Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 9, 2026

1,362 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 $343.99/cwt +5.06 vs last sale · ≈ $3,182/hd at 925 lb · 137 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $430.61/cwt +1.20 vs last sale · ≈ $2,690/hd at 625 lb · 124 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $423.98/cwt +3.63 vs last sale · ≈ $2,840/hd at 670 lb · 104 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,362 881 1,183
Feeder cattle 1,222 787 1,084
Slaughter cattle 135 91 92
Replacement cattle 5 3 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 500 lbs sharply higher, 500-700 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, 800 lbs and up 2.00-4.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 400 lbs sharply higher, 400-700 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, over 800 lbs steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 8.00-12.00 higher, Slaughter bulls steady, Very 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
200–210 fancy 205 3 680.00–770.00 $738.37 $1,514 +136.55
250–295 fancy 283 13 650.00–750.00 $699.79 $1,980 +100.14
305–338 fancy 330 4 680.00–690.00 $682.31 $2,252 +35.48
357–398 fancy 368 29 540.00–685.00 $640.15 $2,356 -5.09
370–390 382 3 517.50–532.50 $524.16 $2,002 —
405–445 fancy 430 21 530.00–595.00 $570.16 $2,452 -12.82
430 430 1 500.00 $500.00 $2,150 ±0.00
454–490 fancy 465 14 523.00–555.00 $546.01 $2,539 -15.86
460–495 480 3 510.00–517.50 $514.18 $2,468 +14.18
505–541 value added 523 65 490.00–545.00 $503.60 $2,634 -0.92
500–540 527 3 467.50–472.50 $470.92 $2,482 +9.38
550–561 value added 560 11 482.50–505.00 $502.99 $2,817 +12.61
551–595 564 14 450.00–460.00 $457.32 $2,579 -5.13
615–617 616 5 399.00–404.00 $401.00 $2,470 +7.21
601–640 value added 625 119 410.00–472.50 $431.85 $2,699 -11.40
665 665 1 377.00 $377.00 $2,507 -21.57
650–675 value added 670 103 417.50–441.00 $424.44 $2,844 -14.98
700–742 value added 731 15 370.00–392.50 $377.61 $2,760 -23.39
735 735 2 350.00–360.00 $355.00 $2,609 —
757 value added 757 9 400.00 $400.00 $3,028 —
762–770 764 5 351.00–363.00 $360.58 $2,755 —
804–840 value added 812 13 350.00–361.00 $358.38 $2,910 -11.62
861 861 7 345.00 $345.00 $2,970 +20.00
909–930 918 16 325.00–336.50 $331.58 $3,044 —
907–945 value added 926 121 343.00–348.50 $345.63 $3,201 +6.70
955–960 958 4 311.00–326.00 $320.51 $3,070 +5.51
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 502.50 $502.50 $1,683 —
475 475 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,304 +40.00
545 545 1 407.50 $407.50 $2,221 -35.00
565–572 569 5 420.00–445.00 $432.01 $2,458 +38.72
663 663 5 360.00 $360.00 $2,387 —
700–735 721 4 320.00–340.00 $333.02 $2,401 —
790 790 1 329.00 $329.00 $2,599 +49.00
805 805 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,496 —
870 870 1 284.00 $284.00 $2,471 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,969 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–235 fancy 220 4 575.00–680.00 $640.37 $1,409 +70.64
273–290 fancy 281 14 545.00–670.00 $628.47 $1,766 +113.66
320–347 fancy 332 17 532.50–585.00 $563.85 $1,872 +51.96
340 340 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,683 +16.51
373–390 377 4 485.00–490.00 $486.29 $1,833 +10.76
357–397 fancy 385 26 517.50–527.50 $521.62 $2,008 +16.96
400–449 fancy 427 36 480.00–527.50 $496.35 $2,119 -1.64
435–440 438 2 460.00–477.50 $468.70 $2,053 +6.23
467 fancy 467 24 484.00 $484.00 $2,260 -19.15
455–492 474 16 452.50–472.50 $459.97 $2,180 +2.47
500–540 value added 522 27 415.00–457.50 $436.48 $2,278 -0.71
520–540 530 2 400.00–402.50 $401.27 $2,127 +46.27
554–582 561 8 381.00–397.00 $385.15 $2,161 +20.17
555–595 value added 578 38 410.00–435.00 $421.85 $2,438 +1.94
600–645 value added 613 21 372.50–420.00 $407.02 $2,495 +28.38
655–694 value added 687 23 372.50–417.50 $396.43 $2,723 +23.55
685–695 692 3 355.00–367.50 $361.20 $2,500 +11.20
705–738 value added 722 16 343.00–407.50 $361.89 $2,613 +4.24
780–799 value added 799 63 339.75–350.00 $339.91 $2,716 —
835 835 1 337.00 $337.00 $2,814 +5.65
882 882 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,822 -3.00
960 960 1 317.50 $317.50 $3,048 +50.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–395 385 2 445.00–455.00 $450.13 $1,733 +5.38
420–435 430 3 395.00–430.00 $418.60 $1,800 -0.09
470–498 487 11 412.50–442.50 $432.32 $2,105 +28.79
530 530 2 372.50 $372.50 $1,974 —
555–590 568 4 355.00–367.50 $361.88 $2,055 +26.88
635–645 640 2 350.00–359.00 $354.46 $2,269 —
735 735 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,278 -2.50
965 965 2 257.50 $257.50 $2,485 +40.50

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 fancy 240 1 660.00 $660.00 $1,584 —
305–345 fancy 336 7 615.00–700.00 $674.55 $2,266 +29.33
355 fancy 355 1 670.00 $670.00 $2,378 +68.21
380–385 383 2 505.00–525.00 $515.07 $1,973 +1.60
405–447 fancy 432 28 540.00–602.50 $566.07 $2,445 +9.62
425–445 435 3 505.00–520.00 $515.00 $2,240 +17.50
451–485 fancy 470 7 522.50–540.00 $537.45 $2,526 -23.83
455–497 483 10 495.00–517.50 $504.62 $2,437 +7.12
502–525 fancy 510 5 482.50–507.50 $492.55 $2,512 -29.99
505–545 522 13 440.00–460.00 $447.69 $2,337 -27.29
555–580 565 15 439.00–460.00 $449.83 $2,542 -21.12
610–630 fancy 626 12 380.00–402.50 $399.31 $2,500 -8.87
645 645 2 352.50 $352.50 $2,274 —
650–695 fancy 668 5 375.00–379.00 $377.60 $2,522 +0.90
655–690 672 3 350.00–367.50 $358.26 $2,408 —
715–722 fancy 720 3 363.00–367.00 $364.32 $2,623 +1.84
715–740 728 2 337.50–342.50 $339.96 $2,475 —
810–837 823 11 319.00–327.00 $324.53 $2,671 +2.03
855 855 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,650 —
1015 1015 2 259.00 $259.00 $2,629 -15.55
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,980 —
460–463 462 4 460.00–465.00 $461.24 $2,131 +16.19
530–540 533 4 410.00–417.50 $415.60 $2,215 +16.09
550–595 575 5 377.50–430.00 $397.05 $2,283 -36.83
605 605 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,981 —
810 810 1 282.50 $282.50 $2,288 -30.00
875 875 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,516 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1280 1280 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1470 1321 80-85% 10 159.00–173.00 $169.52 $2,239 -11.47
1225–1425 1325 80-85% 2 148.00 $148.00 $1,961 -32.99
1190–1490 1326 80-85% 35 175.00–215.00 $188.01 $2,493 +7.02
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1100 1025 85-90% 3 131.00–143.00 $138.69 $1,422 -7.22
850–1170 1027 85-90% 5 144.00–160.00 $148.98 $1,530 +3.07
840–1180 1050 85-90% 22 168.00–205.00 $185.08 $1,943 +11.38
1065 1065 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $958 -83.70
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1770 1573 75-80% 15 174.00–204.00 $186.53 $2,934 —
1695 1695 75-80% 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,373 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1595 1361 8 200.00–209.00 $205.97 $2,803 —
1560 1560 1 188.00 $188.00 $2,933 —
1200–2300 1670 21 211.00–240.00 $224.29 $3,746 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930 930 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00
1215 1215 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1240 1240 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845 845 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00

↑ 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.