Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 15, 2026

588 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $485.23/cwt +17.24 vs last sale · ≈ $2,723/hd at 561 lb · 35 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $539.40/cwt +16.34 vs last sale · ≈ $2,573/hd at 477 lb · 33 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $488.42/cwt -37.83 vs last sale · ≈ $2,584/hd at 529 lb · 26 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 588 696 445
Feeder cattle 441 613 390
Slaughter cattle 45 63 50
Replacement cattle 102 20 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower with slaughter bulls steady to 2.00 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
230 230 1 650.00 $650.00 $1,495 —
277 277 2 625.00 $625.00 $1,731 -3.39
310 fancy 310 1 655.00 $655.00 $2,030 —
315–345 337 6 590.00–602.50 $600.12 $2,022 +35.12
360–387 375 10 572.50–605.00 $590.17 $2,213 +14.06
376 fancy 376 3 620.00 $620.00 $2,331 -5.00
400–422 415 3 545.00–560.00 $555.18 $2,304 -9.21
405–426 value added 420 7 575.00–585.00 $578.90 $2,431 -8.60
465–488 477 33 525.00–547.50 $539.40 $2,573 +16.34
505–530 value added 518 2 510.00–530.00 $520.24 $2,695 -15.61
500–545 530 24 470.00–500.00 $485.77 $2,575 -23.21
552 value added 552 12 500.00 $500.00 $2,760 +2.50
550–595 566 23 467.50–487.50 $477.53 $2,703 +14.90
610–631 623 5 425.00–437.50 $429.41 $2,675 -7.68
652–660 656 6 427.50–435.00 $430.84 $2,826 +17.83
735 735 2 397.50 $397.50 $2,922 +16.35
820–840 830 2 335.00–345.00 $339.94 $2,822 -1.74
830 value added 830 4 360.00 $360.00 $2,988 +4.93
930 930 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,883 -20.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
341 341 4 552.50 $552.50 $1,884 —
375 375 4 567.50 $567.50 $2,128 —
400–443 432 10 520.00–537.50 $532.07 $2,299 +1.20
455 455 1 500.00 $500.00 $2,275 —
520–530 525 2 450.00–465.00 $457.57 $2,402 —
556–570 560 4 450.00–460.00 $457.45 $2,562 +9.95
665–675 670 2 395.00–405.00 $399.96 $2,680 -5.04
785–790 788 2 346.00–350.00 $348.01 $2,742 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390–397 392 8 510.00–530.00 $524.93 $2,058 —
480–492 486 4 480.00–492.50 $486.33 $2,364 —
545 545 1 427.50 $427.50 $2,330 —
590 590 2 422.50–427.50 $425.00 $2,508 —
670 670 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,429 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 517.50 $517.50 $2,225 —
467 467 2 460.00 $460.00 $2,148 —
575 575 1 442.50 $442.50 $2,544 —
665 665 1 395.00 $395.00 $2,627 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 585.00 $585.00 $1,228 +5.17
266 266 3 540.00 $540.00 $1,436 —
320 fancy 320 1 550.00 $550.00 $1,760 —
315–345 332 9 502.50–520.00 $507.99 $1,687 -39.62
355–390 380 9 512.50–535.00 $518.26 $1,969 +7.01
428 value added 428 4 535.00 $535.00 $2,290 +22.50
425–436 433 13 475.00–505.00 $481.86 $2,086 -10.51
460 value added 460 1 515.00 $515.00 $2,369 -6.18
450–475 461 16 470.00–495.00 $475.76 $2,193 -6.24
500–525 value added 517 6 455.00–457.50 $456.65 $2,361 +6.88
500–545 519 12 430.00–439.00 $433.04 $2,247 +6.64
550–562 556 4 430.00–442.50 $436.32 $2,426 +31.31
555–560 value added 557 3 450.00–467.50 $461.63 $2,571 +32.41
600–637 613 12 375.00–395.00 $387.42 $2,375 +28.59
670 670 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,412 -7.30
770–783 779 7 325.00–326.00 $325.72 $2,537 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–392 382 8 487.50–502.50 $496.62 $1,897 +17.21
425–440 430 3 467.50–472.50 $469.21 $2,018 —
450–495 472 5 447.50–460.00 $451.58 $2,131 -6.75
500–507 505 3 422.50–427.50 $425.85 $2,151 +5.85
550–580 565 2 410.00–422.50 $416.08 $2,351 +21.08
655–685 670 2 340.00–345.00 $342.56 $2,295 +2.56
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–385 380 2 440.00–462.50 $451.10 $1,714 -16.40
497 497 2 435.00 $435.00 $2,162 +7.34
540 540 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,052 -10.00
570–575 573 2 387.50 $387.50 $2,220 +72.50
605 605 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,860 +15.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 472.50 $472.50 $2,055 +5.00
655 655 2 355.00 $355.00 $2,325 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 640.00 $640.00 $1,472 -5.00
300 300 2 600.00 $600.00 $1,800 +30.00
360–395 371 6 550.00–570.00 $555.01 $2,059 -5.45
429 fancy 429 5 587.50 $587.50 $2,520 —
425–440 433 3 520.00–530.00 $523.35 $2,266 -35.61
460–466 465 4 525.00–537.50 $534.41 $2,485 -1.93
505–507 506 3 490.00–492.50 $490.83 $2,484 +4.89
555–572 565 5 445.00–467.50 $450.44 $2,545 +6.08
640 640 3 397.50 $397.50 $2,544 -18.40
655 655 1 402.50 $402.50 $2,636 +36.25
710–720 715 2 367.50 $367.50 $2,628 +8.36
855 855 1 297.50 $297.50 $2,544 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–345 340 2 535.00–545.00 $539.93 $1,836 +19.93
455 455 1 515.00 $515.00 $2,343 +7.66
525–537 533 3 450.00–452.50 $451.68 $2,407 +19.18
590–597 595 3 407.50–420.00 $415.87 $2,474 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,134 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 422.50 $422.50 $1,817 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 387.50 $387.50 $2,306 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 80-85% 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,620 —
1030–1277 1181 80-85% 7 170.00–181.00 $176.36 $2,083 —
1130–1390 1251 80-85% 9 184.00–196.00 $187.59 $2,347 -3.56
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755–945 828 85-90% 3 134.00–140.00 $138.18 $1,144 —
780–1175 1043 85-90% 8 156.00–167.50 $161.60 $1,685 +24.06
960–1160 1058 85-90% 3 148.00–154.00 $150.80 $1,595 -15.33
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–1475 1435 75-80% 7 181.00–190.00 $187.04 $2,684 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1330 1228 2 182.00–194.00 $188.50 $2,315 —
1400–1830 1643 4 209.00–211.00 $210.04 $3,451 —
1950–2035 1993 2 217.00–230.00 $223.36 $4,452 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
880–1070 975 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,475.00–2,000.00 $1,763.08
985 985 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,425.00 $2,425.00
885–1300 1074 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,700.00–3,200.00 $2,283.92
1195–1230 1213 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,500.00–2,950.00 $2,721.75
1055–1470 1263 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,100.00–3,500.00 $3,332.87
1365 1365 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
885 885 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00
890 890 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00
1055 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,750.00 $3,750.00

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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
1076 1076 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 3,000.00 $3,000.00 —
1040–1430 1184 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 8 2,800.00–3,700.00 $3,311.87 —
1105–1390 1223 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 5 2,500.00–3,825.00 $3,124.18 —
1230–1280 1255 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 3,125.00–3,675.00 $3,405.48 —
1280 1280 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,500.00 $4,500.00 —
1222–1415 1297 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 8 3,500.00–3,900.00 $3,729.28 —
1497–1550 1515 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 3,575.00–4,950.00 $4,480.97 —
1515 1515 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,575.00 $4,575.00 —
1627 1627 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 3,900.00 $3,900.00 —
1637 1637 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 5,000.00 $5,000.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
905 905 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,725.00 $2,725.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1120 1120 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 5,075.00 $5,075.00 —

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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.