Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, January 5, 2024

924 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $226.62/cwt +20.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,644/hd at 725 lb · 95 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $220.00/cwt +21.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,675/hd at 761 lb · 88 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $243.04/cwt ≈ $1,595/hd at 656 lb · 77 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 924 877 971
Feeder cattle 878 799 904
Slaughter cattle 43 70 63
Replacement cattle 3 8 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

No trend due to being closed for the holidays. Good demand for the weaned preconditioned packages of feeders with good buyer participation.

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
310–340 326 4 240.00–250.00 $246.36 $803 —
410–425 418 3 270.00–277.50 $273.36 $1,143 -1.64
425 value added 425 3 302.50 $302.50 $1,286 +3.00
460–465 463 4 268.00–277.50 $272.72 $1,263 —
512 value added 512 7 266.00 $266.00 $1,362 —
505–531 524 7 247.50–262.50 $258.37 $1,354 +1.72
551–595 578 25 233.00–245.00 $238.19 $1,377 —
602–645 618 10 220.00–235.00 $223.94 $1,384 +4.60
628 value added 628 27 251.75 $251.75 $1,581 —
653 value added 653 57 248.75 $248.75 $1,624 —
653–680 665 20 220.00–235.00 $226.76 $1,508 —
701–715 709 9 193.00–209.00 $201.57 $1,429 -4.43
705–729 value added 727 86 223.50–230.00 $229.24 $1,667 —
758–788 value added 760 57 218.00–229.50 $228.87 $1,739 —
757–797 764 31 190.00–210.00 $203.68 $1,556 +5.66
806–820 813 7 197.00–208.00 $199.88 $1,625 -3.12
848 value added 848 60 214.00 $214.00 $1,815 +3.90
866 value added 866 50 213.00 $213.00 $1,845 +10.99
865–898 886 9 200.00–206.00 $201.98 $1,790 +6.98
920 920 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,757 -1.48
960 960 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,738 -2.20
1020 1020 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,556 —
1059 value added 1059 58 180.25 $180.25 $1,909 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230–235 233 2 210.00–215.00 $212.47 $495 —
380 380 1 212.50 $212.50 $808 —
480 480 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,152 +7.50
515 515 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,146 -1.37
650–698 677 6 190.00–205.00 $200.95 $1,360 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560–590 575 2 212.00–220.00 $216.10 $1,243 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,184 —
805 805 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,308 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800 800 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,352 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 225.00 $225.00 $506 —
380 fancy 380 1 242.50 $242.50 $922 —
390 390 1 210.00 $210.00 $819 -10.57
430 fancy 430 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,028 —
410–442 431 3 220.00–230.00 $223.17 $962 +7.79
450 value added 450 7 231.00 $231.00 $1,040 —
460–495 470 14 215.00–225.00 $221.91 $1,043 +7.60
500–545 530 17 202.00–216.00 $209.64 $1,111 +0.06
525–546 value added 535 12 225.00–228.00 $226.43 $1,211 —
563–572 567 15 203.00–215.00 $207.79 $1,178 +18.06
563–584 value added 573 18 220.00–233.00 $224.97 $1,289 —
612–645 627 13 194.00–207.00 $200.95 $1,260 +8.40
739 739 21 175.00 $175.00 $1,293 —
765 765 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,385 —
816 816 3 175.00 $175.00 $1,428 —
855 855 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,436 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232 232 2 205.00 $205.00 $476 —
276 276 3 200.00 $200.00 $552 —
375 375 2 200.00 $200.00 $750 +2.50
400–415 408 2 190.00–195.00 $192.55 $786 +3.67
465–485 475 2 190.00–202.50 $196.12 $932 +4.97
570 570 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,126 +17.50
606–635 619 24 183.00–191.00 $185.67 $1,149 —
675 675 3 182.00 $182.00 $1,228 +12.00
705–732 716 5 150.00–156.00 $153.55 $1,099 -11.45
768–780 771 4 163.00–165.00 $163.51 $1,261 +13.51
812 812 2 147.00 $147.00 $1,194 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–345 325 3 180.00–190.00 $185.15 $602 —
395 395 2 175.00 $175.00 $691 —
440 440 2 172.50 $172.50 $759 ±0.00
455 455 1 180.00 $180.00 $819 +11.98
532 532 2 160.00 $160.00 $851 —
590–595 593 2 179.00–180.00 $179.50 $1,064 +15.38
600–615 606 4 162.00–176.00 $170.94 $1,036 —
660–670 667 3 150.00–162.50 $154.13 $1,028 -9.87
705 705 1 140.00 $140.00 $987 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,089 +39.50
698 698 3 174.00 $174.00 $1,215 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655 655 1 145.00 $145.00 $950 —
920 920 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,012 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,023 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 160.00 $160.00 $928 +32.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 242.50 $242.50 $776 -17.22
365 fancy 365 1 270.00 $270.00 $986 —
385–397 393 3 230.00–232.50 $231.68 $911 -53.91
426–445 431 4 250.00–265.00 $261.13 $1,125 -6.37
451–470 455 8 230.00–245.00 $238.13 $1,083 -23.14
521 521 4 224.00 $224.00 $1,167 -11.12
565–590 573 7 211.00–230.00 $220.39 $1,263 -1.82
630 630 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,244 -11.41
670–675 672 11 200.00–202.50 $200.23 $1,346 +16.10
835 835 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,420 -12.00
990 990 3 152.00–162.50 $155.50 $1,539 —
1003 1003 3 158.00 $158.00 $1,585 —
1070 1070 2 162.50 $162.50 $1,739 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,042 -18.00
507–540 527 6 200.00–204.00 $202.05 $1,065 -12.53
550–570 560 2 189.00–200.00 $194.40 $1,089 —
605–645 625 2 175.00–180.00 $177.42 $1,109 —
655 655 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,212 -0.53
777 777 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,305 +15.33
1080 1080 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,404 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,000 —
590 590 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,136 —
655 655 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,192 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,232 +3.50
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 1 120.00 $120.00 $870 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,044 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1250 1181 80-85% 6 83.00–90.00 $87.69 $1,036 —
975–1430 1287 80-85% 8 93.00–103.00 $96.36 $1,240 —
1330 1330 80-85% 1 77.00 $77.00 $1,024 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1580 1472 75-80% 9 92.00–102.00 $97.20 $1,431 +4.07
1270–1635 1480 75-80% 4 89.00–91.50 $89.65 $1,327 -3.48
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955 955 85-90% 1 71.00 $71.00 $678 —
965–1130 1067 85-90% 6 84.50–91.50 $87.62 $935 +9.82
995–1115 1075 85-90% 3 78.50–80.50 $79.35 $853 +1.55
1125 1125 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $810 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1690 1485 2 115.50–120.00 $118.06 $1,753 —
1670 1670 1 128.50 $128.50 $2,146 —

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Bred Cows

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1160 1160 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00

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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.