Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 26, 2024

805 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 heifers $226.50/cwt +27.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,882/hd at 831 lb · 120 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $222.91/cwt ≈ $1,916/hd at 859 lb · 119 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $259.18/cwt +9.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,375/hd at 531 lb · 41 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 805 1,006 955
Feeder cattle 663 864 785
Slaughter cattle 141 126 151
Replacement cattle 1 16 19

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 lower with moderate demand; over 600 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher in a lite test. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 lower with moderate demand; over 500 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher in a limited comparison. Fleshy calves pulled straight off cows facing deep discounts over health concerns due to hot dry weather. Slaughter cows sold steady with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 higher in a limited comparison.

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
300 300 1 333.00 $333.00 $999 -7.00
400 value added 400 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,130 -14.50
513–528 value added 518 15 288.00–299.00 $295.26 $1,529 -1.11
540 540 3 259.00–267.00 $261.67 $1,413 -18.07
568 568 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,420 -15.13
600–638 value added 623 5 256.00–267.50 $260.43 $1,622 +8.59
725–727 727 6 236.00–239.00 $236.50 $1,719 -0.81
746 value added 746 4 239.00 $239.00 $1,783 -18.49
795 795 8 225.00 $225.00 $1,789 -17.00
825 825 1 233.00 $233.00 $1,922 -6.23
846 846 3 228.00 $228.00 $1,929 +4.00
905 905 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,900 —
955 955 5 210.00–212.00 $211.60 $2,021 +8.60
1072 1072 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,983 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 2 230.00 $230.00 $840 -38.93
450–470 457 3 247.00–250.00 $248.97 $1,138 -5.03
505–535 525 3 246.00–247.00 $246.32 $1,293 —
555 555 1 246.00 $246.00 $1,365 +6.29
600 600 3 231.00 $231.00 $1,386 —
860 860 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,840 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 3 230.00 $230.00 $991 —
485 485 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,086 —
575 575 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,167 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805 805 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,731 +15.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185 1185 1 174.00 $174.00 $2,062 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 240.00 $240.00 $564 -32.41
272 272 2 235.00 $235.00 $639 -24.31
330 330 2 242.50 $242.50 $800 -16.94
360–370 365 2 232.00–240.00 $235.95 $861 —
425–447 432 8 238.00–245.00 $241.93 $1,045 -5.23
441 value added 441 11 261.00 $261.00 $1,151 -2.01
452–477 value added 459 19 247.00–250.00 $247.65 $1,137 -16.35
461–475 467 5 236.00–238.00 $237.49 $1,109 -6.72
515 515 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,223 -6.23
500–545 value added 531 40 248.00–266.00 $259.72 $1,379 +4.10
551–580 value added 558 4 248.00–265.00 $260.58 $1,454 +6.57
562–580 569 14 230.00–240.00 $234.40 $1,334 -9.32
573 573 3 229.00 $229.00 $1,312 -14.72
610–645 631 12 201.00–229.00 $218.25 $1,377 —
620–637 value added 631 3 229.00–239.00 $232.27 $1,466 -17.73
685–690 688 2 200.00–209.00 $204.52 $1,407 —
732–749 744 9 197.00–200.00 $199.34 $1,483 —
830 830 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,527 +2.70
814–848 fancy 831 119 225.25–228.50 $226.86 $1,885 —
855 855 60 221.60 $221.60 $1,895 —
864 fancy 864 59 224.25 $224.25 $1,938 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 212.50 $212.50 $542 —
350–382 362 8 210.00–230.00 $221.35 $801 -16.04
400–425 410 5 230.00–235.00 $231.24 $948 +1.49
455–465 460 2 220.00–221.00 $220.51 $1,014 -8.92
515–548 538 7 201.00–232.00 $223.44 $1,202 +1.26
568–585 572 7 212.00–228.00 $224.26 $1,283 -4.23
615–620 617 3 170.00–209.00 $183.07 $1,130 -17.28
650 650 2 192.00–194.00 $193.00 $1,254 -0.34
705–710 708 3 170.00–182.00 $173.98 $1,232 -20.05
820 820 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,435 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–345 335 2 190.00–212.50 $200.91 $673 -9.09
350–360 355 2 210.00–217.50 $213.70 $759 —
415 415 1 190.00 $190.00 $788 -20.92
455–465 460 2 210.00–214.00 $211.98 $975 +11.98
520–540 530 2 190.00–210.00 $200.19 $1,061 -9.81
560–585 570 4 180.00–210.00 $198.80 $1,133 +12.80
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,035 —
522 522 2 237.00 $237.00 $1,237 —
570 570 2 226.00 $226.00 $1,288 +16.00
605 605 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,204 -11.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–312 308 3 305.00–313.50 $307.76 $948 -17.64
375 375 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,031 -23.37
415–427 422 6 240.00–277.50 $249.86 $1,054 -30.93
460–465 461 6 266.00–274.00 $272.65 $1,257 -12.68
460–470 fancy 467 3 279.00–280.00 $279.33 $1,304 —
500–535 514 8 239.00–251.00 $246.25 $1,266 -6.72
530 fancy 530 4 276.00 $276.00 $1,463 —
550–562 553 11 242.00–252.00 $247.46 $1,368 -9.74
610–640 622 17 210.00–231.00 $217.40 $1,352 -13.97
661 661 3 212.00 $212.00 $1,401 -15.98
705–745 725 2 206.00–207.00 $206.49 $1,497 +6.49
785 785 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,570 +7.99
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–360 359 4 230.00–250.00 $243.80 $875 -2.20
400 400 1 225.00 $225.00 $900 -22.48
455–490 470 5 225.00–235.00 $229.56 $1,079 —
520–545 529 8 220.00–232.00 $227.50 $1,203 —
550–590 568 3 228.00–236.00 $233.00 $1,323 +10.00
621 621 4 199.00 $199.00 $1,236 -10.37
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 205.00 $205.00 $769 —
505–517 511 4 210.00–217.50 $213.79 $1,092 —
552–580 561 3 200.00–215.00 $209.83 $1,177 +1.91
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 240.00 $240.00 $984 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1765 1416 75-80% 12 130.00–137.00 $134.41 $1,903 —
1215–1910 1499 75-80% 21 137.00–146.00 $141.98 $2,128 -9.63
1500–1750 1625 75-80% 8 147.00–155.00 $150.08 $2,439 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1375 1226 80-85% 9 126.00–137.00 $133.46 $1,636 +0.96
1035–1415 1261 80-85% 8 138.00–146.00 $142.63 $1,799 —
1235–1560 1372 80-85% 17 147.00–160.00 $152.88 $2,098 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885 885 85-90% 1 104.00 $104.00 $920 —
730–1060 890 85-90% 3 110.00–113.00 $111.74 $994 —
900–1325 1041 85-90% 17 118.00–131.00 $124.45 $1,296 +26.95
1010–1340 1183 85-90% 10 135.00–153.00 $139.96 $1,656 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1490 1297 3 144.00–152.00 $148.53 $1,926 —
1005–1945 1535 13 153.00–169.00 $164.93 $2,532 —
1785–2220 1937 10 170.00–190.00 $178.37 $3,455 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955–1170 1039 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 131.00–140.00 $133.98 $1,392

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
805 805 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750 750 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,298 —
1015 1015 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,269 —

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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.