Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 2, 2025

410 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 410 435 432
Feeder cattle 225 370 336
Slaughter cattle 69 47 61
Replacement cattle 116 18 35

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady on a light test. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady with the exception of a few extremely high dressing individuals. Good demand for all feeder and slaughter classes.

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 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,311 —
325–330 328 2 415.00–417.50 $416.26 $1,365 —
397 397 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,588 -1.67
488 488 4 412.50 $412.50 $2,013 +10.98
525–548 539 8 357.50–365.00 $362.19 $1,952 -10.41
595 595 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,964 -19.48
647 647 2 317.50 $317.50 $2,054 -37.50
777 777 2 290.00 $290.00 $2,253 —
979 979 6 259.00 $259.00 $2,536 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,713 +10.00
645 645 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,935 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,500 —
610 610 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,586 —
690 690 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,794 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,831 -12.50
635 635 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,032 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,691 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,418 -11.13
468–498 481 7 352.50–360.00 $355.83 $1,712 +10.76
501 value added 501 4 362.50 $362.50 $1,816 —
527–530 529 5 332.50–357.50 $351.49 $1,859 +22.44
645 645 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,838 -1.81
672–695 679 7 270.00 $270.00 $1,833 -17.47
720 720 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,944 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,840 +37.50
651 651 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,823 +40.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,163 -10.00
460 460 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,506 +2.50
500–525 514 4 302.50–320.00 $310.56 $1,596 -3.31
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 457 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,371 —
570 570 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,454 —
730 730 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,496 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,581 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,000 —
295 295 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,283 -2.50
407–435 416 3 400.00–412.50 $408.15 $1,698 -4.44
460 460 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,817 +8.12
500–546 526 7 342.50–362.50 $351.89 $1,851 -20.61
620 620 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,690 -68.89
680 680 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,074 -20.00
710–715 713 2 267.50–270.00 $268.75 $1,916 —
815 815 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,997 -2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,443 -2.50
440 440 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,507 -30.00
525–535 530 2 322.50–327.50 $325.02 $1,723 +0.02
565–590 573 3 310.00–332.50 $324.78 $1,861 —
632 632 2 317.50 $317.50 $2,007 +20.00
765 765 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,218 —
985 985 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,970 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–430 420 2 342.50–345.00 $343.72 $1,444 —
487 487 2 352.50 $352.50 $1,717 +1.09
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 322.50 $322.50 $1,709 -10.52
657 657 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,971 +7.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1635 1635 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,525.00 $3,525.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1345 1227 80-85% 5 138.00–145.00 $142.14 $1,744 -19.26
940–1435 1234 80-85% 22 147.00–156.00 $152.13 $1,877 -9.27
1105–1555 1346 80-85% 12 157.00–182.00 $164.37 $2,212 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1500 1440 75-80% 2 149.00–152.00 $150.44 $2,166 —
1350–1680 1518 75-80% 12 154.00–166.00 $158.43 $2,405 -0.57
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1100 1029 85-90% 4 133.00–143.00 $138.21 $1,422 +10.44
1145 1145 85-90% 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,271 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500 1500 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,535 —
1245–2175 1597 5 186.00–207.00 $196.35 $3,136 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1440 1440 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00
1545–1795 1670 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,700.00–2,750.00 $2,723.13

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020–1080 1040 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,600.00–2,900.00 $2,796.15

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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
1095–1210 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 3,000.00–3,500.00 $3,342.67 —
1080–1470 1277 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 29 2,750.00–4,150.00 $3,659.24 —
970–1580 1297 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 3,400.00–4,100.00 $3,858.75 —
1100–1490 1334 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 2,100.00–3,500.00 $3,123.09 -676.91
1355 1355 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00 —
1290–1460 1375 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 3,600.00–3,950.00 $3,785.82 —
1320–1490 1385 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 4 2,900.00–3,800.00 $3,318.77 —
1110–1490 1388 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 3,350.00–4,200.00 $3,937.07 —
1085–1560 1394 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 9 3,400.00–4,200.00 $3,795.30 —
1350–1600 1443 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 2,100.00–3,400.00 $3,084.14 —
1405–1490 1443 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 3,050.00–3,800.00 $3,523.50 —
1240–1610 1486 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 8 3,300.00–3,950.00 $3,675.52 —
1345–1700 1523 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 3,250.00–3,400.00 $3,316.26 -483.74

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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.