Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 5, 2024

1,271 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 steers $247.33/cwt -6.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,793/hd at 725 lb · 197 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $226.43/cwt -25.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,619/hd at 715 lb · 172 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $240.76/cwt -29.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,495/hd at 621 lb · 133 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,271 1,844 1,110
Feeder cattle 1,186 1,719 958
Slaughter cattle 80 102 146
Replacement cattle 5 23 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers and heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower with light to moderate demand following the downturn in the CME cattle futures late last week through today. Plain, off-color and fleshy bawling calves facing deep discounts. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 2.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady in a lite test.

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
306 value added 306 10 297.50 $297.50 $910 —
360 value added 360 6 315.00 $315.00 $1,134 -72.50
420 420 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,102 -27.50
467 value added 467 12 319.00 $319.00 $1,490 +24.24
500 500 2 253.00 $253.00 $1,265 -20.28
500–541 value added 519 30 278.00–298.00 $288.27 $1,496 +2.03
600–627 value added 623 27 244.00–279.00 $259.32 $1,616 -25.39
655 value added 655 2 256.00 $256.00 $1,677 —
713 713 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,683 —
720 720 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,591 —
722–726 value added 725 193 247.50–248.00 $247.64 $1,795 -6.39
785 785 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,829 -7.00
815–830 823 2 232.00–235.00 $233.51 $1,922 -7.32
860–861 860 63 218.00–233.75 $233.00 $2,004 -13.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 2 260.00 $260.00 $876 —
365–390 380 10 250.00–260.00 $258.63 $983 -28.75
432 432 5 233.00 $233.00 $1,007 -31.32
482 482 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,157 -30.00
580 580 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,334 -32.00
600–605 603 2 225.00–232.50 $228.77 $1,379 -10.78
715 715 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,537 —
875 875 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,662 -30.47
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–430 420 2 250.00–253.00 $251.54 $1,056 —
585 585 1 253.00 $253.00 $1,480 -18.00
710 710 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,640 -15.00
1018 1018 3 158.00 $158.00 $1,608 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 240.00 $240.00 $780 —
605 605 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,222 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 260.00 $260.00 $572 —
255–260 258 2 267.50–270.00 $268.76 $693 -24.25
335–340 338 3 255.00–265.00 $261.70 $885 -37.76
370–380 378 4 240.00–263.00 $245.64 $929 -48.92
407–430 414 7 255.00 $255.00 $1,056 -7.50
400–437 value added 432 8 266.00–276.00 $267.16 $1,154 -16.02
450–465 value added 458 4 274.00–278.00 $276.03 $1,264 -4.91
457–488 473 6 246.00–261.00 $253.10 $1,197 -11.07
500–535 514 4 245.00–249.00 $246.01 $1,264 -14.58
510–533 value added 531 22 255.00–273.00 $255.79 $1,358 -13.72
550–574 value added 567 126 250.00–283.00 $277.17 $1,572 -8.01
575–592 589 6 242.00–247.00 $246.19 $1,450 -10.52
615 615 3 227.00 $227.00 $1,396 -8.68
612–628 value added 621 130 240.00–253.00 $241.08 $1,497 -30.62
658 658 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,480 -14.14
670–689 value added 681 10 240.50–241.00 $240.70 $1,639 -6.26
701–735 value added 715 168 223.00–231.00 $227.06 $1,623 -25.94
720 720 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,440 -26.00
757 757 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,559 -8.77
800 800 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,392 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–347 345 3 212.50–230.00 $224.25 $774 -29.37
355–385 367 6 230.00–235.00 $232.15 $852 -17.82
410–440 434 9 220.00–241.00 $235.44 $1,022 -1.06
462 462 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,016 -21.36
505–517 513 3 221.00–237.50 $226.41 $1,161 -11.42
560 560 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,266 -9.03
600–640 618 4 184.00–195.00 $188.40 $1,164 -34.94
655–685 674 4 176.00–196.00 $182.79 $1,232 -26.35
732 732 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,281 -29.40
830 830 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,336 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 227.00 $227.00 $874 -42.00
427 427 2 223.00 $223.00 $952 —
455–495 477 5 235.00–249.00 $240.47 $1,147 —
565–570 568 2 223.00–236.00 $229.53 $1,304 -26.47
667 667 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,267 -10.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 220.00 $220.00 $946 —
585 585 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,117 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 315.00 $315.00 $898 +1.03
315–340 328 2 273.00–297.50 $284.78 $934 -59.90
362–391 380 9 285.00–290.00 $288.26 $1,095 -45.00
385 fancy 385 3 306.00 $306.00 $1,178 —
405–415 410 4 287.00–288.00 $287.49 $1,179 +8.14
410 fancy 410 1 306.00 $306.00 $1,255 —
470 470 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,340 +8.26
482 fancy 482 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,494 —
500 fancy 500 2 277.00 $277.00 $1,385 —
512–535 522 7 245.00–253.00 $250.14 $1,306 -18.75
553–565 555 5 247.00–249.00 $248.59 $1,380 -6.36
600–625 612 11 223.00–242.00 $232.83 $1,425 -1.71
705–730 722 6 202.50–218.00 $213.77 $1,543 -6.30
800–805 803 2 174.00–191.00 $182.47 $1,465 -21.70
1015 1015 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,736 +2.00
1202 1202 2 170.00 $170.00 $2,043 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–430 415 2 230.00–240.00 $235.18 $976 -12.32
465–480 473 2 221.00–237.00 $229.13 $1,084 -19.65
545 545 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,264 -8.41
555–590 566 5 223.00–239.00 $227.39 $1,287 -12.52
600–620 608 4 200.00–213.00 $205.98 $1,252 -24.03
655–675 663 3 194.00–202.50 $198.87 $1,319 -23.19
705–745 720 3 160.00–180.00 $166.57 $1,199 -29.80
750–786 772 5 170.00–176.00 $172.33 $1,330 —
800–805 803 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,285 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 235.00 $235.00 $564 —
402 402 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,085 —
532–540 535 3 221.00–222.00 $221.34 $1,184 —
805 805 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,288 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 212.50 $212.50 $733 —
525–535 530 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,060 —
570 570 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,220 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100 1100 75-80% 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,408 —
1070–1700 1341 75-80% 8 128.00–135.00 $131.97 $1,770 —
1130–1705 1448 75-80% 21 136.00–151.00 $141.28 $2,046 +3.89
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 85-90% 1 94.00 $94.00 $602 —
795–1160 983 85-90% 6 108.00–120.00 $115.43 $1,135 —
890–1215 1077 85-90% 13 122.00–139.00 $131.86 $1,420 +3.65
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020 1020 80-85% 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,285 —
930–1205 1119 80-85% 5 130.00–136.00 $133.09 $1,489 —
1010–1685 1250 80-85% 11 136.00–147.00 $143.09 $1,789 +2.04

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325 1325 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,670 -31.72
1117–2285 1412 6 152.00–163.00 $156.72 $2,213 —
1555–1845 1725 4 168.00–177.00 $173.11 $2,986 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1550–1600 1575 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,000.00–2,025.00 $2,012.70
1605 1605 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1055 1055 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00 +25.00

↑ Back to top

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.