Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 13, 2024

550 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $284.23/cwt +7.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,791/hd at 630 lb · 29 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $261.40/cwt +5.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,519/hd at 581 lb · 24 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $262.26/cwt +8.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,876/hd at 715 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 550 557 793
Feeder cattle 505 499 712
Slaughter cattle 43 45 58
Replacement cattle 2 13 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 4.00 to 8.00 higher with some instances of sharply higher. Feeder heifers under 500lbs sold sharply higher with feeder heifers over 500lbs 5.00 to 7.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 to 5.00 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
250–280 265 2 387.50–395.00 $391.04 $1,036 —
310–345 333 3 320.00–340.00 $333.80 $1,112 +3.80
351–395 364 10 330.00–340.00 $336.11 $1,223 +8.61
400–440 416 6 332.50–347.50 $342.60 $1,425 +20.92
455–470 459 8 335.00–338.00 $336.76 $1,546 +22.60
520 fancy 520 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,716 —
510–545 533 10 309.00–322.50 $315.02 $1,679 +23.89
550–562 value added 558 3 312.50–316.00 $314.85 $1,757 —
555–595 571 9 289.00–303.00 $298.25 $1,703 +4.01
605–633 value added 630 12 293.00–300.00 $295.25 $1,860 +3.78
605–640 630 17 261.00–279.00 $276.45 $1,742 +16.18
660–661 value added 661 8 280.00–283.00 $281.50 $1,861 -0.50
651–687 679 14 261.00–269.00 $267.36 $1,815 +20.64
700–735 712 5 250.00–259.00 $251.86 $1,793 +8.79
700–730 value added 716 19 265.00 $265.00 $1,897 +0.32
775 775 2 240.00–250.00 $245.00 $1,899 —
805–847 824 8 225.00–239.00 $234.17 $1,930 +5.17
838 value added 838 10 242.00 $242.00 $2,028 —
864–885 866 9 226.00–229.00 $228.66 $1,980 +8.66
1015–1040 1028 2 210.00–211.00 $210.51 $2,164 —
1195 1195 1 186.00 $186.00 $2,223 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–390 382 3 305.00–310.00 $308.41 $1,178 +30.91
425 425 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,275 —
457–495 473 6 295.00–310.00 $304.42 $1,440 +33.03
507–545 517 4 275.00–287.00 $282.86 $1,462 +11.98
550–585 568 2 267.50–280.00 $273.56 $1,554 +14.81
720–730 725 2 220.00–235.00 $227.55 $1,650 —
755 755 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,510 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,210 —
475 475 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,389 —
790 790 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,896 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535 1535 1 163.00 $163.00 $2,502 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 280.00 $280.00 $672 +10.00
287 fancy 287 2 302.50 $302.50 $868 —
295 295 1 270.00 $270.00 $796 -15.00
300 fancy 300 4 325.00 $325.00 $975 —
300–330 319 8 280.00–302.50 $294.43 $939 +26.52
372–395 384 8 290.00–302.50 $294.45 $1,131 +29.62
415–437 432 6 302.50–310.00 $306.73 $1,325 +21.76
450–490 478 6 275.00–284.00 $280.25 $1,340 +9.60
477–485 value added 479 10 298.00–299.00 $298.80 $1,431 —
501–535 value added 515 11 270.00–280.00 $274.58 $1,414 +0.58
505–540 529 12 250.00–266.00 $259.17 $1,371 +5.28
550–575 value added 567 3 269.00–275.00 $270.94 $1,536 +2.78
560–597 583 21 250.00–266.00 $260.04 $1,516 +9.54
600 value added 600 7 262.00 $262.00 $1,572 -2.00
600–635 612 9 230.00–248.00 $242.39 $1,483 +4.88
675–676 675 9 240.00 $240.00 $1,620 +1.80
708 value added 708 20 240.00 $240.00 $1,699 -7.50
775–785 778 4 210.00–223.00 $219.72 $1,709 +5.72
815 815 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,671 +5.00
870 870 3 199.00 $199.00 $1,731 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–430 414 7 262.50–280.00 $273.40 $1,132 +18.40
455–490 471 10 250.00–260.00 $256.34 $1,207 +14.65
515 515 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,251 +20.00
590–595 593 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,364 +8.06
640 640 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,466 +8.79
667–692 676 6 215.00–228.00 $221.50 $1,497 +13.83
740 740 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,350 -7.50
780 780 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,630 —
860 860 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,462 —
912 912 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,414 -27.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 230.00 $230.00 $713 —
370 370 1 240.00 $240.00 $888 —
415–440 425 4 247.50–252.50 $249.99 $1,062 —
455–485 468 4 242.50–247.50 $245.06 $1,147 —
590 590 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,239 —
665–695 678 3 185.00–200.00 $193.39 $1,311 +13.39
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,179 —
525 525 1 251.00 $251.00 $1,318 +16.48
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760 760 1 125.00 $125.00 $950 —
870 870 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,044 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 fancy 245 1 370.00 $370.00 $906 —
265 265 1 340.00 $340.00 $901 —
285 fancy 285 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,083 —
305–330 320 3 322.50–330.00 $325.73 $1,042 -4.27
350–390 365 5 302.50–325.00 $316.26 $1,154 -1.11
405–430 418 3 302.50–315.00 $308.40 $1,289 +16.18
450–457 455 4 302.50–320.00 $309.96 $1,410 -12.54
500–540 515 16 264.00–276.00 $267.96 $1,380 -0.77
508–525 fancy 515 5 286.00–290.00 $287.63 $1,481 +4.64
560 fancy 560 1 276.00 $276.00 $1,546 —
550–595 571 7 254.00–268.00 $260.37 $1,487 +0.93
605–640 616 5 250.00–263.00 $258.70 $1,594 +26.38
655 655 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,670 +16.72
725 725 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,668 +16.02
765 765 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,664 +6.01
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 290.00 $290.00 $856 —
380 380 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,054 —
420–437 433 5 287.50–294.00 $291.53 $1,262 +29.03
450–495 484 7 275.00–292.50 $279.66 $1,354 +10.51
555 555 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,338 —
807 807 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,323 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 245.00 $245.00 $625 —
400–415 408 2 230.00–247.50 $238.91 $975 —
580 580 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,276 —
650 650 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,186 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785 785 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,601 —
860 860 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,505 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755 755 85-90% 1 60.00 $60.00 $453 —
840–885 863 85-90% 3 84.00–87.00 $85.36 $737 +1.36
890–1030 978 85-90% 3 95.00–103.00 $99.18 $970 —
1020–1245 1104 85-90% 4 103.00–119.00 $111.32 $1,229 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1465–1815 1600 75-80% 3 107.00–117.00 $112.32 $1,797 —
1425–1960 1704 75-80% 8 120.00–133.00 $125.21 $2,134 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1395 1221 80-85% 7 118.00–129.00 $123.39 $1,507 +3.85
1190–1475 1333 80-85% 2 104.00–112.00 $107.57 $1,434 +7.57

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,678 —
1210–1865 1662 8 138.00–150.00 $143.31 $2,382 —
1635–2072 1854 3 131.00–134.00 $132.88 $2,464 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1165 1165 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,480.00 $1,480.00
1200 1200 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,370.00 $1,370.00

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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.