Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report, Lexington, KY

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, July 24, 2023

828 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 $223.89/cwt +39.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,671/hd at 746 lb · 77 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $234.07/cwt +5.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,613/hd at 689 lb · 73 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.15/cwt +62.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,886/hd at 881 lb · 61 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 828 880 586
Feeder cattle 701 760 543
Slaughter cattle 123 114 41
Replacement cattle 4 6 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday steer calves under 600 lbs sold steady in a light test. Yearlings sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher in a limited comparison. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter cows sold steady with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher with 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
377–392 value added 385 4 283.00–291.00 $286.92 $1,105 -5.58
380–397 391 3 230.00–250.00 $236.47 $925 —
426–445 value added 433 7 253.00–269.00 $259.63 $1,124 -7.73
470–480 475 2 244.00–249.00 $246.53 $1,171 —
460–490 value added 485 6 259.00–268.00 $260.42 $1,263 -37.08
500–522 516 4 231.00–247.00 $241.86 $1,248 +0.87
517–540 value added 528 15 249.00–268.00 $256.75 $1,356 -1.93
555–570 564 5 240.00–246.00 $243.41 $1,373 -0.59
567–585 value added 576 19 248.00–257.00 $254.49 $1,466 —
602–647 value added 613 26 232.00–263.00 $253.99 $1,557 +3.05
660–690 value added 671 11 232.00–249.00 $243.49 $1,634 +9.47
695 695 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,557 +5.00
700–710 value added 703 9 228.00–247.00 $244.45 $1,718 —
705 705 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,544 +13.25
755–785 770 2 219.00–222.00 $220.47 $1,698 —
809–830 813 6 220.00–223.00 $222.49 $1,809 +12.66
872 872 2 209.00 $209.00 $1,822 +4.96
920 920 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,771 -9.69
1015 1015 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,624 —
1107 1107 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,550 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
397 397 2 224.00 $224.00 $889 —
440 440 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,038 —
487 487 2 190.00 $190.00 $925 —
540 540 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,204 —
575 575 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,219 +20.00
600 600 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,092 —
660–662 661 3 190.00–205.00 $194.99 $1,289 —
745 745 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,535 —
750 750 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,508 —
850–860 855 2 185.00–193.00 $188.98 $1,616 —
995 995 2 150.00 $150.00 $1,492 —
1030 1030 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,390 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–285 value added 273 7 230.00–242.50 $240.64 $657 +19.85
355–395 value added 370 3 223.00–241.00 $233.00 $862 +13.69
382–385 383 3 210.00–220.00 $213.35 $817 +12.37
425–445 value added 440 6 232.00–247.00 $243.91 $1,073 +22.38
440 440 1 215.00 $215.00 $946 +6.12
455–495 value added 476 30 230.00–247.00 $237.60 $1,131 +12.28
470–497 492 12 212.50–228.50 $225.50 $1,109 +10.66
525 525 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,155 +8.18
515–545 value added 533 18 222.00–236.00 $231.28 $1,233 +6.60
560–580 value added 574 8 224.00–230.00 $227.78 $1,307 +0.81
581–590 583 5 210.00–221.00 $212.23 $1,237 -0.23
628–645 630 7 191.00–210.00 $207.22 $1,305 +16.22
600–645 value added 637 13 211.00–228.00 $215.26 $1,371 +1.37
655–660 659 4 194.00–201.00 $198.75 $1,310 +7.86
675–691 value added 691 69 210.00–236.50 $236.12 $1,632 +6.96
720–735 730 3 181.00–190.00 $187.04 $1,365 +12.04
710–749 value added 747 74 214.00–226.00 $225.38 $1,684 +40.66
780–784 value added 784 60 212.00–228.30 $228.03 $1,788 —
815 value added 815 2 173.00 $173.00 $1,410 -11.00
867–880 871 3 157.00–160.00 $158.99 $1,385 +7.54
881 value added 881 58 217.00 $217.00 $1,912 —
905–935 915 3 142.00–158.00 $147.45 $1,349 +9.50
1070 1070 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,444 -2.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 182.50 $182.50 $365 —
260–285 273 2 161.00–167.50 $164.40 $449 —
350 350 1 196.00 $196.00 $686 —
455 455 2 200.00 $200.00 $910 +29.46
540 540 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,145 —
565–585 575 2 162.00–187.00 $174.72 $1,005 —
685 685 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,247 +22.00
710–745 735 4 135.00–157.00 $144.37 $1,061 +2.49
755–778 772 4 140.00–150.00 $147.56 $1,139 +6.09
802–845 816 3 148.00–150.00 $149.31 $1,218 +15.31
890 890 1 99.00 $99.00 $881 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 5 199.00 $199.00 $1,025 —
760 760 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,360 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 232.50 $232.50 $477 —
335–345 340 2 235.00–260.00 $247.32 $841 +6.31
350–380 value added 363 3 277.00–279.00 $277.66 $1,008 —
355–385 370 2 240.00–252.00 $246.24 $911 +5.24
401–445 value added 415 10 265.00–285.00 $276.69 $1,148 +21.69
430 430 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,049 +23.00
455–480 value added 468 3 252.50–255.00 $254.16 $1,189 +14.98
470–485 474 4 240.00–250.00 $246.51 $1,168 +4.01
502–540 523 5 231.00–245.00 $238.80 $1,249 +23.35
550–580 562 7 225.00–231.00 $226.72 $1,274 +8.09
565 value added 565 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,339 +6.73
632–635 value added 633 3 224.00–226.00 $224.67 $1,422 +5.29
638 638 3 214.00 $214.00 $1,365 +24.00
665 value added 665 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,483 +8.23
655–685 667 7 198.00–219.00 $206.29 $1,376 +8.17
730 730 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,394 -10.87
770–785 778 2 201.00–204.00 $202.49 $1,575 +6.06
912–929 921 10 182.00–201.00 $183.89 $1,694 +61.89
1005 1005 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,106 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 227.50 $227.50 $614 —
370 370 1 202.50 $202.50 $749 —
440–445 443 2 180.00–227.00 $203.37 $901 —
485–495 490 2 210.00–222.00 $216.06 $1,059 +14.06
517–545 527 4 177.50–213.00 $193.58 $1,020 —
572 572 2 217.00 $217.00 $1,241 +30.00
630 630 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,172 —
730 730 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,329 —
825 825 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,262 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765 765 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,408 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 125.00 $125.00 $669 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650 650 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $468 —
795–1030 875 85-90% 7 83.00–89.00 $85.84 $751 -1.13
825–1285 1016 85-90% 15 91.00–101.00 $95.53 $971 —
850–1135 1029 85-90% 15 101.00–114.00 $103.75 $1,068 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1445 1203 80-85% 7 100.00–106.00 $103.81 $1,249 -0.35
1045–1930 1323 80-85% 23 108.00–125.00 $115.25 $1,525 —
1330–1420 1387 80-85% 3 85.00–88.00 $86.64 $1,202 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1635 1304 75-80% 7 91.00–108.00 $104.65 $1,365 —
1245–1875 1555 75-80% 20 108.00–128.00 $116.47 $1,811 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1265 1218 2 117.00–121.00 $118.92 $1,448 —
1470 1470 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,602 -10.71
1155–2265 1896 11 127.00–143.00 $135.33 $2,566 —

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1180–1630 1405 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,425.00–1,850.00 $1,671.53 —

↑ Back to top

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.