Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report, Albany, KY

Albany, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 21, 2026

675 head sold ·Official USDA report

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $365.22/cwt -9.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,877/hd at 514 lb · 49 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $353.13/cwt -8.51 vs last sale · ≈ $2,391/hd at 677 lb · 36 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $352.36/cwt -0.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,546/hd at 723 lb · 33 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 675 904 637
Feeder cattle 556 834 528
Slaughter cattle 55 31 96
Replacement cattle 64 39 13

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher with some instances of sharply higher under 500lbs. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 lower. No trend on slaughter bulls due to low comparable receipts.

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
215 215 1 610.00 $610.00 $1,312 —
252–255 253 3 550.00–580.00 $569.92 $1,442 -5.08
357–380 371 5 547.50–555.00 $552.11 $2,048 +55.92
400 value added 400 1 510.00 $510.00 $2,040 +45.00
420–427 425 3 460.00–470.00 $466.70 $1,983 +36.70
492 492 2 410.00 $410.00 $2,017 -32.53
525–530 528 2 397.50–407.50 $402.48 $2,125 +20.81
500–546 value added 532 11 420.00–430.00 $426.60 $2,270 +16.60
555–570 value added 565 14 410.00–427.50 $416.14 $2,351 +3.64
561–581 572 9 380.00–400.00 $391.28 $2,238 +16.03
613–622 value added 616 12 390.00–392.50 $391.66 $2,413 +9.16
603–640 623 7 362.50–380.00 $370.55 $2,309 -8.63
660–685 675 28 340.00–357.50 $350.99 $2,369 -6.38
665–693 value added 684 8 360.00–362.50 $360.61 $2,467 -18.09
708 value added 708 13 362.00 $362.00 $2,563 +9.05
720–738 732 20 335.00–352.50 $346.09 $2,533 —
802 value added 802 7 343.00 $343.00 $2,751 —
840 840 2 327.50 $327.50 $2,751 —
867 867 5 321.00 $321.00 $2,783 —
957 957 2 307.50 $307.50 $2,943 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 425.00 $425.00 $1,445 —
370 370 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,813 +50.00
437 437 2 445.00 $445.00 $1,945 —
485 485 1 407.50 $407.50 $1,976 —
532–540 533 11 370.00–379.00 $378.17 $2,016 +8.17
595 595 2 375.00 $375.00 $2,231 +7.50
695 695 2 337.50 $337.50 $2,346 +20.00
710 710 2 307.50 $307.50 $2,183 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
471 471 4 407.50 $407.50 $1,919 —
545 545 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,044 —
555 555 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,054 —
630 630 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,048 —
667 667 2 330.00 $330.00 $2,201 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 362.50 $362.50 $1,704 —
525–540 533 2 342.50 $342.50 $1,826 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–295 275 3 460.00–475.00 $464.55 $1,278 —
343–347 345 5 417.50–425.00 $420.52 $1,451 +2.14
350–390 377 3 425.00 $425.00 $1,602 +30.53
403–444 428 12 399.00–427.50 $405.52 $1,736 +4.66
450–462 460 20 382.50–402.50 $389.06 $1,790 +22.04
500–535 511 42 350.00–367.50 $361.22 $1,846 -11.18
521–538 value added 531 7 385.00–395.00 $389.21 $2,067 +1.71
557–580 565 6 355.00–375.00 $368.15 $2,080 +28.78
600–604 value added 602 9 352.50–360.00 $355.82 $2,142 +13.35
602–616 613 11 325.00–330.00 $329.11 $2,017 +3.73
690–693 692 7 317.50–337.50 $331.80 $2,296 +7.45
700–745 714 4 277.50–290.00 $286.12 $2,043 —
716 value added 716 13 315.00 $315.00 $2,255 —
865 865 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,487 —
900 900 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,632 —
990 990 1 273.00 $273.00 $2,703 —
1037 1037 2 250.00 $250.00 $2,592 —
1115 1115 1 242.50 $242.50 $2,704 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–295 283 4 410.00–430.00 $420.31 $1,189 —
335–340 338 2 395.00–400.00 $397.48 $1,343 —
395 395 2 397.50 $397.50 $1,570 —
400–440 415 3 380.00–392.50 $386.48 $1,604 -5.72
450–475 464 5 357.50–367.50 $363.00 $1,684 -22.40
510–543 524 11 330.00–345.00 $339.39 $1,778 +0.99
565–581 577 5 317.50–330.00 $326.04 $1,881 +9.74
630 630 1 317.50 $317.50 $2,000 +12.58
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 2 352.50 $352.50 $1,558 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 367.50 $367.50 $1,470 +12.50
455 455 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,513 +12.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,200 +30.00
260 260 1 550.00 $550.00 $1,430 —
350 350 1 507.50 $507.50 $1,776 +79.41
420 fancy 420 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,974 —
420–445 435 7 417.50–442.50 $423.12 $1,841 -33.52
461–495 470 4 415.00–420.00 $418.68 $1,968 -41.32
500–537 521 7 372.50–392.50 $383.11 $1,996 -3.94
550–580 570 9 352.50–362.50 $356.38 $2,031 -23.71
600–615 608 2 317.50–337.50 $327.38 $1,990 +3.61
657–675 663 3 307.50–310.00 $309.15 $2,050 +3.03
700–745 720 3 292.50–312.50 $303.98 $2,189 +3.07
760 760 2 285.00–290.00 $287.50 $2,185 -2.50
805–840 823 2 280.00–290.00 $284.89 $2,345 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,771 -20.00
470 470 1 382.50 $382.50 $1,798 -9.50
500–545 520 3 352.50–367.50 $361.04 $1,877 —
595 595 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,949 —
626–645 632 5 297.50–307.50 $304.47 $1,924 -10.53
700 700 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,995 -5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,372 +80.00
420 420 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,376 —
475 475 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,805 +27.86
500–515 508 2 322.50–330.00 $326.19 $1,657 -0.47
560 560 1 312.50 $312.50 $1,750 -12.37
630 630 2 282.50 $282.50 $1,780 -2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,934 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,840 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1025 931 85-90% 7 80.00–95.00 $84.74 $789 —
950–1390 1206 85-90% 11 100.00–111.00 $105.49 $1,272 —
1020–1345 1207 85-90% 11 115.00–126.00 $119.84 $1,446 —
1090–1380 1235 85-90% 2 133.00 $133.00 $1,643 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1550 1373 80-85% 8 119.00–133.00 $127.48 $1,750 —
1450–1530 1490 80-85% 2 140.00–146.00 $143.08 $2,132 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265 1265 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,961 —
1590 1590 1 185.00 $185.00 $2,942 —
2165 2165 1 190.00 $190.00 $4,114 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
735–1110 887 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,900.00–2,450.00 $2,191.32

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00
895–1215 1055 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,500.00–3,275.00 $2,946.27
1070–1190 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,875.00–3,500.00 $3,170.91
960–1355 1141 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,725.00–3,850.00 $3,354.65
1160 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,700.00 $3,700.00
960–1560 1267 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 14 2,250.00–3,575.00 $2,779.45
1180–1570 1375 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,150.00–2,200.00 $2,178.55
1380 1380 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1195–1660 1382 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,800.00–3,075.00 $2,446.73
1405 1405 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045 1045 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980–1155 1063 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 3,450.00–3,850.00 $3,675.20
1065 1065 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,550.00 $3,550.00

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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
1245–1545 1370 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 3,000.00–3,350.00 $3,128.65 —
1400 1400 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —
1385–1590 1477 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 2,425.00–2,650.00 $2,537.98 —
1550 1550 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,150.00 $4,150.00 —

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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.