Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 9, 2025

655 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $295.43/cwt +25.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,049/hd at 693 lb · 83 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $297.43/cwt ≈ $2,438/hd at 820 lb · 65 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $269.25/cwt ≈ $2,156/hd at 801 lb · 50 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 655 410 380
Feeder cattle 564 225 291
Slaughter cattle 60 69 39
Replacement cattle 31 116 50

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers under 600lbs sold sharply higher with feeder steers over 600lbs 4.00 to 6.00 higher. Yearling steers sold 4.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder heifers under 600lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher with some instances of sharply higher. No trend on feeder heifers over 600lbs due to low comparable receipts from last sale. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady. Very 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
275 fancy 275 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,334 —
285 285 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,297 -5.00
335–347 344 4 445.00–447.50 $445.63 $1,533 +29.37
365 365 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,533 +20.00
410–448 439 4 407.50–432.50 $413.34 $1,815 —
455 455 4 392.50–415.00 $403.75 $1,837 -8.75
468 value added 468 18 421.00 $421.00 $1,970 —
535 535 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,033 +17.81
556–582 579 31 372.50–388.00 $378.04 $2,189 +48.04
620–622 621 8 320.00–322.50 $321.87 $1,999 +4.37
625 value added 625 2 397.50 $397.50 $2,484 —
677–698 685 33 305.00–337.50 $323.95 $2,219 —
715 value added 715 6 320.00 $320.00 $2,288 —
819 value added 819 62 299.60 $299.60 $2,454 —
825–845 835 3 250.00–255.00 $252.48 $2,108 —
871 value added 871 17 270.50 $270.50 $2,356 —
925 value added 925 40 269.25 $269.25 $2,491 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,852 +12.50
675–685 680 2 285.00–290.00 $287.48 $1,955 —
780 780 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,106 —
930 930 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,232 —
985 985 1 237.50 $237.50 $2,339 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,793 —
580–590 585 2 335.00–342.50 $338.72 $1,982 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,069 —
295 295 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,180 —
335–340 338 3 375.00–390.00 $385.05 $1,301 —
352–395 371 4 372.50–387.50 $382.42 $1,419 —
410–420 415 3 362.50–380.00 $374.17 $1,553 +24.17
410–434 value added 432 12 390.00–397.50 $396.91 $1,715 —
470–475 474 6 347.50–355.00 $348.74 $1,653 -7.09
494 value added 494 6 377.50 $377.50 $1,865 —
505–542 516 8 345.00–360.00 $354.96 $1,832 +3.47
550–582 562 17 337.50–355.00 $345.91 $1,944 —
620–647 637 4 277.50–280.00 $279.39 $1,780 -5.61
660–687 681 9 262.50–270.00 $268.09 $1,826 -1.91
695 value added 695 74 298.75 $298.75 $2,076 —
800 value added 800 49 270.00 $270.00 $2,160 —
835 835 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,941 —
890 890 1 247.50 $247.50 $2,203 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440–446 444 5 352.50–357.50 $355.52 $1,579 —
537 537 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,745 +14.44
564–598 579 13 317.50–320.00 $319.81 $1,852 —
855 855 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,881 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,121 —
555–580 568 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,732 -15.00
735 735 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,838 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 347.50 $347.50 $886 —
420 420 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,344 —
585 585 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,755 +45.00
670 670 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,508 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680 680 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,632 —
750 750 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,819 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,107 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218–220 fancy 219 4 535.00–540.00 $536.26 $1,174 —
260–295 278 2 485.00 $485.00 $1,348 +50.00
300 300 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,290 —
352 352 2 462.50 $462.50 $1,628 —
400–445 424 5 395.00–402.50 $399.95 $1,696 -8.20
455 455 3 422.50 $422.50 $1,922 +27.50
515–525 520 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,820 -1.89
570–575 572 4 345.00–370.00 $361.28 $2,067 —
620–625 623 2 325.00–337.50 $331.22 $2,064 +58.72
680 680 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,972 -15.00
700–717 711 3 260.00–270.00 $266.72 $1,896 -2.03
830 830 1 247.50 $247.50 $2,054 +2.50
912 912 2 227.50 $227.50 $2,075 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,501 —
415–445 430 2 375.00–387.50 $381.47 $1,640 —
460–470 465 2 370.00–387.50 $378.66 $1,761 —
545 545 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,635 -22.50
575 575 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,969 —
675–690 683 3 280.00–285.00 $281.67 $1,924 -18.33
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,548 +16.28
477 477 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,717 +7.50
555 555 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,693 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,653 +37.50
500 500 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,625 -0.02
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1260 1260 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1360 1175 80-85% 14 147.00–156.00 $152.11 $1,787 —
1040–1405 1230 80-85% 9 157.00–172.00 $161.91 $1,991 +19.77
1115–1435 1285 80-85% 3 138.00–143.00 $141.02 $1,812 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 85-90% 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,140 -24.21
875–1235 1003 85-90% 10 132.00–142.00 $134.55 $1,350 -3.66
1105 1105 85-90% 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,370 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1460 1460 75-80% 1 146.00 $146.00 $2,132 —
1395–1665 1557 75-80% 8 155.00–165.00 $159.32 $2,481 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 1 176.00 $176.00 $2,341 —
1295–1380 1338 2 155.00–159.00 $157.06 $2,101 —
1625–2070 1853 4 190.00–204.00 $198.65 $3,681 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985 985 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
1065–1165 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,100.00–2,550.00 $2,335.09
1115 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1190–1475 1286 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 2,100.00–2,600.00 $2,318.57

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920 920 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00
1100 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1185 1185 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00

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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
1085 1085 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,150.00 $3,150.00 —
1040–1265 1141 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 3,000.00–3,500.00 $3,256.66 —
1160–1195 1178 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 3,200.00–3,650.00 $3,428.34 +85.67
1385 1385 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,450.00 $3,450.00 +131.23
1460 1460 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 3,350.00 $3,350.00 -325.52
1480 1480 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 -275.52
1555 1555 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
995 995 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
710 710 (<2 yrs)Open 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —
880–1100 985 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 3,000.00–3,600.00 $3,365.23 —

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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.