Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 4, 2023

2,777 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $220.07/cwt +23.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,282/hd at 583 lb · 350 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $253.73/cwt +19.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,487/hd at 586 lb · 296 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $234.36/cwt ≈ $1,603/hd at 684 lb · 240 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,777 1,096 2,236
Feeder cattle 2,605 841 1,910
Slaughter cattle 164 220 304
Replacement cattle 8 35 22

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers and heifers sold steady on similar quality; however more weaned calves on the market today and weaned 400-600 lbs steer packages sold 5.00 higher with good demand. Feeder heifers sold steady on similar quality; however weaned 400-600 lb packages 5.00 higher with good demand. Feeders over 600 lbs 5.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 6.00 lower with light demand. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 lower with moderate 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
317 value added 317 4 271.00 $271.00 $859 —
402–415 value added 403 23 266.00–282.00 $281.28 $1,134 +12.23
400–447 425 8 236.00–258.00 $249.15 $1,059 -2.69
456–483 470 20 232.00–245.00 $237.11 $1,114 —
486 value added 486 3 251.00 $251.00 $1,220 -8.37
505 505 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,172 -4.39
506 value added 506 92 255.00 $255.00 $1,290 +7.72
559–584 571 15 230.00–231.00 $230.80 $1,318 +1.52
567–588 value added 587 281 240.50–255.85 $254.95 $1,497 +10.38
602–642 value added 630 51 218.00–226.00 $223.71 $1,409 -8.32
642–645 643 3 202.00–215.00 $210.65 $1,354 -7.09
682 682 6 213.00 $213.00 $1,453 —
681–684 value added 684 234 220.00–235.10 $234.91 $1,607 —
701–732 719 9 190.00–196.00 $193.75 $1,393 +2.75
760–765 763 2 180.00–190.00 $184.98 $1,411 —
765–768 value added 765 187 219.50–230.35 $229.59 $1,756 —
800 800 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,584 —
843 value added 843 118 219.00 $219.00 $1,846 —
851 851 5 210.00 $210.00 $1,787 —
877 value added 877 21 212.75 $212.75 $1,866 —
976 976 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,854 —
1165 1165 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,748 —
1245 1245 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,743 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 247.50 $247.50 $644 —
370 370 1 231.00 $231.00 $855 —
415 415 3 230.00 $230.00 $954 ±0.00
480 480 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,056 -13.55
500–545 517 11 223.00–230.00 $227.33 $1,175 +26.33
550–577 569 11 226.00–229.00 $227.36 $1,294 +0.35
605–640 625 3 198.00–214.00 $203.85 $1,274 +12.56
662–695 679 28 160.00–210.00 $198.76 $1,350 +21.70
720–748 742 5 150.00–176.00 $165.72 $1,230 -14.44
840 840 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,428 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
546 value added 546 2 247.00 $247.00 $1,349 —
604 604 9 234.00 $234.00 $1,413 —
615 615 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,230 —
655–699 695 20 178.00–209.00 $206.62 $1,436 —
715 715 3 182.00 $182.00 $1,301 —
803–840 805 22 198.00–203.00 $202.76 $1,632 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 4 168.00 $168.00 $932 —
655 655 2 129.00 $129.00 $845 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835 835 1 101.00 $101.00 $843 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–290 value added 278 2 230.00–235.00 $232.39 $646 —
305–315 310 4 195.00–206.00 $199.27 $618 -10.73
330–342 value added 341 17 215.00–230.00 $227.94 $777 —
358–395 value added 378 13 218.00–245.00 $222.98 $843 —
370–397 387 7 197.00–210.00 $204.88 $793 +8.12
409–447 value added 423 28 214.00–233.00 $225.04 $952 +9.49
400–445 425 14 190.00–204.00 $197.15 $838 -11.76
460–495 value added 468 77 213.00–235.25 $231.06 $1,081 —
450–485 478 30 190.00–214.00 $199.45 $953 +1.05
503–548 value added 516 62 200.00–222.00 $215.48 $1,112 +11.47
500–542 528 7 189.00–200.00 $194.40 $1,026 +0.33
560–590 575 15 188.00–199.00 $193.00 $1,110 -1.97
560–591 value added 583 335 200.00–223.00 $221.28 $1,290 +20.48
600–626 613 21 170.00–196.00 $187.29 $1,148 -4.24
600–641 value added 634 18 200.00–210.00 $203.24 $1,289 —
650–670 664 14 179.00–189.00 $184.46 $1,225 -2.27
687 value added 687 119 213.00 $213.00 $1,463 —
727–730 728 3 165.00–169.00 $167.66 $1,221 -6.60
748 value added 748 62 206.00 $206.00 $1,541 —
758–782 770 8 150.00–158.00 $154.19 $1,187 -25.81
810–840 825 2 134.00–167.00 $150.80 $1,244 —
862 862 7 156.00 $156.00 $1,345 -15.01
1055 1055 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,266 -37.00
1130 1130 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,367 —
1150 1150 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,484 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–295 273 2 175.00–185.00 $179.59 $490 -2.76
305–340 324 6 170.00–193.00 $182.97 $593 -18.03
375–395 388 8 177.50–202.00 $195.35 $758 +8.68
402–430 420 6 180.00–190.00 $183.19 $769 +10.52
455–497 473 7 180.00–189.00 $184.39 $872 -3.13
512–540 525 8 177.00–189.00 $182.82 $960 +20.82
550–595 577 19 170.00–186.00 $178.94 $1,032 -4.22
603–630 615 17 123.00–180.00 $171.90 $1,057 +6.57
650–693 682 6 130.00–162.00 $145.35 $991 -0.67
715–736 731 4 134.00–157.00 $151.37 $1,107 -0.55
770–795 782 6 122.50–142.00 $129.91 $1,016 -22.03
853–885 871 3 104.00–140.00 $119.82 $1,044 -3.18
910–940 925 2 105.00–162.00 $133.04 $1,231 —
965 965 1 99.00 $99.00 $955 -12.72
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
532 532 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,037 +10.00
557 value added 557 9 226.00 $226.00 $1,259 —
570 570 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,083 -0.48
612 value added 612 17 229.50 $229.50 $1,405 —
647 647 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,197 —
665–686 675 18 170.00–207.50 $195.26 $1,318 +13.26
757 757 2 138.00 $138.00 $1,045 -32.00
757 757 7 204.00 $204.00 $1,544 +34.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 155.00 $155.00 $597 —
405–440 413 6 125.00–145.00 $139.09 $574 -11.17
455–495 465 7 147.50–150.00 $149.63 $696 —
501–520 506 4 143.00–152.00 $149.69 $757 —
563–590 574 5 133.00–147.00 $141.24 $811 -20.70
620 620 1 120.00 $120.00 $744 —
650 650 1 135.00 $135.00 $878 —
790 790 1 111.00 $111.00 $877 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285 1285 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,683 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 225.00 $225.00 $652 +25.00
305–340 331 4 220.00–226.00 $224.62 $743 -10.63
355–395 377 9 186.00–236.00 $220.85 $833 -9.60
405–448 430 11 205.00–229.00 $223.13 $959 +31.02
465–475 473 5 170.00–220.00 $197.72 $935 -15.27
500–547 526 22 186.00–227.00 $207.33 $1,091 -1.67
550–589 574 26 164.00–224.00 $202.23 $1,161 -1.24
600–645 619 13 140.00–170.00 $163.45 $1,012 +10.44
650–687 675 7 147.00–170.00 $165.82 $1,119 +7.55
710–745 719 13 122.50–154.00 $142.05 $1,021 +3.05
750–785 768 2 150.00 $150.00 $1,152 +0.71
805 805 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,127 —
925 925 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,018 ±0.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 257.50 $257.50 $670 —
310–335 326 6 230.00–246.00 $242.30 $790 -21.70
355–390 379 12 234.00–245.00 $240.33 $911 -22.68
405–440 422 6 218.00–250.00 $231.99 $979 +1.91
430 value added 430 2 249.00–260.00 $254.50 $1,094 —
452–457 value added 455 6 241.00–250.00 $245.67 $1,118 —
450–477 464 9 232.00–240.00 $236.02 $1,095 +0.05
505 505 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,207 +5.15
557–560 559 4 230.00–234.00 $232.01 $1,297 +3.01
602–645 617 11 170.00–214.00 $191.65 $1,182 +3.15
655–672 666 3 180.00–184.00 $182.69 $1,217 +5.48
705–745 724 15 150.00–170.00 $163.42 $1,183 -1.37
750–785 760 4 164.00–177.50 $168.48 $1,280 —
810–832 823 8 154.00–172.50 $160.06 $1,317 -9.94
850 850 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,436 +6.00
920 920 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,472 —
1120 1120 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,210 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 5 195.00 $195.00 $566 —
415 415 1 147.00 $147.00 $610 —
495 495 1 143.00 $143.00 $708 -29.50
520–530 525 2 135.00–154.00 $144.41 $758 -16.59
660 660 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,023 —
875 875 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,146 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 212.00 $212.00 $1,102 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1625 1268 75-80% 12 79.00–89.00 $84.82 $1,076 —
1230–1800 1435 75-80% 23 89.00–96.00 $92.65 $1,330 -4.13
1235–1805 1595 75-80% 17 96.00–110.00 $100.43 $1,602 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–815 813 85-90% 2 67.00–71.00 $69.01 $561 —
750–1460 1076 85-90% 24 78.00–90.00 $83.54 $899 -2.49
920–1375 1076 85-90% 7 72.00–77.00 $75.12 $808 -10.91
1070–1300 1176 85-90% 5 90.00–96.00 $92.86 $1,092 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1475 1218 80-85% 19 89.00–95.00 $92.08 $1,122 -3.85
1065–1485 1242 80-85% 11 80.00–89.00 $85.28 $1,059 -4.04
1200–1325 1263 80-85% 2 98.00–102.00 $99.90 $1,262 -6.62
1360 1360 80-85% 1 75.00 $75.00 $1,020 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1850 1635 2 105.00–106.00 $105.57 $1,726 —
1315–2220 1696 18 109.00–124.00 $116.81 $1,981 —
1700–1990 1845 2 125.00–128.00 $126.38 $2,332 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1115–1125 1120 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,000.00–1,075.00 $1,037.67 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615–640 628 2 105.00–106.00 $105.49 $662 —
695 695 1 97.00 $97.00 $674 —
700–720 710 2 94.00–105.00 $99.58 $707 —
800–815 811 4 99.00–100.00 $99.25 $805 —

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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.