Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 20, 2023

881 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 $233.49/cwt -2.51 vs last sale · ≈ $2,015/hd at 863 lb · 122 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $211.37/cwt ≈ $2,042/hd at 966 lb · 122 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $223.09/cwt -10.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,080/hd at 932 lb · 110 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 881 825 1,583
Feeder cattle 815 704 1,528
Slaughter cattle 56 80 55
Replacement cattle 10 41 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold mostly steady with good demand on weaned and vaccinated steers as they sold higher. Yearling steers sold 4.00 to 6.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 500lbs sold sharply higher on a good quality offering. Feeder heifers over 500lbs sold mostly steady. Weaned and vaccinated feeders still bringing big premiums with fleshly bawling and off colored calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold steady with the exception of a few high dressing individuals. Slaughter 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
380 380 1 250.00 $250.00 $950 -7.50
435 435 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,066 —
495 495 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,200 -10.76
520 520 8 252.00 $252.00 $1,310 —
539 value added 539 6 274.00 $274.00 $1,477 +20.00
564 564 7 261.00 $261.00 $1,472 +29.01
600 600 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,320 —
698 698 4 238.00 $238.00 $1,661 —
705 705 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,579 -4.68
716–719 value added 719 44 232.50–234.00 $232.70 $1,673 —
831–833 value added 832 26 233.00–234.00 $233.38 $1,942 -10.77
843 843 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,770 -2.27
861–864 value added 863 122 230.25–236.75 $233.49 $2,015 —
905–915 908 3 205.00–210.00 $206.68 $1,877 +7.68
933–934 value added 933 107 222.00–224.00 $223.55 $2,086 -10.70
961–975 value added 966 122 205.00–217.00 $211.37 $2,042 —
1053–1083 value added 1068 99 206.70–216.00 $211.33 $2,257 —
1160 1160 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,088 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 227.50 $227.50 $682 —
485 485 1 197.50 $197.50 $958 -32.50
500–547 531 3 205.00–220.00 $215.29 $1,143 -7.23
558–567 561 8 210.00–226.00 $218.22 $1,224 +3.72
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–495 477 3 217.00–232.50 $223.11 $1,064 —
510 510 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,071 ±0.00
585 585 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,228 ±0.00
680 680 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,455 —
710 710 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,491 +19.84
755 755 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,593 —
802 802 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,484 —
990 990 1 202.00 $202.00 $2,000 —
1190 1190 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,785 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,022 —
575 575 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,092 —
710 710 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,349 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 180.00 $180.00 $918 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410 1410 1 132.50 $132.50 $1,868 —

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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 1 210.00 $210.00 $588 —
365–395 380 2 232.50–240.00 $236.10 $897 —
385 fancy 385 1 250.00 $250.00 $962 —
405–431 fancy 416 8 250.00–256.00 $252.94 $1,052 —
435–440 438 2 216.00–227.50 $221.78 $971 +21.78
450–487 470 10 216.00–235.00 $223.11 $1,049 —
500–530 510 7 193.00–206.00 $202.00 $1,030 -10.47
586 586 9 207.00 $207.00 $1,213 +16.32
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 2 215.00 $215.00 $800 +41.24
455 455 2 197.00–207.00 $202.00 $919 +20.81
500–530 520 10 182.00–192.50 $186.31 $969 -3.64
561–575 565 9 183.00–190.00 $187.97 $1,062 +8.18
615 615 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,132 +5.10
655–675 665 2 175.00–177.00 $175.98 $1,170 -7.57
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–345 325 2 170.00–180.00 $174.69 $568 +22.26
355–395 377 3 170.00 $170.00 $641 +17.50
445 445 2 162.50 $162.50 $723 -7.50
497 497 2 187.50 $187.50 $932 +20.50
535 535 2 168.00–170.00 $169.00 $904 —
590 590 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,032 —
630 630 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,024 +2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 187.50 $187.50 $834 +7.96
500–535 517 5 163.00–178.00 $169.42 $876 +7.82
580 580 1 168.00 $168.00 $974 -6.00
620–635 628 2 161.00–168.00 $164.54 $1,033 -6.46
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–435 417 4 160.00–170.00 $165.06 $688 —
455–497 483 3 164.00–171.00 $166.20 $803 —
632 632 2 157.00 $157.00 $992 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 140.00 $140.00 $672 —
515–547 536 3 150.00–153.00 $152.04 $815 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 2 140.00 $140.00 $728 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 145.00 $145.00 $841 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280 1280 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,792 +9.47

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
257–295 270 3 245.00–257.50 $252.94 $683 —
325 325 1 247.50 $247.50 $804 —
365–395 379 6 255.00–270.00 $262.13 $993 +22.13
410 fancy 410 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,158 +10.00
440–445 443 3 247.50–260.00 $251.64 $1,115 —
453–485 464 8 230.00–240.00 $234.25 $1,087 -4.35
500–545 518 6 220.00–240.00 $230.42 $1,194 +11.38
565–580 570 3 217.00–223.00 $220.96 $1,259 +8.26
605–627 620 3 194.00–208.00 $203.44 $1,261 -3.83
700–725 715 3 170.00–186.00 $178.94 $1,279 -3.70
717 fancy 717 5 201.00 $201.00 $1,441 —
840 840 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,428 -16.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 230.00 $230.00 $575 —
435–446 444 5 230.00–237.50 $232.11 $1,031 —
465–482 477 4 190.00–205.00 $196.18 $936 -23.82
500–505 503 2 190.00–210.00 $199.95 $1,006 —
565–595 575 4 180.00–194.00 $186.12 $1,070 +8.62
620–640 630 3 180.00–189.00 $184.36 $1,161 +4.36
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435–440 438 2 215.00–237.50 $226.19 $991 +8.69
475 475 2 222.50 $222.50 $1,057 -7.50
530 530 2 197.50 $197.50 $1,047 +4.24
555–587 576 3 200.00–217.00 $205.46 $1,183 +21.46
660 660 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,122 -12.01
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–435 423 2 192.50–202.50 $197.35 $835 —
492 492 2 195.00 $195.00 $959 —
550–590 570 2 177.00–180.00 $178.45 $1,017 +10.95
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 2 180.00 $180.00 $954 —
710 710 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,136 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915–1295 1054 85-90% 18 75.00–84.00 $79.11 $834 —
1010–1325 1154 85-90% 13 85.50–93.00 $87.69 $1,012 +0.42
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1535 1535 75-80% 1 82.00 $82.00 $1,259 —
1330–1730 1580 75-80% 10 94.00–110.00 $99.31 $1,569 -2.56
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1305 1233 80-85% 3 101.50–110.00 $105.66 $1,303 —
1205–1580 1390 80-85% 7 90.00–97.00 $93.03 $1,293 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1355 1298 3 93.00–108.00 $100.45 $1,304 —
1440–1740 1590 2 126.00–127.00 $126.45 $2,011 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060–1260 1177 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 850.00–1,075.00 $964.59
1315 1315 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,260.00 $1,260.00

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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
1235 1235 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 +50.00
1260 1260 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 -41.69

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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.