Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 22, 2026

418 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $425.12/cwt -15.79 vs last sale · ≈ $2,202/hd at 518 lb · 15 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $407.81/cwt -23.03 vs last sale · ≈ $2,740/hd at 672 lb · 15 head
light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $405.93/cwt -19.92 vs last sale · ≈ $2,135/hd at 526 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 418 588 382
Feeder cattle 343 441 334
Slaughter cattle 50 45 44
Replacement cattle 25 102 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold 4.00 to 6.00 lower. Several bawling, fleshy calves in todays sale. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower with slaughter bulls 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
295 295 2 565.00–575.00 $570.00 $1,682 -55.00
320 320 1 555.00 $555.00 $1,776 -45.12
355–360 356 4 542.50–565.00 $559.32 $1,991 -30.85
417–435 423 3 527.50–540.00 $531.78 $2,249 -23.40
450–470 457 3 512.50–520.00 $517.43 $2,365 -21.97
503–545 522 6 480.00–500.00 $493.13 $2,574 +7.36
565 565 1 470.00 $470.00 $2,656 -7.53
600–622 611 7 400.00–420.00 $410.61 $2,509 -18.80
650–697 672 15 400.00–425.00 $407.81 $2,740 -23.03
700 value added 700 1 395.00 $395.00 $2,765 —
760 760 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,736 —
825 825 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,640 -19.94
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422–440 433 5 510.00–515.00 $511.95 $2,217 -20.12
470 470 1 467.50 $467.50 $2,197 -32.50
545 545 2 432.50 $432.50 $2,357 -25.07
578–585 580 4 437.50–447.50 $444.98 $2,581 -12.47
642 642 2 372.50 $372.50 $2,391 —
755 755 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,642 +1.99
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
612–637 625 4 377.50–387.50 $382.60 $2,391 —
650–698 683 6 366.00–385.00 $369.28 $2,522 -25.72
700 700 1 362.50 $362.50 $2,538 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282–287 285 4 540.00–550.00 $544.96 $1,553 +4.96
320–335 328 2 530.00–540.00 $534.89 $1,754 +26.90
355–392 377 6 492.50–517.50 $501.23 $1,890 -17.03
410–440 427 6 447.50–467.50 $455.77 $1,946 -26.09
450–480 461 11 450.00–462.50 $452.47 $2,086 -23.29
502–545 518 15 420.00–435.00 $425.12 $2,202 -7.92
550–578 571 9 415.00–420.00 $416.63 $2,379 -19.69
610 value added 610 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,440 —
605–631 624 6 377.50–387.50 $383.38 $2,392 -4.04
715–725 722 6 327.50 $327.50 $2,365 —
820 820 1 297.50 $297.50 $2,440 —
935 935 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,524 —
990 990 2 247.50 $247.50 $2,450 —
1040 1040 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,548 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,350 —
315–340 327 3 490.00–502.50 $497.61 $1,627 —
375 375 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,800 -16.62
415–445 429 4 430.00–440.00 $436.79 $1,874 -32.42
455–495 484 10 415.00–437.50 $429.24 $2,078 -22.34
500–545 526 12 397.50–417.50 $405.93 $2,135 -19.92
550–591 581 5 382.50–397.50 $389.92 $2,265 -26.16
610 610 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,135 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–375 365 2 455.00–460.00 $457.43 $1,670 +6.33
485 485 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,940 -35.00
530 530 1 385.00 $385.00 $2,040 +5.00
580–590 585 2 340.00–350.00 $345.04 $2,018 -42.46
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 1 347.50 $347.50 $2,207 —
665 665 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,161 -30.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–270 268 3 575.00–580.00 $578.32 $1,550 —
335 335 2 560.00–580.00 $570.00 $1,910 -30.00
355 fancy 355 1 590.00 $590.00 $2,094 —
350–380 368 6 550.00–570.00 $559.61 $2,059 +4.60
405–420 413 2 507.50–512.50 $509.95 $2,106 -13.40
460–465 463 2 492.50–502.50 $497.47 $2,303 -36.94
502–515 505 7 462.50–472.50 $468.89 $2,368 -21.94
550–578 569 7 442.50–460.00 $452.18 $2,573 +1.74
600 600 5 397.50–410.00 $403.00 $2,418 —
660–697 692 8 372.50–385.00 $373.99 $2,588 —
702–735 712 4 350.00–355.00 $352.46 $2,510 -15.04
815 815 1 312.50 $312.50 $2,547 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 3 555.00 $555.00 $1,543 —
310 310 1 550.00 $550.00 $1,705 +10.07
355–367 362 4 517.50–530.00 $525.70 $1,903 —
411–430 416 4 485.00–500.00 $496.12 $2,064 —
455–480 468 4 457.50–475.00 $463.60 $2,170 -51.40
500–547 524 6 430.00–452.50 $440.99 $2,311 -10.69
555–593 586 10 395.00–427.50 $409.22 $2,398 -6.65
655–697 681 4 350.00–367.50 $358.05 $2,438 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,525 —
470 470 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,021 —
525 525 1 415.00 $415.00 $2,179 —
575–585 580 2 372.50–387.50 $379.94 $2,204 -7.56
772 772 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,470 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 540.00 $540.00 $1,890 —
590 590 1 387.50 $387.50 $2,286 —
705 705 1 347.50 $347.50 $2,450 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,084 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855–1000 937 85-90% 3 149.00–156.00 $151.81 $1,422 —
970 970 85-90% 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,057 —
795–1155 1010 85-90% 3 138.00–140.00 $139.24 $1,406 -22.36
935–1240 1108 85-90% 8 160.00–168.00 $163.78 $1,815 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1310 1188 80-85% 5 180.00–187.00 $183.68 $2,182 +7.32
1220 1220 80-85% 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,952 —
1115–1400 1288 80-85% 5 172.00–179.00 $176.30 $2,271 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320 1320 75-80% 1 160.00 $160.00 $2,112 —
1305–1630 1436 75-80% 4 171.00–178.00 $175.03 $2,513 -12.01
1410–1560 1488 75-80% 4 180.00–186.00 $182.76 $2,719 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410–1610 1495 4 188.00–198.00 $193.87 $2,898 —
1515–1885 1745 3 211.00–215.00 $213.14 $3,719 —
1755–1800 1778 2 221.00–234.00 $227.58 $4,046 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,225.00 $3,225.00
1110–1140 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,025.00–3,075.00 $3,050.33
1125 1125 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1165–1180 1173 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,200.00–2,450.00 $2,324.20
1295–1320 1308 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,875.00–2,950.00 $2,912.14

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990 990 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00

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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
1045–1095 1070 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 2,250.00 $2,250.00 -750.00
1195 1195 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,025.00 $3,025.00 -286.87
1225–1285 1255 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 3,000.00–3,125.00 $3,061.01 -344.47

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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.