Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 28, 2024

462 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $257.58/cwt +1.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,814/hd at 704 lb · 37 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $264.75/cwt +19.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,482/hd at 560 lb · 28 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $289.74/cwt -4.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,695/hd at 585 lb · 22 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 462 1,088 1,303
Feeder cattle 371 1,001 1,228
Slaughter cattle 71 78 69
Replacement cattle 20 9 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold unevenly steady on a lighter test due to the extreme heat and health concerns. Fleshy, bawling and off color calves facing big discounts. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 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
357–380 365 3 310.00–315.00 $313.26 $1,143 —
420–435 428 2 275.00–285.00 $280.09 $1,199 -22.94
470–490 477 3 282.50–290.00 $287.43 $1,371 -2.56
565–587 585 22 276.00–291.00 $289.74 $1,695 +6.77
607 value added 607 2 290.00 $290.00 $1,760 +11.88
600–627 619 4 260.00–265.00 $261.86 $1,621 +4.48
695–696 696 5 257.50 $257.50 $1,792 —
702 value added 702 28 264.00 $264.00 $1,853 +7.00
702–745 711 9 230.00–246.00 $237.61 $1,689 -0.14
750–783 767 10 233.00–250.00 $242.25 $1,858 -9.01
810–830 823 3 229.00–230.00 $229.67 $1,890 —
927 927 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,808 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–380 378 2 290.00–295.00 $292.52 $1,106 —
450 450 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,192 —
500–545 529 5 250.00–267.50 $256.35 $1,356 -17.42
575–587 583 8 250.00–270.00 $255.26 $1,488 -14.74
630–640 635 2 231.00–240.00 $235.54 $1,496 -10.46
745–747 746 3 217.50 $217.50 $1,623 —
795 795 2 215.00–220.00 $217.50 $1,729 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530–541 538 4 235.00–240.00 $238.77 $1,285 —
570 570 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,425 —
650 650 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,534 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,151 —
595 595 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,339 —
620 620 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,302 -20.00
665 665 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,396 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,183 —

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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 2 257.50 $257.50 $855 —
350–385 365 7 250.00–277.50 $257.47 $940 -3.68
415–430 422 5 252.50–260.00 $258.52 $1,091 -2.86
450–467 460 7 250.00–255.00 $251.42 $1,157 -11.62
474 value added 474 13 289.00 $289.00 $1,370 +6.50
500–545 513 14 245.00–260.00 $252.25 $1,294 +9.22
553 value added 553 22 271.00 $271.00 $1,499 +11.00
560–595 585 6 237.00–252.50 $241.81 $1,415 +1.38
605–645 622 5 224.00–233.00 $229.58 $1,428 -3.88
685 685 2 224.00 $224.00 $1,534 -9.00
710–715 713 3 191.00–203.00 $197.65 $1,409 -8.35
760–770 765 2 192.50–202.00 $197.28 $1,509 +4.28
830 830 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,569 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413–425 417 6 240.00–246.00 $243.96 $1,017 +2.07
450–480 463 4 232.50–240.00 $238.18 $1,103 -1.39
555–597 582 4 216.00–226.00 $223.10 $1,298 -3.52
625 625 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,375 +4.11
665–697 683 7 203.00–217.00 $210.54 $1,438 +1.25
730 730 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,350 —
950 950 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,615 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–370 368 2 240.00 $240.00 $883 —
452–455 453 3 230.00–247.50 $241.64 $1,095 —
537 537 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,249 —
560–582 576 4 225.00–231.00 $228.52 $1,316 —
745 745 2 193.00 $193.00 $1,438 —
825–835 830 2 185.00–186.00 $185.50 $1,540 —

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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 1 280.00 $280.00 $812 —
405 405 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,134 -6.68
455 455 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,308 +7.80
560–570 565 2 265.00–270.00 $267.52 $1,511 +4.62
605–625 611 4 230.00–237.50 $234.96 $1,436 +3.38
650–670 661 5 222.50–232.50 $224.83 $1,486 -3.41
815 815 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,728 +24.45
865 865 2 175.00–181.00 $178.00 $1,540 —
990 990 2 177.00 $177.00 $1,752 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,261 -9.59
500–525 508 3 245.00–250.00 $248.28 $1,261 -11.65
577 577 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,437 -11.00
660 660 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,373 +8.00
710 710 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,349 —
770–775 773 2 198.00–200.00 $199.00 $1,538 +12.00
820 820 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,558 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 200.00 $200.00 $830 -45.00
530 530 7 235.00–237.00 $236.71 $1,255 —
575 575 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,322 +2.51
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,037 —
445 445 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,157 —
450 450 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,215 —
640 640 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,488 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
587 587 2 207.50 $207.50 $1,218 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
675 675 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,384 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 85-90% 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,065 -32.14
925–1305 1110 85-90% 11 120.00–128.00 $123.68 $1,373 —
930–1295 1110 85-90% 7 109.00–119.00 $114.79 $1,274 —
1035–1170 1118 85-90% 3 129.00–135.00 $131.19 $1,467 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1675 1524 75-80% 11 134.00–141.00 $138.24 $2,107 —
1320–2040 1583 75-80% 5 125.00–133.00 $129.03 $2,043 —
1495–1780 1639 75-80% 4 146.00–150.00 $147.51 $2,418 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220 1220 80-85% 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,830 +10.97
1170–1475 1263 80-85% 6 135.00–144.00 $138.34 $1,747 -10.54
1310 1310 80-85% 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,690 +1.58

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–2020 1565 2 142.00–152.00 $148.45 $2,323 —
1445–1930 1736 10 157.00–164.00 $161.25 $2,799 —
2150–2205 2178 2 170.00–175.00 $172.53 $3,758 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00

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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 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —
1250 1250 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,225.00 $2,225.00 —
1340–1365 1353 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,625.00 $2,625.00 —
1370 1370 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,575.00 $2,575.00 —
1415 1415 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,025.00 $3,025.00 +1,145.00
1430–1525 1478 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,425.00–2,575.00 $2,502.41 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
820 820 (<2 yrs)Open 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —

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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.