Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 4, 2024

563 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 $256.10/cwt +5.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,577/hd at 616 lb · 51 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $268.07/cwt -6.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,703/hd at 635 lb · 32 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $318.95/cwt +22.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,684/hd at 528 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 563 565 1,119
Feeder cattle 411 513 1,039
Slaughter cattle 126 45 64
Replacement cattle 26 7 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

No trend due to being closed for the thanksgiving holiday last week, however feeder calves were noticeably higher. Good demand for all feeder and slaughter classes.

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
245 245 1 345.00 $345.00 $845 —
285 285 1 350.00 $350.00 $998 —
300 fancy 300 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,155 +42.38
325–347 340 3 330.00–365.00 $353.84 $1,203 +43.84
350–365 fancy 358 2 390.00–395.00 $392.55 $1,405 +57.55
350–385 368 2 360.00–367.50 $363.57 $1,338 —
422 value added 422 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,519 +17.50
405–445 424 10 320.00–345.00 $329.91 $1,399 +10.94
490–495 492 7 322.50–335.00 $329.27 $1,620 +21.77
500–535 value added 520 8 327.50–340.00 $331.82 $1,725 +19.64
500–549 532 15 305.00–317.50 $312.09 $1,660 +25.37
556–560 557 7 300.00–315.00 $312.84 $1,743 +35.20
610–645 631 22 257.00–272.50 $263.10 $1,660 -11.07
645 value added 645 10 279.00 $279.00 $1,800 —
650–680 668 9 260.00–267.50 $263.36 $1,759 +2.74
700–739 732 8 242.50–252.00 $245.18 $1,795 +0.31
757–792 775 4 239.00–240.00 $239.51 $1,856 —
927 927 2 227.50 $227.50 $2,109 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,260 +15.00
475–485 480 2 300.00–307.50 $303.71 $1,458 +33.71
535 535 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,525 —
615 615 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,414 -15.04
650–675 669 4 230.00–245.00 $241.36 $1,615 +0.99
745 745 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,695 +5.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
572 572 2 242.50 $242.50 $1,387 —
735 735 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,635 +7.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
547 547 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,395 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 280.00 $280.00 $630 +30.00
235 fancy 235 1 310.00 $310.00 $728 —
260 fancy 260 1 312.50 $312.50 $812 —
335 fancy 335 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,131 +47.50
345 345 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,035 +47.50
372 fancy 372 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,209 +35.00
365–380 373 2 285.00–305.00 $294.80 $1,100 +25.00
405–446 value added 430 9 302.50–317.50 $312.99 $1,346 +25.49
405–447 436 5 285.00–297.50 $292.65 $1,276 +30.02
455–490 value added 468 14 290.00–305.00 $296.64 $1,388 +19.14
460–495 471 7 270.00–287.50 $278.63 $1,312 +15.71
501–505 value added 502 4 295.00–300.00 $296.26 $1,487 —
500–547 535 15 270.00–280.00 $273.43 $1,463 +28.53
552–565 value added 560 9 267.50–277.50 $269.97 $1,512 +17.47
555–595 572 9 247.50–260.00 $254.86 $1,458 +14.45
605–615 value added 609 25 260.00–264.00 $261.78 $1,594 +10.40
604–630 622 26 240.00–254.00 $250.63 $1,559 +10.63
655–695 671 16 230.00–245.00 $240.81 $1,616 —
701–725 712 15 217.50–230.00 $225.31 $1,604 +30.31
760 760 2 218.00 $218.00 $1,657 +19.56
880 880 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,628 -6.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,070 +34.06
467–490 480 6 260.00–265.00 $262.04 $1,258 +17.04
525 525 3 247.50 $247.50 $1,299 +14.58
585–595 590 2 230.00–242.50 $236.20 $1,394 +18.09
620 620 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,364 —
745 745 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,397 +7.50
781 781 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,484 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–415 413 2 222.50–232.50 $227.53 $940 +15.03
470 470 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,034 +10.00
555–593 584 4 215.00–225.00 $217.38 $1,269 —
627 627 2 197.50 $197.50 $1,238 —
680 680 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,309 —
745 745 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,341 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,448 —
890 890 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,798 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 330.00 $330.00 $825 —
250 fancy 250 1 360.00 $360.00 $900 —
395 395 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,353 —
410–425 417 3 290.00–310.00 $298.22 $1,244 +10.72
447 fancy 447 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,453 +10.00
475–497 490 3 302.50–317.50 $312.65 $1,532 +22.76
500–512 508 3 295.00–300.00 $298.36 $1,516 —
558–580 567 6 250.00–277.50 $271.21 $1,538 +12.67
630 630 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,512 +3.41
670 670 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,541 +5.00
710–725 718 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,580 +13.00
755–780 768 3 210.00–220.00 $214.95 $1,651 —
875 875 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,750 —
900 900 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,710 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
593 593 3 237.50 $237.50 $1,408 -5.54

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1020 954 85-90% 4 74.00–91.00 $84.67 $808 —
980–1175 1053 85-90% 3 120.00–121.00 $120.37 $1,267 +21.05
995–1360 1108 85-90% 10 108.00–115.00 $111.07 $1,231 —
935–1375 1127 85-90% 27 92.00–103.00 $95.45 $1,076 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1340 1265 80-85% 14 120.00–130.00 $123.33 $1,560 +16.86
1130–1570 1283 80-85% 15 110.00–119.00 $115.60 $1,483 +9.13
1220–1465 1329 80-85% 4 104.00–108.00 $106.64 $1,417 -9.59
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1715 1480 75-80% 18 110.00–119.00 $113.59 $1,681 —
1485 1485 75-80% 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,619 —
1350–1655 1513 75-80% 7 121.00–130.00 $123.31 $1,866 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–2010 1524 5 130.00–136.00 $133.00 $2,027 —
1515–1810 1634 7 138.00–147.00 $142.21 $2,324 —
1730–1775 1753 2 151.00–160.00 $155.56 $2,727 +14.14

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
1190 1190 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00
950–1475 1242 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,635.00 $1,433.99
1260 1260 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1345 1345 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860–900 880 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,625.00–1,650.00 $1,637.78
895 895 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00
915 915 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00

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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
1300 1300 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00 —
1255–1360 1308 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 1,380.00–1,575.00 $1,473.59 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 215.00 $215.00 $774 —
455 455 1 210.00 $210.00 $956 —
540 540 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,080 —

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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.