Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 15, 2024

788 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 $255.60/cwt -18.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,677/hd at 656 lb · 50 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $316.18/cwt +9.64 vs last sale · ≈ $1,776/hd at 562 lb · 41 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $258.23/cwt -17.32 vs last sale · ≈ $1,211/hd at 469 lb · 35 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 788 1,365 1,370
Feeder cattle 584 1,141 1,114
Slaughter cattle 179 220 240
Replacement cattle 25 4 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers and heifers under 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower with good demand for weaned packages; fleshy short-weaned and bawling calves facing discounts. Yearlings lightly tested. Slaughter cows sold steady with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 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
422–440 value added 428 7 302.50–315.00 $307.71 $1,317 -23.69
455–460 value added 458 6 307.00–319.00 $313.64 $1,436 -10.59
480 480 2 295.00 $295.00 $1,416 —
502–541 value added 521 20 290.00–323.00 $307.27 $1,601 -23.32
545 545 1 278.00 $278.00 $1,515 -5.86
555 555 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,498 -10.27
559–573 value added 562 40 284.00–322.00 $317.33 $1,783 +7.88
600–602 601 3 266.00–270.00 $268.67 $1,615 +18.67
600–635 value added 611 30 273.00–287.00 $280.68 $1,715 -2.58
655–665 655 41 248.00–250.00 $248.05 $1,625 —
650–667 value added 661 9 290.00 $290.00 $1,917 +19.83
702–710 value added 706 4 256.00–260.00 $257.99 $1,821 +5.08
710–715 713 2 236.00–239.00 $237.51 $1,693 —
886 value added 886 3 235.00 $235.00 $2,082 —
950 950 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,924 —
1020 1020 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,938 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 267.00 $267.00 $547 -8.00
385 385 1 291.00 $291.00 $1,120 +21.00
465–490 478 2 250.00–270.00 $259.74 $1,242 —
642 642 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,483 -5.00
765 765 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,760 -2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 292.50 $292.50 $907 —
550 550 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,444 -5.00
780 780 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,763 —
885 885 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,664 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1250 1243 2 170.00–175.00 $172.48 $2,144 —
1315–1615 1465 2 142.00–145.00 $143.65 $2,104 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 289.00 $289.00 $795 +5.53
310–335 323 2 285.00–297.50 $291.01 $940 +6.30
330 value added 330 2 299.00 $299.00 $987 -15.37
352–395 372 14 270.00–285.00 $278.48 $1,036 -1.71
400 400 1 242.50 $242.50 $970 -12.15
400–430 value added 416 20 256.00–280.00 $268.79 $1,118 -15.68
450–495 value added 461 23 256.00–279.00 $262.97 $1,212 -16.19
465–494 484 12 241.00–256.00 $249.15 $1,206 -9.24
500–548 524 20 243.00–249.00 $245.93 $1,289 -2.09
525–542 value added 533 12 250.00–257.00 $252.34 $1,345 -16.78
550–562 value added 561 11 252.00–256.00 $255.64 $1,434 +1.21
572–590 582 7 242.00–249.00 $244.97 $1,426 -2.32
605–630 623 6 231.00–235.00 $233.01 $1,452 +1.31
645 value added 645 4 255.00 $255.00 $1,645 +6.67
650–665 655 4 225.00–230.00 $226.76 $1,485 -3.80
683–688 value added 686 10 245.00–246.00 $245.40 $1,683 -1.37
800 800 6 202.00–215.00 $208.50 $1,668 —
915 915 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,693 -13.00
1015 1015 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,563 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–237 221 4 250.00–260.00 $255.96 $566 +5.96
280 280 1 243.00 $243.00 $680 -19.43
395 395 1 261.00 $261.00 $1,031 +12.01
455–490 477 4 220.00–240.00 $234.36 $1,118 -1.34
520–545 527 4 236.00–241.00 $238.22 $1,255 +0.47
570–590 580 2 220.00–237.00 $228.35 $1,324 —
600–645 622 5 200.00–224.00 $211.43 $1,315 +6.22
658 658 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,448 +4.50
820–845 832 3 153.00–170.00 $163.03 $1,356 -5.97
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,027 —
475–487 481 4 240.00–242.00 $241.01 $1,159 -21.49
505 505 4 234.00 $234.00 $1,182 -16.00
585 585 2 230.00–236.00 $233.00 $1,363 —
617–640 625 3 223.00 $223.00 $1,394 —
710 710 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,512 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1215 1108 2 151.00–161.00 $155.51 $1,723 -24.49
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 212.50 $212.50 $542 -7.50
535 535 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,145 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 287.50 $287.50 $661 -22.50
265 value added 265 1 310.00 $310.00 $822 -30.77
332 332 2 280.00 $280.00 $930 —
352–387 374 8 280.00–305.00 $287.58 $1,076 -7.42
400–427 value added 413 11 295.00–315.00 $302.59 $1,250 -25.10
400–440 420 6 280.00–292.50 $285.13 $1,198 +0.99
455–492 value added 470 5 295.00–299.00 $296.68 $1,394 -29.77
450–480 471 7 280.00–290.00 $283.30 $1,334 -5.17
500–545 value added 514 17 273.00–290.00 $281.35 $1,446 +4.44
500–545 523 6 255.00–271.00 $268.11 $1,402 +0.24
550–570 560 2 259.00–266.00 $262.44 $1,470 -1.82
550–586 value added 571 13 272.00–281.00 $275.54 $1,573 -9.63
600–625 607 5 240.00–249.00 $244.02 $1,481 -6.51
600–645 value added 620 4 250.00–260.00 $255.61 $1,585 -13.39
650–665 value added 658 2 251.00–254.00 $252.52 $1,662 -0.48
650–686 673 11 230.00–241.00 $233.61 $1,572 —
725–730 728 2 206.00–226.00 $216.03 $1,573 -10.97
755–770 766 4 213.00–220.00 $214.72 $1,645 -9.74
805 fancy 805 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,682 —
835 835 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,620 +5.00
870 870 3 184.00–186.00 $184.67 $1,607 -15.60
920–935 927 3 181.00–192.00 $186.03 $1,724 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252–255 253 3 260.00–282.50 $274.94 $696 —
305–330 318 2 245.00–250.00 $247.60 $787 -30.52
360–395 379 7 247.50–270.00 $258.75 $981 -14.51
470 470 2 250.00–274.00 $262.00 $1,231 +30.00
522 522 2 254.00 $254.00 $1,326 +11.05
575 575 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,409 -1.23
605–633 626 4 221.00–228.00 $226.31 $1,417 -7.60
670 670 2 221.00 $221.00 $1,481 —
880 880 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,531 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 212.50 $212.50 $446 —
445 445 1 200.00 $200.00 $890 -30.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 300.00 $300.00 $885 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1650 1341 75-80% 14 118.00–124.00 $121.92 $1,635 —
1180–1900 1440 75-80% 48 125.00–143.00 $130.79 $1,883 —
1690 1690 75-80% 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,572 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755–1050 908 85-90% 4 98.00–105.00 $100.02 $908 —
785–1195 960 85-90% 3 82.50–85.00 $84.22 $809 -25.83
710–1345 976 85-90% 10 106.00–112.00 $109.34 $1,067 -0.71
825–1270 1039 85-90% 20 113.00–128.00 $119.11 $1,238 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1410 1131 80-85% 11 110.00–123.00 $118.29 $1,338 +1.40
1250–1280 1265 80-85% 2 100.00–110.00 $104.94 $1,327 -29.89
1080–1470 1268 80-85% 19 125.00–139.00 $131.37 $1,666 -3.46

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–2240 1744 10 159.00–170.00 $164.57 $2,870 +0.15
1300–1910 1762 6 145.00–157.00 $153.96 $2,713 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
870–1100 1006 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 10 130.00–141.00 $133.55 $1,344

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950–1030 990 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,300.00 $1,273.99
1095–1255 1152 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,575.00–1,850.00 $1,670.88
1115–1305 1187 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,525.00–1,825.00 $1,668.05

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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
1330–1520 1398 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,925.00–2,150.00 $2,060.55 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
960–1275 1155 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,500.00–1,800.00 $1,606.49 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,152 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185 1185 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,612 —

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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.