Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 12, 2025

602 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $324.45/cwt +27.62 vs last sale · ≈ $2,370/hd at 730 lb · 73 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $338.24/cwt +55.74 vs last sale · ≈ $2,621/hd at 775 lb · 72 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $318.50/cwt -29.88 vs last sale · ≈ $2,551/hd at 801 lb · 64 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 602 1,065 949
Feeder cattle 419 1,039 797
Slaughter cattle 66 19 74
Replacement cattle 117 7 78

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers sold 5.00 to 7.00 higher with feeder heifers mostly steady with low comparable receipts. No trend on yearlings due to low comparable receipts. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 5.00 lower with slaughter bulls 3.00 lower.

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
250–290 270 2 440.00–480.00 $458.52 $1,238 —
375 375 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,800 +77.50
435 435 1 417.50 $417.50 $1,816 -8.87
472 472 6 437.50 $437.50 $2,065 +23.71
500 500 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,900 -29.13
570 570 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,938 -48.31
603–630 value added 613 11 380.00–387.50 $384.70 $2,358 —
605–632 617 6 340.00–360.00 $345.74 $2,133 -5.84
660–692 680 14 337.50–352.50 $346.92 $2,359 +9.63
713 713 4 332.50 $332.50 $2,371 +7.50
755–795 767 9 310.00–332.50 $325.11 $2,494 +2.61
800 value added 800 61 319.00 $319.00 $2,552 —
805–835 820 3 300.00–315.00 $308.27 $2,528 +4.87
870 870 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,654 —
915–930 923 2 280.00–290.00 $285.04 $2,631 -4.96
1065 1065 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,769 -30.00
1100 1100 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,970 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
602–615 609 4 325.00–337.50 $331.32 $2,018 —
650 650 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,048 —
775 775 1 292.50 $292.50 $2,267 +12.50
932 932 2 277.50 $277.50 $2,586 —
970 970 2 267.50 $267.50 $2,595 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 357.50 $357.50 $2,091 +24.60
640 640 2 332.50 $332.50 $2,128 +32.50
695 695 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,259 —
930 930 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,511 -20.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
675 675 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,890 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,540 -4.24
487–496 492 5 350.00–352.50 $350.99 $1,727 -7.24
501–537 516 7 315.00–330.00 $324.85 $1,676 -12.29
543 value added 543 5 357.50 $357.50 $1,941 —
565–580 573 2 305.00–322.50 $313.86 $1,798 -16.44
610–615 612 6 300.00–320.00 $313.33 $1,918 -11.94
612–636 value added 615 28 327.50–335.50 $334.22 $2,055 —
662–669 value added 667 7 320.00–325.00 $323.58 $2,158 -20.42
665–687 676 4 285.00–295.00 $290.08 $1,961 -22.65
730 value added 730 71 325.00 $325.00 $2,372 —
740–745 743 2 300.00–310.00 $305.02 $2,266 +8.19
772 772 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,162 -2.50
775 value added 775 70 339.90 $339.90 $2,634 —
840 840 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,331 -8.81
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–365 360 2 325.50–330.00 $327.72 $1,180 —
485 485 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,382 -2.42
510 510 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,632 +12.58
550 550 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,705 —
1045 1045 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,299 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
516 516 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,548 -17.50
630–645 638 2 280.00–295.00 $287.41 $1,834 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,152 +65.00
305 305 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,266 —
365–385 376 4 380.00–400.00 $392.49 $1,476 -15.01
490 490 1 382.50 $382.50 $1,874 -15.19
545 545 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,989 +8.30
555–595 570 3 330.00–350.00 $342.58 $1,953 -4.92
650–670 663 3 312.50–332.50 $324.08 $2,149 +24.08
700–745 733 6 280.00–305.00 $288.16 $2,112 +10.66
815 815 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,486 —
885 885 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,301 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 2 357.50 $357.50 $1,366 —
442 442 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,436 —
490 490 3 360.00 $360.00 $1,764 —
505 505 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,666 —
575 575 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,840 +45.00
690–695 693 2 285.00–305.00 $295.04 $2,045 —
895 895 1 232.50 $232.50 $2,081 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 345.00 $345.00 $1,225 —
630 630 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,748 —
720 720 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,890 +10.00
880 880 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,936 +5.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1520–1655 1588 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 2,750.00–3,225.00 $2,997.60 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,609 —
500 500 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,438 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1330 1220 80-85% 16 140.00–150.00 $145.76 $1,778 —
1170–1410 1277 80-85% 3 127.00–135.00 $130.75 $1,670 —
1180–1395 1290 80-85% 6 151.00–159.00 $154.33 $1,991 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845 845 85-90% 1 100.00 $100.00 $845 —
925–1050 993 85-90% 4 115.00–126.00 $121.18 $1,203 —
985–1075 1030 85-90% 2 143.00–145.00 $143.96 $1,483 —
995–1190 1121 85-90% 9 127.00–138.00 $132.43 $1,485 -0.57
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1585 1473 75-80% 5 148.00–153.00 $149.83 $2,207 —
1675 1675 75-80% 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,764 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1795 1675 2 180.00–186.00 $183.21 $3,069 —
1315–2000 1714 4 170.00–173.00 $171.88 $2,946 —
1745 1745 1 191.00 $191.00 $3,333 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080–1175 1128 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,800.00–3,050.00 $2,930.27
1155 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00
1065–1350 1195 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,875.00–2,900.00 $2,363.82
1220 1220 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00
1070–1375 1233 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,650.00–2,100.00 $1,932.61
1150–1325 1233 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,000.00–2,750.00 $2,357.09
1070–1550 1315 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 2,225.00–2,950.00 $2,605.37

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010 1010 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00
1085–1175 1130 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,750.00–3,300.00 $3,035.95
1265 1265 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00

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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
1235 1235 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00 —
1000–1770 1254 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 16 2,500.00–3,500.00 $3,125.17 —
1340 1340 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00 —
1350–1435 1393 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 3,000.00–3,100.00 $3,048.47 —
1145–1710 1453 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 11 2,500.00–3,700.00 $3,281.97 —
1510 1510 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 2,825.00–3,600.00 $3,212.50 —
1530 1530 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,450.00 $3,450.00 —

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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.