Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 28, 2024

581 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 $258.32/cwt +29.69 vs last sale · ≈ $1,940/hd at 751 lb · 73 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $257.65/cwt +10.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,498/hd at 581 lb · 71 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $288.16/cwt +17.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,351/hd at 469 lb · 58 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 581 965 843
Feeder cattle 509 876 771
Slaughter cattle 39 60 67
Replacement cattle 33 29 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady. Good demand for all feeder classes. Slaughter cows sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00 to 6.00 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
320–337 332 4 335.00–350.00 $339.24 $1,126 +9.13
385–392 390 3 330.00–332.50 $331.68 $1,294 +1.31
415 fancy 415 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,380 —
420–435 429 6 300.00–317.50 $306.29 $1,314 -6.21
465–495 476 8 300.00–313.00 $305.38 $1,454 -1.91
515–530 521 6 286.00–300.00 $291.52 $1,519 +13.14
568–570 569 7 288.00–300.00 $297.71 $1,694 +15.39
607 607 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,700 +17.70
650–680 671 19 263.00–279.00 $273.26 $1,834 +32.26
705 value added 705 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,868 +12.50
715–735 724 4 246.00–259.00 $252.80 $1,830 +10.64
751 value added 751 70 258.90 $258.90 $1,944 —
750–757 755 3 238.00–248.00 $244.69 $1,847 +16.06
800–808 805 6 230.00–236.00 $234.01 $1,884 —
875 875 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,969 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 265.00 $265.00 $636 —
405 405 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,174 —
455–480 468 3 290.00–292.50 $291.69 $1,365 +19.51
535 535 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,509 +21.91
555 555 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,512 +12.57
695 695 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,494 -15.00
745 745 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,624 +8.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 250.00 $250.00 $788 —

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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 1 260.00 $260.00 $637 —
285 285 1 260.00 $260.00 $741 —
300–325 306 4 262.50–282.50 $277.19 $848 +9.40
346 fancy 346 3 297.50 $297.50 $1,029 —
355–385 373 8 252.50–262.50 $256.90 $958 -13.02
410–445 423 6 260.00–280.00 $273.43 $1,157 +6.41
467 value added 467 49 291.75 $291.75 $1,362 +1.75
465–485 478 9 260.00–272.00 $268.63 $1,284 -0.43
515 value added 515 2 278.00 $278.00 $1,432 +9.56
510–546 526 20 247.50–265.00 $255.91 $1,346 +6.80
550–595 578 30 238.00–257.50 $247.61 $1,431 +0.95
584 value added 584 41 265.00 $265.00 $1,548 —
614 value added 614 10 248.00 $248.00 $1,523 +3.98
635–637 636 4 232.00–239.00 $235.49 $1,498 +1.62
650–673 664 8 233.00–238.00 $234.83 $1,559 +9.61
775 775 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,604 —
895 895 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,414 +0.54
935 935 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,543 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 250.00 $250.00 $700 —
340 340 1 257.50 $257.50 $876 —
375–390 382 3 230.00–247.50 $236.79 $905 -7.76
410–435 422 7 242.50–262.50 $249.58 $1,053 -0.42
452–485 472 6 245.00–258.00 $251.81 $1,189 +1.10
520–525 523 3 225.00–240.00 $229.97 $1,203 +1.27
570–575 572 3 222.00–230.00 $227.01 $1,298 +2.01
655–695 672 6 201.00–217.00 $209.59 $1,408 +3.15
700–730 715 2 185.00–195.00 $189.90 $1,358 +9.90
805 805 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,441 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 225.00 $225.00 $844 +15.00
520–540 530 2 190.00–195.00 $192.45 $1,020 —
555–565 560 2 197.50–207.00 $202.29 $1,133 +12.58
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 220.00 $220.00 $671 —
355 355 2 180.00 $180.00 $639 —
Medium 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 182.50 $182.50 $557 —
360 360 1 185.00 $185.00 $666 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840 840 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,495 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,178 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,037 —
370–390 383 3 327.50–332.50 $329.11 $1,260 +21.56
400–430 419 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,257 -11.03
420 fancy 420 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,396 -7.47
475–495 487 10 287.50–305.00 $292.23 $1,423 -6.24
500–520 511 6 274.00–290.00 $284.63 $1,454 +16.04
560–580 572 3 255.00–269.00 $261.04 $1,493 +4.81
610–640 618 8 235.00–248.00 $242.49 $1,499 —
650–685 675 4 219.00–231.00 $223.41 $1,508 -8.59
725–730 728 2 210.00–214.00 $211.99 $1,543 +3.50
855 855 2 189.00–192.50 $190.75 $1,631 -2.27
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 280.00 $280.00 $826 —
315 315 1 275.00 $275.00 $866 —
360–396 387 4 287.50 $287.50 $1,113 +25.00
425 425 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,062 -20.00
490–495 492 3 260.00–267.50 $264.17 $1,300 —
530–545 535 7 257.00–266.00 $262.83 $1,406 +20.33
570–595 586 4 225.00–234.00 $228.46 $1,339 -10.83
635 635 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,206 -10.00
685 685 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,438 -4.00
755 755 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,416 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,104 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1235 1235 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,025.00 $2,025.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–830 823 85-90% 2 80.00 $80.00 $658 —
745–1005 843 85-90% 3 58.00–69.00 $61.98 $522 —
920–1055 987 85-90% 3 88.00–95.00 $91.49 $903 +25.49
865–1210 1058 85-90% 9 102.00–110.00 $106.50 $1,127 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1615 1467 75-80% 6 104.00–111.00 $107.46 $1,576 —
1355–1800 1530 75-80% 5 114.00–118.00 $116.64 $1,785 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1190 1149 80-85% 4 117.00–119.00 $117.50 $1,350 —
1150–1320 1238 80-85% 3 111.00–115.00 $113.35 $1,403 -5.82

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1755 1755 1 126.00 $126.00 $2,211 —
1745–1935 1820 3 134.00–139.00 $136.10 $2,477 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
740 740 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
875 875 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
895–1380 1079 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 1,090.00–1,510.00 $1,287.92
960–1320 1172 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,360.00–1,860.00 $1,575.08
1065–1380 1223 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,320.00–1,370.00 $1,348.22
1275–1405 1340 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,375.00–1,500.00 $1,440.53

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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
1135 1135 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,630.00 $1,630.00 —
1140 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
1020–1405 1230 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 1,290.00–1,730.00 $1,495.24 —

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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.