Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Market Report

Richmond, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, May 15, 2026

663 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $454.56/cwt +28.52 vs last sale · ≈ $2,365/hd at 520 lb · 84 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $361.85/cwt +39.35 vs last sale · ≈ $2,739/hd at 757 lb · 73 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $400.87/cwt ≈ $2,735/hd at 682 lb · 60 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 663 570 301
Feeder cattle 604 471 241
Slaughter cattle 37 84 40
Replacement cattle 22 15 20

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher.

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
315–335 330 4 600.00–620.00 $604.77 $1,996 —
362–380 368 3 550.00–570.00 $563.12 $2,072 +11.81
430–440 435 8 515.00–537.50 $525.88 $2,288 -26.51
492 492 2 525.00 $525.00 $2,583 +18.42
508 value added 508 26 522.50 $522.50 $2,654 —
547 547 4 470.00 $470.00 $2,571 —
551–556 554 22 455.00–460.00 $456.58 $2,529 -17.13
557–578 value added 572 21 471.50–477.50 $473.17 $2,707 -8.54
612 612 7 405.00 $405.00 $2,479 -15.00
635 value added 635 1 447.50 $447.50 $2,842 -3.73
650–665 value added 651 15 430.00–435.00 $434.66 $2,830 +13.31
665–696 682 41 405.00–423.00 $410.08 $2,797 —
715–725 720 2 370.00–382.50 $376.29 $2,709 +1.29
744 value added 744 16 389.00 $389.00 $2,894 —
828 828 3 345.00 $345.00 $2,857 -5.00
898 898 9 340.00 $340.00 $3,053 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 500.00 $500.00 $2,425 —
555–585 575 3 422.50–432.50 $429.28 $2,468 -5.72
605 605 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,420 —
702 702 2 327.50 $327.50 $2,299 —
795 795 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,703 -27.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 2 535.00 $535.00 $2,033 —
415 415 1 500.00 $500.00 $2,075 —
520 520 1 435.00 $435.00 $2,262 —
560 560 2 442.50 $442.50 $2,478 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 382.50 $382.50 $2,104 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 2 515.00 $515.00 $1,545 —
372–390 383 5 487.50–510.00 $496.25 $1,901 +9.44
430 430 4 450.00 $450.00 $1,935 -38.61
472 472 2 442.50 $442.50 $2,089 -12.95
500–521 518 23 417.50–422.50 $418.90 $2,170 -7.14
521 value added 521 61 468.00 $468.00 $2,438 —
585 585 4 397.50 $397.50 $2,325 +5.38
615 value added 615 15 407.50 $407.50 $2,506 +10.50
615–617 616 3 340.00–370.00 $360.02 $2,218 -14.98
682 value added 682 55 406.00 $406.00 $2,769 —
670–687 684 5 340.00–347.50 $344.49 $2,356 —
702–715 705 5 325.00–332.50 $326.52 $2,302 +3.13
757 value added 757 73 361.85 $361.85 $2,739 —
825–842 value added 839 5 340.00–360.00 $343.94 $2,886 —
853–865 value added 859 6 337.50–350.00 $343.79 $2,953 —
860–880 870 2 300.00–305.00 $302.53 $2,632 +12.53
903 value added 903 11 315.00 $315.00 $2,844 —
1121 1121 3 215.00 $215.00 $2,410 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,680 -44.87
497 497 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,988 -33.06
515–520 518 3 390.00–400.00 $393.31 $2,037 -5.47
575–581 577 11 365.00–375.00 $371.34 $2,143 —
705–715 710 2 287.50–290.00 $288.74 $2,050 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,618 -67.50
437 437 2 392.50 $392.50 $1,715 -57.50
501 501 3 417.50 $417.50 $2,092 +2.50
560–565 562 3 350.00–372.50 $364.96 $2,051 —
620 620 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,922 —
667 667 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,301 —
785 785 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,120 —
810 810 1 257.50 $257.50 $2,086 -45.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,782 +25.00
515 515 4 375.00–380.00 $378.75 $1,951 +11.25
760 760 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,824 -25.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,218 —
530 530 2 357.50 $357.50 $1,895 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 540.00 $540.00 $1,620 —
420 420 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,037 -61.14
510–515 512 3 445.00–447.50 $446.66 $2,287 -6.44
555–565 559 5 440.00–445.00 $442.98 $2,476 —
600–620 610 2 380.00–400.00 $389.84 $2,378 -21.14
665 665 2 392.50–395.00 $393.75 $2,618 +1.38
767 767 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,684 +11.96
845 845 1 332.50 $332.50 $2,810 -5.00
855 855 2 332.50 $332.50 $2,843 -3.57
930 930 1 282.50 $282.50 $2,627 -17.50
1090 1090 1 282.50 $282.50 $3,079 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,047 -47.62
515 515 2 415.00 $415.00 $2,137 -15.00
565–597 590 5 410.00–422.50 $416.43 $2,457 -18.57
1060 1060 2 247.50 $247.50 $2,624 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,760 ±0.00
405 405 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,984 -8.60
680 680 1 377.50 $377.50 $2,567 —
735 735 2 365.00 $365.00 $2,683 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
935–1445 1170 (<2 yrs)N/A 4 2,450.00–4,500.00 $3,746.42 —
1345 1345 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
532 532 2 387.50 $387.50 $2,062 -22.50
557 557 2 367.50 $367.50 $2,047 -37.45
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
462 462 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,779 —
545 545 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,798 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1435 1295 80-85% 2 175.00–178.00 $176.66 $2,288 —
1155–1625 1337 80-85% 11 183.00–195.00 $187.62 $2,508 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1160 1017 85-90% 5 155.00–160.00 $157.22 $1,599 +4.31
1035 1035 85-90% 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,294 -27.91
1115–1245 1180 85-90% 2 180.00–182.00 $180.94 $2,135 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1395–1740 1562 75-80% 7 180.00–192.00 $184.15 $2,876 —
1585 1585 75-80% 1 178.00 $178.00 $2,821 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1730 1433 5 229.00–251.00 $236.73 $3,392 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,954.00 $1,954.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045 1045 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1100 1100 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1235 1235 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00

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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
1075 1075 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —
1120 1120 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00 —
1525 1525 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 5,100.00 $5,100.00 —
1625 1625 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 4,550.00 $4,550.00 —

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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.