Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 1, 2021

977 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $149.93/cwt +0.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,237/hd at 825 lb · 130 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $142.07/cwt +22.93 vs last sale · ≈ $913/hd at 643 lb · 85 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $138.90/cwt -6.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,254/hd at 903 lb · 58 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 977 884 1,007
Feeder cattle 872 824 887
Slaughter cattle 99 40 110
Replacement cattle 6 20 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week non-weaned, no shot feeder steers sharply lower, weaned feeder steers sold 2.00-4.00 lower; Yearling steers sold steady with moderate demand, non-weaned, no shot feeder heifers sold sharply lower; weaned feeder heifers sold 1.00-2.00 lower with moderate demand. Slaughter cows sold steady-2.00 lower, Slaughter bulls sold steady-2.00 lower. There was moderate demand for weaned feeder cattle, low demand for non-weaned cattle with moderate offerings and good buyer activity this week. Buyers showed good interest in yearling steer cattle and cattle with favorable condition.

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
410–445 419 4 151.00–157.00 $155.41 $651 -11.45
425 value added 425 1 175.00 $175.00 $744 -2.55
450–492 477 14 140.00–168.00 $159.79 $762 -1.93
510–547 537 16 132.00–150.00 $141.77 $761 -15.49
555–585 564 20 136.00–154.00 $146.89 $828 -7.98
600–640 625 9 130.00–140.00 $134.89 $843 -4.93
662–697 681 5 132.00–140.00 $134.78 $918 -2.43
715–740 728 2 134.00–140.00 $137.05 $998 —
762 762 2 130.00 $130.00 $991 +5.00
803–849 value added 825 129 148.60–151.60 $150.06 $1,238 -0.94
830 830 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,104 +2.99
898 898 8 134.25 $134.25 $1,206 —
903 value added 903 58 138.90 $138.90 $1,254 —
970 value added 970 54 144.70 $144.70 $1,404 —
1001 value added 1001 43 134.85 $134.85 $1,350 +0.26
1096 1096 3 118.00 $118.00 $1,293 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 1 123.00 $123.00 $689 +3.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 132.50 $132.50 $371 —
325–340 333 3 122.50–128.00 $124.34 $414 -7.86
355 355 3 130.00–134.00 $132.67 $471 -10.29
420–445 440 10 110.00–123.00 $120.01 $528 -29.01
450–463 460 13 119.00–125.00 $122.45 $563 -21.19
500–532 522 19 115.00–130.00 $123.05 $642 -16.23
565–580 572 10 110.00–129.00 $123.41 $706 -6.29
605–645 621 8 104.00–115.00 $108.10 $671 -11.04
645 value added 645 77 145.60 $145.60 $939 —
650–675 664 8 105.00–114.00 $107.63 $715 -11.57
710–745 722 3 100.00–102.00 $101.31 $731 -23.46
951 951 3 101.00 $101.00 $961 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 100.00 $100.00 $290 -32.50
330–340 335 2 100.00–108.00 $103.94 $348 -18.56
385 385 3 105.00–110.00 $107.33 $413 -14.34
405–445 425 9 85.00–110.00 $100.67 $428 —
450–495 478 7 86.00–108.00 $93.42 $447 —
500–545 527 7 98.00–110.00 $102.28 $539 —
560–585 575 4 77.00–116.00 $102.43 $589 +4.40
615–632 626 3 96.00–101.00 $97.64 $611 -8.36
660 660 2 103.00 $103.00 $680 -0.98
745 745 1 91.00 $91.00 $678 -13.92
750–790 770 2 92.00–97.00 $94.56 $728 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–265 258 4 146.00–150.00 $147.33 $380 +2.33
325–345 333 7 122.50–150.00 $137.70 $459 —
360–381 376 8 120.00–152.50 $146.14 $549 —
403–445 value added 419 11 167.50–170.00 $169.18 $709 —
400–445 423 6 130.00–157.50 $148.63 $629 —
450–490 471 12 141.00–155.00 $146.81 $691 -3.46
460–485 value added 473 2 160.00–170.00 $165.13 $781 —
500–530 518 15 121.00–142.00 $130.59 $676 -16.15
550–590 569 12 122.00–138.00 $130.30 $741 -13.35
610–645 619 5 124.00–130.00 $128.16 $793 -12.95
660–690 672 9 113.00–129.00 $121.84 $819 -8.21
700–730 715 2 105.00–119.00 $111.85 $800 +3.85
755 755 1 116.00 $116.00 $876 +2.32
815 815 1 109.00 $109.00 $888 —
917 917 2 93.00 $93.00 $853 —
970 970 1 93.00 $93.00 $902 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 100.00 $100.00 $335 -40.00
370 370 1 117.50 $117.50 $435 —
415–440 430 3 117.50–120.00 $118.52 $510 —
480–490 487 3 115.00–117.00 $115.67 $563 —
500–535 520 10 82.50–117.50 $106.26 $553 -6.29
570–590 580 2 97.50–115.00 $106.10 $615 -12.70
620–630 625 2 104.00–106.00 $104.99 $656 —
675 675 2 107.50 $107.50 $726 -12.49
750–765 758 2 93.00–100.00 $96.53 $732 +6.53
800 800 1 100.00 $100.00 $800 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1155 1073 80-85% 2 66.50–71.00 $68.58 $736 —
945–1285 1140 80-85% 7 53.00–58.00 $55.77 $636 —
1035–1350 1203 80-85% 22 58.50–65.50 $62.08 $747 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1655 1449 75-80% 5 57.00–59.00 $58.34 $845 —
1330–1870 1496 75-80% 21 60.00–65.00 $62.24 $931 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1095 1047 85-90% 3 55.50–60.50 $57.32 $600 —
1015–1195 1095 85-90% 3 53.00–54.50 $53.87 $590 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405 1405 1 79.00 $79.00 $1,110 —
1635–1915 1770 3 96.50–99.50 $97.96 $1,734 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 75.00 $75.00
1200 1200 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 79.50 $79.50

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00
985–1420 1203 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 825.00 $825.00
1435 1435 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 885.00 $885.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00

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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
960 960 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00 —
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 +150.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 4 108.00 $108.00 $549 —
837 value added 837 49 110.90 $110.90 $928 —
1015 1015 12 96.00 $96.00 $974 —

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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.