Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 8, 2024

1,365 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 $248.49/cwt +7.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,914/hd at 770 lb · 133 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $226.59/cwt -10.01 vs last sale · ≈ $2,103/hd at 928 lb · 112 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $306.53/cwt +10.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,787/hd at 583 lb · 80 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,365 810 763
Feeder cattle 1,141 708 655
Slaughter cattle 220 102 103
Replacement cattle 4 — 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher on weaned and preconditioned packages. Slaughter cows sold firm with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00 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
200 200 1 305.00 $305.00 $610 —
235 value added 235 1 322.50 $322.50 $758 —
270 270 1 307.50 $307.50 $830 -5.00
280 value added 280 2 340.00 $340.00 $952 —
325 value added 325 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,072 —
345 345 2 309.00–310.00 $309.50 $1,068 +10.50
375–390 value added 383 5 322.50–341.00 $337.17 $1,291 -12.43
407–440 value added 422 11 301.00–345.00 $331.40 $1,399 -5.38
430 430 1 291.00 $291.00 $1,251 -9.00
450–487 value added 470 34 311.00–335.00 $324.23 $1,524 +9.77
500–526 value added 508 36 300.00–346.00 $330.59 $1,679 +30.11
512–535 527 9 280.00–291.00 $283.86 $1,496 —
550–595 564 8 274.00–285.00 $280.27 $1,581 -11.15
561–597 value added 585 72 288.00–315.00 $309.45 $1,810 +11.14
600–645 value added 620 20 269.00–290.00 $283.26 $1,756 +17.92
610–645 thin fleshed 623 13 290.00–300.00 $298.44 $1,859 —
625 625 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,562 —
661 thin fleshed 661 3 289.00 $289.00 $1,910 —
675–695 value added 685 10 262.00–274.00 $270.17 $1,851 +4.50
700–725 value added 722 8 245.00–254.00 $252.91 $1,826 -14.85
752–791 value added 770 129 242.00–256.00 $248.90 $1,917 —
750–780 773 4 223.00–239.00 $235.12 $1,817 -5.88
826–832 value added 828 6 225.00–235.00 $231.65 $1,918 —
800–845 829 6 210.00–228.00 $215.45 $1,786 -16.78
875 875 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,838 -20.00
927 927 2 204.00 $204.00 $1,891 -14.60
928 value added 928 110 227.00 $227.00 $2,107 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 275.00 $275.00 $578 —
295 295 1 287.50 $287.50 $848 +22.50
310–327 319 4 275.00–290.00 $282.70 $902 -7.30
365 365 1 270.00 $270.00 $986 —
500–515 505 3 252.50–261.00 $257.86 $1,302 +0.19
550 550 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,336 —
647 647 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,527 -5.68
755 755 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,755 —
860–880 870 2 198.00 $198.00 $1,723 —
900 900 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,647 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1295 1185 3 172.00–177.00 $175.26 $2,077 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 2 240.00–243.00 $241.50 $809 —
375 375 1 222.50 $222.50 $834 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,511 -7.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–242 227 5 265.00–295.00 $279.57 $635 —
260 value added 260 4 310.00–315.00 $311.25 $809 —
260–295 282 10 267.50–291.00 $283.47 $799 +14.47
302–345 value added 329 14 300.00–330.00 $314.37 $1,034 —
310–347 331 11 261.00–295.00 $284.71 $942 -4.29
350–390 371 17 270.00–297.50 $280.19 $1,040 +1.70
385 value added 385 2 322.50 $322.50 $1,242 +14.56
413–445 421 6 242.50–261.00 $254.65 $1,072 -10.52
400–442 value added 423 40 261.00–296.00 $284.47 $1,203 -13.03
450–492 470 8 250.00–261.00 $258.39 $1,214 +4.01
455–492 value added 475 38 265.00–300.00 $279.16 $1,326 +11.38
500–537 value added 510 41 253.00–283.00 $269.12 $1,373 +5.81
500–535 520 4 242.00–251.00 $248.02 $1,290 -0.74
550–593 value added 575 21 252.00–258.00 $254.43 $1,463 -8.71
560–587 576 15 245.00–249.00 $247.29 $1,424 +3.90
595 fancy 595 6 260.00 $260.00 $1,547 —
600–631 value added 616 13 245.00–254.00 $248.33 $1,530 +8.33
610–640 623 6 227.00–234.00 $231.70 $1,443 +3.47
650–685 661 8 227.50–235.00 $230.56 $1,524 +13.90
650–685 value added 671 29 237.00–250.00 $246.77 $1,656 +5.77
700 700 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,540 +36.00
702–735 value added 717 7 220.00–227.00 $222.17 $1,593 -1.83
765 765 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,652 —
754–787 value added 766 15 221.00–230.00 $224.23 $1,718 —
820 value added 820 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,771 —
862 862 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,784 +7.50
936 936 9 198.00 $198.00 $1,853 +28.00
955 955 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,900 +27.00
975 975 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,511 -17.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 250.00 $250.00 $588 —
265–280 273 2 260.00–265.00 $262.43 $716 -5.07
360–380 370 2 240.00–257.50 $248.99 $921 +15.01
420–422 421 3 242.50–251.00 $245.32 $1,033 +10.32
480–485 483 3 225.00–241.00 $235.70 $1,138 +2.70
500–535 518 2 230.00–245.00 $237.75 $1,232 +17.75
615–630 621 5 189.00–222.50 $205.21 $1,274 -11.96
670–680 675 2 215.00–216.00 $215.50 $1,455 +6.50
735 735 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,426 +18.00
845 845 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,428 +9.00
905–945 933 4 165.00–167.00 $165.51 $1,544 —
960 960 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,248 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
344 344 5 262.50 $262.50 $903 —
460 460 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,208 —
540 540 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,350 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 3 220.00 $220.00 $572 —
400 400 1 210.00 $210.00 $840 —
620 620 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,240 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110 1110 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,998 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 310.00 $310.00 $620 —
255–275 265 2 300.00 $300.00 $795 —
257–291 value added 280 6 340.00–342.50 $340.77 $954 —
350 350 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,032 -13.40
365–385 value added 378 18 302.50–320.00 $314.15 $1,187 —
400–430 value added 413 19 300.00–340.00 $327.69 $1,353 +17.81
415–440 426 5 270.00–300.00 $284.14 $1,210 -11.63
452–485 value added 461 11 311.00–336.00 $326.45 $1,505 —
462–490 471 3 285.00–295.00 $288.47 $1,359 -2.63
510–540 value added 522 10 271.00–297.50 $276.91 $1,445 —
505–549 537 11 257.50–270.00 $267.87 $1,438 -11.09
552–595 574 12 260.00–271.00 $264.26 $1,517 +1.26
575–581 value added 579 5 280.00–293.00 $285.17 $1,651 +7.45
618 value added 618 3 269.00 $269.00 $1,662 +19.00
612–640 630 7 242.50–260.00 $250.53 $1,578 -9.47
690 value added 690 1 253.00 $253.00 $1,746 —
735 735 2 227.00 $227.00 $1,668 -3.00
760–770 765 2 219.00–230.00 $224.46 $1,717 +14.96
815 815 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,540 -14.00
875–885 878 3 183.00–209.00 $200.27 $1,758 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 295.00 $295.00 $870 +12.39
300–345 325 5 270.00–280.00 $278.12 $904 -6.88
355–375 366 8 255.00–287.50 $273.26 $1,000 -26.74
415 415 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,038 —
485 485 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,125 -28.00
510–535 523 5 240.00–245.00 $242.95 $1,271 -20.05
560–575 568 2 245.00–247.50 $246.23 $1,399 —
600–635 626 6 224.00–237.00 $233.91 $1,464 +13.91
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 3 237.50 $237.50 $736 —
365–390 376 4 220.00–235.00 $226.92 $853 —
436 436 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,003 —
455 455 1 210.00 $210.00 $956 —
515 515 2 207.50 $207.50 $1,069 -19.50
550 550 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,210 —
653 653 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,437 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–515 513 3 250.00–260.00 $256.69 $1,317 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1470 1149 80-85% 7 109.00–121.00 $116.89 $1,343 —
965–1775 1260 80-85% 56 122.00–148.00 $134.83 $1,699 -0.38
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1550 1272 75-80% 9 115.00–123.00 $119.64 $1,522 —
1120–1775 1391 75-80% 40 124.00–146.00 $130.86 $1,820 +12.77
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–765 753 85-90% 2 96.00–99.00 $97.52 $734 —
655–1105 880 85-90% 2 87.00–90.00 $88.12 $775 -17.35
795–1140 979 85-90% 14 102.00–113.00 $110.05 $1,077 -12.06
795–1195 984 85-90% 29 115.00–128.00 $120.13 $1,182 -1.98

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1650 1290 7 139.00–153.00 $147.25 $1,900 —
1340–2210 1716 27 157.00–178.00 $164.42 $2,821 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1295 1295 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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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.