Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, April 21, 2025

782 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $332.11/cwt +18.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,902/hd at 573 lb · 106 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $350.82/cwt +23.24 vs last sale · ≈ $2,183/hd at 622 lb · 51 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $360.97/cwt +6.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,745/hd at 483 lb · 47 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 782 1,989 1,191
Feeder cattle 681 1,769 997
Slaughter cattle 94 208 179
Replacement cattle 7 12 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with some weaned 400-600 lb packages sharply with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher with some weaned 400-600 lbs packages 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Yearling steers and heifers 5.00 to 10.00 higher in a lite test. Active feeder market with good buyer participation and some farmer participation in the market today. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher 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
340 340 2 395.00–400.00 $397.50 $1,352 —
365 value added 365 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,570 —
367–375 370 3 379.00–405.00 $387.79 $1,435 -7.39
405–410 value added 408 2 414.00–421.00 $417.52 $1,703 -1.58
407–448 434 6 396.00–400.00 $398.75 $1,731 +13.87
455–485 469 8 367.50–388.00 $382.86 $1,796 +19.29
455–492 value added 484 30 395.00–416.00 $410.62 $1,987 +17.45
515–530 523 2 367.00–377.50 $372.17 $1,946 +37.85
515–546 value added 529 40 380.00–399.00 $388.62 $2,056 +13.95
555–590 value added 569 7 341.00–377.50 $357.52 $2,034 +5.69
600–640 value added 622 49 321.00–369.00 $352.12 $2,190 +16.22
630 630 2 319.00 $319.00 $2,010 +14.58
655–685 value added 674 28 321.00–334.00 $330.99 $2,231 +11.65
680 680 1 299.00 $299.00 $2,033 +8.26
710–735 723 2 289.00–309.00 $299.17 $2,163 +17.68
740 value added 740 4 318.00 $318.00 $2,353 +21.25
760 760 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,052 +0.31
771 value added 771 21 299.00 $299.00 $2,305 —
827 827 4 274.00 $274.00 $2,266 +14.52
865 865 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,249 +8.36
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367 367 2 352.50 $352.50 $1,294 —
515–533 527 5 315.00–327.00 $322.28 $1,698 +19.36
840 840 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,798 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 2 357.50 $357.50 $1,198 —
565 value added 565 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,864 —
885 885 2 258.00 $258.00 $2,283 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1295 1210 2 176.00–191.00 $182.97 $2,214 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–285 value added 278 2 370.00–410.00 $389.46 $1,083 —
270–295 287 3 330.00–367.00 $342.47 $983 -23.68
315–340 value added 330 3 400.00–405.00 $402.01 $1,327 —
355–391 value added 375 7 397.00–403.00 $400.42 $1,502 —
400–446 value added 430 25 352.50–397.50 $379.72 $1,633 +9.23
437 437 2 345.00 $345.00 $1,508 +1.95
460–495 value added 483 41 351.00–375.00 $363.49 $1,756 +1.18
450–495 486 6 330.00–350.00 $343.75 $1,671 +17.74
500–528 value added 513 22 327.50–342.50 $336.19 $1,725 +4.38
515 515 2 318.00 $318.00 $1,638 +9.15
515 515 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,571 -3.85
555–575 562 3 301.00–307.00 $304.95 $1,714 +9.39
555–597 value added 573 103 320.00–337.50 $332.90 $1,908 +13.89
605–645 620 3 255.00–280.00 $267.26 $1,657 +6.50
610–639 value added 633 18 294.00–319.00 $312.29 $1,977 +24.93
652–685 value added 655 13 284.00–291.00 $284.94 $1,866 +0.43
665–675 670 2 272.00–275.00 $273.51 $1,833 +8.75
710–731 729 20 263.00–265.00 $263.19 $1,919 +10.19
760–795 778 2 230.00–264.00 $246.62 $1,919 +7.62
815 value added 815 4 255.00 $255.00 $2,078 -4.00
815 815 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,834 +20.31
910 910 1 233.00 $233.00 $2,120 +18.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–315 310 2 290.00–330.00 $309.68 $960 +4.67
430 430 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,312 +4.00
455 455 2 292.50 $292.50 $1,331 -2.10
520–535 525 3 261.00–271.00 $264.40 $1,388 -10.49
550–587 575 3 260.00–280.00 $273.62 $1,573 +1.22
670 670 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,474 -15.09
735 735 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,764 +0.76
820 820 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,599 —
870 870 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,675 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–540 530 3 290.00–305.00 $300.19 $1,591 —
570 value added 570 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,710 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 230.00 $230.00 $540 -2.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–287 281 4 345.00–417.50 $383.89 $1,079 +0.76
337 337 2 390.00 $390.00 $1,314 -3.04
340 fancy 340 2 419.00 $419.00 $1,425 —
366 fancy 366 3 416.00 $416.00 $1,523 —
382–387 value added 385 8 422.50–435.00 $429.86 $1,655 -2.64
400–432 421 3 362.00–395.00 $384.56 $1,619 +1.83
405–436 value added 426 6 402.50–411.00 $407.68 $1,737 +2.78
450–495 475 3 357.50–370.00 $363.18 $1,725 +4.40
472–476 value added 475 6 379.00–387.00 $382.15 $1,815 +6.27
500–530 value added 508 14 340.00–385.00 $362.71 $1,843 +4.77
550–565 value added 553 7 349.00–379.00 $368.28 $2,037 +21.10
565–595 583 7 327.00–343.00 $332.38 $1,938 +4.35
600–611 value added 607 6 325.00–345.00 $341.71 $2,074 +17.29
620–645 629 4 287.50–299.00 $292.67 $1,841 -6.93
657–685 666 3 282.00–286.00 $284.63 $1,896 +2.73
705–740 718 3 257.50–289.00 $273.57 $1,964 +14.95
765–780 775 3 263.00–271.00 $268.37 $2,080 +16.06
880 880 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,681 -36.00
1080 1080 2 191.00–201.00 $196.00 $2,117 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,290 +72.50
365 365 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,350 +40.00
400 400 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,400 +33.56
455–495 475 2 292.00–340.00 $314.99 $1,496 +14.99
515 515 1 301.00 $301.00 $1,550 +5.20
570 570 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,596 -5.00
630–645 635 3 210.00–250.00 $223.54 $1,419 —
700–735 718 2 209.00–247.00 $227.54 $1,634 -11.46
860 860 7 180.00 $180.00 $1,548 —
905–916 913 4 166.00–172.00 $170.51 $1,557 -3.52
955 955 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,624 —
1040 1040 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,726 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 290.00 $290.00 $710 —
395 395 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,185 —
575 575 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,193 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1320 1139 80-85% 6 142.00–151.00 $147.03 $1,675 —
1130–1545 1320 80-85% 19 151.00–173.00 $158.53 $2,093 —
1345–1525 1425 80-85% 4 136.00–141.00 $137.83 $1,964 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1565 1411 75-80% 5 144.00–151.00 $148.76 $2,099 —
1120–1875 1448 75-80% 17 151.00–163.00 $155.05 $2,245 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–1255 1140 85-90% 3 141.00–151.00 $147.19 $1,678 —
785–1395 1143 85-90% 4 125.00–135.00 $130.64 $1,493 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275 1275 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,874 +27.00
1150–1635 1393 4 158.00–170.00 $163.60 $2,279 —
1445–2055 1701 12 177.00–203.00 $192.95 $3,282 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
945–1070 1015 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 201.00–213.00 $207.54 $2,107
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1010 1010 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,596

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1205–1220 1213 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,050.00–2,650.00 $2,351.86

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
885 885 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00 —
1085 1085 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,182 —

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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.