Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 1, 2026

819 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $340.39/cwt ≈ $3,326/hd at 977 lb · 297 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $455.16/cwt +25.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,192/hd at 482 lb · 57 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $511.61/cwt +19.11 vs last sale · ≈ $2,702/hd at 528 lb · 26 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 819 787 410
Feeder cattle 670 678 225
Slaughter cattle 35 40 69
Replacement cattle 114 69 116

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 7.00 higher with some instances of sharply higher. Yearling steers sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold steady 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
240 fancy 240 1 680.00 $680.00 $1,632 —
280–295 fancy 288 2 660.00–670.00 $665.13 $1,916 +55.13
380 380 1 540.00 $540.00 $2,052 -20.00
392 fancy 392 22 600.00 $600.00 $2,352 —
456–487 468 5 502.50–507.50 $505.42 $2,365 +22.92
472 fancy 472 19 528.00 $528.00 $2,492 —
513–530 520 5 477.50–485.00 $480.56 $2,499 -11.94
530 fancy 530 21 519.00 $519.00 $2,751 —
612–630 value added 614 9 445.00–447.50 $447.21 $2,746 +7.21
610–640 620 3 425.00–442.50 $434.84 $2,696 +12.34
690 690 3 400.00–410.00 $403.33 $2,783 -7.91
742 742 2 377.50 $377.50 $2,801 —
825 value added 825 1 357.50 $357.50 $2,949 -0.50
880 value added 880 2 345.00 $345.00 $3,036 -9.27
915 915 1 342.50 $342.50 $3,134 —
956–991 value added 977 297 339.25–343.00 $340.39 $3,326 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 462.50 $462.50 $2,243 —
510 510 2 442.50 $442.50 $2,257 +17.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 3 485.00 $485.00 $2,304 +27.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–327 323 5 512.50–525.00 $514.86 $1,663 +40.11
365–394 389 24 490.00–515.00 $493.71 $1,921 +7.65
400 value added 400 2 510.00 $510.00 $2,040 —
400–432 428 9 460.00–480.00 $470.25 $2,013 +24.56
460–470 463 3 440.00–445.00 $443.31 $2,053 +13.29
473 value added 473 14 461.00 $461.00 $2,181 —
486 fancy 486 40 454.00 $454.00 $2,206 —
500–545 523 6 405.00–425.00 $417.46 $2,183 -6.27
551–552 551 21 414.00–415.00 $414.10 $2,282 +11.60
617–630 624 11 360.00–375.00 $367.32 $2,292 +5.63
665–670 668 2 355.00–357.50 $356.25 $2,380 +16.25
725 725 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,320 +2.50
755 755 4 325.00 $325.00 $2,454 —
822 822 2 325.00 $325.00 $2,672 -10.00
965 965 1 315.00 $315.00 $3,040 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,843 —
565–598 590 4 382.50–385.00 $383.10 $2,260 -9.18
615 615 1 347.50 $347.50 $2,137 +11.60
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 442.50 $442.50 $2,058 +18.66
500 500 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,925 +12.50
555 555 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,998 -20.00
770 770 1 312.50 $312.50 $2,406 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 432.50 $432.50 $1,903 +52.50
592 592 2 362.50 $362.50 $2,146 +2.50
620 620 1 327.50 $327.50 $2,030 +14.48

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 fancy 255 1 690.00 $690.00 $1,760 —
280 280 1 560.00 $560.00 $1,568 -20.00
310 310 2 585.00 $585.00 $1,814 +55.00
380–386 385 4 570.00 $570.00 $2,194 +20.65
415–443 435 7 487.50–500.00 $496.59 $2,160 -48.41
525–543 540 6 450.00–465.00 $462.57 $2,498 -5.93
590 590 1 432.50 $432.50 $2,552 -0.64
600–633 fancy 631 14 422.00–432.50 $422.71 $2,667 —
635–645 642 8 380.00–400.00 $385.89 $2,477 +0.89
652–690 666 7 395.00–410.00 $407.78 $2,716 +0.80
735 735 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,756 +5.00
1040 1040 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,756 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,277 +20.00
595 595 2 435.00 $435.00 $2,588 —
722 722 4 350.00 $350.00 $2,527 —
780–792 788 3 335.00–337.50 $336.68 $2,653 —
1130 1130 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,882 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,955 -40.00
585 585 5 400.00 $400.00 $2,340 +0.04
680 680 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,380 -27.50
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 405.00 $405.00 $2,390 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1615 1615 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,975.00 $3,975.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,956 -27.50

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1325 1201 80-85% 4 170.00–179.00 $174.52 $2,096 +0.34
1215 1215 80-85% 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,944 -23.87
1130–1420 1255 80-85% 9 181.00–189.00 $184.60 $2,317 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1050 920 85-90% 3 141.00–149.00 $145.82 $1,342 -0.77
930–1265 1117 85-90% 3 156.00–170.00 $162.12 $1,811 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1465 1465 75-80% 1 174.00 $174.00 $2,549 —
1570 1570 75-80% 1 182.00 $182.00 $2,857 —
1395–1785 1590 75-80% 2 158.00–161.00 $159.32 $2,533 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1280 1268 2 187.00–194.00 $190.53 $2,416 —
1210–2100 1591 8 196.00–207.00 $201.39 $3,204 —
1725–2125 1851 4 211.00–236.00 $217.74 $4,030 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060 1060 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,825.00 $2,825.00
1015–1212 1146 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,400.00–3,200.00 $2,963.88
1165 1165 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00
960–1435 1198 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,900.00–3,700.00 $3,379.33
1015–1540 1211 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 2,200.00–3,550.00 $2,921.75
1230 1230 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1240 1240 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00
900–1605 1276 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 2,700.00–3,600.00 $3,327.74
1080–1490 1287 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,550.00–2,950.00 $2,821.37

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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
1295 1295 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00 -875.00
1225–1445 1337 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 7 3,500.00–4,800.00 $4,221.58 +1,058.32
1380 1380 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,525.00 $3,525.00 -625.00
1300–1520 1389 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 4 3,750.00–4,400.00 $4,006.62 -143.38
1445 1445 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,500.00 $4,500.00 -28.82
1445–1465 1455 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 4,600.00–4,700.00 $4,649.66 +89.40
1300–1645 1460 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 4,150.00–5,250.00 $4,841.23 +280.97
1500 1500 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,875.00 $3,875.00 —
1530 1530 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 5,300.00 $5,300.00 —
1540 1540 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 5,400.00 $5,400.00 —
1435–1695 1565 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 5,200.00–5,400.00 $5,308.31 —
1430–1745 1598 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 4,100.00–5,200.00 $4,828.79 —
1635 1635 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 5,100.00 $5,100.00 +1,075.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1165 1165 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00 —

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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.