Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 27, 2023

885 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $167.84/cwt +5.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,043/hd at 622 lb · 97 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $186.75/cwt +29.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,535/hd at 822 lb · 62 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $205.03/cwt +3.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,219/hd at 595 lb · 44 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 885 589 504
Feeder cattle 755 487 411
Slaughter cattle 119 96 83
Replacement cattle 11 6 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages suitable for grass. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages suitable for grass. Very good demand for yearlings in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand.

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
332–337 value added 335 4 214.00–215.00 $214.50 $719 -20.50
351–385 value added 361 10 216.00–220.00 $218.12 $787 -18.88
382 382 2 204.00 $204.00 $779 +6.00
430–445 value added 435 22 219.00–249.00 $239.27 $1,041 +10.78
440 440 2 207.00 $207.00 $911 —
447 fancy 447 10 237.00 $237.00 $1,059 —
450–483 value added 469 17 217.00–243.00 $231.82 $1,087 +15.78
465–480 473 2 190.00–191.00 $190.51 $901 —
511–530 value added 520 14 210.00–218.00 $212.51 $1,105 +7.68
520 520 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,024 +5.00
531 fancy 531 21 217.00 $217.00 $1,152 —
590–595 592 3 176.00–189.00 $180.36 $1,068 —
595 value added 595 41 200.00–207.00 $206.83 $1,231 +5.78
600–615 608 2 170.00–178.00 $173.95 $1,058 +5.01
600–633 value added 621 32 185.00–196.50 $193.35 $1,201 +7.10
652–685 value added 659 8 166.00–181.00 $172.31 $1,136 -14.01
700–745 value added 731 17 165.00–181.50 $178.76 $1,307 +3.73
750–792 value added 758 18 160.00–180.00 $170.71 $1,294 -6.29
822 fancy 822 62 186.75 $186.75 $1,535 —
860 860 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,531 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,026 +9.00
715 715 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,094 —
755–785 770 2 142.00–146.00 $144.04 $1,109 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,113 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 137.50 $137.50 $412 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
217 value added 217 2 215.00 $215.00 $467 —
230 230 1 187.00 $187.00 $430 —
285–290 288 2 175.00–190.00 $182.57 $526 —
300–345 value added 322 10 187.50–207.00 $192.88 $621 -9.01
310–335 323 5 180.00–185.00 $181.95 $588 +1.95
360–395 379 10 170.00–185.00 $180.10 $683 +0.10
357–398 value added 381 30 194.00–206.00 $202.01 $770 +8.01
405–445 415 4 165.00–176.00 $167.95 $697 -8.51
400–440 value added 416 20 179.00–199.00 $186.11 $774 -2.32
450–495 value added 465 25 177.00–198.00 $186.63 $868 +4.00
453–495 481 12 167.00–174.00 $171.06 $823 +2.06
515 fancy 515 16 190.00 $190.00 $978 —
507–545 value added 526 13 169.00–183.00 $175.61 $924 +4.87
530 530 1 155.00 $155.00 $822 —
550–590 571 5 155.00–168.00 $160.64 $917 +4.68
563–595 value added 579 10 168.50–174.00 $170.26 $986 -0.04
600–645 value added 620 21 158.00–171.00 $168.73 $1,046 +6.87
622 thin fleshed 622 76 167.60 $167.60 $1,042 —
650–660 value added 655 5 160.00–166.00 $164.20 $1,076 +3.20
700–725 value added 709 4 146.00–149.00 $147.75 $1,048 +2.75
705–745 725 2 138.00–142.00 $139.94 $1,015 +7.94
760 760 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,056 +12.66
800 800 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,032 +1.60
835 value added 835 1 139.00 $139.00 $1,161 —
875–885 882 3 119.00–127.00 $124.35 $1,097 -1.65
910 910 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,119 —
985 985 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,133 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–270 263 2 152.50–167.50 $160.21 $421 —
310–320 315 2 140.00–157.50 $148.89 $469 -3.85
505–540 532 5 130.00–149.00 $136.44 $726 -23.56
565–575 570 2 137.00–161.00 $148.89 $849 +7.53
610–635 623 4 127.00–130.00 $128.76 $802 -3.23
650–680 665 2 123.00–140.00 $131.31 $873 -0.44
700–745 722 3 106.00–132.00 $115.68 $835 -3.32
780 780 1 123.00 $123.00 $959 —
880 880 1 97.00 $97.00 $854 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 170.00 $170.00 $799 —
570 570 2 147.00 $147.00 $838 —
835 835 2 118.00 $118.00 $985 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 137.50 $137.50 $399 —
550 550 2 122.50–123.00 $122.75 $675 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 180.00 $180.00 $405 —
250–295 value added 277 3 227.50–234.00 $231.51 $641 —
281 281 3 200.00 $200.00 $562 —
337 337 4 216.00 $216.00 $728 +27.00
345 value added 345 2 230.00 $230.00 $794 +14.00
355–381 value added 372 12 213.00–235.00 $225.14 $838 -4.17
385–395 390 2 190.00–204.00 $197.09 $769 +2.22
405–427 value added 421 8 208.00–239.00 $222.92 $938 +11.92
402–448 426 9 170.00–206.00 $198.32 $845 +14.41
450–495 482 6 175.00–200.00 $190.97 $920 +2.00
505–535 value added 519 9 196.00–201.00 $199.45 $1,035 —
520 520 1 176.00 $176.00 $915 -18.00
550–580 value added 563 5 186.00–198.00 $193.94 $1,092 —
558–590 569 6 171.00–180.00 $177.10 $1,008 -6.90
600–625 617 3 152.00–158.00 $155.04 $957 -2.96
610–645 value added 630 4 169.00–183.00 $179.04 $1,128 +5.04
655–672 value added 667 4 160.00–174.00 $164.95 $1,100 +1.15
710 710 1 140.00 $140.00 $994 -15.00
710–730 value added 725 4 150.00–156.00 $151.47 $1,098 —
755–795 778 5 135.00–137.00 $135.80 $1,057 +0.80
800–840 820 2 110.00–119.00 $114.39 $938 -7.20
980 980 2 92.00–100.00 $96.00 $941 -24.00
1010 1010 2 96.00 $96.00 $970 —
1080 1080 2 98.00 $98.00 $1,058 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 165.00 $165.00 $396 +5.00
305–330 318 3 172.50–187.50 $181.87 $578 —
365–390 378 2 175.00–185.00 $179.83 $680 —
475–485 480 2 162.50–163.00 $162.75 $781 —
505 505 1 157.50 $157.50 $795 -7.50
560–565 563 2 157.50–162.00 $159.76 $899 —
605 605 1 140.00 $140.00 $847 —
745 745 1 130.00 $130.00 $968 +1.00
810 810 1 107.00 $107.00 $867 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 2 178.00 $178.00 $819 —
530 530 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,044 —
690 690 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,070 —
720 720 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,008 —
885 885 1 110.00 $110.00 $974 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–410 408 2 125.00–135.00 $130.03 $531 -9.97
480 480 1 135.00 $135.00 $648 —
570 570 1 135.00 $135.00 $770 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1475 1326 75-80% 8 77.00–87.00 $82.74 $1,097 —
1165–1810 1457 75-80% 24 88.00–113.00 $96.55 $1,407 +3.67
1660 1660 75-80% 1 73.00 $73.00 $1,212 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1060 943 85-90% 3 45.00–65.00 $55.84 $527 —
825–1175 1007 85-90% 6 65.00–72.00 $68.49 $690 —
905–1140 1051 85-90% 9 73.00–79.00 $76.17 $801 —
820–1280 1075 85-90% 11 80.00–105.00 $87.80 $944 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955 955 80-85% 1 73.00 $73.00 $697 —
1085–1455 1235 80-85% 7 82.00–87.00 $84.19 $1,040 —
940–1655 1276 80-85% 21 87.00–109.00 $95.57 $1,219 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1425 1258 9 95.00–112.00 $105.31 $1,325 —
1370–2480 1934 11 115.50–147.00 $134.02 $2,592 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
725 725 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 92.50 $92.50 $671

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1230–1425 1325 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,150.00–1,175.00 $1,158.96
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1210 1210 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,010.00 $1,010.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965–1010 988 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 985.00–1,035.00 $1,009.43

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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
1475 1475 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —
1525 1525 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00 —

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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.