Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 28, 2023

955 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 $245.26/cwt +43.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,498/hd at 611 lb · 74 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $240.06/cwt +9.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,275/hd at 531 lb · 72 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $238.01/cwt +5.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,103/hd at 463 lb · 31 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 955 700 855
Feeder cattle 785 541 707
Slaughter cattle 151 143 139
Replacement cattle 19 16 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder calf market noticeably higher as cooler temperatures saw more buyer participation for weaned calf packages. Yearlings limited comparison. Slaughter cows and 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
285 285 1 295.00 $295.00 $841 —
372 372 2 283.00 $283.00 $1,053 —
430 430 1 261.00 $261.00 $1,122 —
400–445 value added 432 14 265.00–275.00 $269.67 $1,165 +21.46
512–517 value added 516 9 265.00–272.00 $270.46 $1,396 +26.46
520–545 533 2 250.00–252.00 $251.02 $1,338 +12.02
566–590 value added 568 17 257.00–272.00 $270.18 $1,535 —
560–595 572 3 250.00–256.00 $253.92 $1,452 +15.25
600–645 621 4 233.00–239.00 $236.43 $1,468 +8.01
607–640 value added 636 18 245.00–259.00 $257.52 $1,638 +18.76
656–685 value added 664 7 240.00–242.00 $241.41 $1,603 +0.08
715 715 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,673 —
790 790 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,667 —
808 808 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,616 -25.00
840–845 843 8 210.00–222.00 $212.75 $1,793 —
852 852 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,832 +4.00
930–937 936 5 190.00–194.00 $193.20 $1,808 +12.20
950–990 970 2 176.00–183.00 $179.43 $1,740 -12.57
1020–1038 1034 4 182.00–184.50 $183.88 $1,901 +1.15
1065 1065 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,981 +16.00
1121 1121 3 169.00 $169.00 $1,894 —
1215 1215 1 173.00 $173.00 $2,102 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180 180 1 237.50 $237.50 $428 —
300 300 1 247.50 $247.50 $742 +14.50
410–445 438 9 223.00–245.00 $238.84 $1,046 +9.84
450–480 473 7 188.00–249.00 $233.64 $1,105 +4.64
500–540 526 6 233.00–244.00 $239.73 $1,261 +3.73
550–555 553 3 228.00–249.00 $239.99 $1,327 —
665–682 675 4 190.00–221.00 $204.34 $1,379 —
850 850 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,504 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,364 +13.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–295 278 6 210.00–231.00 $217.93 $606 -3.90
275–285 value added 280 2 235.00–243.00 $238.93 $669 -0.20
310 310 1 220.00 $220.00 $682 -1.96
307–340 value added 326 5 235.00–240.00 $237.55 $774 +3.85
352–390 value added 369 17 231.00–245.00 $240.39 $887 +5.06
365–397 386 10 210.00–220.00 $216.09 $834 -4.57
400–435 value added 421 16 235.00–252.00 $241.89 $1,018 +5.70
405–435 424 14 223.00–234.00 $227.21 $963 +2.72
455–487 value added 462 24 235.00–248.00 $240.94 $1,113 +5.14
450–490 468 7 222.00–235.00 $227.95 $1,067 +4.68
515–545 530 35 223.00–232.00 $227.22 $1,204 +5.97
510–546 value added 532 37 234.00–254.00 $252.21 $1,342 +18.46
550–590 value added 568 12 228.00–245.00 $237.89 $1,351 +7.53
555–590 570 10 223.00–228.00 $224.48 $1,280 +0.48
571 thin fleshed 571 8 244.50 $244.50 $1,396 —
603 603 5 227.00 $227.00 $1,369 +30.35
608–617 value added 610 57 248.00–254.95 $253.72 $1,548 +36.65
600–640 618 12 202.00–220.00 $212.69 $1,314 +16.04
650–697 674 29 191.00–216.00 $206.15 $1,389 +12.15
700–740 712 15 181.00–189.00 $185.47 $1,321 +0.77
760–785 768 3 183.00–195.00 $190.91 $1,466 +8.95
810 810 2 198.00 $198.00 $1,604 +27.00
855 855 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,710 —
915 915 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,556 —
1002–1035 1017 4 123.00–144.00 $134.36 $1,366 —
1055–1065 1060 3 126.00–134.00 $129.99 $1,378 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 190.00 $190.00 $560 —
325 325 1 195.00 $195.00 $634 +4.79
380 380 3 197.00 $197.00 $749 +2.51
425–445 435 3 203.00–215.00 $209.61 $912 +19.61
500 500 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,075 +10.80
555–587 571 4 201.00–213.00 $207.17 $1,183 -3.13
637–645 641 5 175.00–190.00 $180.81 $1,159 -5.24
682 682 2 181.00 $181.00 $1,234 ±0.00
700–730 715 2 153.00–166.00 $159.36 $1,139 —
755–780 767 3 174.00–177.00 $175.65 $1,347 +25.03
870 870 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,444 —
905–945 915 4 116.00–144.00 $131.48 $1,203 —
960–970 967 3 120.00–132.00 $126.00 $1,218 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
547 547 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,203 —
595 595 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,208 —
675 675 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,370 —
725 725 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,204 —
880 880 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,566 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1390 1293 3 133.00–169.00 $145.90 $1,886 +21.90
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 170.00 $170.00 $527 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 value added 210 1 280.00 $280.00 $588 —
210 210 1 247.00 $247.00 $519 -20.50
295 value added 295 1 277.00 $277.00 $817 —
325–340 333 4 252.00–280.00 $265.68 $885 +14.71
340 fancy 340 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,010 —
355–388 381 5 240.00–260.00 $251.99 $960 +22.22
375–393 value added 389 16 264.00–287.50 $272.10 $1,058 —
415–445 437 9 249.00–260.00 $254.01 $1,110 +24.81
445 value added 445 2 261.00–265.00 $263.00 $1,170 —
455–495 464 9 239.00–253.00 $245.22 $1,138 +9.94
458–478 value added 474 15 253.00–265.00 $259.49 $1,230 —
500–540 521 18 236.00–250.00 $246.24 $1,283 +14.99
550 550 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,370 +19.36
600–645 615 17 190.00–230.00 $216.66 $1,332 +11.80
650–660 654 4 208.00–209.00 $208.75 $1,365 +6.77
700–745 724 5 187.00–217.00 $199.83 $1,447 +9.48
725 value added 725 2 223.00–225.00 $224.00 $1,624 -1.00
765–776 772 7 187.00–206.00 $192.56 $1,487 -2.44
872–873 873 6 170.00–179.00 $176.00 $1,536 —
915–935 923 4 151.00–164.00 $158.72 $1,465 -8.28
1050 1050 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,774 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–320 315 2 222.50–235.00 $228.85 $721 +16.35
360–395 368 5 213.00–245.00 $228.50 $841 +6.82
415 415 1 192.00 $192.00 $797 -8.67
450–485 472 3 181.00–235.00 $209.37 $988 -0.71
505–535 522 8 200.00–226.00 $214.66 $1,121 +3.22
550–590 569 5 185.00–229.00 $201.94 $1,149 -17.39
600–642 624 4 159.00–200.00 $174.32 $1,088 -2.24
660–695 678 2 181.00–202.00 $191.23 $1,297 +4.52
700–710 703 3 172.00–177.00 $175.32 $1,232 +5.32
795 795 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,415 —
840 840 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,344 +20.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–513 512 4 182.00–230.00 $193.95 $993 -26.05
582–595 589 4 217.00–226.00 $221.55 $1,305 —
790 790 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,343 -0.67

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–1350 1129 80-85% 4 85.00–95.00 $91.19 $1,030 —
1005–1490 1202 80-85% 28 99.00–114.00 $109.17 $1,312 +4.32
1070–1510 1317 80-85% 15 114.00–130.50 $118.81 $1,565 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1590 1324 75-80% 16 98.00–114.00 $108.98 $1,443 —
1125–2040 1540 75-80% 20 114.00–128.00 $119.26 $1,837 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–995 935 85-90% 4 79.00–83.00 $80.40 $752 —
895–1195 1070 85-90% 13 104.00–114.00 $107.84 $1,154 -1.09
885–1300 1083 85-90% 13 93.00–104.00 $98.70 $1,069 -10.23

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1700 1434 5 115.00–129.00 $123.56 $1,772 —
1565–2160 1845 10 133.00–143.00 $136.97 $2,527 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
845–1055 949 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 120.00–130.00 $124.61 $1,183

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1105 1105 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1020–1270 1183 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 1,000.00–1,385.00 $1,221.75
1390–1415 1403 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,550.00–1,625.00 $1,587.83

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00

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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.