Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 18, 2024

1,488 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $278.58/cwt +15.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,861/hd at 668 lb · 98 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $271.74/cwt +13.10 vs last sale · ≈ $1,425/hd at 524 lb · 79 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $265.69/cwt +15.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,545/hd at 582 lb · 73 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,488 870 1,125
Feeder cattle 1,321 739 964
Slaughter cattle 154 125 144
Replacement cattle 13 6 17

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher; weaned steer packages sharply higher with very good demand. Yearlings lightly tested. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 6.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 8.00 to 10.00 higher with very 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
222 value added 222 2 375.00 $375.00 $832 —
255 value added 255 3 342.50–372.50 $362.50 $924 —
295 295 1 305.00 $305.00 $900 —
305–345 value added 323 45 320.00–394.00 $380.82 $1,230 +42.56
365–395 374 4 300.00–320.00 $313.49 $1,172 -3.98
360–395 value added 381 21 320.00–385.00 $362.94 $1,383 +10.53
402–445 value added 418 47 300.00–376.00 $359.97 $1,505 +23.51
400–445 422 6 290.00–317.50 $305.11 $1,288 +15.11
455 455 6 317.50 $317.50 $1,445 +37.16
450–495 value added 461 41 307.50–366.00 $348.91 $1,608 +14.43
505–538 value added 515 44 300.00–327.00 $317.67 $1,636 +2.07
540 540 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,431 —
555–596 value added 566 60 284.00–320.00 $306.33 $1,734 +15.27
550–595 581 6 261.00–280.00 $273.33 $1,588 —
600–648 value added 623 41 267.50–306.00 $284.88 $1,775 +7.98
615–635 627 3 240.00–250.00 $246.62 $1,546 —
650–682 value added 668 96 260.00–288.00 $279.30 $1,866 +16.87
670–685 678 2 240.00–247.50 $243.79 $1,653 —
703–717 value added 711 14 243.00–263.00 $257.06 $1,828 -6.40
727 727 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,708 —
750–781 value added 770 13 237.00–244.00 $241.29 $1,858 -2.16
775–796 791 4 224.00–229.00 $227.77 $1,802 —
803–815 value added 811 22 228.00–234.00 $231.85 $1,880 —
800–845 815 18 210.00–218.00 $215.68 $1,758 -15.16
900–910 905 2 190.00–198.00 $193.98 $1,756 -16.61
1035 1035 1 199.00 $199.00 $2,060 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–340 327 3 287.50–317.50 $298.01 $974 —
360–380 370 2 307.50–310.00 $308.72 $1,142 +23.72
415–440 423 3 282.50–287.50 $284.23 $1,202 —
547 547 2 257.00 $257.00 $1,406 +8.00
560 560 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,288 —
617–645 626 3 231.00–232.50 $231.51 $1,449 —
660 660 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,564 —
700 700 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,554 +3.00
750–785 767 5 201.00–226.00 $219.53 $1,684 -0.47
810 810 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,547 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 227.50 $227.50 $864 -32.50
455–465 460 2 235.00–237.50 $236.26 $1,087 —
500 500 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,150 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,254 —
515–525 520 2 265.00–272.50 $268.71 $1,397 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 287.50 $287.50 $575 +22.50
255–290 280 7 285.00–302.50 $295.33 $827 +5.05
305–348 330 16 282.50–305.00 $299.36 $988 +9.36
340–345 value added 343 2 310.00–315.00 $312.52 $1,072 +1.37
354–390 370 29 272.50–305.00 $281.75 $1,042 —
377–390 value added 378 20 315.00–319.00 $318.79 $1,205 +18.40
400–447 value added 422 46 270.00–299.00 $291.18 $1,229 +2.88
405–446 426 7 260.00–268.00 $263.19 $1,121 +11.53
450–490 470 9 252.50–270.00 $261.99 $1,231 +6.14
450–495 value added 475 55 270.00–293.00 $279.52 $1,328 +7.79
501–546 522 14 240.00–260.00 $251.97 $1,315 +9.03
500–547 value added 525 65 262.00–286.00 $276.00 $1,449 +16.05
550–582 569 22 240.00–261.00 $251.21 $1,429 +14.14
555–596 value added 587 51 260.00–279.00 $271.94 $1,596 +18.60
600–640 615 5 212.50–227.00 $221.56 $1,363 -9.50
600–642 value added 626 29 230.00–265.00 $249.42 $1,561 -0.51
650 fancy 650 13 265.00 $265.00 $1,722 —
652–680 value added 664 17 231.00–262.00 $256.96 $1,706 +5.66
650–682 669 9 205.00–222.50 $213.82 $1,430 -6.96
705 705 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,340 -9.09
724–742 value added 729 7 229.00–233.00 $231.84 $1,690 +0.12
745 745 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,602 +15.91
750–760 755 2 216.00–217.00 $216.50 $1,635 +24.30
765–792 778 6 174.00–191.00 $179.62 $1,397 -12.58
822 822 5 193.00 $193.00 $1,586 -20.20
847 value added 847 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,830 —
895 895 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,700 -15.00
900 900 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,521 -5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
211 211 3 265.00 $265.00 $559 —
280–290 283 3 240.00–291.00 $273.60 $774 —
305–330 321 4 245.00–277.50 $260.55 $836 -14.51
352–395 375 9 245.00–297.00 $266.90 $1,001 -2.08
420 420 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,050 —
470–495 483 2 230.00–249.00 $239.75 $1,158 —
522 522 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,044 -9.00
565 565 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,300 +18.94
600–640 620 2 200.00–203.00 $201.55 $1,250 —
650–695 670 3 191.00–212.50 $203.25 $1,362 +10.50
727–730 728 3 140.00–169.00 $159.31 $1,160 -4.16
780–790 785 2 169.00–170.00 $169.50 $1,331 +6.50
810 810 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,434 +38.46
860 860 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,264 +9.57
975–995 985 2 129.00–130.00 $129.49 $1,275 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,247 —
590 590 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,310 —
602–630 611 4 210.00–216.00 $211.76 $1,294 -0.24
680 680 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,387 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1375 1248 6 134.00–160.00 $147.05 $1,835 -12.95
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 225.00 $225.00 $664 -12.43
460 460 1 202.50 $202.50 $932 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 315.00 $315.00 $772 —
250–290 281 11 307.50–347.50 $330.22 $928 +41.67
305–340 331 7 300.00–335.00 $314.31 $1,040 +15.31
357–395 371 10 300.00–320.00 $313.49 $1,163 —
350–395 value added 373 8 336.00–375.00 $355.11 $1,325 +39.20
370–381 thin fleshed 378 4 360.00–364.00 $363.02 $1,372 —
400–448 value added 421 14 300.00–340.00 $320.43 $1,349 -1.56
430 fancy 430 1 323.00 $323.00 $1,389 —
415–446 437 15 294.00–313.00 $306.92 $1,341 +16.92
450–472 value added 455 11 302.50–357.50 $324.73 $1,478 -5.17
455–490 478 15 287.50–301.00 $291.26 $1,392 -1.10
505–520 513 3 257.50–271.00 $263.60 $1,352 -11.65
510–530 value added 520 15 275.00–305.00 $284.64 $1,480 -28.31
556–582 value added 569 20 273.00–299.00 $287.49 $1,636 +1.16
573 573 4 260.00 $260.00 $1,490 -2.29
604 thin fleshed 604 5 279.00 $279.00 $1,685 —
610–640 value added 630 9 260.00–273.00 $268.59 $1,692 -3.92
635 635 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,556 —
652–675 value added 659 4 247.50–270.00 $256.37 $1,689 +5.17
680 680 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,550 +5.00
710 value added 710 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,676 +2.00
722–745 733 5 218.00–229.00 $224.66 $1,647 +6.49
750 value added 750 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,762 —
771 771 3 222.00 $222.00 $1,712 +6.03
806 fancy 806 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,773 —
805–837 827 6 189.00–210.00 $200.53 $1,658 +4.03
875 875 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,610 —
935 935 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,907 +7.26
980 980 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,642 -0.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–310 308 2 267.50–285.00 $276.18 $851 -1.32
410–421 418 6 250.00–282.50 $268.43 $1,122 —
450–491 483 5 242.50–255.00 $252.67 $1,220 +22.67
535 535 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,297 —
620–645 632 3 215.00–223.00 $219.36 $1,386 —
680 680 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,479 +37.50
725 725 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,421 —
860–875 868 2 160.00–171.00 $165.45 $1,436 —
905 905 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,620 +54.00
960 960 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,248 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,005 —
375 375 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,153 —
431 431 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,250 —
555 555 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,665 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 255.00 $255.00 $663 —
350 350 1 250.00 $250.00 $875 —
445 445 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,012 —
545 545 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,090 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1465 1215 80-85% 41 123.00–142.00 $130.82 $1,589 —
990–1620 1216 80-85% 8 108.00–119.00 $112.99 $1,374 —
1245 1245 80-85% 1 101.00 $101.00 $1,257 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1355 1178 75-80% 3 102.00–107.00 $104.78 $1,234 —
1205–1525 1380 75-80% 5 115.00–122.00 $119.45 $1,648 +6.09
1085–2005 1495 75-80% 41 122.00–143.00 $128.21 $1,917 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835–1115 961 85-90% 8 105.00–115.00 $109.26 $1,050 —
815–1190 968 85-90% 5 70.00–92.00 $83.28 $806 —
820–1215 978 85-90% 12 92.00–104.00 $98.45 $963 —
1005–1125 1051 85-90% 8 116.00–127.00 $120.82 $1,270 +19.37

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100 1100 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,364 —
1250–1595 1358 4 130.00–142.00 $136.99 $1,860 —
1245–2225 1701 9 148.00–160.00 $153.36 $2,609 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1690 1690 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,075.00 $2,075.00

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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
1315 1315 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
671 671 3 132.50 $132.50 $889 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 172.50 $172.50 $586 —
525 525 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,063 —
625–640 633 2 122.50–137.50 $129.91 $822 —

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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.