Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report, Lexington, KY

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, July 21, 2025

770 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 $338.19/cwt -18.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,939/hd at 573 lb · 80 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $321.83/cwt -22.76 vs last sale · ≈ $2,050/hd at 637 lb · 41 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $357.09/cwt +7.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,750/hd at 490 lb · 39 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 770 1,689 1,565
Feeder cattle 680 1,593 1,456
Slaughter cattle 86 90 100
Replacement cattle 4 6 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the feeder feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 550 lbs and under were 5.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply, while the 600-750 lbs steers were 4.00 to 8.00 higher with good demand. Yearling steers appeared steady but with limited comparisons. Feeder heifers 550 lbs and under were 5.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and good demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for weaned packages or harder conditioned calves, while discounting off colored and fat fresh bawling calves severely. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady with a good supply and 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
285 285 1 407.50 $407.50 $1,161 -50.23
320–340 330 2 410.00–440.00 $424.55 $1,401 —
360–380 373 3 425.00–442.50 $436.88 $1,630 +15.54
380–396 fancy 391 7 455.00–461.00 $459.34 $1,796 —
401–415 405 7 415.00–425.00 $421.41 $1,707 +23.61
428 thin fleshed 428 10 437.50 $437.50 $1,872 —
450–491 479 5 391.00–400.00 $393.99 $1,887 +5.86
485 485 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,794 -18.13
501–537 value added 522 16 375.00–397.00 $387.06 $2,020 +6.49
530–540 534 8 350.00–364.00 $359.09 $1,918 -3.41
557–595 576 13 347.50–367.50 $358.52 $2,065 -6.86
550–596 value added 582 25 370.00–386.00 $377.61 $2,198 -2.39
600–640 value added 624 21 365.00–380.00 $367.92 $2,296 -0.39
600–645 626 8 341.00–361.00 $352.44 $2,206 +12.44
654–670 value added 661 19 372.00–380.00 $375.30 $2,481 +17.65
670–680 675 2 327.00–345.00 $335.93 $2,268 -2.51
709–713 value added 711 11 349.00–358.00 $353.90 $2,516 -1.60
708–745 734 19 314.00–328.00 $321.66 $2,361 +9.37
757–775 767 9 304.00–324.00 $319.55 $2,451 -5.45
807 thin fleshed 807 2 324.00 $324.00 $2,615 -2.79
847 847 2 295.00 $295.00 $2,499 —
871–882 875 6 291.00–296.50 $294.65 $2,578 -1.73
972 972 2 271.00 $271.00 $2,634 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,298 —
377 377 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,451 —
430 430 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,623 —
460–495 486 9 360.00–372.50 $367.02 $1,784 —
520 520 1 327.00 $327.00 $1,700 —
580 580 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,914 —
600–630 623 4 317.00–330.00 $320.13 $1,994 —
655–675 665 2 315.00–324.00 $319.57 $2,125 —
715–740 728 2 285.00–303.00 $293.85 $2,139 —
825 825 1 268.00 $268.00 $2,211 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
576 576 3 330.00 $330.00 $1,901 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,564 -18.00
535 535 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,605 -38.89
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,758 —

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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 1 392.50 $392.50 $922 +20.00
235–240 thin fleshed 238 2 425.00–440.00 $432.42 $1,029 —
285 thin fleshed 285 2 437.50 $437.50 $1,247 —
305 thin fleshed 305 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,312 —
340–345 343 2 385.00–390.00 $387.52 $1,329 +44.45
374–390 377 7 362.50–377.00 $374.17 $1,411 +14.45
378 thin fleshed 378 8 395.00 $395.00 $1,493 —
407–445 427 19 357.50–380.00 $371.60 $1,587 +7.22
450–496 490 39 351.00–370.00 $357.09 $1,750 +7.19
500–548 528 15 325.00–341.00 $336.55 $1,777 +4.95
553–592 value added 572 52 340.00–348.00 $344.49 $1,970 -12.41
550–598 576 28 310.00–334.00 $326.50 $1,881 +0.73
602–643 637 27 327.50–339.00 $330.16 $2,103 +26.53
610–648 637 14 296.00–319.00 $305.76 $1,948 +2.13
668–697 683 14 304.00–318.00 $315.16 $2,153 —
675–695 690 7 275.00–287.50 $283.10 $1,953 —
702–730 710 5 299.00–316.00 $310.92 $2,208 +63.42
707–740 720 7 283.00–297.50 $292.30 $2,105 +44.80
775–778 777 4 289.00–307.00 $302.51 $2,351 +37.88
1010–1027 1024 5 238.00–241.00 $240.41 $2,462 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–285 284 5 360.00–385.00 $378.57 $1,075 —
305–335 320 2 359.00–362.00 $360.57 $1,154 —
382 382 2 360.00 $360.00 $1,375 —
425–430 428 3 345.00–354.00 $347.98 $1,489 —
472–497 483 12 331.00–347.00 $339.07 $1,638 —
505–545 532 3 311.00–319.00 $313.53 $1,668 —
570–595 576 7 310.00–317.00 $314.85 $1,814 —
645 645 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,742 —
705 705 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,833 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
341 341 4 342.50 $342.50 $1,168 +62.50
410 410 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,353 —
475 475 3 314.00 $314.00 $1,492 -43.50
630 630 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,559 -42.26
700 700 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,400 -0.48
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,650 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,725 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 427.50 $427.50 $962 —
255–285 265 3 400.00–403.00 $401.08 $1,063 -16.42
265–272 fancy 270 3 450.00 $450.00 $1,215 +20.00
315–345 328 4 400.00–415.00 $409.13 $1,342 —
400–420 415 4 383.00–400.00 $389.37 $1,616 +5.35
435 fancy 435 2 419.00 $419.00 $1,823 +5.36
450–485 468 8 372.00–392.50 $379.01 $1,774 +13.22
520 fancy 520 1 389.00 $389.00 $2,023 —
540–545 543 2 363.00–365.00 $364.00 $1,977 —
550–582 570 10 333.00–360.00 $345.04 $1,967 —
620–647 639 5 307.50–315.00 $310.06 $1,981 -7.20
655–695 672 6 300.00–312.00 $304.93 $2,049 —
710–737 fancy 723 5 281.00–299.00 $288.91 $2,089 +12.24
725 725 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,740 -10.00
757 757 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,817 -14.23
765 fancy 765 1 287.50 $287.50 $2,199 +13.50
805 805 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,912 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–335 328 3 363.00–385.00 $372.87 $1,223 —
435 435 1 371.00 $371.00 $1,614 —
510 510 1 321.00 $321.00 $1,637 —
620 620 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,860 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 335.00 $335.00 $687 —
525 525 2 267.00 $267.00 $1,402 -35.47
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 343.00 $343.00 $1,544 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 282.00 $282.00 $959 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–970 883 85-90% 2 125.00–129.00 $127.20 $1,123 —
771–1250 1090 85-90% 13 138.00–152.00 $145.82 $1,589 —
995–1360 1156 85-90% 8 157.00–167.00 $160.95 $1,861 -0.65
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1610 1471 75-80% 4 154.00–164.00 $159.16 $2,341 -0.50
1295–1900 1518 75-80% 13 167.00–178.00 $170.99 $2,596 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1320 1231 80-85% 6 151.00–160.00 $154.73 $1,905 —
1010–1490 1284 80-85% 9 165.00–175.00 $169.59 $2,178 +6.96

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1190 1136 4 175.00–182.00 $177.83 $2,020 —
1115–1845 1439 8 188.00–199.00 $193.74 $2,788 —
1510–2035 1815 3 200.00–206.00 $203.76 $3,698 —
YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1645–1915 1802 3 214.00–228.00 $222.68 $4,013 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1180–1225 1203 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 179.00–180.00 $179.49 $2,159

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1275 1275 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1490 1490 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,325.00 $2,325.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740–1180 927 85-90% 3 130.00–143.00 $137.99 $1,279 -10.47

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,161 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760 760 2 247.00 $247.00 $1,877 —

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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.