Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Lexington Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock (Special)

Sale of Wednesday, December 20, 2023

529 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 529 361 383
Replacement cattle 529 361 383

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1340 1340 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00
1740 1740 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)N/A 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
963 963 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00
1205–1215 1210 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,575.00–1,725.00 $1,649.69
955–1892 1317 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 116 1,400.00–2,325.00 $1,775.94
1010–1800 1342 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 41 1,400.00–2,075.00 $1,823.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
820–1285 1174 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 1,025.00–1,325.00 $1,199.74
860–1465 1223 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 29 950.00–1,400.00 $1,229.62
1260 1260 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
1000–1550 1294 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,100.00–1,375.00 $1,234.20
Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990–1552 1352 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,450.00–1,500.00 $1,473.50
1365–1467 1422 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,325.00–1,475.00 $1,439.01

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Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1180–1410 1257 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 2,100.00–2,600.00 $2,386.09 +410.80
1265 1265 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 +24.71
1285 1285 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,350.00 $2,350.00 +374.71
1145–1568 1337 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 26 2,000.00–2,475.00 $2,267.02
1365–1430 1398 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,800.00–1,975.00 $1,889.53
1285–1502 1430 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,075.00–2,500.00 $2,372.67 +297.67
1395–1580 1518 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 2,050.00–2,325.00 $2,240.78
1550 1550 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1605 1605 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1053 1053 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,525.00 $1,525.00

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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.