Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 8, 2026

570 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 $366.50/cwt +21.50 vs last sale · ≈ $3,233/hd at 882 lb · 113 head
light 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $444.87/cwt -10.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,900/hd at 427 lb · 19 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $479.04/cwt ≈ $2,764/hd at 577 lb · 18 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 570 819 655
Feeder cattle 471 670 564
Slaughter cattle 84 35 60
Replacement cattle 15 114 31

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady. No comparable receipts on yearling steers, however they appeared stronger. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with slaughter bulls steady.

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
356–380 362 4 550.00–555.00 $551.31 $1,996 +11.31
420–440 432 3 547.50–560.00 $552.39 $2,386 —
480–490 487 3 500.00–520.00 $506.58 $2,467 +1.16
507 507 2 487.50 $487.50 $2,472 +6.94
561–575 567 6 470.00–477.50 $473.71 $2,686 —
550–585 value added 582 12 481.00–490.00 $481.71 $2,804 —
605 605 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,541 -14.84
615–620 value added 618 2 447.50–455.00 $451.23 $2,789 +4.02
650–666 value added 654 15 420.00–425.00 $421.35 $2,756 —
700 700 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,625 —
810–825 818 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,863 —
882 value added 882 113 366.50 $366.50 $3,233 +21.50
955 955 1 320.00 $320.00 $3,056 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
541 541 3 450.00 $450.00 $2,434 +7.50
570 570 1 435.00 $435.00 $2,480 —
765 765 2 367.50 $367.50 $2,811 —
985 985 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,832 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 477.50 $477.50 $2,292 -7.50
895 895 1 317.50 $317.50 $2,842 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690 690 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,329 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 650.00 $650.00 $1,300 —
250 250 1 600.00 $600.00 $1,500 —
330–343 340 4 490.00–500.00 $497.57 $1,692 -17.29
357–396 374 7 480.00–495.00 $486.81 $1,821 -6.90
400–437 423 10 482.50–492.50 $488.61 $2,067 +18.36
450–470 456 14 445.00–458.00 $455.45 $2,077 +12.14
500–543 531 15 422.50–427.50 $426.04 $2,262 +8.58
560–579 577 17 387.50–400.00 $392.12 $2,263 -21.98
624 value added 624 11 397.00 $397.00 $2,477 —
630 630 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,362 +7.68
712–730 718 3 320.00–330.00 $323.39 $2,322 +3.39
775 775 2 322.50 $322.50 $2,499 -2.50
850 850 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,465 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406–432 427 19 442.50–445.00 $444.87 $1,900 -10.13
455–478 469 5 430.00–435.00 $433.06 $2,031 —
535–545 540 2 395.00–402.50 $398.78 $2,153 —
630–635 633 2 345.00–365.00 $355.04 $2,247 +7.54
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374 374 8 450.00 $450.00 $1,683 —
447 447 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,699 -52.50
485–492 489 4 390.00–405.00 $396.24 $1,938 —
520 520 1 367.50 $367.50 $1,911 —
555–590 574 4 360.00–367.50 $363.86 $2,089 +1.36
770 770 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,040 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 482.50 $482.50 $1,737 —
436 436 3 450.00 $450.00 $1,962 —
460 460 1 427.50 $427.50 $1,966 -15.00
528 528 3 415.00 $415.00 $2,191 +30.00
840 840 1 302.50 $302.50 $2,541 —
895 895 1 282.50 $282.50 $2,528 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,628 —
400 400 2 425.00 $425.00 $1,700 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,699 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
371–395 375 6 550.00–575.00 $568.14 $2,131 -1.86
388–395 fancy 390 4 600.00–622.50 $616.80 $2,406 —
420–440 428 4 535.00–550.00 $546.14 $2,337 +49.55
465–468 467 5 520.00–542.50 $538.02 $2,513 —
502–530 510 4 450.00–462.50 $453.10 $2,311 -9.47
600–635 617 5 400.00–417.50 $410.98 $2,536 +25.09
650–695 667 3 385.00–407.50 $392.37 $2,617 -15.41
765–791 781 5 335.00–340.00 $338.04 $2,640 —
835 835 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,818 —
850–885 868 2 327.50–345.00 $336.07 $2,917 —
910 910 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,730 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,480 —
385 385 1 520.00 $520.00 $2,002 —
452–490 473 17 435.00–455.00 $446.84 $2,114 +16.84
540 540 1 410.00 $410.00 $2,214 —
572–580 575 3 395.00–410.00 $404.95 $2,328 —
705 705 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,221 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–440 425 4 500.00–510.00 $507.62 $2,157 +47.62
455–495 475 4 480.00–487.50 $483.59 $2,297 —
507 507 6 430.00 $430.00 $2,180 —
565 565 4 435.00 $435.00 $2,458 +35.00
670 670 2 350.00–365.00 $357.50 $2,395 +7.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,708 —
410–430 420 2 492.50–505.00 $498.60 $2,094 —
542 542 6 430.00 $430.00 $2,331 —
592 592 2 415.00 $415.00 $2,457 -20.00
635 635 1 392.50 $392.50 $2,492 —
785 785 1 322.50 $322.50 $2,532 -14.18
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 7 430.00 $430.00 $1,561 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 412.50 $412.50 $2,351 +7.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 80-85% 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,914 —
970–1350 1201 80-85% 17 171.00–181.00 $176.06 $2,114 +1.54
1275–1495 1391 80-85% 10 184.00–200.00 $189.78 $2,640 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–1020 896 85-90% 7 132.50–143.00 $137.82 $1,235 —
815–1005 910 85-90% 2 120.00–126.00 $123.31 $1,122 -22.51
855–1160 1004 85-90% 9 147.00–158.00 $152.91 $1,535 —
1045–1215 1109 85-90% 5 165.00–176.00 $169.72 $1,882 +7.60
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1700 1458 75-80% 14 168.00–179.00 $174.79 $2,548 +0.79
1390–1930 1614 75-80% 5 181.00–191.00 $185.01 $2,986 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1625 1513 4 210.00–214.00 $211.07 $3,193 —
1400–1780 1608 3 220.00–221.00 $220.34 $3,543 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960–1320 1133 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,200.00–2,725.00 $2,446.18
1170 1170 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1305 1305 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
755 755 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,175.00 $2,175.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
995 995 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —

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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.