Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report, Albany, KY

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 20, 2026

538 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $495.36/cwt ≈ $2,421/hd at 489 lb · 32 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $424.63/cwt +3.27 vs last sale · ≈ $2,221/hd at 523 lb · 30 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $411.55/cwt +4.42 vs last sale · ≈ $2,333/hd at 567 lb · 30 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 538 402 340
Feeder cattle 488 350 250
Slaughter cattle 36 38 74
Replacement cattle 14 14 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600lbs sold mostly steady with feeder steers over 600lbs Steady to 4.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 500lbs sold 6.00 to 8.00 lower with feeder heifers over 500lbs mostly steady. Weaned, preconditioned feeders with favorable body condition still bringing large premiums. Slaughter cows and 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
300–345 323 2 550.00–557.50 $554.01 $1,789 —
360–395 372 11 525.00–545.00 $540.26 $2,010 -9.74
375 fancy 375 2 557.50 $557.50 $2,091 —
415–420 419 8 510.00–525.00 $523.14 $2,192 +0.20
400–445 value added 420 3 532.50–540.00 $535.76 $2,250 —
450 fancy 450 1 520.00 $520.00 $2,340 —
482–493 490 31 492.00–502.50 $494.57 $2,423 —
500–535 516 8 475.00–490.00 $480.59 $2,480 +11.01
555–570 561 6 462.50–475.00 $467.48 $2,623 +5.04
610–628 value added 619 8 442.50–457.50 $446.84 $2,766 -15.54
615–640 632 5 415.00–435.00 $425.44 $2,689 -14.18
650–655 value added 652 3 410.00–417.50 $414.99 $2,706 —
670–687 681 10 382.50–402.50 $388.53 $2,646 -31.47
708–711 value added 709 9 400.00 $400.00 $2,836 -9.00
748 748 3 365.00 $365.00 $2,730 -11.69
782 782 2 368.00 $368.00 $2,878 —
860 860 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,881 +7.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,628 —
450–495 485 9 475.00–487.50 $476.57 $2,311 -14.88
500–545 526 6 452.50–467.50 $459.66 $2,418 —
577 577 4 452.50 $452.50 $2,611 —
620–630 625 2 397.50 $397.50 $2,484 +2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,890 -45.00
485 485 1 470.00 $470.00 $2,280 -10.00
620 620 1 397.50 $397.50 $2,464 —
657 657 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,628 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 442.50 $442.50 $1,947 —
482 482 4 440.00 $440.00 $2,121 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 385.00 $385.00 $2,137 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 570.00 $570.00 $1,368 -40.00
265–295 278 7 520.00–535.00 $525.12 $1,460 -37.24
295 fancy 295 1 550.00 $550.00 $1,622 —
320–335 331 7 517.50–522.50 $518.88 $1,717 -27.33
362–385 375 17 472.50–490.00 $478.24 $1,793 -40.72
400–446 432 20 460.00–477.50 $466.64 $2,016 -26.97
450–470 460 24 450.00–467.50 $457.28 $2,103 -28.72
500–547 523 30 410.00–432.50 $424.63 $2,221 +3.27
550–596 567 30 397.50–425.00 $411.55 $2,333 +17.82
600–615 value added 606 17 400.00–420.00 $413.52 $2,506 +27.18
605–620 613 2 380.00–382.50 $381.27 $2,337 —
676–682 678 5 357.50–362.50 $359.51 $2,437 -5.49
705–715 710 2 332.50–337.50 $335.02 $2,379 +14.92
770 value added 770 1 342.50 $342.50 $2,637 —
780 780 1 327.50 $327.50 $2,554 -7.44
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 502.50 $502.50 $1,231 —
320 320 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,584 -12.50
365 365 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,679 -34.85
427 427 2 440.00 $440.00 $1,879 -22.73
460–488 478 17 422.50–437.50 $430.54 $2,058 -16.15
527 527 2 382.50 $382.50 $2,016 -21.15
552–590 571 7 375.00–390.00 $380.85 $2,175 +5.83
625 625 1 355.00 $355.00 $2,219 -2.50
670–680 675 3 335.00–345.00 $339.98 $2,295 -3.27
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–385 370 2 435.00–437.50 $436.20 $1,614 —
410 410 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,578 —
450 450 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,868 -39.99
505 505 1 412.50 $412.50 $2,083 —
575 575 1 395.00 $395.00 $2,271 ±0.00
625 625 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,125 +2.44
665–690 682 3 320.00–335.00 $324.88 $2,216 -17.62
705 705 1 312.50 $312.50 $2,203 —
755–775 765 2 275.00–290.00 $282.40 $2,160 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,656 —
485–495 487 5 400.00–417.50 $403.56 $1,965 -6.31
535 535 1 357.50 $357.50 $1,913 -28.74
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 4 460.00 $460.00 $2,093 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–245 233 2 600.00–610.00 $604.73 $1,409 +9.73
270 270 2 552.50–560.00 $556.25 $1,502 -56.83
360–380 370 2 530.00–532.50 $531.22 $1,966 -18.83
415–445 435 3 500.00 $500.00 $2,175 -24.38
453–475 456 7 487.50–505.00 $502.40 $2,291 +12.42
500–548 526 9 467.50–487.50 $476.95 $2,509 +24.14
570–575 573 2 427.50–445.00 $436.29 $2,500 +4.85
615 615 1 397.50 $397.50 $2,445 -10.92
665 665 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,527 -0.82
705 705 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,397 -8.63
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 492.50 $492.50 $1,995 -9.94
485 485 1 462.50 $462.50 $2,243 +2.46
505–520 513 2 452.50–457.50 $455.04 $2,334 +21.52
595 595 1 417.50 $417.50 $2,484 +5.99
775 775 1 332.50 $332.50 $2,577 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,968 —
465 465 1 452.50 $452.50 $2,104 —
500 500 1 450.00 $450.00 $2,250 —
560 560 2 427.50 $427.50 $2,394 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 462.50 $462.50 $1,804 -7.50
425 425 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,828 —
485 485 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,086 +15.00
575 575 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,300 +14.92
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,978 —
525 525 1 427.50 $427.50 $2,244 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,680 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,744 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1225 1110 85-90% 3 124.00–135.00 $127.72 $1,418 -25.90
960–1315 1118 85-90% 4 140.00–146.00 $142.38 $1,592 -11.24
1115–1240 1178 85-90% 2 175.00–184.00 $179.74 $2,117 +14.55
1030–1330 1180 85-90% 2 156.00–160.00 $157.75 $1,861 -7.44
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1210 1140 80-85% 3 183.00–193.00 $188.49 $2,149 —
1140–1340 1240 80-85% 2 174.00–176.00 $174.92 $2,169 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1395–1545 1470 75-80% 2 183.00–186.00 $184.58 $2,713 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1605 1605 1 218.00 $218.00 $3,499 —
1230–2195 1726 4 183.00–208.00 $200.43 $3,459 —
1825–2125 1915 4 231.00–248.00 $237.27 $4,544 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1125–1530 1270 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,800.00–3,425.00 $3,140.06
1350 1350 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00
1390 1390 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,650.00 $3,650.00
1410 1410 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,775.00 $3,775.00

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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
1395 1395 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00 —
1480 1480 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,650.00 $3,650.00 —
1485 1485 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,175.00 $3,175.00 —

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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.