Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 6, 2026

1,396 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 $361.73/cwt +21.73 vs last sale · ≈ $2,839/hd at 785 lb · 279 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $355.22/cwt +33.99 vs last sale · ≈ $3,144/hd at 885 lb · 141 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $353.40/cwt ≈ $2,852/hd at 807 lb · 129 head
Stanford, KY 7-weight steers sold at $362/cwt, near the bottom of the state—$7/cwt below the KY average ($369) and $27/cwt under Paris, KY ($389). The class is down $18/cwt from its early July peak of $383. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,396 659 1,942
Feeder cattle 1,320 598 1,853
Slaughter cattle 62 52 72
Replacement cattle 14 9 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers 12.00-15.00 higher and sharply higher in spots, Feeder and yearling heifers 8.00-12.00 higher, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows 2.00-4.00 higher, Slaughter bulls 8.00-12.00 higher, 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
270 270 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,418 —
310 fancy 310 1 545.00 $545.00 $1,690 —
365–375 370 2 480.00 $480.00 $1,776 —
390 fancy 390 1 515.00 $515.00 $2,008 -77.50
402 fancy 402 2 522.50 $522.50 $2,100 —
440–445 442 3 450.00–475.00 $458.40 $2,026 —
495–498 498 9 400.00–425.00 $422.24 $2,103 —
505–510 507 5 400.00–412.50 $406.01 $2,058 +16.02
500–548 value added 516 18 425.00–437.50 $429.94 $2,218 —
550–558 value added 557 10 420.00–435.00 $433.52 $2,415 —
565–590 580 3 387.00–405.00 $393.01 $2,279 +22.31
600–635 617 3 365.00–372.50 $369.09 $2,277 +24.01
600–643 value added 619 15 387.00–417.50 $397.95 $2,463 —
655–680 value added 663 3 387.00–391.00 $389.63 $2,583 —
665–690 678 2 357.50–372.50 $364.86 $2,474 +9.74
720 value added 720 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,736 —
735 735 1 351.00 $351.00 $2,580 +13.50
750–790 774 4 338.00–345.00 $340.03 $2,632 +0.03
754–799 value added 785 275 348.50–374.00 $362.05 $2,842 —
801–813 value added 806 123 352.00–355.25 $353.81 $2,852 —
810–840 827 6 343.00–351.00 $344.98 $2,853 —
850–877 858 25 338.00–347.00 $339.98 $2,917 +18.75
891 value added 891 116 358.50 $358.50 $3,194 —
912–915 value added 914 116 345.00–352.75 $348.88 $3,189 +8.88
975 value added 975 56 327.75 $327.75 $3,196 —
1001 value added 1001 38 314.25 $314.25 $3,146 —
1071 1071 5 310.00 $310.00 $3,320 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372–385 376 3 415.00–430.00 $424.88 $1,598 —
450–485 468 2 395.00–442.50 $419.64 $1,964 -1.10
500 500 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,800 —
560–580 572 3 310.00–360.00 $333.95 $1,910 -2.98
605–625 619 4 310.00–342.50 $329.97 $2,043 —
655–690 676 5 300.00–345.00 $327.84 $2,216 +12.84
865 865 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,595 -4.15
950 950 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,660 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,685 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,446 —
305–330 318 2 460.00–485.00 $472.01 $1,501 +44.51
380 380 2 450.00–475.00 $462.50 $1,758 —
422–437 434 9 426.00–447.50 $430.65 $1,869 +21.23
455–485 466 8 413.00–433.00 $428.20 $1,995 +38.12
520–532 value added 527 9 372.50–398.00 $389.68 $2,054 —
505–545 529 4 350.00–370.00 $363.54 $1,923 -14.77
555–580 value added 562 33 375.00–390.00 $387.30 $2,177 —
550–585 563 8 342.50–360.00 $353.54 $1,990 -16.20
605 605 2 357.50 $357.50 $2,163 +6.25
605–628 value added 619 13 372.50–390.00 $380.72 $2,357 +11.18
651 value added 651 3 367.50 $367.50 $2,392 —
650–685 663 10 335.00–355.00 $350.64 $2,325 +17.64
706 value added 706 75 368.75 $368.75 $2,603 —
765–793 786 7 315.00–320.00 $316.05 $2,484 +5.05
800–820 810 2 307.50–310.00 $308.73 $2,501 -6.27
850 850 1 303.00 $303.00 $2,576 -12.00
937 937 2 298.00 $298.00 $2,792 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–340 330 2 430.00–440.00 $434.85 $1,435 —
415–445 433 4 352.50–407.50 $392.03 $1,697 —
470–493 488 5 397.50–400.00 $397.98 $1,942 —
540 540 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,809 -1.24
550–595 572 3 320.00–335.00 $329.36 $1,884 -6.95
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210 1210 1 232.50 $232.50 $2,813 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,720 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 fancy 320 1 532.50 $532.50 $1,704 -22.50
395 395 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,856 —
400–425 408 3 465.00–472.50 $467.60 $1,908 +1.74
425 fancy 425 1 500.00 $500.00 $2,125 +5.00
450–485 465 4 447.50–462.50 $456.77 $2,124 -5.57
500–530 513 3 375.00–400.00 $386.85 $1,985 +10.56
515–535 fancy 525 2 425.00–435.00 $429.90 $2,257 +26.06
563 fancy 563 3 420.00 $420.00 $2,365 —
590–598 596 6 385.00–399.00 $394.78 $2,353 +33.02
605–615 610 2 352.50 $352.50 $2,150 +12.50
615–622 fancy 620 4 370.00–377.50 $373.13 $2,313 —
650–675 663 6 340.00–357.50 $352.08 $2,334 +22.05
710–720 715 3 312.50–330.00 $322.54 $2,306 +5.04
815 815 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,404 -7.50
885 885 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,589 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–340 330 2 370.00–425.00 $396.67 $1,309 —
420–425 422 3 430.00–450.00 $436.72 $1,843 +4.32
475–485 480 2 382.50–432.50 $407.24 $1,955 +1.32
580 580 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,986 +2.50
620 620 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,876 +2.50
670–680 675 2 310.00–320.00 $314.96 $2,126 —
735 735 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,352 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,568 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1365 1300 80-85% 3 158.00–172.00 $167.69 $2,180 +32.69
1190–1465 1329 80-85% 29 174.00–196.00 $185.67 $2,468 +50.67
1350–1360 1355 80-85% 2 134.00–140.00 $137.01 $1,856 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–1140 1009 85-90% 5 154.00–170.00 $162.76 $1,642 —
830–1145 1015 85-90% 3 140.00–148.00 $145.47 $1,477 —
975–1160 1076 85-90% 4 175.00–197.00 $186.05 $2,002 +1.40
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1905 1702 75-80% 8 175.00–189.00 $183.44 $3,122 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385–2050 1723 7 224.00–259.00 $239.24 $4,122 —

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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 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,645

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
975 975 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00
1065–1310 1196 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 2,800.00–3,600.00 $3,346.76
1230–1680 1455 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,800.00–3,050.00 $2,944.33

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
895 895 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760 760 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,356 —
855 855 1 327.00 $327.00 $2,796 —

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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
1225–1260 1243 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,950.00–3,850.00 $3,393.66 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,958 —
840 840 1 242.50 $242.50 $2,037 —

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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.