Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, December 11, 2023

923 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 $183.75/cwt -20.48 vs last sale · ≈ $1,341/hd at 730 lb · 71 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $183.75/cwt +32.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,509/hd at 821 lb · 66 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $195.67/cwt -24.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,125/hd at 575 lb · 49 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 923 2,777 1,503
Feeder cattle 759 2,605 1,269
Slaughter cattle 157 164 229
Replacement cattle 7 8 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers under 550 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher with most advance on attractive quality 450-500 lb weaned packages with good demand; over 600 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower with light demand. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 lower with moderate demand. Yearling steers lite test. Yearling heifers noticeably lower in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower with light 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
260 260 1 260.00 $260.00 $676 —
365 fancy 365 1 289.00 $289.00 $1,055 —
385–395 value added 390 6 259.00–287.00 $271.07 $1,057 —
415–445 value added 435 16 258.00–274.00 $266.46 $1,159 -14.82
465 465 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,158 +11.89
450–499 value added 476 25 256.00–270.00 $264.26 $1,258 +13.26
500–530 value added 517 14 247.50–274.00 $261.06 $1,350 +6.06
560–572 value added 568 15 242.00–254.00 $246.83 $1,402 -8.12
560–593 578 6 231.00–240.00 $238.01 $1,376 +7.21
600–648 622 13 195.00–209.50 $202.50 $1,260 -8.15
600–637 value added 625 21 215.00–222.00 $219.52 $1,372 -4.19
655–690 669 9 189.00–203.50 $199.13 $1,332 -13.87
660–692 value added 676 15 204.00–218.00 $212.69 $1,438 -22.22
711 value added 711 4 209.00 $209.00 $1,486 —
710–740 719 11 186.00–192.00 $188.74 $1,357 -5.01
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 210.00 $210.00 $704 —
511 511 3 231.00 $231.00 $1,180 +3.67
550–585 566 5 221.00–230.00 $228.14 $1,291 +0.78
620–625 623 6 170.00–190.00 $183.50 $1,143 -20.35
655 655 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,218 -12.76
730 730 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,329 +16.28
780 780 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,318 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
547 547 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,285 —
555 555 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,282 —
600 600 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,140 -44.00
770 770 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,394 —
850–890 877 3 172.00–187.00 $176.85 $1,551 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 205.00 $205.00 $594 —
322–325 323 3 197.50–205.00 $200.02 $646 +0.75
352–380 361 6 190.00–204.00 $201.28 $727 -3.60
383–388 value added 386 6 208.00–215.00 $211.48 $816 -11.50
430–438 437 23 195.00–203.00 $197.60 $864 +0.45
451–480 value added 456 6 205.00–209.00 $208.30 $950 -22.76
455–495 480 17 190.00–194.00 $192.54 $924 -6.91
500–548 521 12 189.00–198.00 $193.55 $1,008 -0.85
505–540 value added 525 36 199.00–222.00 $206.99 $1,087 -8.49
560–588 value added 569 20 199.00–200.00 $199.65 $1,136 -21.63
555–590 579 29 187.00–196.50 $192.92 $1,117 -0.08
605–625 value added 615 2 200.00–205.00 $202.54 $1,246 -0.70
603–645 627 29 175.00–185.00 $178.10 $1,117 -9.19
650–683 664 22 175.00–181.00 $179.98 $1,195 -4.48
730 value added 730 71 183.75 $183.75 $1,341 -22.25
821 value added 821 66 183.75 $183.75 $1,509 —
885–890 888 3 157.00–163.00 $158.99 $1,412 +2.99
985 985 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,478 —
1075 1075 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,075 -20.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 174.00 $174.00 $496 -5.59
305–345 322 3 170.00–192.00 $179.55 $578 -3.42
365 365 1 185.00 $185.00 $675 -10.35
410–430 423 3 180.00–186.00 $181.94 $770 -1.25
460–495 477 6 173.00–189.00 $181.93 $868 -2.46
500–540 525 4 173.00–182.00 $178.70 $938 -4.12
565–595 578 4 170.00–176.00 $172.28 $996 -6.66
605–635 624 4 153.00–171.00 $163.86 $1,022 -8.04
665–680 669 8 153.00–166.00 $156.39 $1,046 +11.04
710–737 726 6 131.00–140.00 $134.14 $974 -17.23
805 805 2 113.00 $113.00 $910 —
865 865 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,003 -3.82
910 910 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,010 -22.04
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 182.00 $182.00 $692 —
560 560 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,042 -4.00
620 620 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,066 -13.00
735 735 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,110 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 157.50 $157.50 $512 —
425 425 1 130.00 $130.00 $552 -9.09
545 545 1 130.00 $130.00 $708 —
675 675 1 135.00 $135.00 $911 ±0.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,475 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 252.50 $252.50 $732 -5.00
305–340 323 4 250.00–251.00 $250.53 $809 +8.23
350–355 353 2 245.00–251.00 $248.02 $876 +7.69
351–398 value added 381 12 261.00–277.50 $270.30 $1,030 —
405–427 414 6 223.00–250.00 $239.90 $993 +7.91
451–485 466 7 208.00–252.00 $224.42 $1,046 -11.60
505–540 528 3 215.00–232.00 $223.98 $1,183 -15.02
555–585 571 8 198.00–247.00 $224.43 $1,281 -7.58
610–645 625 6 170.00–205.00 $183.68 $1,148 -7.97
646 value added 646 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,260 —
670 value added 670 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,347 —
675–690 682 11 176.00–193.00 $190.00 $1,296 +7.31
718–745 726 5 165.00–180.00 $174.91 $1,270 +11.49
758–785 769 5 170.00–180.00 $175.92 $1,353 +7.44
950 950 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,520 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272–285 276 3 202.50–207.50 $205.78 $568 -19.22
335–345 340 2 210.00–220.00 $214.93 $731 -9.69
365–380 373 2 189.00–200.00 $194.39 $725 -26.46
425–440 433 2 180.00–202.50 $191.45 $829 -31.68
530–545 535 3 190.00–200.00 $193.40 $1,035 -13.93
585 585 1 170.00 $170.00 $994 -32.23
605–645 628 6 140.00–151.00 $147.38 $926 -16.07
690 690 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,000 -20.82
730–732 731 3 140.00–158.00 $145.99 $1,067 +3.94
750–790 770 2 131.00–158.00 $144.15 $1,110 -5.85
872 872 2 129.00 $129.00 $1,125 —
940 940 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,128 +10.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 132.50 $132.50 $464 —
445 445 1 142.50 $142.50 $634 -4.50
560 560 1 120.00 $120.00 $672 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
682 682 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,159 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1675 1421 75-80% 5 75.00–81.00 $78.93 $1,122 -13.72
1320–1790 1509 75-80% 20 82.00–88.00 $85.75 $1,294 —
1270–2070 1531 75-80% 34 88.00–96.00 $90.65 $1,388 —
1645 1645 75-80% 1 71.00 $71.00 $1,168 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1315 1197 80-85% 8 74.00–82.00 $78.12 $935 —
950–1545 1282 80-85% 23 82.00–88.00 $84.68 $1,086 -15.22
1050–1680 1325 80-85% 14 88.00–93.00 $90.26 $1,196 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760–915 831 85-90% 4 58.00–69.00 $63.35 $526 -5.66
960–1120 1043 85-90% 4 83.00–84.00 $83.77 $874 —
960–1200 1061 85-90% 12 75.00–82.00 $77.77 $825 -5.77
1100–1395 1231 85-90% 7 70.00–75.00 $73.44 $904 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430 1430 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,416 —
1555–1940 1718 5 128.00–135.00 $130.93 $2,249 —
1805–1925 1868 4 114.00–120.00 $117.24 $2,190 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1050–1140 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 875.00 $875.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1080 1080 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 975.00 $975.00

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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.