Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 15, 2023

925 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $193.26/cwt +6.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,279/hd at 662 lb · 106 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $200.89/cwt +3.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,152/hd at 574 lb · 60 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $198.35/cwt +7.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,641/hd at 828 lb · 50 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 925 824 735
Feeder cattle 745 668 601
Slaughter cattle 156 145 113
Replacement cattle 24 11 21

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
280 280 1 232.50 $232.50 $651 —
310–345 317 7 220.00–235.00 $225.75 $716 +13.75
360–397 379 4 219.00–230.00 $224.23 $850 —
355–394 fancy 382 8 239.00–240.00 $239.12 $913 —
400–425 409 5 224.00–232.50 $230.73 $944 +32.73
438 value added 438 5 245.00 $245.00 $1,073 -1.22
465–495 value added 480 12 231.00–239.00 $234.08 $1,124 -13.94
473–497 487 8 212.00–226.00 $216.08 $1,052 +6.08
503 fancy 503 3 261.00 $261.00 $1,313 —
522–540 536 8 224.00–231.00 $229.29 $1,229 +31.29
558–595 574 18 219.00–236.00 $226.58 $1,301 +22.54
558–594 value added 580 20 240.00–244.25 $242.78 $1,408 +5.42
607–635 value added 619 9 229.00–235.00 $231.39 $1,432 +4.60
635–645 637 6 217.00–222.50 $221.57 $1,411 +23.01
660–661 value added 661 4 223.00–225.00 $224.50 $1,484 +13.76
650–694 671 31 199.00–221.00 $213.44 $1,432 +23.44
707 value added 707 6 217.00 $217.00 $1,534 +17.52
715–730 727 8 197.00–212.00 $209.78 $1,525 +34.78
751–763 758 26 194.00–199.00 $197.55 $1,497 +18.87
805 805 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,530 -0.94
827–828 value added 828 49 198.50–199.00 $198.52 $1,644 —
932 932 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,696 —
1025 1025 5 177.00 $177.00 $1,814 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 200.00 $200.00 $910 —
555–585 574 7 203.00–210.00 $206.02 $1,183 —
621 621 3 194.00 $194.00 $1,205 —
655–695 675 2 189.00–195.00 $192.09 $1,297 —
745 745 1 192.00 $192.00 $1,430 —
855 855 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,462 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 192.50 $192.50 $481 —
355–375 371 5 167.50–192.50 $176.23 $654 —
520 520 1 185.00 $185.00 $962 —
570 570 1 172.50 $172.50 $983 —
615 615 1 157.00 $157.00 $966 —
690 690 1 120.00 $120.00 $828 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1625 1530 2 124.00–125.00 $124.53 $1,905 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–290 285 2 185.00–199.00 $191.88 $547 +11.88
325–340 332 5 194.00–203.00 $199.96 $664 +8.96
355–375 365 2 191.00–200.00 $195.38 $713 +3.01
390 fancy 390 1 215.00 $215.00 $838 —
402–430 value added 413 8 209.00–220.00 $214.36 $885 +9.67
400–430 416 6 190.00–205.00 $196.48 $817 +10.71
450–485 value added 459 9 210.00–220.00 $216.06 $992 +8.95
465–495 486 15 185.00–208.00 $194.24 $944 +8.22
500–510 506 8 180.00–197.00 $189.00 $956 +12.67
522–547 value added 544 17 205.50–206.00 $205.56 $1,118 +7.55
550–595 566 40 188.00–199.00 $194.81 $1,103 +11.60
557–593 value added 589 20 204.00–214.00 $213.05 $1,255 +12.10
603–620 value added 613 10 201.00–206.00 $204.03 $1,251 +15.63
600–630 617 14 177.00–214.00 $192.38 $1,187 +26.38
660 value added 660 78 199.35 $199.35 $1,316 +12.37
651–696 666 28 168.00–181.00 $176.30 $1,174 —
700–730 710 3 165.00–184.00 $171.51 $1,218 +12.51
728 value added 728 14 195.00 $195.00 $1,420 +24.22
801–810 802 10 178.00–184.00 $183.39 $1,471 +43.29
958 958 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,581 +38.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–335 333 2 165.00–177.50 $171.20 $570 —
350–395 377 3 158.00–179.00 $166.60 $628 +3.14
430–445 438 2 175.00 $175.00 $766 +5.96
465–480 473 2 160.00 $160.00 $757 -2.23
542 542 2 157.00 $157.00 $851 +2.70
550–597 577 6 153.00–165.00 $157.53 $909 -8.46
605–635 618 5 141.00–167.00 $156.47 $967 +6.47
660–685 675 5 128.00–142.00 $137.84 $930 —
757–787 772 4 119.00–121.00 $119.98 $926 -12.02
810 810 1 115.00 $115.00 $932 -12.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 2 185.00 $185.00 $633 —
440 440 1 185.00 $185.00 $814 —
471–490 477 5 170.00–176.00 $173.96 $830 —
558–560 559 4 168.00–176.00 $173.99 $973 —
640 640 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,082 —
795 795 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,312 —
825–837 832 4 141.00–156.00 $146.73 $1,221 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–445 428 2 130.00–145.00 $137.81 $590 —
550–563 560 4 130.00–137.00 $135.28 $758 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085 1085 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,400 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 215.00 $215.00 $634 -5.00
305 305 1 222.50 $222.50 $679 —
305 value added 305 1 240.00 $240.00 $732 +11.30
365–390 375 9 210.00–227.50 $222.55 $835 +15.07
390 value added 390 2 230.00 $230.00 $897 -3.00
415–440 430 3 227.00–236.00 $233.10 $1,002 +49.10
405–445 value added 432 3 238.00–242.00 $239.25 $1,034 +4.56
450–482 470 6 202.00–220.00 $210.38 $989 +14.83
490 fancy 490 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,147 —
500–540 515 3 200.00–215.00 $206.88 $1,065 +6.72
515–525 value added 519 5 218.00–226.00 $221.21 $1,148 -11.66
560–590 value added 571 6 220.00–229.00 $224.49 $1,282 +6.38
555–595 575 7 202.00–217.00 $212.06 $1,219 +13.64
620–635 628 2 197.00–203.00 $199.96 $1,256 +15.97
672–695 684 7 191.00–198.00 $194.43 $1,330 +8.73
720–747 738 3 186.00–189.00 $188.02 $1,388 +10.27
827 827 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,472 +29.50
865 865 1 162.00 $162.00 $1,401 +22.71
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 3 189.00 $189.00 $945 —
555 555 1 179.00 $179.00 $993 —
795 795 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,359 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 192.50 $192.50 $770 —
460–495 478 2 152.50–170.00 $161.57 $772 —
535 535 1 170.00 $170.00 $910 +23.00
740 740 1 135.00 $135.00 $999 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860 860 1 114.00 $114.00 $980 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1255 1127 80-85% 13 78.00–89.00 $85.59 $965 -2.29
1025–1560 1235 80-85% 54 90.00–103.00 $97.25 $1,201 —
1085–1475 1284 80-85% 17 104.00–115.00 $108.00 $1,387 +3.67
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1100 969 85-90% 8 71.00–80.00 $75.60 $733 -9.49
815–1315 1016 85-90% 15 82.00–93.00 $87.57 $890 +10.41
925–1145 1029 85-90% 5 93.00–97.00 $94.32 $971 +17.16
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1725 1483 75-80% 17 102.00–118.00 $109.07 $1,618 +4.44
1415–1615 1485 75-80% 4 96.00–100.00 $97.74 $1,451 -6.89

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1185 1128 3 94.00–98.00 $96.29 $1,086 —
1085–1685 1385 10 103.00–118.00 $110.50 $1,530 —
1550–2025 1803 6 127.00–140.00 $131.79 $2,376 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,040.00 $1,040.00
950 950 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
985 985 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
975–1215 1064 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 775.00–1,175.00 $1,057.67
1090–1130 1110 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,100.00–1,175.00 $1,138.18
1160–1315 1228 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,525.00–1,625.00 $1,592.16

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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
1185 1185 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —
1430 1430 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00 —

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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.