Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 20, 2024

279 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $309.75/cwt -2.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,642/hd at 530 lb · 16 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $290.92/cwt +15.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,219/hd at 419 lb · 11 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $347.31/cwt -2.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,452/hd at 418 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 279 949 877
Feeder cattle 198 797 799
Slaughter cattle 27 74 70
Replacement cattle 54 78 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady on a light test. Slaughter cows sold steady. Slaughter bulls sold steady with the exception of one extremely high dressing individual.

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
350 fancy 350 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,312 -6.02
367–375 372 6 330.00–357.50 $339.04 $1,261 +19.04
402–429 418 10 342.50–355.00 $347.31 $1,452 +1.50
525 value added 525 6 326.00 $326.00 $1,712 —
533 533 10 300.00 $300.00 $1,599 -12.10
630–635 633 3 272.50–275.00 $274.17 $1,735 -3.68
715–730 725 3 250.00–257.50 $252.47 $1,830 -0.03
767 767 4 242.50 $242.50 $1,860 -2.50
815 815 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,874 —
925–940 933 2 207.50–215.00 $211.22 $1,971 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–440 434 6 300.00–327.50 $320.97 $1,393 +3.40
485 485 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,419 —
675 675 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,721 —
730 730 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,679 ±0.00
755 755 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,755 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
542 542 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,545 +17.50
576 576 3 277.50 $277.50 $1,598 +25.64
685 685 3 252.50 $252.50 $1,730 +8.38
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,046 +30.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650 650 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,170 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 312.50 $312.50 $656 +17.50
250–270 264 5 300.00–310.00 $306.14 $808 -11.36
416–425 419 11 285.00–295.00 $290.92 $1,219 +21.56
497 497 9 277.50 $277.50 $1,379 +6.28
510–525 518 2 250.00–260.00 $254.93 $1,321 -9.34
560 560 4 242.50 $242.50 $1,358 -21.78
815 815 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,548 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 292.50 $292.50 $819 —
320–340 330 2 280.00–292.50 $286.06 $944 —
420–425 423 3 257.50–270.00 $265.82 $1,124 +25.82
477–497 487 4 257.50–260.00 $258.78 $1,260 +6.31
510–530 520 2 240.00–245.00 $242.45 $1,261 +2.45
560–570 565 3 227.50–235.00 $230.81 $1,304 -11.69
630–640 633 3 200.00–210.00 $206.63 $1,308 -9.73
659 659 5 210.00 $210.00 $1,384 —
725–730 728 2 177.50–187.50 $182.52 $1,329 -14.95
800 800 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,420 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,080 —
510 510 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,224 —
632 632 2 212.50 $212.50 $1,343 +7.50
700–712 708 3 192.50–195.00 $194.18 $1,375 -35.82
765 765 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,377 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 220.00 $220.00 $924 -5.00
457–470 461 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,106 —
510 510 2 197.50–210.00 $203.75 $1,039 —
560–580 570 2 197.50–217.50 $207.32 $1,182 -20.18
770 770 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,232 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890 890 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,446 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 320.00 $320.00 $784 -15.00
275–297 290 3 320.00–342.50 $335.38 $973 +0.38
355–390 375 3 320.00–345.00 $335.38 $1,258 -2.12
435 435 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,305 -30.50
500–542 516 7 272.50–280.00 $275.96 $1,424 -29.83
582 582 2 297.50 $297.50 $1,731 +26.33
670 670 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,792 +7.49
765 765 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,817 +14.18
850 850 2 187.50 $187.50 $1,594 —
955 955 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,791 -6.69
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,275 -18.73
625–640 633 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,551 +4.58
655 655 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,572 -1.26
700 700 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,470 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,286 -12.50
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875 875 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,662 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1570 1570 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1300 1210 80-85% 2 103.00–104.00 $103.54 $1,253 -3.33
1095–1460 1294 80-85% 8 108.00–118.00 $112.95 $1,462 -3.68
1305 1305 80-85% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,592 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475–1675 1585 75-80% 5 108.00–116.00 $110.30 $1,748 +0.78
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035 1035 85-90% 1 95.00 $95.00 $983 -11.30
995–1185 1090 85-90% 2 84.00–85.00 $84.46 $921 -1.89

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1645–1900 1773 2 144.00–148.00 $146.14 $2,591 -9.85
2070 2070 1 182.00 $182.00 $3,767 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1095 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
870–1265 1096 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 21 2,000.00–2,900.00 $2,409.82
940–1425 1183 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,650.00 $1,401.59
1160–1365 1263 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,350.00–3,150.00 $2,782.48
1125–1590 1304 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,750.00–2,350.00 $2,019.10
1225–1410 1318 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,925.00–2,300.00 $2,125.66
1435 1435 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,550.00 $2,550.00

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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
1175 1175 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —
1210–1465 1338 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 2,950.00–3,350.00 $3,169.07 +529.93
1370 1370 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00 +632.52
1395 1395 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 +120.20
1315–1595 1455 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,850.00–3,100.00 $2,987.03 —
1490 1490 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00 —
1525 1525 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00 +250.00
1595 1595 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00 —

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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.