Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 29, 2023

741 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $219.95/cwt -0.11 vs last sale · ≈ $925/hd at 420 lb · 64 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $207.00/cwt -3.89 vs last sale · ≈ $969/hd at 468 lb · 43 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $195.07/cwt +3.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,143/hd at 586 lb · 39 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 741 767 988
Feeder cattle 662 682 901
Slaughter cattle 61 80 82
Replacement cattle 18 5 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Premiums being payed for thinner fleshed cattle going on grass. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower.

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
220 220 1 237.50 $237.50 $522 —
270 270 1 245.00 $245.00 $662 +4.00
325 325 4 230.00–232.50 $231.88 $754 +1.24
360 fancy 360 1 245.00 $245.00 $882 +0.73
365–393 386 11 227.00–235.00 $228.67 $883 -0.05
410–445 426 6 227.50–240.00 $236.85 $1,009 -2.85
402–440 fancy 429 11 251.00–266.00 $259.56 $1,114 +5.63
457–490 fancy 464 5 245.00–252.00 $250.52 $1,162 -5.98
458–495 469 15 230.00–242.50 $237.00 $1,112 +0.36
500–545 value added 515 15 231.00–247.00 $239.49 $1,233 -6.45
500–545 524 11 213.00–229.00 $219.93 $1,152 -15.59
560–575 value added 568 11 224.00–231.00 $228.53 $1,298 —
560–595 582 12 206.00–220.00 $210.68 $1,226 -11.92
600–640 620 26 197.00–215.00 $209.98 $1,302 -0.25
625–630 value added 629 4 219.00–220.00 $219.75 $1,382 -5.15
672–698 695 18 195.00–198.50 $198.12 $1,377 -9.29
725 725 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,290 -10.36
755–778 771 7 177.00–186.00 $179.52 $1,384 -9.48
880 880 17 173.50 $173.50 $1,527 -3.83
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–485 475 3 214.00–222.00 $217.60 $1,034 —
550–595 573 2 188.00–192.00 $189.92 $1,088 —
630 630 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,134 —
698 698 3 164.00 $164.00 $1,145 —
700 700 2 162.00 $162.00 $1,134 —
847 847 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,355 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 190.00 $190.00 $902 —
810 810 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,142 —
865 865 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,298 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 175.00 $175.00 $831 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 170.00 $170.00 $450 -34.51
306–343 321 11 199.00–213.00 $203.30 $653 -7.67
355–398 383 19 205.00–212.50 $209.08 $801 +2.50
384 fancy 384 6 222.00 $222.00 $852 -9.13
402–435 fancy 420 32 221.00–232.00 $227.40 $955 +1.76
405–446 421 32 204.00–219.00 $212.51 $895 +0.45
450–498 468 40 199.00–215.00 $206.10 $965 +0.16
468 fancy 468 3 219.00 $219.00 $1,025 +0.20
500–520 514 15 187.00–202.00 $195.29 $1,004 +1.30
500–528 value added 521 8 204.00–207.00 $205.35 $1,070 -1.65
565–588 value added 583 18 202.00 $202.00 $1,178 +1.38
550–596 588 21 181.00–193.00 $189.13 $1,112 +0.42
600–620 value added 607 5 185.00–189.00 $187.78 $1,140 -6.22
605–645 632 3 174.00–180.00 $178.08 $1,125 -2.25
655 655 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,159 +14.87
1010 1010 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,364 —
1050 1050 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,418 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–275 270 3 172.50–185.00 $180.99 $489 —
300–320 310 3 185.00–192.50 $189.09 $586 —
355 355 1 180.00 $180.00 $639 —
400–420 410 2 182.00–192.50 $187.12 $767 —
470–485 478 2 180.00–184.00 $181.97 $870 —
510–515 513 2 174.00–175.00 $174.50 $895 —
620 620 1 152.00 $152.00 $942 —
650–666 663 5 150.00–155.00 $154.00 $1,021 —
725–730 728 2 139.00–141.00 $140.00 $1,019 —
750 750 2 124.00–128.00 $126.00 $945 —
815 815 2 120.00–127.00 $123.50 $1,007 —
880 880 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,047 —
900 900 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,062 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 174.00 $174.00 $383 —
255 255 1 159.00 $159.00 $405 —
510 510 2 157.00 $157.00 $801 —
685 685 1 137.00 $137.00 $938 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
547 547 2 140.00 $140.00 $766 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–335 316 4 202.50–220.00 $215.85 $682 -21.15
363–390 370 10 222.50–231.00 $229.90 $851 -14.03
430–445 438 4 240.00–247.50 $243.69 $1,067 +6.95
452–482 478 20 221.00–229.00 $225.88 $1,080 -9.27
510–540 521 7 205.00–219.00 $214.38 $1,117 +12.28
562–567 563 7 200.00–221.00 $214.96 $1,210 +10.11
605–645 619 8 182.00–196.00 $188.87 $1,169 -9.35
657–671 663 7 183.00–186.00 $184.30 $1,222 +2.43
740 740 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,288 +3.00
775 775 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,302 -1.00
850 850 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,156 +8.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 302 2 197.50 $197.50 $596 —
375–385 378 3 212.50–215.00 $214.17 $810 —
400–425 408 3 210.00–221.00 $217.18 $886 —
450–497 473 5 197.00–210.00 $200.35 $948 —
525 525 1 186.00 $186.00 $976 —
560 560 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,081 —
675–695 688 3 168.00 $168.00 $1,156 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 184.00 $184.00 $856 —
590–592 591 4 170.00–176.00 $173.01 $1,022 —
680–690 685 2 139.00–146.00 $142.47 $976 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–895 810 85-90% 3 48.00–52.00 $49.25 $399 -9.89
715–1075 918 85-90% 4 64.00–74.00 $69.54 $638 —
875–1075 997 85-90% 9 78.00–89.00 $82.91 $827 +12.33
860–1145 1004 85-90% 4 58.00–63.00 $60.63 $609 -22.58
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1335 1152 80-85% 7 91.00–98.00 $94.47 $1,088 +8.92
1160–1340 1256 80-85% 4 87.00–90.00 $88.43 $1,111 -6.74
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1555 1460 75-80% 7 86.00–90.00 $88.43 $1,291 —
1400–1795 1598 75-80% 2 92.00–102.00 $97.62 $1,560 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1300 1213 2 95.00–97.00 $95.93 $1,164 —
1195–1845 1468 5 100.00–114.00 $107.93 $1,584 —
1435–1960 1606 8 118.00–126.00 $123.08 $1,977 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920 920 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 780.00 $780.00
1010 1010 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00
1500 1500 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010 1010 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,140.00 $1,140.00

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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
910 910 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 590.00 $590.00 —
755–1170 977 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 860.00–1,110.00 $1,014.71 —
955–1005 980 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 830.00–940.00 $883.60 —
920–1140 1033 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 700.00–1,030.00 $869.02 —
950–1145 1048 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,100.00–1,250.00 $1,168.02 —
1315 1315 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,180.00 $1,180.00 —

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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.