Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) Market Report, Stanford, KY

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 17, 2026

1,277 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $304.58/cwt -3.18 vs last sale · ≈ $2,993/hd at 983 lb · 223 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $361.64/cwt +20.46 vs last sale · ≈ $2,460/hd at 680 lb · 117 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $358.77/cwt +43.67 vs last sale · ≈ $2,256/hd at 629 lb · 103 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,277 1,126 1,085
Feeder cattle 1,227 1,068 1,005
Slaughter cattle 46 55 74
Replacement cattle 4 3 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder and yearling steers under 900 lbs steady to 5.00 higher, over 900 lbs 1.00-3.00 lower, Feeder heifers under 500 lbs 8.00-12.00 lower, over 500 lbs steady, Moderate to good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls steady, 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
365 365 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,624 +5.00
405–447 426 8 405.00–425.00 $410.51 $1,749 -3.25
445 fancy 445 1 437.00 $437.00 $1,945 —
450 fancy 450 5 441.00 $441.00 $1,984 —
480–495 487 3 392.50–412.50 $404.08 $1,968 -12.17
500–542 value added 521 31 382.50–411.00 $399.11 $2,079 +0.09
545–547 546 3 360.00–372.50 $368.34 $2,011 -4.66
561–586 value added 582 20 392.00–402.50 $393.52 $2,290 -14.74
565–595 586 22 352.50–375.00 $366.33 $2,147 -0.56
607–615 value added 609 8 361.00–377.50 $367.42 $2,238 +2.42
605–641 635 28 327.50–345.00 $339.94 $2,159 -8.72
670–675 value added 674 80 352.00–377.00 $370.47 $2,497 +5.47
680–698 694 37 329.00–344.50 $342.54 $2,377 —
717 value added 717 19 333.00 $333.00 $2,388 -30.43
755–757 756 3 315.00–320.00 $318.34 $2,407 +3.34
788 value added 788 47 332.00 $332.00 $2,616 -5.75
800–837 823 32 324.00–327.50 $325.76 $2,681 —
832 value added 832 62 338.00 $338.00 $2,812 +10.80
894 value added 894 60 319.50 $319.50 $2,856 -6.60
940–945 940 12 300.50–301.00 $300.54 $2,825 —
956 956 4 298.00 $298.00 $2,849 +15.50
966–995 value added 983 219 304.00–305.75 $304.70 $2,995 -3.30
1000 value added 1000 54 299.75 $299.75 $2,998 —
1053 value added 1053 52 296.00 $296.00 $3,117 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,610 +30.13
485–490 486 5 340.00–379.00 $368.74 $1,792 +7.36
535 535 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,712 —
575 575 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,898 —
605 605 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,906 —
705 705 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,939 —
925 925 54 288.00 $288.00 $2,664 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,160 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,793 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,120 —
340 340 1 412.50 $412.50 $1,402 —
350–395 377 8 387.50–402.50 $397.82 $1,500 -10.78
397 fancy 397 4 430.00 $430.00 $1,707 -13.95
400–435 fancy 418 2 390.00–415.00 $403.02 $1,685 -27.49
412–445 421 7 360.00–375.00 $367.97 $1,549 +7.36
460 fancy 460 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,771 —
450–498 489 8 350.00–365.00 $360.61 $1,763 +8.52
500–545 538 20 337.00–348.00 $343.64 $1,849 +14.98
550–572 563 13 330.00–345.00 $332.82 $1,874 +4.73
593 value added 593 8 360.00 $360.00 $2,135 —
601–639 623 17 302.50–317.50 $312.05 $1,944 -3.05
630 value added 630 86 368.00 $368.00 $2,318 —
653–686 value added 661 49 342.00–365.00 $349.16 $2,308 -13.90
662 662 2 305.00 $305.00 $2,019 -2.67
700–710 703 4 290.00–307.50 $303.08 $2,131 +13.08
820–835 833 16 278.00–279.00 $278.88 $2,323 —
850 850 2 278.00 $278.00 $2,363 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,064 -25.00
435–440 438 2 307.50–330.00 $318.69 $1,396 -12.31
472–495 485 12 305.00–342.50 $329.28 $1,597 —
500–540 524 8 300.00–322.50 $311.97 $1,635 —
575–595 578 6 307.50–312.50 $309.10 $1,787 +10.10
630 630 2 285.00–289.00 $287.00 $1,808 +39.50
740 740 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,835 —
760–781 776 7 240.00–262.50 $245.63 $1,906 -14.37
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1135 1113 3 220.00–275.00 $251.54 $2,800 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,044 -15.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 fancy 245 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,250 —
270 270 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,310 +20.00
295 fancy 295 1 505.00 $505.00 $1,490 —
305 305 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,342 —
365–380 373 2 440.00 $440.00 $1,641 +4.13
425–435 428 3 410.00–437.50 $428.19 $1,833 +1.78
457–490 477 7 395.00–417.00 $406.07 $1,937 -15.36
510 fancy 510 3 412.50 $412.50 $2,104 —
520–530 525 2 367.50–372.50 $369.98 $1,942 -0.48
550–570 fancy 560 2 380.00–395.00 $387.63 $2,171 +7.63
565–595 574 5 342.50–360.00 $348.11 $1,998 -3.86
625–645 637 3 312.50–317.50 $315.03 $2,007 -12.39
650–695 670 4 300.00–310.00 $304.77 $2,042 -16.21
715 715 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,252 +5.00
785 785 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,080 -31.00
805 805 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,012 -18.75
945 945 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,315 —
1060 1060 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,226 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–390 368 3 395.00–405.00 $401.47 $1,477 +14.24
400–423 417 5 362.50–400.00 $375.67 $1,567 -18.21
460–465 463 2 300.00–367.50 $333.93 $1,546 -54.55
510–540 525 6 300.00–340.00 $326.71 $1,715 —
610 610 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,708 —
720 720 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,944 -13.77

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1385 1299 80-85% 4 111.00–128.00 $121.22 $1,575 -18.90
1290–1350 1320 80-85% 2 141.00–145.00 $143.05 $1,888 +22.41
1205–1485 1361 80-85% 5 161.00–172.50 $168.06 $2,287 —
1395 1395 80-85% 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,507 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1615 1525 75-80% 2 154.00–156.00 $155.06 $2,365 —
1535–1790 1587 75-80% 7 138.00–148.00 $143.02 $2,270 -0.78
1565–1665 1615 75-80% 2 110.00–128.00 $119.28 $1,926 -35.72
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1125 1078 85-90% 2 110.00 $110.00 $1,186 -12.18
1120 1120 85-90% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,333 -21.44

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1900 1534 4 182.50–193.00 $190.45 $2,922 —
1870–2220 2045 2 215.00–227.00 $221.51 $4,530 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1110–1225 1166 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 240.00–265.00 $254.21 $2,964

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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.