70
1205–1490 1334 80-85% 14 136.00–153.00 $143.75 $1,918 +0.05
1165–1485 1363 80-85% 14 158.00–182.00 $167.12 $2,278 +41.19
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–1155 1026 85-90% 7 95.00–113.00 $103.77 $1,065 -22.21
860–1175 1072 85-90% 6 157.50–172.50 $163.85 $1,756 —
910–1205 1091 85-90% 8 115.00–134.00 $124.32 $1,356 —
1065–1175 1106 85-90% 5 135.00–150.00 $143.92 $1,592 -0.69
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535–1715 1602 75-80% 3 140.00–153.00 $147.08 $2,356 —
1530–1775 1616 75-80% 7 154.00–176.00 $163.97 $2,650 —
1660 1660 75-80% 1 126.00 $126.00 $2,092 -40.90

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–2230 1713 12 160.00–186.00 $175.33 $3,003 —
1990 1990 1 199.00 $199.00 $3,960 —
1790–2215 2003 2 202.00–203.00 $202.55 $4,057 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1045–1135 1090 (<2 yrs)Open 2 215.00–237.50 $226.71 $2,471
1180 1180 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 182.50 $182.50 $2,154

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015 1015 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00

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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
1360 1360 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
957 value added 957 54 264.00 $264.00 $2,526 —

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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.