Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 16, 2026

1,195 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 $363.01/cwt +4.63 vs last sale · ≈ $2,965/hd at 817 lb · 189 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $353.00/cwt +9.01 vs last sale · ≈ $3,177/hd at 900 lb · 63 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $343.25/cwt +22.74 vs last sale · ≈ $3,292/hd at 959 lb · 57 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,195 1,362 1,878
Feeder cattle 1,112 1,222 1,803
Slaughter cattle 75 135 68
Replacement cattle 8 5 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 700 lbs steady, over 700 lbs 4.00-6.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 8.00-12.00 lower, Slaughter bulls 3.00-5.00 lower, Moderate 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
235 fancy 235 2 665.00–695.00 $680.00 $1,598 -58.37
260–295 fancy 272 3 625.00–645.00 $637.76 $1,735 -62.03
330–336 fancy 335 4 625.00–680.00 $666.43 $2,233 -15.88
370 370 1 550.00 $550.00 $2,035 +25.84
350–395 fancy 375 7 600.00–645.00 $620.45 $2,327 -19.70
410–430 fancy 416 14 525.00–580.00 $569.45 $2,369 -0.71
465–490 477 3 480.00–495.00 $490.02 $2,337 -24.16
460–492 fancy 482 10 500.00–532.50 $518.65 $2,500 -27.36
510–548 value added 525 43 495.00–542.50 $513.15 $2,694 +9.55
545 545 3 480.00 $480.00 $2,616 +9.08
551 value added 551 7 500.00 $500.00 $2,755 -2.99
565–591 589 16 460.00–472.50 $461.37 $2,717 +4.05
602–635 value added 616 29 409.00–462.50 $443.97 $2,735 +12.12
625–636 635 9 376.00–400.00 $378.63 $2,404 -22.37
656–682 value added 663 29 429.00–447.50 $431.50 $2,861 +7.06
670–695 682 5 382.00–397.50 $390.27 $2,662 +13.27
710–735 value added 724 8 380.00–395.00 $392.23 $2,840 +14.62
731 731 3 372.50 $372.50 $2,723 +17.50
750 750 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,362 -45.58
760–770 765 2 350.00–357.50 $353.77 $2,706 -6.81
755–780 value added 772 3 377.00–377.50 $377.16 $2,912 -22.84
811–840 812 42 330.00–347.00 $346.41 $2,813 —
804–840 value added 818 147 360.00–374.60 $367.75 $3,008 +9.37
899 value added 899 45 348.50 $348.50 $3,133 —
900 value added 900 63 353.00 $353.00 $3,177 +7.37
959 value added 959 57 343.25 $343.25 $3,292 —
1008 1008 13 307.50 $307.50 $3,100 —
1036 value added 1036 56 317.50 $317.50 $3,289 —
1053 value added 1053 55 327.00 $327.00 $3,443 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–490 473 2 460.00–462.50 $461.20 $2,181 -23.80
550–570 560 3 402.50–455.00 $435.80 $2,440 +3.79
672 672 4 331.00 $331.00 $2,224 -29.00
710 710 1 347.00 $347.00 $2,464 +13.98
835 835 1 269.00 $269.00 $2,246 -41.00
895 895 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,909 +41.00
905 905 1 233.00 $233.00 $2,109 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1200 1103 2 261.00–312.50 $284.47 $3,138 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,912 ±0.00
795 795 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,425 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
237–240 238 3 500.00 $500.00 $1,190 —
240 fancy 240 1 565.00 $565.00 $1,356 -75.37
270–297 fancy 283 5 540.00–635.00 $594.90 $1,684 -33.57
297 297 2 525.00 $525.00 $1,559 —
300–340 fancy 318 6 500.00–575.00 $528.22 $1,680 -35.63
332 332 2 470.00 $470.00 $1,560 -25.00
355–390 fancy 369 9 500.00–515.00 $506.54 $1,869 -15.08
360–376 369 10 477.50–495.00 $484.56 $1,788 -1.73
400–446 fancy 423 29 485.00–520.00 $499.16 $2,111 +2.81
410–445 428 3 465.00–470.00 $466.60 $1,997 -2.10
455–466 fancy 460 12 480.00–492.50 $486.83 $2,239 +2.83
450–497 478 21 467.50–477.50 $473.29 $2,262 +13.32
500–540 value added 518 42 412.50–476.00 $458.02 $2,373 +21.54
520 520 1 397.50 $397.50 $2,067 -3.77
560–577 value added 564 12 400.00–435.00 $422.18 $2,381 +0.33
575–585 579 4 362.50–392.50 $375.05 $2,172 -10.10
605–642 value added 622 19 377.50–410.00 $388.62 $2,417 -18.40
645 645 1 365.00 $365.00 $2,354 —
650–670 value added 667 6 375.00–390.00 $387.56 $2,585 -8.87
660–680 667 3 349.00–365.00 $359.56 $2,398 -1.64
705–725 712 7 347.50–360.00 $355.76 $2,533 —
760–792 774 9 340.00–353.00 $343.96 $2,662 —
810–842 823 5 315.00–330.00 $321.14 $2,643 -15.86
850 850 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,848 +15.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 2 450.00 $450.00 $1,575 -0.13
447 447 2 445.00 $445.00 $1,989 +26.40
460–495 478 6 370.00–450.00 $418.36 $2,000 -13.96
630 630 1 317.00 $317.00 $1,997 -37.46
860 860 1 303.00 $303.00 $2,606 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,726 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 fancy 205 1 640.00 $640.00 $1,312 -20.00
270 fancy 270 1 670.00 $670.00 $1,809 —
310–335 fancy 328 6 600.00–690.00 $656.34 $2,153 -18.21
370 370 1 502.50 $502.50 $1,859 -12.57
365–395 fancy 382 5 562.50–620.00 $600.24 $2,293 -69.76
400–430 415 2 472.50–490.00 $481.57 $1,999 -33.43
400–447 fancy 427 23 515.00–585.00 $541.53 $2,312 -24.54
456–490 fancy 473 11 500.00–535.00 $516.46 $2,443 -20.99
490–492 491 3 482.50–490.00 $484.99 $2,381 -19.63
500–530 fancy 508 9 480.00–517.50 $505.90 $2,570 +13.35
525–540 538 7 472.50–477.50 $473.20 $2,546 +25.51
560 560 1 455.00 $455.00 $2,548 +5.17
565–570 fancy 569 4 485.00–487.00 $485.50 $2,762 —
608–637 fancy 617 16 410.00–433.00 $414.78 $2,559 +15.47
615–620 618 2 370.00–380.00 $374.98 $2,317 +22.48
660–690 fancy 675 2 387.50–393.00 $390.31 $2,635 +12.71
695 695 1 357.50 $357.50 $2,485 -0.76
711 fancy 711 3 372.50 $372.50 $2,648 +8.18
735 735 2 315.00 $315.00 $2,315 -24.96
760 760 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,736 —
812 812 4 330.00 $330.00 $2,680 +5.47
875 875 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,559 -17.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,710 —
480–495 488 2 462.50–465.00 $463.77 $2,263 +2.53
500–505 503 3 407.50–432.50 $423.05 $2,128 +7.45
580–596 591 10 400.00–440.00 $416.68 $2,463 +19.63
735 735 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,352 —
787 787 2 315.00 $315.00 $2,479 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1170 1170 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1375 1305 80-85% 6 153.00–164.00 $161.61 $2,109 -7.91
1130–1450 1307 80-85% 20 166.00–200.00 $176.68 $2,309 +7.16
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–865 843 85-90% 2 110.00–129.00 $119.75 $1,009 —
1005 1005 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,306 -8.69
940–1175 1064 85-90% 10 143.00–164.00 $155.33 $1,653 +65.33
1065–1195 1127 85-90% 9 165.00–180.00 $171.56 $1,933 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500 1500 75-80% 1 184.00 $184.00 $2,760 —
1565 1565 75-80% 1 163.00 $163.00 $2,551 -23.53

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 1 200.00 $200.00 $2,410 —
1605–2110 1784 8 211.00–230.00 $220.00 $3,925 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 193.00 $193.00 $2,220

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1005 1005 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00
1175 1175 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
1180 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1455 1455 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 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
1155 1155 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00 —
1220 1220 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,650.00 $4,650.00 —

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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.