Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards Lexington Market Report

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

Sale of Wednesday, December 18, 2024

594 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 594 493 529
Replacement cattle 594 493 529

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1220 1220 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 —
1255–1835 1483 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 4 1,925.00–2,950.00 $2,281.83 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1280 1280 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
947–1785 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 140 1,800.00–2,475.00 $2,221.82
931–1595 1303 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 23 2,025.00–2,475.00 $2,285.27
1045–1550 fancy 1320 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 26 2,500.00–2,600.00 $2,546.07
1100–1480 1335 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,800.00–2,100.00 $1,931.09
1290–1680 fancy 1461 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 2,500.00 $2,500.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930–1290 1058 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 26 1,350.00–1,625.00 $1,523.90
843–1440 1138 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 1,350.00–1,775.00 $1,553.38

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875–1095 948 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,325.00–2,625.00 $2,440.47
980–1075 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,425.00–2,525.00 $2,465.24
1013–1080 fancy 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 2,775.00–3,100.00 $2,833.99
1005–1122 1062 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 17 2,275.00–2,675.00 $2,473.97
1000–1185 fancy 1064 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 2,700.00–2,875.00 $2,738.37
915–1287 1073 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 31 2,300.00–2,675.00 $2,532.28
1120–1173 fancy 1143 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 2,700.00–2,725.00 $2,711.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
937 937 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,050.00 $2,050.00
920–1010 963 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 1,625.00–2,175.00 $1,959.64
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

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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
1155–1377 1226 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 2,725.00–3,200.00 $2,939.93 —
1127–1700 1364 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 2,450.00–2,550.00 $2,493.52 —
1470 1470 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,875.00 $2,875.00 —
1155–1716 1471 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 21 2,600.00–3,250.00 $3,029.87 —
1445–1780 1601 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 3,275.00–3,400.00 $3,326.51 —
1605 1605 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 3,475.00 $3,475.00 —
1615 1615 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00 —
1765 1765 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1137–1445 1299 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 2,275.00–2,450.00 $2,343.62 +121.52

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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.