Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 22, 2021

1,267 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $151.36/cwt +3.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,330/hd at 879 lb · 274 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $153.61/cwt +2.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,252/hd at 815 lb · 252 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $150.19/cwt +24.96 vs last sale · ≈ $963/hd at 641 lb · 84 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,267 996 694
Feeder cattle 1,058 849 605
Slaughter cattle 119 122 75
Replacement cattle 90 25 14

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder Steers sold unevenly steady with calves over 500 lbs 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Yearling Steers sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher with good demand. Feeder Heifers sold mostly steady. Slaughter Cows and Bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher on a higher dressing offering compared to previous weeks. Buyers showed good demand for load lots and weaned offerings.

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
285 285 1 178.00 $178.00 $507 +15.50
365 fancy 365 1 187.50 $187.50 $684 +7.50
380–390 385 2 161.00–180.00 $170.38 $656 +5.38
405–410 408 2 160.00–170.00 $165.03 $673 -4.31
455–490 470 8 153.00–168.00 $157.08 $738 -4.47
500–505 503 3 150.00–155.00 $151.66 $763 +4.90
555–587 574 4 144.00–147.00 $144.98 $832 +10.75
605–630 618 8 131.00–143.00 $137.50 $850 +0.60
650–662 658 3 126.00–129.00 $126.99 $836 -12.16
705–740 716 10 125.00–140.00 $136.10 $974 +3.03
775 value added 775 67 159.00 $159.00 $1,232 —
765–795 780 2 127.00–140.00 $133.38 $1,040 -4.03
803–845 value added 815 252 152.25–155.10 $153.61 $1,252 +1.89
868–898 value added 879 274 143.70–157.00 $151.36 $1,330 +3.07
925–935 930 2 126.00–131.00 $128.49 $1,195 -1.51
1305 1305 1 88.00 $88.00 $1,148 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–440 430 2 142.50–150.00 $146.34 $629 —
460–485 473 2 138.00–145.00 $141.41 $669 —
700–715 705 3 112.00–114.00 $112.68 $794 —
805 805 1 116.00 $116.00 $934 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
331 331 4 185.00 $185.00 $612 —
425 425 1 180.00 $180.00 $765 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 135.00 $135.00 $716 —
580 580 1 126.00 $126.00 $731 +4.31
645 645 3 106.00 $106.00 $684 -19.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
202 202 1 125.00 $125.00 $252 ±0.00
290 290 1 127.50 $127.50 $370 —
300 300 1 120.00 $120.00 $360 —
350–395 371 8 120.00–129.00 $123.77 $459 -4.67
410–445 427 9 121.00–127.00 $124.16 $530 -7.95
470–491 483 10 122.00–131.00 $128.52 $621 -1.75
520–542 527 6 122.00–133.00 $128.57 $678 -2.37
558–598 586 19 115.00–132.00 $126.10 $739 +4.27
605–640 626 6 116.00–124.00 $121.50 $761 -3.73
642 value added 642 78 152.40 $152.40 $978 —
680 680 1 115.00 $115.00 $782 -11.74
720–721 721 5 118.00 $118.00 $851 +4.00
812 812 2 110.00 $110.00 $893 —
818 value added 818 56 139.25 $139.25 $1,139 —
930 930 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,014 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 105.00 $105.00 $262 —
345 345 1 105.00 $105.00 $362 —
351 351 3 116.00 $116.00 $407 +3.02
405–440 425 9 104.00–118.00 $113.71 $483 +3.79
467–490 478 6 100.00–117.00 $109.09 $521 +0.09
505–525 518 4 101.00–111.00 $105.73 $548 -1.28
565 565 2 108.00–110.00 $109.00 $616 +0.39
645 645 1 110.00 $110.00 $710 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655 655 1 80.00 $80.00 $524 —
720 720 1 90.00 $90.00 $648 —
785 785 1 98.00 $98.00 $769 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
187 187 2 155.00 $155.00 $290 —
215 215 2 160.00 $160.00 $344 +12.50
252–290 265 3 130.00–162.50 $150.63 $399 +0.63
355–375 fancy 368 3 167.50–172.50 $170.89 $629 -1.61
390 390 1 140.00 $140.00 $546 +2.50
425–435 fancy 430 2 165.00–177.50 $171.18 $736 +1.27
430–435 433 3 131.00–150.00 $143.72 $622 —
460–485 474 9 125.00–135.00 $131.39 $623 -10.51
455–495 fancy 475 2 157.00–165.00 $160.83 $764 —
505–530 fancy 511 6 151.00–164.00 $160.11 $818 +4.11
535–540 538 4 125.00–143.00 $135.77 $730 +3.04
570–590 578 5 135.00–139.00 $136.80 $791 +13.54
600–640 614 7 116.00–133.00 $126.99 $780 +5.71
610–616 fancy 615 4 140.00 $140.00 $861 —
650–680 664 6 114.00–122.00 $119.52 $794 +0.88
700 700 2 109.00 $109.00 $763 -6.99
760–765 763 3 100.00–111.00 $107.35 $819 —
880 880 1 84.00 $84.00 $739 —
921–930 922 7 82.00–84.00 $82.29 $759 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385–395 392 3 117.50–120.00 $118.32 $464 —
415 415 1 125.00 $125.00 $519 +17.00
450–490 460 5 100.00–120.00 $112.67 $518 —
505 505 4 120.00 $120.00 $606 —
590 590 1 106.00 $106.00 $625 -8.00
725 725 1 99.00 $99.00 $718 —
915 915 1 78.00 $78.00 $714 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 1 120.00 $120.00 $792 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040 1040 80-85% 1 49.00 $49.00 $510 —
905–1430 1128 80-85% 27 50.50–57.50 $54.77 $618 +1.35
1090–1515 1227 80-85% 27 58.00–64.00 $60.92 $747 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1070 937 85-90% 6 36.00–43.00 $41.03 $384 —
885–1180 1036 85-90% 9 46.00–49.50 $48.37 $501 —
895–1150 1042 85-90% 9 52.00–55.50 $53.63 $559 —
985–1200 1107 85-90% 3 57.00–57.50 $57.15 $633 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1700 1367 75-80% 14 55.50–59.50 $57.44 $785 -2.19
1260–1705 1477 75-80% 11 60.50–65.00 $62.20 $919 —
1775 1775 75-80% 1 47.00 $47.00 $834 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1370–1905 1590 6 81.00–88.50 $85.25 $1,355 —
1655–1795 1732 3 90.00–97.50 $93.25 $1,615 +8.82
1070–2310 1793 3 60.00–80.00 $74.52 $1,336 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
825 825 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
1080 1080 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
1130 1130 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 500.00 $500.00
1020–1520 1158 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 535.00–875.00 $704.64
1030–1275 1168 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 625.00–850.00 $728.83
1195 1195 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)All Stages (1-9 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)All Stages (1-9 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00
1090–1330 1203 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 625.00–900.00 $758.88
1045–1410 1228 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 825.00–900.00 $868.08
1225–1290 1258 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 660.00–760.00 $711.29
1215–1425 1327 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 485.00–875.00 $705.44
1240–1445 1343 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 750.00–875.00 $817.27
1200–1565 1362 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)All Stages (1-9 mo) 3 650.00–875.00 $747.51

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955 955 (<2 yrs)All Stages (1-9 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00
960 960 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 935.00 $935.00
960 960 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00

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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
1270 1270 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 +400.00
1185–1525 1328 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 710.00–1,310.00 $1,067.59 —
1210–1558 1471 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 660.00–1,160.00 $1,057.18 —
1305–1710 1497 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 10 1,125.00–1,285.00 $1,201.39 —
1405–1695 1550 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 925.00–1,185.00 $1,067.16 +92.16
1580 1580 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,075.00 $1,075.00 +100.00

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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.