Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 17, 2023

643 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $245.73/cwt -2.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,384/hd at 563 lb · 51 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $155.91/cwt ≈ $1,522/hd at 976 lb · 33 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 steers $265.53/cwt ≈ $1,036/hd at 390 lb · 28 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 643 428 750
Feeder cattle 511 360 644
Slaughter cattle 77 58 90
Replacement cattle 55 10 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers sold 6.00 to 8.00 higher. Good demand on all classes of feeders. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with slaughter bulls steady.

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
310–320 317 3 247.50–257.50 $254.24 $806 -0.76
330 fancy 330 5 270.00 $270.00 $891 —
355–390 370 7 240.00–257.50 $249.11 $922 —
397 fancy 397 21 271.00 $271.00 $1,076 —
402–422 412 7 239.00–249.00 $241.73 $996 +5.65
415–443 value added 431 8 252.50–258.00 $255.36 $1,101 —
460–496 484 9 236.00–245.00 $239.59 $1,160 -0.85
520–545 526 4 226.00–237.00 $233.90 $1,230 -10.09
540–545 value added 544 7 245.00–251.00 $250.15 $1,361 -9.33
550–590 value added 555 25 248.00–252.50 $249.62 $1,385 -2.88
558–595 571 26 230.00–247.00 $241.99 $1,382 -2.24
611–630 value added 614 6 245.00–249.00 $248.32 $1,525 —
635 635 3 228.00 $228.00 $1,448 -11.12
665–687 682 5 228.00–239.00 $233.04 $1,589 +0.78
725–740 734 8 215.00–216.00 $215.25 $1,580 +10.51
735 value added 735 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,654 —
780–795 790 3 186.00–195.00 $192.04 $1,517 —
835 835 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,561 —
855 855 4 186.00–188.00 $186.50 $1,595 —
985 985 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,606 —
1100 1100 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,705 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 230.00 $230.00 $851 +17.50
490 490 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,083 +2.45
515 515 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,112 +15.00
575–585 580 2 221.00–227.00 $224.03 $1,299 -2.32
625–632 630 3 213.00–217.00 $215.68 $1,359 +5.68
695 695 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,446 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,238 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 167.00 $167.00 $843 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–290 278 4 220.00–235.00 $224.23 $623 +6.73
315–330 323 2 222.50–235.00 $228.90 $739 +11.57
380–385 fancy 383 3 230.00–235.00 $231.65 $887 —
350–397 385 14 210.00–226.00 $219.19 $844 +9.80
420 fancy 420 1 235.00 $235.00 $987 —
415–425 421 4 218.00–229.00 $224.72 $946 +27.43
450–462 value added 457 6 221.00–225.00 $222.65 $1,018 —
455–497 483 21 200.00–211.00 $208.03 $1,005 +9.65
505 value added 505 10 225.00 $225.00 $1,136 —
500–545 515 8 199.00–218.00 $211.00 $1,087 +15.76
552 value added 552 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,192 —
555–590 578 18 197.00–212.00 $207.51 $1,199 +10.76
611–645 624 10 198.00–208.00 $203.75 $1,271 +25.86
668–680 675 9 187.00–198.00 $190.77 $1,288 —
706–731 718 16 180.00–189.00 $183.10 $1,315 +22.10
976 value added 976 32 156.25 $156.25 $1,525 —
980 980 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,421 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–395 378 2 194.00–209.00 $201.15 $760 —
405–430 423 5 192.00–206.00 $197.33 $835 —
485 485 1 190.00 $190.00 $922 —
590 590 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,139 +15.33
615–620 617 3 184.00–189.00 $185.99 $1,148 +28.03
650–680 671 4 158.00–168.00 $161.24 $1,082 —
725–745 740 5 150.00–163.00 $159.04 $1,177 —
755 755 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,095 -4.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 3 169.00 $169.00 $549 —
570 570 1 152.00 $152.00 $866 -6.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560–565 563 2 177.00–185.00 $180.98 $1,019 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–395 390 3 220.00–234.00 $229.45 $895 -6.55
410–440 424 8 219.00–235.00 $225.93 $958 -5.05
450–487 477 13 219.00–239.00 $226.63 $1,081 -2.53
500–531 519 9 204.00–215.00 $209.85 $1,089 -27.09
580–595 588 5 210.00–227.00 $217.77 $1,280 -6.68
621–647 633 8 204.00–216.00 $212.52 $1,345 —
660–695 672 3 203.00–208.00 $206.28 $1,386 -2.72
705–720 713 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,319 —
830 830 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,361 +4.00
865 865 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,124 —
965 965 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,168 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 212.50 $212.50 $808 —
417 417 2 210.00 $210.00 $876 -1.00
455–480 468 2 208.00–210.00 $208.97 $978 +7.97
550–585 566 4 194.00–201.00 $198.95 $1,126 +15.95
685 685 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,288 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 2 185.00 $185.00 $697 —
555 555 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,032 —
605 605 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,143 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 160.00 $160.00 $944 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 180.00 $180.00 $936 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1275 1275 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1395 1197 80-85% 23 93.00–106.00 $98.53 $1,179 +12.70
1095–1395 1286 80-85% 8 82.00–92.00 $86.51 $1,113 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–815 778 85-90% 2 50.00–56.00 $53.14 $413 —
875–1020 955 85-90% 3 60.00–67.00 $64.63 $617 +13.11
840–1150 966 85-90% 7 73.00–81.00 $78.31 $756 +26.79
885–1195 1038 85-90% 17 83.00–95.00 $87.47 $908 +6.02
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445–1550 1498 75-80% 2 96.00–105.00 $100.66 $1,508 +6.66

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200 1200 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,260 —
1340–1645 1443 3 109.00–115.00 $112.52 $1,624 —
1560–2050 1875 4 118.00–122.00 $120.03 $2,251 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845–1212 1046 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 970.00–1,500.00 $1,303.30
1065 1065 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,060.00 $1,060.00
1075 1075 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1085–1375 1173 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,190.00–1,400.00 $1,310.55
1075–1435 1263 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 990.00–1,330.00 $1,214.95
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980 980 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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
1055–1400 1228 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,130.00–1,470.00 $1,323.89 —
1240 1240 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —
1265 1265 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,310.00 $1,310.00 —
1080–1385 1309 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,450.00–1,800.00 $1,727.79 —
1410–1445 1428 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,360.00–1,875.00 $1,614.34 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
990 990 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
552 552 2 127.00 $127.00 $701 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
870–1050 960 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,375.00–1,775.00 $1,593.75 —

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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.