Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, April 26, 2024

423 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $197.25/cwt ≈ $1,825/hd at 925 lb · 16 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $256.50/cwt -13.44 vs last sale · ≈ $1,344/hd at 524 lb · 13 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $249.83/cwt -5.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,412/hd at 565 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 423 456 458
Feeder cattle 347 415 400
Slaughter cattle 65 37 35
Replacement cattle 11 4 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold 4.00 to 6.00 higher. Good demand for all feeder classes. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. 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
285 285 1 322.50 $322.50 $919 —
350–390 377 3 322.50–327.50 $324.05 $1,222 -18.53
405–437 430 7 317.50–330.00 $326.88 $1,406 +16.04
473 value added 473 9 336.00 $336.00 $1,589 —
502–527 513 5 310.00–322.50 $315.40 $1,618 +0.89
550 550 1 322.00 $322.00 $1,771 +26.71
616 value added 616 4 307.00 $307.00 $1,891 +8.51
642 642 2 287.00 $287.00 $1,843 +7.25
680 680 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,918 +6.00
722 722 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,791 —
771–790 777 8 247.00–258.00 $252.84 $1,965 —
815 815 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,964 -1.95
880 880 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,980 -19.00
1054 value added 1054 17 204.50 $204.50 $2,155 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 305.00 $305.00 $824 —
337 337 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,011 —
480 480 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,380 —
605–640 623 2 244.00–246.00 $245.03 $1,527 —
695 695 1 269.00 $269.00 $1,870 —
775 775 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,782 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,532 —
700 700 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,736 —
780 780 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,778 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,505 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 695 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,598 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 4 320.00 $320.00 $774 —
350 350 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,059 +25.06
400–430 415 4 270.00–272.50 $270.65 $1,123 -5.84
475–480 478 3 269.00–277.00 $274.35 $1,311 —
503–545 524 13 247.00–262.00 $256.50 $1,344 -10.69
552–590 565 13 240.00–253.00 $249.83 $1,412 +5.32
600–627 610 8 243.00–251.00 $247.60 $1,510 +9.52
650–673 667 11 243.00–244.00 $243.27 $1,623 +27.84
925 925 16 197.25 $197.25 $1,825 —
1017 1017 2 189.00 $189.00 $1,922 —
1095 1095 1 185.00 $185.00 $2,026 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 285.00 $285.00 $841 —
313 313 4 285.00 $285.00 $892 +30.00
356–385 365 7 270.00–275.00 $271.46 $991 +12.91
421–446 435 7 250.00–261.00 $255.27 $1,110 -6.41
457–492 477 7 248.00–260.00 $252.42 $1,204 +2.42
525 525 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,281 —
570–580 575 2 225.00–230.00 $227.52 $1,308 -10.48
610–635 618 3 233.00–235.00 $234.32 $1,448 +8.28
650 650 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,495 +29.00
705 705 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,311 -18.00
775 775 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,403 —
810 810 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,531 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 320 2 252.50–265.00 $259.14 $829 —
385 385 1 250.00 $250.00 $962 +22.50
415 415 1 240.00 $240.00 $996 -5.00
450–460 455 2 240.00–241.00 $240.51 $1,094 +8.07
605–610 608 2 200.00–201.00 $200.50 $1,219 -3.20
815 815 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,365 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515–525 522 3 237.50–240.00 $239.18 $1,249 +3.18
630 630 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,443 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 227.50 $227.50 $830 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240–247 244 4 312.50–315.00 $313.77 $766 —
303–335 311 4 310.00–330.00 $324.61 $1,010 -4.49
355–380 376 8 315.00–330.00 $318.04 $1,196 -3.21
430–442 436 8 321.00–340.00 $326.15 $1,422 +16.16
510 fancy 510 1 312.50 $312.50 $1,594 —
535 535 2 291.00 $291.00 $1,557 -9.30
560–565 562 6 285.00–302.50 $293.92 $1,652 +3.74
600–640 620 5 267.50–277.00 $270.42 $1,677 +4.16
665–670 667 3 262.00–267.00 $263.68 $1,759 +19.20
720–732 728 3 230.00–251.00 $244.08 $1,777 —
922–940 928 3 180.00–195.00 $189.94 $1,763 —
980 980 2 188.00 $188.00 $1,842 —
1032–1035 1033 3 186.00–191.00 $189.33 $1,956 —
1060 1060 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,961 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 300.00 $300.00 $960 +5.00
402–425 411 4 282.50–305.00 $290.76 $1,195 +5.76
520 520 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,352 +10.00
570–585 578 9 260.00–270.00 $265.21 $1,533 +17.72
627 627 2 239.00 $239.00 $1,499 -7.02
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–495 475 2 295.00–300.00 $297.39 $1,413 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 1 247.00 $247.00 $1,297 —
650 650 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,306 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1275 1212 80-85% 3 116.00–118.00 $117.02 $1,418 -8.80
1070–1420 1243 80-85% 15 119.00–128.50 $123.78 $1,539 -2.04
1070–1395 1269 80-85% 7 131.00–135.50 $133.65 $1,696 +20.49
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–985 870 85-90% 3 87.00–94.00 $92.02 $801 —
755–1130 986 85-90% 9 113.00–126.50 $119.85 $1,182 —
890–1070 999 85-90% 5 106.50–110.00 $107.69 $1,076 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1350 1248 75-80% 3 113.00–117.50 $114.93 $1,434 —
1360–1830 1504 75-80% 4 119.00–123.00 $121.98 $1,835 —
1360–1780 1511 75-80% 10 127.00–133.50 $129.88 $1,962 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–2055 1724 4 142.50–151.00 $147.37 $2,541 —
1810–1955 1883 2 155.00–158.00 $156.56 $2,948 —

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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)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
875 875 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
920 920 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 985.00 $985.00
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,385.00 $1,385.00
1180 1180 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00

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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
955–1060 993 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 900.00–1,185.00 $1,036.23 -713.77
1090 1090 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
875 875 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 985.00 $985.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
767 767 5 168.00 $168.00 $1,289 —
859 859 10 140.00 $140.00 $1,203 —

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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.