Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 22, 2023

1,790 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $202.62/cwt +11.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,471/hd at 726 lb · 379 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $201.91/cwt +8.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,376/hd at 682 lb · 239 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $200.44/cwt ≈ $1,545/hd at 771 lb · 172 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,790 925 815
Feeder cattle 1,588 745 649
Slaughter cattle 174 156 156
Replacement cattle 28 24 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers sold steady on similar quality. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 7.00 higher with very good demand for 500-600 lbs weaned packages. Very good demand for yearling steer and heifer packages. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 3.00 to 5.00 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
268 value added 268 4 232.50 $232.50 $623 —
310 value added 310 1 223.00 $223.00 $691 —
340 340 1 211.00 $211.00 $717 -14.75
350–370 360 2 243.00–250.00 $246.60 $888 +22.37
425–447 value added 435 11 229.00–252.00 $237.96 $1,035 -7.04
440 440 1 220.00 $220.00 $968 -10.73
450–491 value added 469 24 227.00–244.00 $235.45 $1,104 +1.37
480 480 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,008 -6.08
505–547 value added 536 37 221.00–242.00 $236.05 $1,265 —
580–592 value added 588 8 223.00–236.00 $228.72 $1,345 -14.06
605–640 value added 618 14 210.00–231.00 $224.88 $1,390 -6.51
606–638 thin fleshed 634 64 239.50–240.00 $239.94 $1,521 —
650–663 value added 658 11 210.00–219.00 $213.25 $1,403 -11.25
714–725 value added 718 10 207.00–214.00 $209.81 $1,506 -7.19
710–735 726 8 190.00–194.00 $191.97 $1,394 -17.81
765–770 770 17 191.00–195.00 $194.77 $1,500 -2.78
750–786 value added 777 4 199.00–204.00 $200.21 $1,556 —
810 fancy 810 4 186.00 $186.00 $1,507 —
811–845 821 13 187.00–199.00 $192.88 $1,584 +2.88
855–890 866 4 183.00–194.00 $188.56 $1,633 —
900 900 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,674 +4.00
1150 1150 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,679 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,161 —
755 755 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,548 —
860 860 2 198.00 $198.00 $1,703 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–240 233 2 183.00–202.50 $192.44 $448 —
510 510 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,025 +16.00
735 735 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,235 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
227 227 2 187.00 $187.00 $424 —
250–290 275 5 190.00–202.50 $198.85 $547 +6.97
305–345 329 14 190.00–202.00 $192.43 $633 -7.53
360–385 value added 367 11 202.00–208.00 $204.87 $752 —
355–395 370 6 190.00–200.00 $195.55 $724 +0.17
400–445 value added 421 17 201.00–225.00 $214.83 $904 +0.47
410–425 421 4 196.00–200.00 $199.03 $838 +2.55
450–477 467 10 190.00–200.00 $197.36 $922 +3.12
450–495 value added 479 39 203.00–226.00 $217.26 $1,041 +1.20
500–530 517 6 191.00–200.00 $196.10 $1,014 +7.10
502–545 value added 526 30 197.00–227.00 $216.02 $1,136 +10.46
550–595 557 9 181.00–193.00 $183.32 $1,021 -11.49
552–598 value added 576 23 198.00–224.00 $206.30 $1,188 -6.75
600–645 value added 627 16 185.00–199.00 $193.51 $1,213 -10.52
600–642 628 8 172.00–182.00 $179.51 $1,127 -12.87
655–670 660 5 174.00–181.00 $177.02 $1,168 +0.72
656–686 value added 682 234 191.00–207.50 $202.44 $1,381 +3.09
725 725 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,160 -11.51
705–740 value added 726 378 178.00–213.00 $202.73 $1,472 +7.73
760–767 767 45 157.00–181.00 $171.87 $1,318 —
755–785 value added 772 127 184.00–211.75 $210.57 $1,626 —
800–810 805 3 131.00–163.00 $147.64 $1,189 -35.75
835 value added 835 59 206.75 $206.75 $1,726 —
925 925 2 146.00 $146.00 $1,350 —
1085 1085 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,421 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–225 213 2 155.00–170.00 $162.06 $345 —
320–332 328 3 173.00–187.50 $177.72 $583 +6.52
355–385 370 4 172.50–187.00 $180.25 $667 +13.65
425–440 433 3 133.00–179.00 $161.09 $698 -13.91
545 545 1 166.00 $166.00 $905 +9.00
570 570 1 169.00 $169.00 $963 +11.47
602–635 614 7 130.00–161.00 $156.42 $960 -0.05
655–695 679 7 131.00–170.00 $152.07 $1,033 +14.23
775–790 783 3 123.00–145.00 $135.63 $1,062 +15.65
960 960 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,008 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 171.00 $171.00 $504 —
340 340 1 185.00 $185.00 $629 —
425 425 1 181.00 $181.00 $769 —
523 value added 523 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,098 —
570 570 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,049 —
610 610 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,153 —
660 660 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,254 —
700 700 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,225 —
760–790 775 2 159.00–170.00 $164.61 $1,276 —
842 842 2 126.00 $126.00 $1,061 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1095 1068 2 120.00–130.00 $125.13 $1,336 -3.87

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
187 value added 187 2 212.50 $212.50 $397 —
265–290 value added 278 3 227.50 $227.50 $632 —
287 287 2 200.00 $200.00 $574 -15.00
300–340 value added 323 3 225.00–242.50 $234.54 $758 -5.46
350–385 value added 369 15 220.00–250.00 $237.44 $876 +7.44
380 380 1 210.00 $210.00 $798 -12.55
400–445 value added 430 12 220.00–241.00 $234.87 $1,010 -4.38
452–475 value added 465 17 221.00–240.00 $235.38 $1,095 —
467 467 2 189.00 $189.00 $883 -21.38
495 495 1 196.00 $196.00 $970 -14.38
500–540 value added 513 22 213.50–229.00 $223.24 $1,145 +2.03
517 thin fleshed 517 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,215 —
555–582 value added 571 12 215.00–232.00 $225.26 $1,286 +0.77
590–595 594 6 193.00–215.00 $208.66 $1,239 -3.40
600–635 value added 606 7 199.00–222.00 $212.43 $1,287 —
600–615 608 2 194.00–197.00 $195.52 $1,189 -4.44
615 thin fleshed 615 2 228.00 $228.00 $1,402 —
652 thin fleshed 652 6 218.50 $218.50 $1,425 —
657–690 value added 672 6 194.00–213.00 $205.67 $1,382 —
677–680 678 3 182.00–191.00 $187.99 $1,275 -6.44
715–730 value added 727 6 183.00–191.00 $185.65 $1,350 —
760 760 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,277 —
785 value added 785 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,492 —
805 805 2 180.00–189.00 $184.50 $1,485 +6.50
850–885 868 2 151.00–165.00 $157.86 $1,370 -4.14
910–930 923 4 140.00–151.00 $144.78 $1,336 —
960–985 972 3 120.00–144.00 $133.31 $1,296 —
1030 1030 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,246 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–340 329 4 160.00–205.00 $181.08 $596 —
365 365 1 191.00 $191.00 $697 —
495 495 1 169.00 $169.00 $837 +7.43
610 610 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,104 —
687 687 2 152.00 $152.00 $1,044 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 130.00 $130.00 $280 —
360 360 1 160.00 $160.00 $576 —
530 530 1 125.00 $125.00 $662 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 205.00 $205.00 $615 —
640 value added 640 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,280 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1245 1133 80-85% 5 93.00–101.00 $97.26 $1,102 +11.67
1005–1470 1209 80-85% 42 101.00–125.00 $114.06 $1,379 +16.81
1420 1420 80-85% 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,207 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
815–925 870 85-90% 2 73.00 $73.00 $635 —
805–995 893 85-90% 14 83.00–95.00 $88.48 $790 —
920 920 85-90% 1 78.00 $78.00 $718 —
840–1245 1013 85-90% 28 96.00–119.00 $102.48 $1,038 +14.91
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1430 1353 75-80% 2 90.00–95.00 $92.64 $1,253 —
1015–1815 1441 75-80% 37 103.00–129.00 $115.21 $1,660 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230 1230 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,132 —
1235–1980 1504 4 98.00–123.00 $110.08 $1,656 —
1540–2060 1771 15 126.00–161.00 $138.28 $2,449 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
936–1350 1099 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 1,085.00–1,425.00 $1,189.00
1520 1520 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
895–930 913 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 835.00–850.00 $842.36

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
801 801 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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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
1060 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1125 1125 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 900.00 $900.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 2 152.50 $152.50 $903 —

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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.