Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 4, 2024

1,086 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 $244.16/cwt +1.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,907/hd at 781 lb · 133 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $244.31/cwt +14.64 vs last sale · ≈ $2,028/hd at 830 lb · 125 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $244.95/cwt +15.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,499/hd at 612 lb · 91 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,086 462 935
Feeder cattle 1,011 371 860
Slaughter cattle 58 71 66
Replacement cattle 17 20 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold steady to 5.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 600lbs sold unevenly steady with feeder heifers over 600lbs 5.00 higher. Feeder calves preconditioned with shots and favorable body condition still bringing premiums. Good quality offering of feeders in todays sale. Bawling, fleshly and off colored calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower.

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
350–395 374 5 305.00–320.00 $313.13 $1,171 -0.13
410–420 416 4 290.00–305.00 $298.80 $1,243 +18.71
430 value added 430 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,419 —
457–475 466 8 290.00–307.00 $303.11 $1,412 +15.68
478 value added 478 3 322.50 $322.50 $1,542 —
500–522 509 6 280.00–287.50 $282.94 $1,440 —
523–545 value added 527 15 307.50–309.00 $308.69 $1,627 —
558–566 value added 563 8 305.00–312.50 $307.79 $1,733 —
555–576 569 38 285.00–295.00 $290.97 $1,656 +1.23
600–637 619 20 275.00–290.00 $284.26 $1,760 +22.40
666 value added 666 11 288.00 $288.00 $1,918 —
660–697 690 36 267.00–285.00 $270.35 $1,865 +12.85
703–718 value added 713 32 264.00–269.00 $265.87 $1,896 +1.87
705–745 718 5 240.00–247.50 $242.18 $1,739 +4.57
768–780 value added 777 93 246.00–248.25 $247.68 $1,924 —
750–796 790 40 234.50–245.00 $235.98 $1,864 -6.27
823–837 value added 830 125 243.80–244.90 $244.31 $2,028 —
890 890 6 219.00 $219.00 $1,949 —
910 910 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,866 +10.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,314 +17.50
530–547 538 6 257.50–270.00 $265.88 $1,430 +9.53
665–695 685 3 230.00–244.00 $239.47 $1,640 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,592 +17.50
697 697 2 237.50 $237.50 $1,655 —
930 930 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,841 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
692 692 2 221.00 $221.00 $1,529 +11.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 2 272.50 $272.50 $586 —
255 255 1 262.50 $262.50 $669 —
317–330 321 3 252.50–265.00 $256.78 $824 -0.72
371–388 381 8 242.50–252.50 $249.39 $950 -8.08
415–435 427 6 250.00–267.50 $259.73 $1,109 +1.21
461–476 value added 469 9 275.00–277.50 $276.09 $1,295 -12.91
450–487 472 15 245.00–257.50 $254.83 $1,203 +3.41
511–547 523 27 245.00–257.50 $251.75 $1,317 -0.50
545 value added 545 4 263.00 $263.00 $1,433 —
550–585 553 18 237.50–250.00 $246.88 $1,365 +5.07
610–611 value added 611 70 243.00–250.00 $247.00 $1,509 —
605–645 615 21 232.50–242.50 $238.12 $1,464 +8.54
656–670 661 29 231.00–236.00 $234.04 $1,547 +10.04
709 709 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,482 +11.35
713–726 value added 718 25 222.00–230.00 $224.91 $1,615 —
785–794 value added 793 16 225.50–231.00 $225.84 $1,791 —
813–830 816 5 207.50–212.00 $211.09 $1,722 +22.09
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 232.50 $232.50 $698 —
372 372 2 232.50 $232.50 $865 —
415–445 432 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,037 -3.96
455–490 473 7 230.00–240.00 $236.04 $1,116 -2.14
510–545 522 5 237.50–242.50 $239.03 $1,248 —
582 582 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,339 +6.90
600–645 626 5 210.00–225.00 $220.50 $1,380 +0.50
660 660 3 222.50 $222.50 $1,468 +11.96
815 815 2 188.00 $188.00 $1,532 —
890 890 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,646 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–410 408 2 222.50–232.50 $227.53 $928 —
480–490 485 2 212.50–230.00 $221.16 $1,073 —
540 540 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,228 —
615–640 628 2 183.00–193.00 $187.90 $1,180 —
650–670 660 2 181.00–186.00 $183.46 $1,211 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 242.50 $242.50 $934 +2.50
525–540 530 3 210.00–220.00 $216.60 $1,148 -15.90
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
662 662 2 212.50 $212.50 $1,407 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,014 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–325 313 2 310.00–332.50 $321.70 $1,007 —
355–378 373 6 305.00–317.50 $314.24 $1,172 —
400–448 435 12 285.00–295.00 $290.02 $1,262 +10.02
480–490 485 3 275.00–290.00 $279.95 $1,358 -7.55
503–525 512 7 245.00–250.00 $249.27 $1,276 —
557 557 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,420 -12.52
605–630 615 5 222.50–235.00 $230.48 $1,417 -4.48
710–735 722 3 200.00–212.50 $205.85 $1,486 —
755 755 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,453 —
865 865 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,600 +7.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,165 —
445 445 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,213 —
465–470 468 2 265.00–270.00 $267.49 $1,252 +7.49
535–540 537 4 222.50–232.50 $226.26 $1,215 -22.02
550 550 4 221.00–232.50 $226.75 $1,247 -22.25
740 740 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,436 +4.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,348 -15.00
690 690 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,421 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,140 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1280 1035 85-90% 14 108.00–119.00 $113.96 $1,179 —
1065–1200 1110 85-90% 5 129.00–134.00 $131.77 $1,463 +8.09
990–1360 1167 85-90% 6 121.00–126.00 $123.65 $1,443 —
1170 1170 85-90% 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,217 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1380 1292 80-85% 5 135.00–138.00 $136.18 $1,759 -2.16
1170–1455 1311 80-85% 6 121.00–131.00 $128.01 $1,678 -0.99
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415–1465 1435 75-80% 4 134.00–136.00 $134.75 $1,934 —
1455–1825 1609 75-80% 4 123.00–131.00 $127.26 $2,048 -20.25

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1720 1720 1 168.00 $168.00 $2,890 +6.75
1580–1910 1776 5 153.00–166.00 $159.08 $2,825 —
1935–2230 2083 2 140.00–151.00 $145.11 $3,023 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845–1135 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,300.00–2,100.00 $1,850.77
1015–1040 1028 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,220.00–1,875.00 $1,551.48
1085 1085 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
1255 1255 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00
1565 1565 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010 1010 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00

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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
1265 1265 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00 -175.00

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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.