Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 3, 2024

622 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $251.01/cwt +5.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,545/hd at 615 lb · 59 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $269.99/cwt +1.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,412/hd at 523 lb · 37 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $319.57/cwt -10.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,524/hd at 477 lb · 33 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 622 705 614
Feeder cattle 563 651 538
Slaughter cattle 44 52 64
Replacement cattle 15 2 12

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 500lbs sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower. Feeder steers over 500lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 600lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder heifers over 600lbs sold steady. Fleshy bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 4.00 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
315–325 fancy 320 2 325.00–330.00 $327.46 $1,048 -17.54
335 335 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,013 -25.00
350 fancy 350 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,138 -22.50
375–385 382 3 308.00–310.00 $308.66 $1,179 -19.01
405–445 432 12 295.00–314.00 $302.40 $1,306 -24.36
435 value added 435 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,436 -25.00
452–493 470 14 292.00–319.00 $309.14 $1,453 -21.26
471–496 value added 482 19 322.50–332.50 $327.26 $1,577 —
510–535 514 7 304.00–313.00 $306.70 $1,576 -0.61
505–535 value added 526 5 321.00–324.00 $323.10 $1,700 +0.60
576 value added 576 9 306.00 $306.00 $1,763 -5.00
568–590 577 12 282.00–293.00 $286.18 $1,651 -3.26
605–635 value added 613 6 285.00–288.00 $286.82 $1,758 -2.14
645 645 2 267.00 $267.00 $1,722 -11.42
667–685 value added 673 11 283.00–292.00 $287.05 $1,932 —
675–693 686 7 264.00–275.00 $272.04 $1,866 -1.72
705–725 value added 715 2 252.50–258.00 $255.29 $1,825 -5.21
775–785 782 3 231.00–240.00 $234.67 $1,835 —
840 840 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,982 -3.72
860–862 861 3 231.00–235.00 $233.67 $2,012 +7.46
970 970 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,086 +5.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451–491 473 10 275.00–290.00 $285.58 $1,351 -14.47
505–545 527 25 276.00–291.00 $284.69 $1,500 -5.31
565 565 7 265.00 $265.00 $1,497 -12.83
615–620 619 5 247.00–251.00 $247.79 $1,534 -6.21
655–685 664 12 242.00–257.00 $249.82 $1,659 +0.24
750 750 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,635 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435–445 443 4 282.00–298.00 $285.93 $1,267 —
455–470 460 3 285.00–292.00 $289.62 $1,332 —
515 515 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,452 ±0.00
615 615 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,488 -13.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 258.00 $258.00 $1,109 -9.50
460–485 473 2 242.00–248.00 $245.08 $1,159 -29.92
545 545 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,444 +7.00
630 630 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,480 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,284 —
705 705 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,445 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–245 223 3 285.00–300.00 $294.51 $657 —
280 280 1 300.00 $300.00 $840 +2.50
305–325 316 4 290.00–307.50 $295.44 $934 -2.54
350–375 358 3 287.50–310.00 $296.16 $1,060 -1.34
407–446 value added 425 7 310.00–312.50 $310.69 $1,320 -7.31
433 433 3 292.00 $292.00 $1,264 -5.32
461 value added 461 5 303.00 $303.00 $1,397 -8.47
450–475 468 18 280.00–295.00 $291.06 $1,362 -7.76
512–529 value added 521 19 278.00 $278.00 $1,448 -4.50
500–535 525 18 256.00–271.00 $261.53 $1,373 -5.17
561 value added 561 5 271.00 $271.00 $1,520 -19.00
550–598 568 19 251.00–264.00 $256.70 $1,458 -11.28
613 value added 613 43 255.50 $255.50 $1,566 +5.23
600–647 622 16 231.00–243.00 $238.94 $1,486 +0.45
658–688 668 23 230.00–242.50 $239.35 $1,599 +6.89
708–725 718 10 218.00–221.00 $219.18 $1,574 -0.66
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 260.00 $260.00 $585 —
260 260 1 260.00 $260.00 $676 -25.00
360–375 367 5 265.00–279.00 $272.29 $999 -7.73
400–445 415 19 252.00–270.00 $260.56 $1,081 -12.74
465–495 480 6 254.00–261.00 $256.50 $1,231 -4.47
505–545 516 10 238.00–253.00 $247.07 $1,275 -5.17
550–595 561 12 236.00–249.00 $243.60 $1,367 -5.16
625–640 633 2 214.00–222.00 $217.95 $1,380 -8.54
650–695 683 4 208.00–225.00 $216.89 $1,481 -3.62
700–705 703 2 196.00–205.00 $200.52 $1,410 -8.48
755 755 2 191.00 $191.00 $1,442 —
815–820 818 2 140.00–151.00 $145.48 $1,190 —
865 865 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,574 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 240.00 $240.00 $912 -2.50
400 400 1 234.00 $234.00 $936 —
470–495 478 3 233.00–242.00 $238.90 $1,142 -6.10
500–510 505 7 210.00–230.00 $222.12 $1,122 -5.58
555 555 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,221 ±0.00
635 635 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,206 —
710–725 714 4 176.00–183.00 $180.97 $1,292 +4.97
795 795 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,423 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–395 375 2 265.00–269.00 $267.11 $1,002 —
405 405 1 258.00 $258.00 $1,045 —
570 570 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,379 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–385 373 5 292.00–315.00 $307.59 $1,147 -3.84
400–445 426 4 293.00–317.50 $304.03 $1,295 -0.33
458–485 473 7 287.00–296.00 $291.62 $1,379 -25.38
515 515 1 286.00 $286.00 $1,473 +3.68
582–595 589 4 270.00–283.00 $276.43 $1,628 -1.37
630 630 1 254.00 $254.00 $1,600 -8.84
660 660 2 244.00–258.00 $251.00 $1,657 —
770 770 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,632 -0.50
890 890 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,397 —
905 905 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,367 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 260.00 $260.00 $754 -25.00
393 393 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,022 -35.00
421 421 4 281.00 $281.00 $1,183 -7.15
460–490 473 4 270.00–280.00 $276.42 $1,307 -12.48
505 505 1 273.00 $273.00 $1,379 +13.74
635 635 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,435 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,160 -17.40
535 535 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,311 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,477 —
650 650 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,514 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–935 865 85-90% 2 67.00–68.00 $67.54 $584 —
865–920 893 85-90% 2 94.00–99.00 $96.58 $862 —
855–1030 933 85-90% 4 85.00–90.00 $87.75 $819 —
945–1315 1087 85-90% 9 108.00–120.00 $114.51 $1,245 +12.75
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080 1080 80-85% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,285 —
1030–1365 1178 80-85% 12 121.00–133.00 $125.42 $1,477 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1505 1420 75-80% 4 121.00–131.00 $125.36 $1,780 —
1480 1480 75-80% 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,732 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325 1325 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,603 —
1400–1525 1463 2 138.00–147.00 $142.69 $2,088 —
1600–2120 1857 6 152.00–165.00 $159.05 $2,954 —

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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)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1060–1420 1240 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,575.00–1,800.00 $1,703.83
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865–885 875 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,470.00–1,490.00 $1,480.11

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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
1075 1075 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
1410 1410 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,025.00 $2,025.00 —

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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.