Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report, Albany, KY

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 6, 2023

1,119 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $213.47/cwt -9.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,721/hd at 806 lb · 134 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $182.16/cwt -5.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,148/hd at 630 lb · 125 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $191.64/cwt +4.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,263/hd at 659 lb · 84 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,119 908 750
Feeder cattle 1,039 804 685
Slaughter cattle 64 85 59
Replacement cattle 16 19 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 550lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher with feeder steers over 550lbs 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 500lbs sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower with feeder heifers over 500lbs 5.00 to 7.00 lower. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 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
285 285 1 267.50 $267.50 $762 —
310–335 316 4 250.00–260.00 $252.65 $798 -10.70
375–390 383 2 255.00–270.00 $262.35 $1,005 +5.84
400–440 415 17 254.00–267.50 $264.27 $1,097 +1.78
450–480 468 6 252.50–262.00 $257.94 $1,207 +4.16
500–543 532 22 241.00–251.00 $248.07 $1,320 +7.56
570–585 577 11 229.00–237.50 $232.16 $1,340 -2.20
607–633 value added 615 53 227.00–235.00 $232.05 $1,427 -3.20
605–646 637 19 209.00–225.00 $212.01 $1,351 -5.25
660–697 677 39 203.00–218.00 $209.78 $1,420 -2.82
740 740 2 204.00 $204.00 $1,510 -1.06
750–795 772 3 190.00–203.00 $196.59 $1,518 +16.59
806 value added 806 132 213.95 $213.95 $1,724 -14.05
800–845 823 2 181.00–182.00 $181.49 $1,494 -5.51
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 232.50 $232.50 $872 —
495 495 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,173 —
515–530 523 2 229.00–230.00 $229.49 $1,200 +10.49
575–580 578 2 210.00–223.00 $216.53 $1,252 -7.20
665 665 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,317 -0.01
727 727 2 183.00 $183.00 $1,330 -4.62
790 790 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,422 —
830–840 835 2 170.00–179.00 $174.47 $1,457 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,049 —
485 485 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,140 —
635 635 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,403 +23.50
660 660 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,313 —
710–730 720 2 173.00–178.00 $175.47 $1,263 —
750 750 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,290 -17.00
1025 1025 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,538 -10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 209.00 $209.00 $961 —
520 520 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,066 +6.00
595 595 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,226 +1.00
633 633 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,139 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,269 —
600 600 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,125 —
805 805 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,256 —
Medium 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,018 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 332 2 215.00 $215.00 $714 —
353 353 6 212.50–225.00 $218.75 $772 +0.68
435 fancy 435 1 214.00 $214.00 $931 —
420–446 440 8 188.00–201.00 $193.44 $851 -3.84
450–475 464 6 190.00–198.00 $195.17 $906 -2.09
521 value added 521 7 196.00 $196.00 $1,021 —
502–547 528 20 175.00–190.00 $183.94 $971 -13.20
560 value added 560 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,092 -14.00
550–597 570 76 171.00–183.00 $180.76 $1,030 -10.71
626 value added 626 41 189.85 $189.85 $1,188 —
600–646 632 84 169.00–184.00 $178.41 $1,128 -8.84
658 value added 658 72 195.00 $195.00 $1,283 —
652–690 667 12 165.00–174.00 $171.46 $1,144 -15.55
700–735 716 8 149.00–163.00 $157.23 $1,126 —
758–793 778 8 153.00–155.00 $154.13 $1,199 —
810–835 814 6 146.00–160.00 $157.61 $1,283 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 195.00 $195.00 $673 +3.61
395 395 2 200.00 $200.00 $790 +4.38
450–496 472 14 178.00–185.00 $179.98 $850 +2.74
510–543 524 19 162.50–171.00 $168.24 $882 —
560–596 586 7 160.00–165.00 $161.37 $946 -18.63
600–625 613 4 154.00–160.00 $158.25 $970 -12.75
676–695 681 4 153.00 $153.00 $1,042 -18.65
700–730 725 8 144.00–151.00 $149.02 $1,080 -5.98
765 765 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,109 —
815 815 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,125 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427 427 2 195.00 $195.00 $833 —
525–542 536 3 179.00–185.00 $183.04 $981 -5.21
625–640 633 2 160.00–164.00 $162.02 $1,026 -15.48
752 752 2 152.00 $152.00 $1,143 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353 353 3 170.00 $170.00 $600 -11.25
530 530 1 166.00 $166.00 $880 —
660 660 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,030 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 165.00 $165.00 $842 —
585 585 1 159.00 $159.00 $930 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 695 1 140.00 $140.00 $973 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,438 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 242.50 $242.50 $703 -12.34
330 330 1 265.00 $265.00 $874 +4.63
380 380 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,016 +15.47
415–445 428 4 237.50–250.00 $243.28 $1,041 -8.34
450–475 461 7 236.00–245.00 $241.61 $1,114 -2.67
501–549 523 20 214.00–220.00 $217.75 $1,139 +8.75
650 650 7 189.00 $189.00 $1,228 +7.55
720–735 728 2 142.50–149.00 $145.78 $1,061 —
750 750 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,095 -30.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 220.00 $220.00 $517 +2.50
360 360 4 232.50 $232.50 $837 -2.50
470–495 483 2 215.00–217.50 $216.28 $1,045 -3.16
530–535 533 3 198.00–200.00 $199.34 $1,062 +14.34
575–590 583 3 180.00–195.00 $187.97 $1,096 +2.34
610 610 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,031 —
666 666 3 145.00 $145.00 $966 -20.00
705 705 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,058 —
775 775 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,000 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 140.00 $140.00 $714 —
610 610 1 135.00 $135.00 $824 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 215.00 $215.00 $924 —
535 535 1 180.00 $180.00 $963 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,092 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1440 1272 80-85% 19 82.00–92.00 $86.09 $1,095 —
1285–1530 1408 80-85% 5 76.00–81.00 $78.60 $1,107 —
1435 1435 80-85% 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,363 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1130 969 85-90% 6 50.00–60.00 $55.61 $539 —
890–1160 1029 85-90% 7 72.00–80.00 $76.90 $791 —
970–1260 1075 85-90% 5 64.00–69.00 $66.47 $715 -1.33
1055–1160 1108 85-90% 2 86.00–87.00 $86.52 $959 +1.63
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375–1765 1529 75-80% 8 78.00–88.00 $85.08 $1,301 —
1550 1550 75-80% 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,426 -2.76

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1635 1376 4 105.00–114.00 $109.53 $1,507 —
1135–2130 1645 5 82.00–104.00 $95.38 $1,569 -31.62

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1090 1090 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
1115 1115 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 810.00 $810.00
1135–1260 1198 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 890.00–1,030.00 $963.65
1210–1215 1213 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,100.00–1,200.00 $1,149.90
1280 1280 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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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
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 +19.47
1330 1330 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 +390.00

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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.