Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, February 16, 2024

488 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $272.88/cwt ≈ $1,247/hd at 457 lb · 35 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $321.90/cwt +21.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,347/hd at 418 lb · 25 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $266.88/cwt -3.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,537/hd at 576 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 488 689 294
Feeder cattle 437 568 254
Slaughter cattle 34 94 38
Replacement cattle 17 27 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers under 500lbs sold sharply higher with feeder steers and heifers over 500lbs steady to 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with some extremely high dressing individuals.

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
256–270 260 4 295.00–312.50 $299.55 $779 —
310–327 324 6 311.00–325.00 $313.23 $1,015 +38.23
367–385 fancy 372 6 327.50–332.50 $330.81 $1,231 —
355–390 383 6 297.50–310.00 $307.16 $1,176 +15.54
401–428 value added 415 18 320.00–337.50 $328.58 $1,364 —
410–435 427 7 295.00–312.50 $304.71 $1,301 +8.93
455–480 471 7 292.50–307.50 $301.84 $1,422 +11.95
497 value added 497 5 317.50 $317.50 $1,578 —
501 value added 501 3 312.50 $312.50 $1,566 —
525–535 530 2 285.00–287.50 $286.24 $1,517 +1.24
552–584 576 24 264.00–269.00 $266.88 $1,537 -3.12
600–623 608 11 234.00–240.00 $235.86 $1,434 +0.65
653 value added 653 3 259.00 $259.00 $1,691 —
660–693 675 13 230.00–245.00 $239.92 $1,619 +5.92
756–797 785 24 220.00–228.00 $224.58 $1,763 -2.60
815–825 820 2 202.00–213.00 $207.53 $1,702 -7.77
895 895 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,880 —
1009 value added 1009 50 209.70 $209.70 $2,116 —
1005–1033 1025 7 199.00–200.00 $199.72 $2,047 +9.72
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,179 —
635 635 5 220.00–222.00 $220.40 $1,400 -4.60
680 680 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,428 ±0.00
705 705 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,480 —
770–795 783 2 193.00–201.00 $197.06 $1,543 —
822 822 2 214.00 $214.00 $1,759 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 270.00 $270.00 $878 —
410 410 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,168 —
505 505 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,237 —
555 555 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,193 -32.33
637 637 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,440 +8.65
685–690 686 4 220.00–225.00 $223.74 $1,535 +16.16
740 740 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,554 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,162 —
520 520 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,235 —
705 705 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,340 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920 920 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,449 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,226 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–295 287 3 265.00–275.00 $271.86 $780 —
297 fancy 297 4 290.00 $290.00 $861 —
317–347 337 12 270.00–285.00 $279.23 $941 +28.62
383–398 388 11 267.50–280.00 $272.92 $1,059 +24.01
422–443 431 7 251.00–265.00 $258.83 $1,116 +8.91
451–457 value added 453 27 275.00–277.00 $276.40 $1,252 —
467–475 470 8 252.50–265.00 $261.01 $1,227 —
517–546 534 13 228.00–240.00 $232.04 $1,239 -3.89
607–616 613 11 213.00–219.00 $216.84 $1,329 —
715–743 735 14 190.00–201.00 $197.16 $1,449 +6.16
755–790 778 3 190.00–200.00 $196.77 $1,531 —
800 800 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,480 +25.05
930 930 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,600 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–380 367 3 240.00–247.50 $244.91 $899 —
420 420 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,050 +15.00
465–495 479 6 241.00–244.00 $242.64 $1,162 +25.37
505–545 528 7 210.00–219.00 $215.47 $1,138 -4.53
620–645 630 5 186.00–197.00 $189.74 $1,195 -6.00
660–685 667 9 187.00–199.00 $194.08 $1,295 +1.86
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,188 —
535 535 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,124 ±0.00
590 590 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,298 +27.50
600 600 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,386 —
662 662 2 203.00 $203.00 $1,344 —
701 701 3 194.00 $194.00 $1,360 —
835 835 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,503 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480–495 484 4 188.00–207.00 $199.16 $964 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
497 497 2 223.00 $223.00 $1,108 +20.50
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 1 155.00 $155.00 $814 —
585 585 1 162.50 $162.50 $951 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,078 —
510 510 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,020 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 322.50 $322.50 $1,193 —
415 415 2 302.50 $302.50 $1,255 +29.01
455–495 475 2 295.00–300.00 $297.39 $1,413 +40.71
508 fancy 508 3 292.50 $292.50 $1,486 +15.62
550 550 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,375 +24.93
630 630 1 227.00 $227.00 $1,430 +7.74
880 880 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,496 -10.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,186 +32.50
460–495 478 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,338 +55.00
630 630 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,323 +22.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,062 +29.47
645 645 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,232 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
542 542 2 165.00 $165.00 $894 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,047 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885 885 85-90% 1 66.00 $66.00 $584 -9.14
950–995 973 85-90% 2 94.00–98.00 $96.05 $935 —
1000–1050 1025 85-90% 2 74.00–78.00 $76.05 $780 -11.90
895–1335 1032 85-90% 5 86.00–92.00 $88.58 $914 -10.02
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1655 1475 75-80% 5 101.00–107.00 $103.94 $1,533 —
1280–1740 1559 75-80% 4 109.00–125.00 $114.73 $1,789 —
1570 1570 75-80% 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,492 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1200 1142 80-85% 3 106.00–108.00 $107.30 $1,225 —
1120–1205 1163 80-85% 2 96.00–98.00 $97.04 $1,129 —
1350 1350 80-85% 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,566 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1480 1395 2 99.00–109.00 $103.70 $1,447 —
1520–2280 1755 4 132.00–143.00 $137.35 $2,410 —
1650–2005 1809 4 114.00–126.00 $119.96 $2,170 -10.29

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1005 1005 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
1085–1165 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,125.00–1,175.00 $1,159.00
1105–1360 1240 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,250.00–1,450.00 $1,339.99
1245 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00
1175–1385 1280 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,175.00–1,425.00 $1,310.25
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845 845 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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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
1390 1390 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —

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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.