Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, February 19, 2024

1,326 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $239.26/cwt +8.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,850/hd at 773 lb · 126 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $224.13/cwt ≈ $1,941/hd at 866 lb · 117 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $230.65/cwt +9.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,439/hd at 624 lb · 97 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,326 1,376 589
Feeder cattle 1,128 1,012 487
Slaughter cattle 159 254 96
Replacement cattle 39 110 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers and heifers under 550 lbs traded sharply higher with very good demand for good quality weaned packages; over 550 lbs traded 5.00 to 10.00 higher with good demand. Market active with good buyer participation. Yearling steers and heifers sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 6.00 higher 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
230 230 1 301.00 $301.00 $692 —
270 fancy 270 1 335.00 $335.00 $904 —
285 value added 285 1 330.00 $330.00 $940 —
285 285 1 300.00 $300.00 $855 —
330–345 value added 338 5 315.00–339.00 $330.04 $1,116 +19.71
380 380 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,112 -1.50
350–395 value added 381 12 319.00–335.00 $331.82 $1,264 +24.56
405–447 value added 425 22 300.00–337.50 $325.41 $1,383 +34.06
457 457 2 289.00 $289.00 $1,321 +24.66
450–490 value added 477 30 295.00–325.00 $308.38 $1,471 +19.25
500–540 value added 510 12 271.00–301.00 $290.22 $1,480 +15.07
500–547 521 5 252.00–260.00 $255.87 $1,333 -3.98
563–580 value added 572 32 267.50–280.50 $273.31 $1,563 +3.31
570–585 579 4 255.00–260.00 $258.51 $1,497 +2.04
615–640 630 4 243.00–245.00 $244.26 $1,539 +12.12
600–645 value added 636 79 248.00–271.00 $250.78 $1,595 +0.05
652–674 669 8 238.00–240.00 $238.49 $1,595 +2.49
700–745 value added 716 85 231.00–254.00 $236.12 $1,691 -9.33
758–792 value added 773 125 232.00–242.60 $239.41 $1,851 +8.20
795 795 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,757 —
827 827 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,819 +26.00
859 value added 859 60 229.00 $229.00 $1,967 —
873 873 57 219.00 $219.00 $1,912 —
938 938 14 207.00 $207.00 $1,942 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
503 503 4 262.00 $262.00 $1,318 +11.00
676 676 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,487 —
719 719 5 220.00 $220.00 $1,582 —
755–770 766 10 224.00–231.00 $228.93 $1,754 —
833 833 3 203.00 $203.00 $1,691 —
890 890 2 208.00 $208.00 $1,851 —
940 940 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,936 —
977 977 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,964 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–370 368 2 245.00–266.00 $255.57 $940 +1.03
465 465 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,116 —
600 600 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,350 —
650–660 655 2 219.00–224.00 $221.52 $1,451 -3.53
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,052 —
530–545 535 3 190.00–195.00 $191.65 $1,025 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 value added 245 1 284.00 $284.00 $696 —
245 245 1 202.50 $202.50 $496 -22.50
250 250 2 257.50 $257.50 $644 +42.24
300–345 value added 325 4 280.00–287.50 $283.30 $921 +35.13
310–345 336 4 235.00–245.00 $237.30 $797 +12.99
375 375 1 245.00 $245.00 $919 +29.82
360–395 value added 380 7 250.00–285.00 $278.25 $1,057 +30.31
405–447 value added 429 34 267.00–302.00 $284.37 $1,220 +20.83
430–445 438 2 250.00–252.50 $251.23 $1,100 +22.71
450–490 value added 474 43 261.00–284.00 $276.03 $1,308 +19.75
490 490 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,176 +12.54
500–545 value added 519 50 251.00–279.00 $266.60 $1,384 +24.73
540–545 543 2 238.00–239.00 $238.50 $1,295 +13.75
556–594 value added 571 23 240.00–250.00 $248.04 $1,416 +0.55
552–594 582 12 220.00–239.00 $227.48 $1,324 +12.06
600–645 622 10 200.00–218.00 $203.35 $1,265 +5.12
605–640 value added 624 87 221.00–237.00 $233.79 $1,459 +7.69
655–695 677 5 196.00–217.00 $203.69 $1,379 +6.74
700–732 713 7 182.00–197.00 $190.53 $1,358 -6.97
750–775 763 2 194.00–204.00 $199.08 $1,519 +37.02
760–790 value added 763 11 213.50–218.00 $213.92 $1,632 —
790 790 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,540 +32.94
802 802 2 188.00 $188.00 $1,508 +37.00
805–840 823 2 153.00–168.00 $160.34 $1,320 +9.34
857 857 4 191.00 $191.00 $1,637 +41.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–430 428 2 215.00–219.00 $217.01 $929 +8.85
455–487 474 4 220.00–240.00 $227.26 $1,077 +32.92
555–577 570 3 215.00–220.00 $216.62 $1,235 +27.62
635–642 640 3 169.00–180.00 $176.36 $1,129 +2.27
655–680 659 9 167.00–181.00 $168.66 $1,111 +8.55
720–730 725 2 151.00–176.00 $163.41 $1,185 —
770–790 782 3 170.00–182.00 $177.06 $1,385 +31.04
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680 680 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,207 +7.50
755–785 763 6 158.00–182.00 $176.03 $1,343 —
810 810 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,620 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 305.00 $305.00 $656 —
275 275 2 327.50 $327.50 $901 +42.50
330 fancy 330 1 326.00 $326.00 $1,076 —
355–390 370 3 285.00–297.50 $289.11 $1,070 +5.03
355–395 fancy 373 3 315.00–322.50 $317.38 $1,184 —
403–440 fancy 412 5 310.00–330.00 $321.74 $1,326 —
413–440 value added 422 6 292.50–327.50 $316.89 $1,337 —
405–440 425 3 280.00–288.00 $283.23 $1,204 +14.98
455–465 value added 459 9 297.50–315.00 $310.83 $1,427 +29.86
455–495 480 7 262.00–292.50 $276.86 $1,329 +24.91
510–540 value added 520 3 260.00–272.00 $264.90 $1,377 +11.95
526–542 533 8 250.00–260.00 $256.76 $1,369 +19.39
555–585 value added 574 10 260.00–280.00 $263.57 $1,513 +9.93
610–645 value added 625 7 223.00–239.00 $231.54 $1,447 +7.90
635 635 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,340 +3.41
650–677 value added 661 6 220.00–239.00 $225.08 $1,488 —
700–735 718 4 193.00–204.00 $196.70 $1,412 +2.77
720 value added 720 2 214.00–215.00 $214.50 $1,544 —
752–785 763 3 197.00–208.00 $200.77 $1,532 +16.38
800–835 817 3 192.00–205.00 $200.76 $1,640 +25.76
885 885 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,522 -5.52
940 940 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,598 —
1000–1015 1008 2 130.00–131.00 $130.50 $1,315 +21.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 280.00 $280.00 $798 —
335 335 1 253.00 $253.00 $848 +12.69
355–375 365 2 245.00–257.50 $251.08 $916 +10.53
490 490 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,215 +14.13
500 500 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,162 —
555 555 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,249 +13.93
640 640 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,338 +20.00
655 655 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,277 +14.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 2 290.00 $290.00 $1,363 +50.00
505 505 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,232 —
670 670 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,440 +6.27
710 710 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,463 —
780 780 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,638 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 227.50 $227.50 $910 +27.67
477 477 2 202.50 $202.50 $966 +2.50

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1430 1300 75-80% 6 96.00–104.00 $102.20 $1,329 —
1080–1620 1388 75-80% 28 106.00–114.00 $111.45 $1,547 —
1230–2090 1552 75-80% 36 114.00–133.00 $118.76 $1,843 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1365 1161 80-85% 18 105.00–114.00 $109.01 $1,266 +1.53
1010–1425 1214 80-85% 5 93.00–105.00 $98.27 $1,193 —
1080–2065 1455 80-85% 14 115.00–134.00 $122.70 $1,785 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1295 1019 85-90% 13 95.00–104.00 $99.95 $1,018 —
940–1285 1076 85-90% 6 88.00–95.00 $91.81 $988 -12.54
915–1280 1098 85-90% 2 81.00–82.00 $81.42 $894 -22.93
1020–1230 1108 85-90% 3 105.00–109.00 $106.23 $1,177 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1965 1472 6 115.00–128.00 $121.66 $1,791 +5.77
1405–2160 1647 7 128.00–131.00 $129.55 $2,134 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970–1275 1146 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,300.00–1,600.00 $1,432.84
1125–1300 1210 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,825.00–1,925.00 $1,876.31
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950–1185 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 875.00–1,100.00 $999.92

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920–950 935 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,200.00–1,400.00 $1,301.60
1045 1045 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00

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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
1195–1310 1263 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,585.00–1,675.00 $1,635.42 —
1285–1665 1419 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 1,975.00–2,425.00 $2,181.86 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 150.00 $150.00 $660 —

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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.