Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 15, 2026

920 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 $342.77/cwt +32.77 vs last sale · ≈ $3,188/hd at 930 lb · 174 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $362.97/cwt -2.36 vs last sale · ≈ $2,109/hd at 581 lb · 62 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $329.75/cwt -0.87 vs last sale · ≈ $3,189/hd at 967 lb · 60 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 920 2,066 2,153
Feeder cattle 814 1,932 2,021
Slaughter cattle 104 129 126
Replacement cattle 2 5 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs sharply higher, 700-800 lbs steady, 900 lbs 6.00-10.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs sharply higher, over 500 lbs steady, Very good demand for feeders under 700 lbs and good demand for yearlings over 700 lbs. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 lower, 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
260–285 fancy 273 2 465.00–490.00 $478.07 $1,305 +28.07
340–345 fancy 342 3 470.00–540.00 $511.80 $1,750 +59.58
360–392 fancy 374 8 505.00–540.00 $527.71 $1,974 +75.86
385 385 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,617 +30.00
445 445 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,736 -14.94
465–485 fancy 481 5 442.50–475.00 $454.83 $2,188 +28.67
500–510 505 2 382.50–400.00 $391.34 $1,976 —
502–526 value added 519 21 430.00–450.00 $437.67 $2,272 +12.76
550–572 value added 557 6 435.00–450.00 $444.87 $2,478 +29.29
590 590 5 410.00–417.50 $413.00 $2,437 +38.98
601–610 603 4 400.00–405.00 $403.74 $2,435 —
608–640 value added 622 17 412.50–439.00 $427.86 $2,661 +41.72
650 value added 650 8 414.00 $414.00 $2,691 +40.79
652 652 4 402.50 $402.50 $2,624 +47.50
707 707 2 347.50 $347.50 $2,457 +18.71
708–731 value added 721 31 350.00–366.00 $359.41 $2,591 -14.19
767 767 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,646 +3.54
778 value added 778 12 358.00 $358.00 $2,785 -9.41
810–824 822 7 325.00–337.50 $335.74 $2,760 +10.74
856–896 873 26 318.00–330.00 $324.79 $2,835 -0.21
927–936 value added 930 174 341.75–343.25 $342.77 $3,188 —
967 value added 967 60 329.75 $329.75 $3,189 -0.87
1295 value added 1295 58 255.00 $255.00 $3,302 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,698 —
505 505 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,679 —
645 645 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,032 —
682–696 692 9 347.00–375.00 $366.87 $2,539 —
885 885 2 315.00 $315.00 $2,788 +14.00
940 940 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,632 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–240 fancy 220 2 450.00–470.00 $459.09 $1,010 +46.59
255–285 fancy 268 5 420.00–510.00 $480.73 $1,288 +31.85
305–330 fancy 320 5 420.00–465.00 $440.53 $1,410 +35.17
347 347 2 382.50 $382.50 $1,327 —
350–395 fancy 375 7 420.00–465.00 $430.86 $1,616 +12.56
400–440 fancy 422 17 402.50–455.00 $424.51 $1,791 +26.92
440–445 443 2 370.00–392.50 $381.31 $1,689 +10.18
450–475 fancy 458 5 400.00–450.00 $417.41 $1,912 +20.07
450–495 480 15 370.00–395.00 $386.11 $1,853 +12.61
500–549 value added 525 49 367.50–397.50 $383.73 $2,015 +0.77
510–542 528 5 340.00–352.50 $345.61 $1,825 -1.87
550–599 value added 578 49 355.00–382.50 $368.29 $2,129 -1.31
580–596 592 13 332.50–347.50 $342.90 $2,030 -1.07
600–647 value added 639 41 357.50–369.50 $366.63 $2,343 +6.78
660 660 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,211 +3.00
714–733 722 14 317.50–337.00 $328.68 $2,373 +47.90
1010 1010 2 253.00 $253.00 $2,555 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,836 +20.00
595 595 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,978 —
600–645 623 2 272.50–300.00 $286.75 $1,786 -26.34
675–696 693 7 280.00–307.50 $300.09 $2,080 +13.00
750–795 773 2 282.50–302.50 $292.21 $2,259 +89.71

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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 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,334 -5.00
370 fancy 370 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,942 +70.36
433–445 fancy 437 18 425.00–492.50 $477.48 $2,087 +34.35
453–475 fancy 457 13 422.50–477.50 $464.15 $2,121 +36.20
485–495 493 6 367.50–402.50 $378.27 $1,865 —
505 505 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,868 -10.00
507–525 fancy 513 3 415.00 $415.00 $2,129 +7.73
565 565 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,119 +7.70
565–590 fancy 574 19 392.50–417.50 $410.24 $2,355 +16.69
603–640 fancy 618 13 357.50–395.00 $378.73 $2,341 +14.94
655 fancy 655 1 357.50 $357.50 $2,342 -5.29
730 730 1 327.50 $327.50 $2,391 ±0.00
772 772 2 317.50 $317.50 $2,451 -13.33
855 855 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,138 -40.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470–480 475 2 350.00–360.00 $354.95 $1,686 -2.82
760 760 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,223 +7.65
920 920 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,840 -12.50

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1365 1295 80-85% 2 114.00–116.00 $114.95 $1,489 -10.14
1150–1460 1345 80-85% 18 155.00–169.00 $159.80 $2,149 +16.05
1210–1510 1357 80-85% 20 140.00–154.00 $148.55 $2,016 -18.57
1210–1525 1391 80-85% 6 124.00–132.00 $127.68 $1,776 -39.44
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505 1505 75-80% 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,896 —
1350–2130 1624 75-80% 11 144.00–154.00 $149.70 $2,431 -14.27
1520–2005 1651 75-80% 19 155.00–174.00 $159.04 $2,626 +33.04
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1015 1008 85-90% 2 119.00–132.00 $125.55 $1,266 +21.78
915–1130 1023 85-90% 2 156.00–159.00 $157.34 $1,610 +53.57
945–1195 1049 85-90% 4 80.00–97.50 $88.52 $929 -15.25
1020–1150 1070 85-90% 7 137.00–154.00 $145.87 $1,561 -17.98

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1675–1905 1790 2 175.00–183.00 $178.74 $3,199 —
1750–2050 1900 2 191.00–194.00 $192.62 $3,660 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1305–1330 1318 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 169.00–175.00 $171.97 $2,267

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Dairy Heifers

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505 1505 1 156.00 $156.00 $2,348 —
1695 1695 1 166.00 $166.00 $2,814 —

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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.