Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 12, 2026

1,440 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $365.03/cwt ≈ $3,030/hd at 830 lb · 164 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $349.28/cwt +2.78 vs last sale · ≈ $3,057/hd at 875 lb · 158 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $389.07/cwt ≈ $3,023/hd at 777 lb · 142 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,440 291 361
Feeder cattle 1,358 273 325
Slaughter cattle 76 18 29
Replacement cattle 6 — 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling classes sharply higher with limited comparison. Very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 4.00-6.00 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
205 fancy 205 1 485.00 $485.00 $994 —
255–295 fancy 275 2 490.00–525.00 $508.77 $1,399 —
345–348 fancy 347 6 470.00–520.00 $491.67 $1,706 —
360–380 fancy 371 8 520.00–540.00 $525.04 $1,948 —
390 390 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,638 -102.50
405–415 fancy 408 3 497.50 $497.50 $2,030 —
410–425 418 2 405.00–415.00 $410.09 $1,714 —
455–496 fancy 485 26 490.00–530.00 $508.85 $2,468 —
525–540 533 2 407.50–417.50 $412.57 $2,199 -7.43
505–540 value added 536 18 435.00–490.00 $479.10 $2,568 —
552–575 value added 560 14 419.00–475.00 $437.60 $2,451 —
591–593 592 8 391.00–417.50 $407.58 $2,413 -10.42
600–638 value added 628 42 392.50–437.50 $427.20 $2,683 —
650–691 value added 669 48 391.00–432.00 $421.66 $2,821 —
680 680 4 340.00–355.00 $351.25 $2,388 —
708–720 711 7 352.00–361.00 $358.40 $2,548 —
705–744 value added 722 51 375.00–410.00 $394.65 $2,849 —
775–780 776 6 353.00–354.00 $353.17 $2,741 —
750–795 value added 777 136 369.00–396.75 $390.65 $3,035 —
814–839 value added 830 164 350.00–378.00 $365.03 $3,030 —
863–882 value added 873 125 350.00–355.00 $352.37 $3,076 +5.87
876–899 884 33 332.50–341.00 $337.58 $2,984 —
911 911 7 326.00 $326.00 $2,970 —
936 value added 936 56 336.50 $336.50 $3,150 -6.25
966–986 980 75 318.00–323.00 $321.08 $3,147 —
1010–1032 value added 1032 54 313.50–315.00 $313.53 $3,236 —
1076 value added 1076 16 313.00 $313.00 $3,368 —
1067–1094 1087 8 299.00–305.00 $300.47 $3,266 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505–545 525 2 350.00–370.00 $360.38 $1,892 —
555–570 563 2 360.00–385.00 $372.33 $2,096 +12.33
670–685 681 4 310.00–340.00 $329.48 $2,244 +6.98
735 735 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,278 —
775 775 2 330.00 $330.00 $2,558 —
850–875 860 3 245.00–297.50 $272.75 $2,346 —
900 900 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,385 —
1004 1004 8 289.00 $289.00 $2,902 —

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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 2 520.00–535.00 $527.50 $1,240 —
270–280 fancy 275 2 455.00–500.00 $477.91 $1,314 —
310–320 fancy 315 2 455.00–505.00 $479.60 $1,511 —
360–380 370 2 412.50 $412.50 $1,526 —
365–390 fancy 377 3 442.50–480.00 $460.12 $1,735 —
420 420 1 392.50 $392.50 $1,648 -59.18
410–440 fancy 430 11 447.50–525.00 $460.90 $1,982 —
460 460 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,725 -52.48
465–481 fancy 479 13 443.00–477.50 $459.10 $2,199 —
500 500 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,888 —
505–541 value added 518 31 407.50–430.00 $422.06 $2,186 —
550–580 value added 565 11 395.00–422.50 $413.01 $2,334 —
566–596 580 21 365.00–385.00 $374.86 $2,174 —
605–640 618 3 340.00–347.50 $343.41 $2,122 +18.41
615–630 value added 628 6 357.50–372.50 $370.05 $2,324 —
650–682 value added 668 65 355.00–374.00 $365.01 $2,438 —
655–695 670 6 332.50–341.00 $337.96 $2,264 +10.96
716–725 value added 719 8 342.50–350.00 $345.33 $2,483 —
705–744 734 24 319.00–337.50 $328.05 $2,408 +35.55
793 793 11 330.00 $330.00 $2,617 —
810–821 817 5 317.50–327.50 $323.53 $2,643 —
860–875 871 8 311.00–319.00 $312.97 $2,726 —
947 947 5 300.00 $300.00 $2,841 —
982 982 2 282.50 $282.50 $2,774 —
1030 1030 1 302.50 $302.50 $3,116 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–330 325 2 315.00–365.00 $340.38 $1,106 —
375 375 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,200 —
400–445 417 3 295.00–365.00 $328.74 $1,371 —
550–590 575 3 330.00–350.00 $339.80 $1,954 —
600–640 620 2 295.00–320.00 $307.10 $1,904 —
675 675 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,160 —
730 730 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,898 —
1072 1072 2 250.00 $250.00 $2,680 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1325 1172 3 200.00–232.50 $210.08 $2,462 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 fancy 300 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,380 —
317 317 2 420.00 $420.00 $1,331 -82.50
370–375 fancy 373 2 527.50–532.50 $529.98 $1,977 —
415–440 fancy 430 3 475.00–530.00 $499.16 $2,146 —
450–495 fancy 473 2 497.50–500.00 $498.69 $2,359 —
500–545 fancy 529 9 442.50–520.00 $468.51 $2,478 —
555–583 fancy 575 6 432.50–440.00 $438.79 $2,523 —
598 598 5 415.00 $415.00 $2,482 —
605–620 fancy 613 2 397.00–401.00 $399.02 $2,446 —
615 615 1 352.00 $352.00 $2,165 -2.90
650–665 fancy 658 2 360.00–377.50 $368.85 $2,427 —
700–725 fancy 703 11 352.50–357.50 $353.46 $2,485 —
715 715 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,216 —
765 765 1 327.50 $327.50 $2,505 —
800–835 812 3 295.00–310.00 $302.61 $2,457 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,935 —
680 680 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,210 —
800 800 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,220 —
940 940 1 242.50 $242.50 $2,280 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1460 1324 80-85% 12 141.00–158.00 $149.67 $1,982 -5.67
1200–1465 1332 80-85% 14 161.00–179.00 $167.15 $2,226 +11.81
1240–1460 1345 80-85% 4 120.00–134.00 $128.25 $1,725 -27.09
1340–1410 1385 80-85% 3 91.00–117.50 $103.04 $1,427 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–1100 990 85-90% 3 108.00–117.50 $113.31 $1,122 —
940–1105 1032 85-90% 3 140.00–153.00 $146.55 $1,512 —
855–1160 1064 85-90% 7 127.50–135.00 $130.95 $1,393 —
1020–1145 1072 85-90% 3 169.00–170.00 $169.64 $1,819 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1490 1490 75-80% 1 135.00 $135.00 $2,012 —
1500–1895 1641 75-80% 9 159.00–189.00 $171.09 $2,808 —
1810–1890 1850 75-80% 2 152.00–156.00 $154.04 $2,850 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355 1355 1 203.00 $203.00 $2,751 —
1265–1885 1550 5 181.00–199.00 $188.95 $2,929 —
1145–2090 1613 6 157.00–174.00 $166.75 $2,690 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1010–1150 1078 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 187.00–201.00 $193.73 $2,088

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135–1445 1290 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,650.00–2,750.00 $2,706.01

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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.