Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 19, 2024

1,006 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $239.14/cwt +3.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,961/hd at 820 lb · 135 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $233.82/cwt +47.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,833/hd at 784 lb · 74 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $254.20/cwt +22.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,837/hd at 723 lb · 49 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,006 651 700
Feeder cattle 864 513 541
Slaughter cattle 126 136 143
Replacement cattle 16 2 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold steady to 4.00 higher with good demand for weaned offerings; 600-800 lbs unevenly steady, yearlings steady to weak in a limited comparison. Feeder heifers sold steady to 2.00 lower; yearling heifers 2.00 to 5.00 lower in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate to good demand. CME feeder cattle futures weak compared to the gains in the Dow futures late last week and today.

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
280–285 283 3 331.00–346.00 $341.06 $965 —
290 fancy 290 1 387.50 $387.50 $1,124 —
305 305 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,037 —
305–335 value added 315 3 343.00–345.00 $343.71 $1,083 —
355 value added 355 1 349.00 $349.00 $1,239 —
400 value added 400 3 297.00 $297.00 $1,188 -9.63
458–490 477 15 265.00–281.00 $274.78 $1,311 —
462–490 value added 483 9 290.00–305.00 $299.22 $1,445 -2.92
500–546 value added 521 22 290.00–305.00 $296.37 $1,544 +2.92
520–540 534 5 274.00–287.00 $279.74 $1,494 +7.59
551–591 574 12 259.00–272.00 $265.13 $1,522 +7.79
570–597 value added 594 19 279.00–284.50 $283.94 $1,687 —
605–620 610 3 245.00–248.00 $246.02 $1,501 -4.31
600–627 value added 615 7 251.00–253.00 $251.84 $1,549 -16.06
650–657 654 5 245.00–250.00 $247.41 $1,618 —
660–690 value added 686 27 256.00–272.00 $269.72 $1,850 +4.89
700–745 717 8 231.00–245.00 $237.31 $1,702 +5.27
706–738 value added 724 41 246.00–268.00 $257.49 $1,864 —
765 765 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,851 +14.00
804 value added 804 20 247.00 $247.00 $1,986 —
800–843 821 104 225.00–240.00 $239.23 $1,964 +4.02
838 838 11 224.00 $224.00 $1,877 -11.21
865 865 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,938 -6.00
942 942 7 225.00 $225.00 $2,120 -5.00
985 985 4 203.00 $203.00 $2,000 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 247.50 $247.50 $780 —
366–395 378 6 250.00–274.00 $268.93 $1,017 +13.93
465 465 1 254.00 $254.00 $1,181 -1.32
565–590 578 2 230.00–249.00 $239.71 $1,386 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,102 —
400 400 1 289.00 $289.00 $1,156 —
800 800 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,600 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–247 229 5 269.00–275.00 $272.41 $624 —
285–295 289 6 253.00–261.00 $259.31 $749 -0.69
300–345 313 9 251.00–277.50 $259.44 $812 +4.24
402–422 414 9 240.00–255.00 $247.16 $1,023 -0.27
400–435 value added 415 12 257.50–269.00 $263.01 $1,091 +1.40
467–476 472 5 243.00–245.00 $244.21 $1,153 -1.79
481 value added 481 12 264.00 $264.00 $1,270 -1.14
513–537 value added 520 8 254.00–257.00 $255.62 $1,329 -2.86
500–545 529 9 239.00–247.50 $243.73 $1,289 -4.64
555–588 579 8 242.00–246.00 $243.72 $1,411 -1.28
560–596 value added 584 38 253.00–254.50 $254.01 $1,483 -2.99
616 value added 616 34 250.00 $250.00 $1,540 -20.95
673–697 value added 691 28 242.00–245.00 $242.73 $1,677 —
715–733 value added 729 4 231.00 $231.00 $1,684 -3.00
765–777 772 5 214.00–218.00 $216.19 $1,669 +30.19
785 value added 785 69 235.10 $235.10 $1,846 —
800–825 806 4 179.00–188.00 $181.30 $1,461 -40.70
823 value added 823 5 213.00 $213.00 $1,753 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 250.00 $250.00 $562 +10.00
302–345 326 9 223.00–247.00 $235.09 $766 -7.26
350–387 370 9 227.00–247.00 $237.39 $878 —
400–420 408 5 225.00–232.50 $229.75 $937 +4.88
462–487 478 11 223.00–235.00 $229.43 $1,097 +3.20
500–518 513 5 220.00–230.00 $222.18 $1,140 -14.82
550–590 575 22 210.00–236.00 $228.49 $1,314 +11.10
605–635 625 11 186.00–213.00 $200.35 $1,252 -12.79
650–697 671 13 185.00–212.00 $193.34 $1,297 -0.68
700–735 721 6 190.00–198.00 $194.03 $1,399 +14.03
870 870 2 163.00 $163.00 $1,418 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 220.00 $220.00 $583 —
305 305 1 210.00 $210.00 $640 —
400–445 423 2 207.50–214.00 $210.92 $892 +10.92
470 470 1 200.00 $200.00 $940 —
505 505 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,060 —
555 555 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,032 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,155 —
600 600 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,260 —
655–665 660 2 190.00–194.00 $192.02 $1,267 —

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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 4 300.00 $300.00 $735 —
247 fancy 247 2 351.00 $351.00 $867 —
275 fancy 275 1 357.50 $357.50 $983 —
291 291 3 335.00 $335.00 $975 —
315–320 fancy 318 4 342.50–390.00 $361.29 $1,149 —
310–340 330 3 297.50–340.00 $325.40 $1,074 +34.40
352–390 365 3 290.00–303.00 $298.37 $1,089 +17.58
400–447 431 7 267.50–287.50 $280.79 $1,210 -7.21
452–487 470 5 270.00–300.00 $285.33 $1,341 +2.36
515–530 523 2 251.00–255.00 $252.97 $1,323 -11.51
550–572 560 10 247.50–272.50 $257.20 $1,440 —
605–630 618 8 219.00–238.00 $231.37 $1,430 +7.37
650–682 665 7 215.00–235.00 $227.98 $1,516 —
725 725 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,450 +2.00
775–790 785 3 190.00–193.00 $192.01 $1,507 —
865 865 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,583 +13.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 2 307.50 $307.50 $723 —
335 335 1 269.00 $269.00 $901 +11.50
355 355 2 246.00 $246.00 $873 —
400–405 403 2 245.00–250.00 $247.48 $997 +4.98
570 570 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,271 -12.00
617–645 626 3 208.00–212.00 $209.37 $1,311 —
655–690 668 4 199.00–209.00 $205.72 $1,374 +1.69
945 945 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,606 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 200.00 $200.00 $420 —
302 302 2 215.00 $215.00 $649 —
422–430 426 4 195.00–209.00 $201.93 $860 —
565–575 570 2 199.00–217.00 $207.92 $1,185 -3.93
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
663 663 4 212.00 $212.00 $1,406 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1315 1246 75-80% 5 128.00–135.00 $132.53 $1,651 —
1200–1930 1456 75-80% 19 139.00–146.00 $142.56 $2,076 -8.37
1185–1895 1488 75-80% 24 147.00–161.00 $151.61 $2,256 +5.76
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1355 1195 80-85% 12 137.00–148.00 $142.90 $1,708 —
915–1510 1209 80-85% 6 128.00–136.00 $132.50 $1,602 —
1170–1695 1325 80-85% 20 147.00–165.00 $152.40 $2,019 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1085 953 85-90% 4 108.00–110.00 $109.25 $1,041 —
1045 1045 85-90% 1 97.50 $97.50 $1,019 -34.11
780–1245 1062 85-90% 5 120.00–129.00 $125.87 $1,337 -19.35
920–1295 1064 85-90% 15 131.00–161.00 $140.31 $1,493 -4.91

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1615 1399 4 148.00–162.00 $154.54 $2,162 —
1330–2130 1682 7 164.00–176.00 $168.92 $2,841 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
865–1130 996 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 140.00–162.00 $152.28 $1,517

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1235 1235 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00
1325 fancy 1325 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905 905 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00
1045–1155 1100 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,425.00–1,550.00 $1,490.63
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
770 770 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1195 1195 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —

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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.