Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, March 20, 2026

714 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $338.83/cwt +6.96 vs last sale · ≈ $3,016/hd at 890 lb · 183 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $350.75/cwt +8.22 vs last sale · ≈ $2,547/hd at 726 lb · 75 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $329.00/cwt ≈ $2,994/hd at 910 lb · 55 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 714 475 643
Feeder cattle 548 452 547
Slaughter cattle 34 19 33
Replacement cattle 132 4 63

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 350-550 lbs were 8.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Yearling steers appeared firm but with limited head to head comparisons. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were sharply higher with a good supply, while there bigger sisters were 4.00 to 6.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter cows were were 6.00 to 10.00 higher with strong demand and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 higher with a good supply.

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
283–285 fancy 284 4 650.00 $650.00 $1,846 —
345 345 1 540.00 $540.00 $1,863 -20.00
350–362 fancy 356 4 620.00–650.00 $640.08 $2,279 —
365–385 375 2 530.00–550.00 $540.27 $2,026 +10.27
410–440 fancy 420 6 580.00–605.00 $598.31 $2,513 —
420 420 1 525.00 $525.00 $2,205 +12.50
460–480 fancy 472 3 572.50–595.00 $585.75 $2,765 —
455–495 476 5 512.50–542.50 $527.48 $2,511 +24.98
507–515 value added 510 7 532.50–565.00 $538.92 $2,748 +13.29
540 540 1 507.50 $507.50 $2,740 +10.00
550–599 value added 574 15 477.50–500.00 $489.32 $2,809 +11.82
572–585 576 3 455.00–460.00 $458.31 $2,640 +3.27
605 value added 605 1 447.50 $447.50 $2,707 —
620 620 1 417.50 $417.50 $2,588 -3.00
650 650 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,600 -3.70
710 710 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,485 -25.75
726 value added 726 8 390.00 $390.00 $2,831 —
750 750 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,625 -2.11
882–895 value added 890 183 334.50–347.00 $338.83 $3,016 —
910 value added 910 55 329.00 $329.00 $2,994 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,507 —
615 615 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,214 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755 755 2 295.00 $295.00 $2,227 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,820 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 fancy 260 1 640.00 $640.00 $1,664 —
270–285 278 2 540.00–565.00 $552.84 $1,537 —
300–317 fancy 308 6 570.00–620.00 $604.89 $1,863 —
325–345 334 5 530.00–552.50 $538.72 $1,799 +41.21
365–395 382 3 480.00–485.00 $483.28 $1,846 —
394–395 fancy 394 14 522.50–532.50 $529.64 $2,087 —
415 thin fleshed 415 2 517.50 $517.50 $2,148 —
420–447 434 8 440.00–482.50 $469.88 $2,039 +29.04
470 fancy 470 1 477.50 $477.50 $2,244 —
478–488 482 11 445.00–462.50 $455.04 $2,193 +16.32
507–540 value added 519 11 427.50–450.00 $437.39 $2,270 -5.11
550–557 value added 552 7 427.50–450.00 $443.51 $2,448 +16.01
562–580 566 8 395.00–415.00 $408.71 $2,313 +16.58
600–625 613 2 360.00–382.50 $371.02 $2,274 +5.98
600–636 value added 631 15 390.00–410.00 $394.64 $2,490 -1.61
655 655 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,883 -67.14
650–697 686 10 352.50–365.00 $363.31 $2,492 +8.67
726 value added 726 74 351.30 $351.30 $2,550 +7.30
730 730 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,263 +10.00
975 975 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,779 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,286 —
260 260 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,326 —
680 680 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,312 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 thin fleshed 310 1 670.00 $670.00 $2,077 —
330–345 338 2 575.00–590.00 $582.33 $1,968 +7.33
365–370 fancy 368 2 600.00–615.00 $607.55 $2,236 —
368 368 3 555.00 $555.00 $2,042 —
430–442 thin fleshed 436 4 577.50–582.50 $580.03 $2,529 —
480 480 1 532.50 $532.50 $2,556 -1.77
510–540 525 4 495.00–520.00 $504.32 $2,648 —
562–572 568 5 447.50–485.00 $468.88 $2,663 +10.47
645 645 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,451 -41.18
655 655 2 390.00 $390.00 $2,554 +7.50
705–710 708 2 340.00–345.00 $342.51 $2,425 +2.51
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,984 -0.17
540 540 2 460.00 $460.00 $2,484 —
695 695 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,432 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
900–1225 1008 (<2 yrs)N/A 3 2,450.00–3,200.00 $2,887.60 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 395.00 $395.00 $2,271 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1270 1152 80-85% 6 163.00–175.00 $170.30 $1,962 —
1010–1350 1208 80-85% 6 177.00–195.00 $183.61 $2,218 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770–1265 968 85-90% 6 138.00–154.00 $148.46 $1,437 +8.51
1030–1310 1146 85-90% 4 165.00–173.00 $167.77 $1,923 +14.77
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320 1320 75-80% 1 174.00 $174.00 $2,297 —
1300–1760 1461 75-80% 7 177.00–195.00 $186.38 $2,723 +11.82

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405–2160 1689 5 194.00–199.00 $196.62 $3,321 +3.02
1570–1880 1725 2 209.00–220.00 $214.01 $3,692 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–970 955 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,800.00–2,900.00 $2,850.79
1165–1300 1228 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,950.00–3,500.00 $3,186.97
1205–1415 1307 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 3,350.00–3,650.00 $3,485.59
1300–1770 1483 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,750.00–4,100.00 $3,461.47
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
795 795 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
905 thin fleshed 905 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00
1030–1115 1073 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,150.00–2,250.00 $2,201.98
1115 1115 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00
1120 1120 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00
1185 1185 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960 960 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1010 1010 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
765 765 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
825 825 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00

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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
1312 1312 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 3,700.00 $3,700.00 —
1205–1430 1335 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 2,850.00–4,750.00 $3,733.65 —
1345 1345 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 4,050.00 $4,050.00 —
1220–1640 1377 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 8 3,800.00–4,750.00 $4,319.29 —
1250–1835 1433 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 8 3,500.00–4,350.00 $3,941.02 —
1440–1540 1490 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 4,650.00–4,750.00 $4,701.68 —
1640 1640 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,950.00 $3,950.00 —
1515–1775 1645 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 4,400.00–4,450.00 $4,423.02 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1030 thin fleshed 1030 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —
1120 1120 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00 —
1230–1325 1278 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 3,300.00–3,850.00 $3,564.77 —
1210–1450 1330 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,700.00–3,550.00 $3,163.35 —
1530 1530 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 4,900.00 $4,900.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1070 1070 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00 —
1305 1305 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,550.00 $3,550.00 —
1330 1330 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 4,950.00 $4,950.00 —
1400 1400 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00 —

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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.