Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 20, 2023

816 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $215.73/cwt +4.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,157/hd at 536 lb · 70 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $188.63/cwt -16.38 vs last sale · ≈ $1,179/hd at 625 lb · 26 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $219.40/cwt +15.74 vs last sale · ≈ $967/hd at 441 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 816 1,614 850
Feeder cattle 610 1,290 572
Slaughter cattle 186 319 255
Replacement cattle 20 5 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday good quality weaned steer and heifer packages sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Yearlings light test. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 2.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady 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
380 value added 380 2 277.00 $277.00 $1,053 —
420 value added 420 2 272.00–275.00 $273.50 $1,149 +7.44
453–480 value added 461 8 255.00–270.00 $262.54 $1,210 -1.74
515–520 value added 518 2 257.50–265.00 $261.23 $1,353 +10.92
553 value added 553 5 254.00 $254.00 $1,405 +12.93
570 570 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,368 +4.09
614 value added 614 5 239.50 $239.50 $1,471 +7.28
646 646 3 229.00 $229.00 $1,479 —
672–695 680 3 229.00–230.00 $229.66 $1,562 —
712–745 723 7 194.00–221.00 $216.18 $1,563 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520–535 528 2 197.00–220.00 $208.66 $1,102 +2.75
610–625 618 2 198.00–225.00 $211.34 $1,306 +1.22
650–675 663 2 190.00–207.00 $198.34 $1,315 -18.66
700 700 2 184.00 $184.00 $1,288 -4.96
765–770 768 3 174.00–180.00 $175.99 $1,352 -14.01
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,147 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615 615 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,230 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 195.00 $195.00 $410 -3.75
260–290 275 2 207.50–209.00 $208.21 $573 -9.29
340 340 1 201.00 $201.00 $683 -0.83
340 value added 340 1 232.50 $232.50 $790 —
350–370 363 3 190.00–205.00 $200.18 $727 -0.26
385 value added 385 2 232.50 $232.50 $895 +12.35
433–445 value added 437 14 218.00–237.00 $229.81 $1,004 +15.99
440–447 445 11 202.00–215.00 $206.16 $917 +4.37
451–495 471 11 194.00–217.00 $206.59 $973 +5.41
515–535 531 19 190.00–204.00 $201.75 $1,071 -0.75
500–542 value added 538 51 210.00–223.25 $220.94 $1,189 +1.41
550 value added 550 8 215.00 $215.00 $1,182 +1.10
555–580 565 13 191.00–209.00 $196.66 $1,111 -1.82
612–642 625 26 172.00–196.50 $188.63 $1,179 -2.44
655–672 665 13 170.00–190.50 $184.29 $1,226 -17.30
700–707 704 4 185.00 $185.00 $1,302 +1.35
750 750 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,275 +4.63
803 803 3 149.00 $149.00 $1,196 +10.00
910 910 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,247 +11.00
970 970 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,300 —
1095 1095 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,478 -6.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 177.50 $177.50 $382 —
310–322 319 4 157.50–190.00 $176.78 $564 -16.22
375–390 382 3 170.00–186.00 $177.11 $677 -11.62
424–445 426 9 150.00–180.00 $153.48 $654 -28.29
480–490 485 4 171.00–191.00 $180.70 $876 +5.82
500–531 513 10 163.00–183.00 $174.15 $893 +1.24
560–570 563 5 180.00–184.00 $183.19 $1,031 +20.59
650–675 663 2 162.00–166.00 $164.04 $1,088 +5.21
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
477 477 4 182.00 $182.00 $868 —
525 value added 525 4 193.00 $193.00 $1,013 —
637 637 2 184.00 $184.00 $1,172 —
742 742 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,187 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 152.50 $152.50 $724 +22.50
565 565 1 135.00 $135.00 $763 -7.02
645 645 1 120.00 $120.00 $774 ±0.00
650 650 1 120.00 $120.00 $780 -10.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1387 1387 2 134.00 $134.00 $1,859 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925 925 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,202 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 232.50 $232.50 $628 -12.50
315 value added 315 1 243.00 $243.00 $765 —
325–340 333 2 210.00–231.00 $220.26 $733 -42.24
365 365 1 221.00 $221.00 $807 -24.25
376 value added 376 3 271.00 $271.00 $1,019 -7.00
400 400 1 257.50 $257.50 $1,030 +21.59
410–420 value added 417 6 261.00–285.00 $273.43 $1,140 +3.43
465–490 478 2 230.00–243.00 $236.33 $1,130 -0.55
470–495 value added 485 7 245.00–259.00 $248.08 $1,203 -26.92
500–535 523 9 219.00–239.00 $230.23 $1,204 +12.78
528 value added 528 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,294 —
550–595 563 11 216.00–237.00 $227.44 $1,280 +16.54
600–645 614 20 183.00–213.00 $200.92 $1,234 +8.93
610–620 value added 615 2 220.00–230.00 $224.96 $1,384 —
655–661 value added 660 6 219.00–230.50 $228.60 $1,509 —
665–695 681 8 174.00–209.00 $193.70 $1,319 -1.03
700–720 706 12 174.00–206.00 $191.78 $1,354 +23.59
773–792 778 7 174.00–178.00 $175.16 $1,363 -11.83
815 815 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,557 —
975 975 2 163.00 $163.00 $1,589 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 182.00 $182.00 $455 -18.52
385 385 1 227.00 $227.00 $874 +27.74
400 400 2 185.00 $185.00 $740 —
450–475 460 5 205.00–212.50 $209.40 $963 +6.43
500–535 514 11 180.00–210.00 $197.18 $1,014 +6.10
550–590 580 14 181.00–216.00 $207.59 $1,204 +17.84
602 602 2 169.00 $169.00 $1,017 +5.13
650–675 660 3 164.00–171.00 $168.03 $1,109 +5.48
700–725 706 4 157.00–157.50 $157.13 $1,109 +6.16
760–785 773 2 159.00–161.00 $159.98 $1,237 +22.06
810–840 819 4 146.00–148.00 $146.50 $1,200 +19.68
870 870 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,044 ±0.00
950 950 2 122.00 $122.00 $1,159 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 185.00 $185.00 $694 +18.57
465 465 1 150.00 $150.00 $698 —
595 595 1 157.00 $157.00 $934 -1.29
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
502 502 2 217.00 $217.00 $1,089 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–1385 1030 85-90% 22 72.00–82.00 $78.05 $804 -13.92
890–1195 1048 85-90% 16 83.00–90.00 $86.01 $901 -5.96
800–1450 1090 85-90% 8 50.00–72.00 $63.45 $692 -21.95
965–1320 1141 85-90% 8 91.00–95.00 $93.09 $1,062 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1505 1201 80-85% 18 93.00–99.00 $95.48 $1,147 —
1020–1495 1214 80-85% 7 88.00–92.00 $90.36 $1,097 —
1070–1810 1282 80-85% 20 99.00–115.00 $103.87 $1,332 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1430 1284 75-80% 4 90.00–92.00 $91.44 $1,174 —
1205–1650 1417 75-80% 11 94.00–98.00 $96.82 $1,372 —
1250–1880 1572 75-80% 20 99.00–114.00 $105.75 $1,662 +2.11

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1780 1443 6 87.00–110.00 $102.34 $1,477 -5.08
1600–1730 1675 3 124.00–136.00 $128.83 $2,158 -1.10
1170–2360 1811 7 116.00–124.00 $119.87 $2,171 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910–1135 1048 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 750.00–1,100.00 $972.50
1075 1075 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 835.00 $835.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1355 1355 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00
1170–1560 1365 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,575.00 $1,435.71

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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
1160–1530 1399 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,575.00–2,000.00 $1,777.97 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118 1118 6 112.00 $112.00 $1,252 —

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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.