Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 17, 2024

733 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 $246.14/cwt +4.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,904/hd at 774 lb · 86 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $219.71/cwt ≈ $2,040/hd at 929 lb · 59 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $262.57/cwt +1.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,374/hd at 523 lb · 49 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 733 527 614
Feeder cattle 680 497 533
Slaughter cattle 45 25 71
Replacement cattle 8 5 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 lower. Slaughter cows and 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
280–290 283 3 327.50–330.00 $329.15 $931 +6.65
345 345 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,044 -12.50
375 375 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,162 +0.53
415–435 425 5 300.00–315.00 $306.95 $1,305 -5.84
455–495 467 16 287.00–303.00 $293.01 $1,368 -5.06
505–547 535 33 279.00–291.00 $282.73 $1,513 -8.91
550–581 568 8 284.00–295.00 $286.85 $1,629 -2.44
600–640 610 20 278.00–289.00 $280.83 $1,713 +2.24
650–691 669 10 261.00–279.00 $269.65 $1,804 -2.11
703–745 728 12 247.00–258.00 $254.30 $1,851 +2.90
755–780 772 16 233.00–244.00 $234.07 $1,807 -7.45
774 value added 774 70 248.90 $248.90 $1,926 —
805–832 821 15 226.00–239.00 $229.72 $1,886 +5.69
865 865 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,912 —
928 value added 928 57 220.30 $220.30 $2,044 —
947 947 2 203.00 $203.00 $1,922 —
1045 1045 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,986 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–370 360 2 272.50–285.00 $278.58 $1,003 —
405 405 4 295.00 $295.00 $1,195 +7.50
602 602 2 266.00 $266.00 $1,601 +4.00
650–670 655 4 242.00–250.00 $244.05 $1,599 -8.45
725–730 728 2 230.00–239.00 $234.48 $1,707 +9.48
770 770 1 227.00 $227.00 $1,748 -14.00
800–835 818 2 214.00–217.00 $215.53 $1,763 +3.93
880 880 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,734 -14.53
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 2 228.00–241.00 $234.50 $1,489 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615 615 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,538 +7.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440 1440 1 164.00 $164.00 $2,362 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222–235 226 3 280.00–285.00 $283.27 $640 -1.73
255–290 277 6 270.00–299.00 $288.50 $799 —
315–330 323 2 270.00–287.50 $278.95 $901 -12.79
372 fancy 372 5 294.00 $294.00 $1,094 -7.00
355–395 379 7 272.00–282.00 $278.28 $1,055 -5.83
405–422 417 9 270.00–287.00 $274.51 $1,145 -20.63
450–480 462 20 265.00–280.00 $272.53 $1,259 -13.85
521 value added 521 9 278.00 $278.00 $1,448 —
500–549 524 40 252.00–269.00 $259.10 $1,358 -2.17
551–590 565 21 253.00–259.00 $256.01 $1,446 +2.78
603–605 value added 603 5 255.00–257.00 $255.40 $1,540 +7.08
607–648 634 12 232.00–248.00 $240.27 $1,523 +1.34
660–685 675 7 230.00–244.00 $240.88 $1,626 +3.88
720–730 727 5 202.00–210.00 $204.20 $1,485 -13.66
795 795 6 203.00 $203.00 $1,614 —
815 815 3 197.00 $197.00 $1,606 —
880 880 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,478 -30.00
925 925 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,526 —
990 990 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,683 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 247.50 $247.50 $656 —
315 315 1 260.00 $260.00 $819 +1.45
377–395 384 6 260.00–267.00 $264.16 $1,014 -5.84
402–447 427 8 265.00–269.00 $266.77 $1,139 -1.90
480–485 483 2 250.00–257.00 $253.52 $1,225 -9.71
510–535 522 6 231.00–245.00 $238.43 $1,245 -4.07
570–595 580 3 228.00–236.00 $231.30 $1,342 -6.03
610 610 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,293 -5.02
695 695 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,460 —
725 725 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,414 +3.07
785 785 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,374 +3.00
910 910 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,365 —
997 997 2 151.00 $151.00 $1,505 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 242.50 $242.50 $922 +0.74
405–440 423 2 249.00–251.00 $249.96 $1,057 +11.12
490 490 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,171 +2.52
510–540 525 2 221.00–225.00 $222.94 $1,170 —
560 560 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,182 —
625 625 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,250 —
665 665 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,357 +16.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,008 —
510–535 520 3 232.00–243.00 $238.39 $1,240 +2.39
590 590 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,410 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,059 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 335.00 $335.00 $871 +5.00
300–345 320 3 302.50–305.00 $304.22 $974 -4.48
350–397 374 8 302.50–337.50 $316.16 $1,182 +9.35
405–445 425 23 297.00–310.00 $302.93 $1,287 -10.74
450–475 455 6 292.00–309.00 $303.21 $1,380 +9.15
515–537 525 6 267.00–283.00 $272.56 $1,431 -3.49
552–575 557 8 269.00–276.00 $270.39 $1,506 +5.38
610–625 620 5 244.00–254.00 $250.41 $1,553 -9.47
665 665 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,662 +0.13
710–725 717 6 215.00–234.00 $219.49 $1,574 +1.49
755 755 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,608 -5.00
820 820 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,689 —
910–930 920 2 178.00–180.00 $178.99 $1,647 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 270.00 $270.00 $904 —
385 385 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,126 +22.50
405–417 413 3 283.00–287.00 $284.31 $1,174 +0.31
470–495 476 6 275.00–289.00 $285.08 $1,357 +4.58
517 517 3 266.00 $266.00 $1,375 +0.33
635 635 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,505 —
650–675 663 3 222.50–239.00 $230.43 $1,528 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
506 506 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,194 —
592 592 2 228.00 $228.00 $1,350 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1240 1158 80-85% 3 116.00–121.00 $118.89 $1,377 -7.96
1055–1390 1211 80-85% 20 123.00–136.00 $128.87 $1,561 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–880 875 85-90% 2 81.00–84.00 $82.49 $722 —
935–955 945 85-90% 2 92.00–100.00 $95.96 $907 —
970–1070 1010 85-90% 3 104.00–115.00 $107.88 $1,090 —
945–1140 1062 85-90% 3 116.00–125.00 $121.98 $1,295 +2.00
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400–1530 1481 75-80% 5 125.00–140.00 $130.73 $1,936 +0.24

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1985 1564 5 136.00–140.00 $138.99 $2,174 —
1715–1755 1737 3 152.00–159.00 $155.00 $2,692 -1.58

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
815 815 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
925 925 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,030.00 $1,030.00
990–1315 1160 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,260.00–1,440.00 $1,348.28
1195 1195 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,485.00 $1,485.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985 985 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00

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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.