Cattle Market Pulse

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

Stanford, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 24, 2026

1,852 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 $344.67/cwt +10.83 vs last sale · ≈ $2,818/hd at 818 lb · 243 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $377.13/cwt +31.08 vs last sale · ≈ $2,353/hd at 624 lb · 168 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $331.91/cwt +12.41 vs last sale · ≈ $2,921/hd at 880 lb · 125 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,852 1,277 1,237
Feeder cattle 1,772 1,227 1,182
Slaughter cattle 69 46 49
Replacement cattle 11 4 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 500 lbs sharply higher, over 500 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, Feeder heifers under 400 lbs sharply higher, 400-600 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, over 700 lbs steady, 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
225 fancy 225 1 600.00 $600.00 $1,350 —
270–285 fancy 278 2 555.00–560.00 $557.43 $1,550 —
300 fancy 300 4 605.00 $605.00 $1,815 —
348 348 3 490.00 $490.00 $1,705 —
380–395 fancy 386 7 500.00–512.50 $503.94 $1,945 —
445–447 446 18 450.00–460.00 $455.98 $2,034 +45.47
477 fancy 477 8 477.50 $477.50 $2,278 +36.50
455–486 480 5 427.00–433.00 $428.14 $2,055 +24.06
505–548 value added 522 98 387.00–435.00 $418.04 $2,182 +18.93
545 545 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,894 -20.84
550–580 value added 561 5 380.00–410.00 $394.00 $2,210 +0.48
552–595 582 14 362.50–377.50 $372.04 $2,165 +5.71
600–641 value added 619 58 350.00–385.00 $361.41 $2,237 -6.01
625 fancy 625 85 398.50 $398.50 $2,491 —
605–648 632 25 331.00–347.00 $340.94 $2,155 +1.00
653–690 666 9 341.00–349.00 $345.00 $2,298 +2.46
654–699 value added 680 71 351.00–363.00 $356.57 $2,425 -13.90
726–742 731 6 325.00–338.00 $333.60 $2,439 —
711–748 value added 737 83 350.00–362.50 $357.71 $2,636 +24.71
751–772 value added 758 18 347.00–350.00 $348.45 $2,641 +16.45
754–797 780 29 325.00–337.50 $333.97 $2,605 +15.63
800–845 value added 817 237 344.25–357.00 $345.05 $2,819 +7.05
846 846 6 329.50 $329.50 $2,788 +3.74
870 870 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,740 —
880 value added 880 124 329.75–334.20 $332.05 $2,922 +12.55
931–939 value added 935 114 330.00–330.50 $330.25 $3,088 —
953–965 value added 957 84 310.00–316.50 $314.32 $3,008 +9.62
977 977 4 307.00 $307.00 $2,999 +9.00
1022 1022 2 273.00 $273.00 $2,790 —
1025 value added 1025 24 288.50 $288.50 $2,957 -11.25
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,496 —
460 460 1 417.00 $417.00 $1,918 +48.26
510–525 518 2 300.00–325.00 $312.68 $1,620 -7.32
560–595 573 4 305.00–345.00 $316.99 $1,816 -13.01
600–640 614 4 282.50–322.50 $305.17 $1,874 -9.83
662–665 663 3 315.00–320.00 $316.67 $2,100 —
705–747 735 4 312.50–317.50 $316.24 $2,324 +41.24
775–790 783 2 300.00–310.00 $305.05 $2,389 —
811–812 811 5 310.00–311.00 $310.60 $2,519 —
875 875 1 312.50 $312.50 $2,734 —
970 970 1 297.50 $297.50 $2,886 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,672 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,046 —
280 fancy 280 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,400 —
280 280 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,260 +50.00
321 321 4 440.00 $440.00 $1,412 +27.50
368–395 375 6 387.50–410.00 $391.74 $1,469 -6.08
407–435 fancy 422 10 385.00–407.50 $392.86 $1,658 -10.16
400–445 423 9 360.00–377.00 $369.40 $1,563 +1.43
452–495 484 28 347.50–375.00 $364.87 $1,766 +4.26
500–545 526 17 325.00–350.00 $342.08 $1,799 -1.56
502–537 value added 531 33 355.00–357.50 $356.31 $1,892 —
550–588 575 22 323.00–340.00 $331.99 $1,909 -0.83
600–642 620 24 298.00–317.50 $308.04 $1,910 -4.01
627–647 value added 642 50 326.00–357.50 $332.40 $2,134 -35.60
672 value added 672 56 345.50 $345.50 $2,322 -3.66
650–695 675 22 297.00–320.00 $309.56 $2,090 +4.56
711 value added 711 75 320.75 $320.75 $2,281 —
703–730 714 9 300.00–315.00 $307.98 $2,199 +4.90
766–771 769 9 277.50–305.00 $286.63 $2,204 —
845 845 3 281.00 $281.00 $2,374 +2.12
870–895 887 3 261.00–263.00 $261.67 $2,321 —
950 950 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,375 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,388 —
455–490 478 6 320.00–345.00 $332.97 $1,592 +3.69
510–535 520 3 291.00–310.00 $300.36 $1,562 -11.61
561–595 583 12 285.00–319.00 $308.01 $1,796 -1.09
600–640 625 5 280.00–302.50 $293.82 $1,836 +6.82
655–665 660 4 280.00–285.00 $282.50 $1,864 —
705–735 721 4 243.00–280.00 $264.03 $1,904 +16.03
750–785 770 5 227.50–262.50 $254.39 $1,959 +8.76
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120 1120 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,408 -36.54

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–337 fancy 331 3 470.00 $470.00 $1,556 —
362–386 379 7 430.00–447.50 $442.73 $1,678 +2.73
395 fancy 395 2 462.50 $462.50 $1,827 —
405–445 fancy 425 2 472.50–500.00 $485.60 $2,064 —
425 425 1 452.50 $452.50 $1,923 +24.31
461–495 470 23 432.50–469.00 $445.18 $2,092 +39.11
507–545 fancy 517 7 387.50–425.00 $412.38 $2,132 -0.12
515–540 528 2 357.50–360.00 $358.72 $1,894 -11.26
550–585 fancy 564 13 380.00–395.00 $391.09 $2,206 +3.46
570–590 582 5 350.00–370.00 $358.52 $2,087 +10.41
605–630 613 7 320.00–347.50 $336.36 $2,062 +21.33
615–620 fancy 619 4 352.50–355.00 $353.12 $2,186 —
660–680 673 3 322.50 $322.50 $2,170 +17.73
735–740 737 3 275.00–285.00 $278.35 $2,051 -36.65
812–845 825 4 270.00–290.00 $283.74 $2,341 +33.74
940 940 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,608 +32.50
955 955 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,674 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–430 427 6 397.00–410.00 $399.08 $1,704 +23.41
460–490 480 7 410.00–430.00 $419.92 $2,016 +85.99
500 500 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,600 -6.71
605 605 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,906 +35.00
651–665 655 4 307.50–317.50 $310.04 $2,031 —
710 710 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,704 -30.00
840 840 1 241.00 $241.00 $2,024 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465–490 478 2 335.00–343.00 $338.90 $1,620 —
605 605 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,512 —
650 650 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,560 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220–1260 1240 80-85% 2 110.00–123.00 $116.60 $1,446 —
1125–1335 1250 80-85% 7 130.00–141.00 $134.60 $1,682 —
1275 1275 80-85% 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,339 -16.22
1145–1455 1283 80-85% 9 145.00–150.00 $147.52 $1,893 +26.30
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1100 983 85-90% 4 75.00–106.00 $96.55 $949 —
1075–1105 1090 85-90% 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,580 +35.00
1005–1275 1136 85-90% 5 115.00–125.00 $120.63 $1,370 +1.63
1150 1150 85-90% 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,541 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1465–1690 1531 75-80% 6 145.00–154.00 $147.91 $2,265 -7.15
1510–1725 1616 75-80% 4 132.00–144.00 $139.84 $2,260 +20.56

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570–1755 1635 3 180.00–181.00 $180.68 $2,954 —
1570–1775 1672 3 191.00–194.00 $192.61 $3,220 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885–1380 1145 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 180.00–230.00 $203.95 $2,335
1265 1265 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 173.00 $173.00 $2,188

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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)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00
1185 1185 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1325 1325 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1280–1575 1428 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,800.00–2,125.00 $1,979.29

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–985 963 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,800.00–3,150.00 $2,979.09

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Beef Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710 710 1 312.50 $312.50 $2,219 —

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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.