Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 15, 2023

793 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Blue Grass Stockyards report →

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $215.85/cwt +17.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,466/hd at 679 lb · 99 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $231.33/cwt +11.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,344/hd at 581 lb · 45 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $231.65/cwt -10.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,109/hd at 479 lb · 41 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 793 674 981
Feeder cattle 712 556 914
Slaughter cattle 58 89 65
Replacement cattle 23 29 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600lbs sold 10.00 to 12.00 higher with feeder steers over 600lbs 6.00 to 8.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold steady to 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher.

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
250–260 255 2 222.50–237.00 $229.61 $586 —
260–275 fancy 265 3 262.00–271.00 $265.11 $703 —
330–335 332 3 247.50–250.00 $248.34 $824 +27.10
350–390 378 4 215.00–235.00 $222.62 $842 +2.52
350–398 fancy 379 10 255.00–277.50 $267.18 $1,013 +9.15
400–445 422 11 230.00–255.00 $244.94 $1,034 +17.13
400–437 fancy 423 11 262.50–283.00 $271.89 $1,150 +16.21
450–477 fancy 474 19 240.00–265.00 $246.22 $1,167 -9.44
472–490 483 22 210.00–230.00 $219.06 $1,058 -4.48
500–540 519 20 200.00–225.00 $215.48 $1,118 -8.06
500–535 value added 523 19 228.00–245.00 $235.19 $1,230 -9.81
550–556 554 6 208.00–215.00 $213.17 $1,181 +12.48
550–595 value added 585 39 224.00–238.00 $234.12 $1,370 +2.87
606–610 value added 607 12 223.00–224.00 $223.75 $1,358 +5.84
601–630 617 19 198.00–216.00 $211.75 $1,306 +9.48
650–676 662 13 202.00–215.00 $209.76 $1,389 +16.41
650–683 value added 682 86 216.75–218.00 $216.77 $1,478 +12.77
700–725 716 6 194.00–197.00 $195.85 $1,402 +12.19
705–721 value added 720 11 199.00 $199.00 $1,433 +9.82
765–790 779 6 180.00–194.00 $186.44 $1,452 +2.44
800–825 813 2 170.00–180.00 $175.08 $1,423 +5.33
855–875 869 6 167.00–177.00 $173.69 $1,509 —
950 950 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,472 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 210.00 $210.00 $609 —
380 380 1 207.00 $207.00 $787 —
405 405 1 221.00 $221.00 $895 —
475 475 1 194.00 $194.00 $922 -1.04
550–593 581 8 186.00–196.00 $191.90 $1,115 +10.21
600–628 622 5 180.00–190.00 $187.02 $1,163 +4.02
655 655 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,166 +9.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 190.00 $190.00 $732 —
410–425 418 2 196.00–200.00 $197.96 $827 —
485 485 1 196.00 $196.00 $951 —
580 580 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,073 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 170.00 $170.00 $774 -30.00
545 545 1 182.50 $182.50 $995 +4.50
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 149.00 $149.00 $663 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–297 281 5 192.50–212.50 $207.88 $584 —
300–342 329 9 189.00–204.00 $197.75 $651 +3.88
355–395 373 6 195.00–210.00 $204.03 $761 +8.94
396 fancy 396 3 213.00 $213.00 $843 -0.04
400–440 418 13 194.00–209.00 $203.95 $853 -8.84
426 fancy 426 4 213.00 $213.00 $907 -13.97
455 fancy 455 4 223.00 $223.00 $1,015 -0.40
450–488 474 29 192.00–209.00 $202.36 $959 -6.25
500–532 value added 515 20 198.00–212.00 $204.25 $1,052 +4.24
500–545 525 15 179.00–196.00 $187.47 $984 -2.22
550–580 value added 562 15 195.00–199.00 $195.40 $1,098 -2.60
565–590 576 18 176.00–192.00 $186.06 $1,072 -4.09
610–615 value added 612 6 175.00–177.00 $176.00 $1,077 -13.11
607–646 626 11 158.00–170.00 $166.40 $1,042 -12.32
650–680 665 11 158.00–172.00 $166.59 $1,108 -9.45
720–735 728 2 133.00–149.00 $140.92 $1,026 -3.73
790 790 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,106 -11.46
802 802 2 143.00 $143.00 $1,147 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–335 330 2 175.00–187.00 $180.91 $597 —
425 425 1 182.00 $182.00 $774 ±0.00
450–485 472 8 181.00–190.00 $184.72 $872 -0.73
570–590 580 2 160.00–168.00 $164.07 $952 -0.40
690 690 1 143.00 $143.00 $987 -3.03
810–820 813 4 110.00–119.00 $116.73 $949 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 328 2 160.00–165.00 $162.37 $533 —
355–395 375 2 164.00 $164.00 $615 —
510 510 1 169.00 $169.00 $862 +11.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–432 430 3 169.00–170.00 $169.67 $730 -11.33
485 485 1 189.00 $189.00 $917 -2.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 147.50 $147.50 $612 —
455 455 1 157.50 $157.50 $717 —
545 545 1 142.00 $142.00 $774 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 fancy 295 1 275.00 $275.00 $811 —
295 295 2 234.00–240.00 $237.00 $699 +27.00
315 315 1 230.00 $230.00 $724 +18.45
350–390 378 9 215.00–232.50 $227.70 $861 -2.80
385–395 fancy 390 2 240.00–244.00 $241.97 $944 -18.03
410–425 fancy 420 3 230.00–245.00 $240.12 $1,009 -13.43
420–445 428 6 207.00–220.00 $215.45 $922 -1.40
455–465 fancy 462 5 228.00–236.00 $230.38 $1,064 —
460–490 478 15 207.00–225.00 $216.71 $1,036 +19.70
515 fancy 515 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,082 —
530–545 538 2 189.00–204.00 $196.40 $1,057 +0.47
570 fancy 570 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,146 —
555–595 577 8 182.00–193.00 $188.99 $1,090 -10.58
635–645 640 2 189.00–195.00 $191.98 $1,229 +0.77
650–675 663 3 169.00–185.00 $176.71 $1,172 +0.77
715 715 2 151.00–162.00 $156.50 $1,119 -20.50
795 795 1 122.00 $122.00 $970 -39.00
825 825 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,155 —
940 940 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,288 —
1080 1080 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,490 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 183.00 $183.00 $888 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 172.00 $172.00 $989 -8.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1375 1187 80-85% 6 72.00–78.00 $75.47 $896 —
1075–1375 1234 80-85% 9 83.00–89.00 $86.67 $1,070 -8.58
1060–1475 1255 80-85% 12 92.00–101.00 $95.66 $1,201 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–825 798 85-90% 4 54.00–60.00 $56.53 $451 —
870–1100 939 85-90% 10 64.00–75.00 $68.69 $645 -14.01
860–1195 993 85-90% 6 77.00–88.00 $80.10 $795 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440–1640 1548 75-80% 3 98.00–101.00 $99.99 $1,548 —
1400–2090 1636 75-80% 4 80.00–87.00 $83.48 $1,366 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1940 1483 4 104.00–116.00 $110.50 $1,639 —
1535–1945 1756 4 120.00–128.00 $123.00 $2,160 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905–960 933 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 780.00–850.00 $816.03
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,130.00 $1,130.00
970 970 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 680.00 $680.00
950–1195 1054 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,020.00–1,190.00 $1,129.25

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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
805 805 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,040.00 $1,040.00 —
1075 1075 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 890.00 $890.00 -180.00

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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.