Cattle Market Pulse

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

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, September 29, 2025

1,358 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 $376.18/cwt +20.85 vs last sale · ≈ $2,468/hd at 656 lb · 239 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $383.74/cwt +17.58 vs last sale · ≈ $2,191/hd at 571 lb · 131 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $331.81/cwt +9.81 vs last sale · ≈ $2,537/hd at 765 lb · 79 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,358 1,538 1,010
Feeder cattle 1,244 1,327 864
Slaughter cattle 109 196 94
Replacement cattle 5 15 52

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was mostly stronger with a good, but highly variable quality offering. Feeder steers were mostly steady to 4.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and good demand, while the yearling steers appeared firm but with limited head to head comparisons. Feeder heifers were unevenly steady today, bouncing from 3.00 lower to 3.00 higher across the weight classes with a good supply and good demand for weaned groups and guaranteed open heifers. Today was a typical fall market with buyers willing to pay premiums for quality and value added feeder cattle, while increasing the discounts on bawling calves, and plainer quality feeders severely. Slaughter cows and bulls were mostly steady with a good supply and good demand.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351–395 381 13 420.00–442.50 $430.69 $1,641 -23.06
407–420 411 3 412.50–440.00 $430.64 $1,770 +0.18
437 fancy 437 5 470.00 $470.00 $2,054 -7.50
455 fancy 455 2 475.00 $475.00 $2,161 +8.33
459 459 8 443.00 $443.00 $2,033 +21.63
510–545 526 6 370.00–395.00 $383.92 $2,019 +35.21
510–545 value added 537 15 401.00–420.00 $409.67 $2,200 +20.92
555–588 value added 568 16 390.00–403.00 $397.28 $2,257 +9.19
565–590 582 4 370.00–386.00 $381.23 $2,219 +7.35
607–645 value added 634 11 377.50–392.50 $383.36 $2,431 +4.18
620–646 636 12 343.00–369.00 $359.12 $2,284 +11.36
652–668 value added 659 41 384.00–393.00 $387.78 $2,555 +3.78
660–672 664 8 344.00–368.00 $354.19 $2,352 +9.19
720–734 value added 730 26 358.00–361.00 $360.20 $2,629 -9.31
737–740 739 4 331.00–344.00 $337.49 $2,494 +0.34
775–797 787 17 333.00–355.00 $348.61 $2,744 +7.82
805–810 806 5 336.00–344.00 $342.39 $2,760 +4.01
885 885 2 337.00 $337.00 $2,982 —
935 935 16 334.00 $334.00 $3,123 +35.00
987 987 2 311.00 $311.00 $3,070 +17.00
1002 1002 2 297.00 $297.00 $2,976 —
1150 1150 1 290.00 $290.00 $3,335 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,080 -27.50
348 348 6 410.00 $410.00 $1,427 —
350–395 381 4 400.00–410.00 $407.06 $1,551 —
415 415 3 404.00 $404.00 $1,677 +14.00
490–495 493 2 391.00–405.00 $397.96 $1,962 -3.66
600 600 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,025 +36.50
695 695 1 318.00 $318.00 $2,210 +5.50
705–715 710 2 300.00–317.50 $308.81 $2,193 +14.81
760 760 2 325.00 $325.00 $2,470 —
880 880 1 304.00 $304.00 $2,675 —
1105 1105 1 247.00 $247.00 $2,729 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 2 302.50 $302.50 $1,140 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 341.00 $341.00 $2,029 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260 1260 1 229.00 $229.00 $2,885 —

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
301–347 319 5 365.00–380.00 $371.52 $1,185 -8.48
350–391 367 15 370.00–392.50 $379.44 $1,393 -1.30
376 fancy 376 4 407.00 $407.00 $1,530 -9.01
405–445 430 12 362.50–385.00 $368.55 $1,585 -15.16
450–495 466 15 357.50–380.00 $372.00 $1,734 -0.91
482–491 fancy 488 26 389.00–390.00 $389.34 $1,900 +4.90
503–521 value added 512 13 371.00–380.00 $374.37 $1,917 —
505–545 534 17 340.00–365.00 $351.82 $1,879 -3.54
555 555 21 367.00 $367.00 $2,037 +17.70
560 560 1 321.00 $321.00 $1,798 -28.30
551–590 570 21 345.00–363.00 $356.26 $2,031 +6.96
575 value added 575 88 395.00 $395.00 $2,271 +14.00
610–645 643 24 317.50–331.00 $330.00 $2,122 -7.12
652–663 value added 656 234 367.50–383.00 $377.38 $2,476 —
660–670 666 5 319.00–321.00 $319.79 $2,130 -0.68
764 value added 764 72 334.00 $334.00 $2,552 —
757–778 772 7 303.00–313.00 $309.26 $2,387 -19.74
827–837 836 27 309.00–314.00 $312.78 $2,615 +30.77
872–890 876 6 249.00–310.00 $283.06 $2,480 +20.60
900–932 927 7 290.00–302.00 $300.34 $2,784 —
1020 1020 1 207.00 $207.00 $2,111 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–230 225 2 367.50–380.00 $373.89 $841 +8.89
300–346 336 13 335.00–353.00 $348.80 $1,172 -8.72
357–386 373 11 337.00–360.00 $347.01 $1,294 -25.49
403–443 429 17 335.00–355.00 $349.69 $1,500 -0.25
460–497 477 5 341.00–351.00 $345.47 $1,648 +7.83
525–547 535 9 315.00–335.00 $327.19 $1,750 -6.50
555–560 559 4 310.00–330.00 $323.03 $1,806 -14.47
640 640 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,856 -17.12
715–735 725 2 280.00–290.00 $284.93 $2,066 +15.85
767–770 769 6 255.00–280.00 $271.69 $2,089 +4.05
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 302.50 $302.50 $953 —
435 435 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,316 -22.50
495 495 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,391 -42.00
500 500 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,500 +5.00
578 578 3 282.50 $282.50 $1,633 -22.50
795 795 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,948 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,732 —
565 565 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,864 —
813 813 3 269.00 $269.00 $2,187 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 240.00 $240.00 $876 —

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 296 3 420.00 $420.00 $1,243 —
362–385 370 9 447.50–470.00 $456.85 $1,690 -11.25
402–447 416 7 442.50–462.50 $450.40 $1,874 +24.10
451–487 465 13 379.00–400.00 $391.54 $1,821 -5.23
495 495 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,584 -76.77
512–535 523 5 360.00–380.00 $368.13 $1,925 +7.88
530 fancy 530 3 393.00 $393.00 $2,083 +6.51
563–582 573 9 361.00–371.00 $365.56 $2,095 +9.45
610–630 614 8 315.00–332.50 $320.75 $1,969 -3.91
727 727 2 317.00 $317.00 $2,305 +23.98
750 750 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,988 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375–382 380 3 425.00–430.00 $428.35 $1,628 —
410 410 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,640 +14.01
500–537 520 6 300.00–320.00 $310.09 $1,612 -28.24
560 560 1 301.00 $301.00 $1,686 -8.88
626 626 4 288.00 $288.00 $1,803 +1.48
696 696 3 271.00 $271.00 $1,886 —
702–715 706 3 262.50–280.00 $274.10 $1,935 +12.49
825–840 833 2 211.00–215.00 $213.02 $1,774 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–390 369 5 380.00–382.50 $381.06 $1,406 +48.56
465–495 480 2 300.00–315.00 $307.73 $1,477 —
790 790 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,525 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–340 338 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,014 —
360 360 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,152 —
465 465 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,279 -25.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,705 —

↑ Back to top

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
685–710 698 85-90% 2 99.00–101.00 $99.98 $698 —
935 935 85-90% 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,590 —
760–1045 936 85-90% 7 125.00–129.00 $126.55 $1,185 —
765–1265 999 85-90% 10 132.00–147.00 $139.80 $1,397 —
790–1375 1096 85-90% 13 149.00–159.00 $153.64 $1,684 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010 1010 80-85% 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,929 —
885–1645 1179 80-85% 9 165.00–170.00 $166.98 $1,969 +24.02
1005–1530 1235 80-85% 18 150.00–164.00 $157.27 $1,942 -13.68
1215–1410 1303 80-85% 4 145.00–149.00 $147.20 $1,918 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1960 1547 75-80% 11 154.00–163.00 $159.50 $2,467 -8.99
1525–1630 1578 75-80% 2 166.00–179.00 $172.28 $2,719 —
1890 1890 75-80% 1 149.00 $149.00 $2,816 —

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–1205 1073 3 160.00–175.00 $168.60 $1,809 —
1285–1490 1387 5 180.00–189.00 $185.65 $2,575 —
1645–2145 1827 6 194.00–208.00 $200.03 $3,655 —

↑ Back to top

Medium 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925 925 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00

↑ Back to top

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1070 1070 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 2,485.00 $2,485.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.