Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 18, 2025

632 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $365.79/cwt +38.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,424/hd at 663 lb · 93 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $368.80/cwt +13.69 vs last sale · ≈ $2,287/hd at 620 lb · 76 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $323.41/cwt +61.09 vs last sale · ≈ $2,466/hd at 763 lb · 44 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 632 534 1,006
Feeder cattle 574 427 864
Slaughter cattle 48 93 126
Replacement cattle 10 14 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Good quality feeder steers and heifers were 3.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in several spots with an average supply and strong demand for quality feeder cattle. Yearling steers and heifers appeared sharply higher as well but with limited comparisons. Increased gains in the feeder cattle futures market coupled with limited cattle movement is increasing the premiums buyers are willing to pay for quality cattle, while discounting plainer and off colored cattle more severely and increasing the price spread in most class breaks. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower with a moderate supply and slaughter bulls were steady with 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
270 270 1 362.50 $362.50 $979 —
365 fancy 365 5 492.50–497.50 $495.50 $1,809 —
421 fancy 421 3 481.00 $481.00 $2,025 —
430 430 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,742 +9.94
465 value added 465 2 472.50 $472.50 $2,197 —
450–485 470 8 400.00–439.00 $419.18 $1,970 +25.03
517–525 value added 520 11 385.00–400.00 $393.52 $2,046 —
530–535 533 2 361.00–367.50 $364.27 $1,942 -15.79
550 value added 550 2 387.00 $387.00 $2,128 -12.04
550–590 568 3 377.00–383.00 $378.94 $2,152 +16.44
619–630 value added 623 15 367.00–385.00 $374.81 $2,335 —
610–640 625 3 335.00–353.00 $345.81 $2,161 -3.96
685 685 1 347.00 $347.00 $2,377 +12.39
705–742 732 12 318.00–341.50 $331.97 $2,430 +4.30
760 value added 760 11 332.50–351.00 $349.32 $2,655 —
755–767 762 4 310.00–324.00 $313.49 $2,389 +13.49
805–835 816 4 330.00–335.00 $332.25 $2,711 +41.25
865–890 885 5 321.00–327.00 $322.17 $2,851 —
935 935 1 301.00 $301.00 $2,814 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 447 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,699 —
455–490 479 6 360.00–391.00 $374.02 $1,792 +5.48
550–595 573 2 330.00–338.00 $333.84 $1,913 -4.16
620–637 631 3 305.00–321.00 $310.24 $1,958 -7.23
695 695 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,085 —
855 855 1 291.00 $291.00 $2,488 +21.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,518 -10.00
595 595 1 261.00 $261.00 $1,553 —
600 600 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,650 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670 670 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,893 —
765 765 1 283.00 $283.00 $2,165 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,418 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–325 323 2 413.00–422.50 $417.71 $1,349 +15.21
327–340 fancy 335 8 430.00–450.00 $436.23 $1,461 —
355 fancy 355 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,598 —
365–375 367 5 397.00–412.50 $403.27 $1,480 +7.49
420–430 fancy 426 6 395.00–412.50 $405.01 $1,725 -4.99
400–447 430 9 367.50–387.00 $376.48 $1,619 -4.62
455–467 value added 465 6 385.00–390.00 $385.82 $1,794 +0.82
450–490 474 12 359.00–378.00 $371.99 $1,763 +3.92
502–540 value added 521 6 357.50–370.00 $365.98 $1,907 —
527 527 2 346.00 $346.00 $1,823 +10.83
552 value added 552 26 362.50 $362.50 $2,001 +15.05
565–595 578 6 320.00–337.50 $330.39 $1,910 +15.88
595 595 5 344.00 $344.00 $2,047 +29.49
620 value added 620 74 370.25 $370.25 $2,296 +13.25
625 625 2 315.00 $315.00 $1,969 -6.97
660 value added 660 80 375.25 $375.25 $2,477 —
677–690 680 13 303.00–317.00 $307.56 $2,091 -27.47
705–748 737 6 291.00–297.00 $292.66 $2,157 +51.66
755 755 2 269.00 $269.00 $2,031 —
763 value added 763 42 326.00 $326.00 $2,487 —
805 805 1 271.00 $271.00 $2,182 +16.00
805–821 819 7 289.00–304.00 $301.89 $2,472 +46.89
902 902 2 259.00 $259.00 $2,336 +29.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–445 425 2 352.50–360.00 $356.43 $1,515 -11.07
460–490 477 3 340.00–350.00 $346.57 $1,653 +4.04
510–535 523 2 308.00–310.00 $308.98 $1,616 —
575 575 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,725 —
670 670 1 284.00 $284.00 $1,903 +21.48
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 292.50 $292.50 $848 —
655 655 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,703 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135 1135 1 211.00 $211.00 $2,395 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 505.00 $505.00 $1,313 +67.50
345 345 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,690 +82.50
380–390 fancy 385 2 497.50–500.00 $498.73 $1,920 —
395 395 1 441.00 $441.00 $1,742 +43.06
400 400 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,600 -0.92
400–437 fancy 428 11 482.50–500.00 $492.12 $2,106 —
455 fancy 455 1 447.50 $447.50 $2,036 —
450–495 475 5 375.00–410.00 $390.67 $1,856 +12.28
502–505 fancy 503 3 387.00–395.00 $389.68 $1,960 +7.18
500–530 519 6 372.50–375.00 $373.75 $1,940 +9.59
550–575 fancy 563 2 380.00–392.50 $386.11 $2,174 +9.05
580–595 585 5 345.00–355.00 $352.97 $2,065 +12.97
615 615 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,937 +6.23
650 650 1 319.00 $319.00 $2,074 +2.81
710–730 718 8 250.00–264.00 $256.97 $1,845 -10.03
765 765 2 252.00–260.00 $256.00 $1,958 +11.87
905 905 1 238.00 $238.00 $2,154 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–380 375 2 362.00–387.50 $374.58 $1,405 -7.90
490 490 1 364.00 $364.00 $1,784 +3.01
510–535 525 3 331.00–337.50 $334.50 $1,756 +4.50
590 590 1 289.00 $289.00 $1,705 -14.00
600 600 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,680 -7.50
656–685 669 6 255.00–271.00 $264.54 $1,770 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,740 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–915 872 85-90% 3 164.00–168.00 $166.03 $1,448 —
685–1175 874 85-90% 6 121.00–133.00 $127.99 $1,119 —
885 885 85-90% 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,858 —
1060 1060 85-90% 1 107.50 $107.50 $1,140 —
1095–1380 1214 85-90% 5 138.00–156.00 $149.34 $1,813 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1675 1476 75-80% 7 164.00–173.00 $169.54 $2,502 -0.78
1360–1750 1512 75-80% 3 178.00–181.00 $179.16 $2,709 -5.37
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1251 1221 80-85% 2 156.00–171.00 $163.31 $1,994 -3.04
1190–1290 1231 80-85% 4 177.00–182.00 $180.26 $2,219 +25.30

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–2290 1738 4 207.00–211.00 $209.80 $3,646 —
1835 1835 1 180.00 $180.00 $3,303 —
1965 1965 1 192.00 $192.00 $3,773 -17.49
YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1800–1920 1860 2 217.00–222.00 $219.42 $4,081 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1335 1335 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1385 1385 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1545 1545 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,675.00 $2,675.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
775–835 805 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,000.00–2,075.00 $2,038.90

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1155 1155 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,275.00 $3,275.00 —
1175 1175 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1220 1158 85-90% 2 143.00–145.00 $144.05 $1,668 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,233 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 value added 592 18 334.00 $334.00 $1,977 —
722 value added 722 10 325.00 $325.00 $2,346 —

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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.