Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 13, 2023

1,154 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $259.51/cwt +5.31 vs last sale · ≈ $2,070/hd at 798 lb · 68 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $245.00/cwt +13.50 vs last sale · ≈ $2,085/hd at 851 lb · 66 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $230.40/cwt -8.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,198/hd at 520 lb · 43 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,154 935 812
Feeder cattle 1,021 860 712
Slaughter cattle 117 66 88
Replacement cattle 16 9 12

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold mostly steady. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 7.00 lower. Yearling steers sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter 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
340 340 1 285.00 $285.00 $969 +40.00
360–372 fancy 364 6 290.00–295.00 $293.30 $1,068 —
350–390 366 6 265.00–282.50 $276.91 $1,013 —
405–445 424 10 257.50–270.00 $263.71 $1,118 +2.38
425–445 value added 438 8 275.00–282.50 $278.46 $1,220 —
452–495 477 21 250.00–270.00 $262.25 $1,251 +8.58
478 value added 478 3 281.00 $281.00 $1,343 -1.51
500–545 521 11 250.00–261.00 $254.85 $1,328 +1.68
500–541 value added 524 17 262.50–265.00 $263.72 $1,382 -9.47
565 value added 565 10 267.00 $267.00 $1,509 +2.91
555–595 571 33 250.00–262.00 $256.06 $1,462 +3.37
605–637 value added 619 11 255.00–264.00 $259.55 $1,607 -9.95
618–645 627 11 230.00–248.00 $242.15 $1,518 -6.25
651–653 value added 652 9 257.00–259.00 $257.89 $1,681 —
655–695 681 6 230.00–250.00 $242.56 $1,652 -12.19
705–745 721 31 240.00–250.00 $248.11 $1,789 +17.46
750–765 758 2 244.00–246.00 $245.01 $1,857 —
799 value added 799 66 259.95 $259.95 $2,077 +4.77
836 value added 836 43 241.75 $241.75 $2,021 -3.15
851 value added 851 66 245.00 $245.00 $2,085 —
905 905 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,683 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 232.50 $232.50 $930 —
745 745 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,594 —
770 770 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,586 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745 745 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,609 +11.00
755 755 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,434 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,110 —
675 675 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,228 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 222.50 $222.50 $545 —
280–290 287 3 222.50–230.00 $227.47 $653 -15.88
305–347 327 6 222.50–234.00 $229.35 $750 -18.15
350–396 374 17 222.00–237.00 $229.07 $857 -14.01
390–395 fancy 394 8 242.50–250.00 $249.07 $981 -20.93
400–447 431 13 221.00–235.00 $227.66 $981 -17.25
450–498 480 24 224.00–236.00 $228.82 $1,098 -9.37
488 value added 488 4 241.00 $241.00 $1,176 —
500–540 520 43 223.00–235.00 $230.40 $1,198 -5.57
559 value added 559 6 250.00 $250.00 $1,398 —
550–590 573 26 220.00–235.00 $228.82 $1,311 -8.39
600–645 623 16 219.00–233.00 $226.77 $1,413 +0.15
607–637 value added 630 8 238.00–240.00 $238.48 $1,502 —
665 value added 665 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,536 —
650–698 679 10 211.00–223.00 $219.02 $1,487 —
710 710 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,363 -5.00
780–795 788 2 195.00–201.00 $198.03 $1,560 —
860 860 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,656 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
343 343 3 212.50 $212.50 $729 -5.00
375–390 380 3 207.50–210.00 $208.32 $792 -11.68
410–430 416 5 205.00–214.00 $208.55 $868 -16.41
450–495 469 6 211.00–220.00 $215.88 $1,012 —
516–540 522 7 205.00–217.00 $212.65 $1,110 -8.61
590–596 595 4 208.00–214.00 $212.51 $1,264 —
605–640 628 3 207.00–214.00 $211.75 $1,330 +2.51
680 680 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,360 -11.00
770–790 780 3 170.00–182.00 $177.38 $1,384 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 200.00 $200.00 $780 —
410 410 1 207.50 $207.50 $851 -18.80
475 475 1 190.00 $190.00 $902 -37.00
505–525 515 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,112 -4.00
630 630 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,310 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 4 211.00 $211.00 $1,044 +36.00
617 617 2 192.00 $192.00 $1,185 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 195.00 $195.00 $429 +15.00
450–480 468 4 190.00–204.00 $198.59 $929 —
885 885 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,239 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 2 265.00 $265.00 $636 —
268–285 275 5 260.00–280.00 $273.78 $753 -6.22
305–345 335 5 250.00–275.00 $258.13 $865 +8.13
335 fancy 335 1 295.00 $295.00 $988 —
355–373 fancy 362 10 286.00–292.50 $287.90 $1,042 —
350–390 378 6 257.50–277.50 $268.28 $1,014 +7.81
400–445 427 19 255.00–275.00 $266.40 $1,138 +13.64
455–495 475 18 260.00–275.00 $267.58 $1,271 +14.65
500–537 fancy 508 10 262.50–267.50 $263.31 $1,338 —
500–547 525 29 241.00–260.00 $247.26 $1,298 +2.56
550–595 574 8 227.50–241.00 $232.41 $1,334 +2.01
610–645 629 10 217.00–222.50 $218.91 $1,377 -7.62
697 697 2 219.00 $219.00 $1,526 ±0.00
705–740 723 2 196.00–202.00 $199.07 $1,439 +1.61
765 765 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,530 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 380 2 240.00–247.50 $243.90 $927 +9.17
427 427 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,046 —
460 460 2 230.00–235.00 $232.50 $1,070 +1.65
500–541 530 12 212.00–235.00 $225.59 $1,196 —
550–593 578 8 215.00–229.00 $221.90 $1,283 —
635 635 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,270 —
780–795 788 2 168.00–180.00 $174.06 $1,372 +6.06
815 815 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,345 —
875 875 1 141.00 $141.00 $1,234 —
925 925 2 138.00 $138.00 $1,276 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,081 +27.50
545 545 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,090 —
585 585 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,223 -13.50
680 680 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,241 —
740 740 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,450 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515–545 527 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,054 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 190.00 $190.00 $902 —
530 530 1 182.50 $182.50 $967 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–820 768 85-90% 5 50.00–62.00 $54.34 $417 —
840–1260 975 85-90% 6 74.00–84.00 $80.49 $785 +4.35
910–1305 1090 85-90% 21 98.00–109.00 $101.39 $1,105 -2.65
825–1315 1098 85-90% 25 85.00–97.00 $93.28 $1,024 -10.76
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1335 1272 80-85% 6 110.00–113.00 $111.18 $1,414 +5.87
1145–1445 1281 80-85% 17 97.00–109.00 $103.84 $1,330 -1.47
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1825 1555 75-80% 14 99.00–106.00 $102.50 $1,594 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1365 1303 2 109.00–119.00 $114.24 $1,489 —
1510–2145 1791 8 122.00–129.00 $126.02 $2,257 —
1595–1935 1793 5 130.00–140.00 $133.48 $2,393 —

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Bred Cows

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
730 730 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 720.00 $720.00
880 880 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
945 945 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 910.00 $910.00
950 950 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940 940 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,360.00 $1,360.00
1135–1175 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,390.00–1,800.00 $1,598.55
1180 1180 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,230.00 $1,230.00

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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
950–1305 1135 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,660.00–2,180.00 $1,981.26 —
1145 1145 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 162.00 $162.00 $1,037 —

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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.