Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 16, 2026

719 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $393.32/cwt +25.93 vs last sale · ≈ $2,437/hd at 620 lb · 46 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $441.98/cwt +3.02 vs last sale · ≈ $2,091/hd at 473 lb · 41 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $421.47/cwt +43.13 vs last sale · ≈ $2,818/hd at 669 lb · 38 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 719 883 983
Feeder cattle 608 772 884
Slaughter cattle 106 96 91
Replacement cattle 5 15 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Light weight steers 350 lbs and under appeared steady with a light test, while the 400-600 lbs steers were 6.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand for weaned and thinner conditioned calves. Feeder heifers 300-450 lbs were mostly steady with a good supply, while the 500-600 lbs heifers were 6.00 to 8.00 higher with a good supply and strong demand. Slaughter cows were 4.00 to 8.00 higher with a good supply and slaughter bulls were 4.00 to 6.00 higher with strong 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
185 185 3 630.00 $630.00 $1,166 —
225 225 1 600.00 $600.00 $1,350 —
255 fancy 255 2 700.00 $700.00 $1,785 -5.00
330 fancy 330 1 620.00 $620.00 $2,046 -3.28
350–360 fancy 355 2 565.00–570.00 $567.46 $2,014 -7.54
420–430 fancy 425 4 537.50–550.00 $543.68 $2,311 +27.60
400–438 429 10 492.50–517.50 $504.65 $2,165 +8.68
455–495 478 3 490.00–510.00 $498.03 $2,381 +8.30
460–495 fancy 480 14 517.00–550.00 $533.72 $2,562 +6.22
507–520 thin fleshed 511 15 510.00–532.50 $527.05 $2,693 —
500–540 521 4 437.50–457.50 $446.97 $2,329 +9.77
507–546 value added 527 9 479.00–500.00 $490.33 $2,584 —
557–595 value added 569 23 447.50–481.00 $468.68 $2,667 +28.68
576 576 3 429.00 $429.00 $2,471 +11.74
605–610 608 2 387.00–412.50 $399.70 $2,430 +12.61
611–620 value added 614 11 425.00–451.00 $434.58 $2,668 +15.46
665–672 value added 668 33 414.00–436.00 $425.42 $2,842 —
670–673 672 5 389.00–405.00 $395.38 $2,657 +17.04
712–730 715 9 357.50–382.00 $373.71 $2,672 +9.85
755 755 1 349.00 $349.00 $2,635 -6.07
810–830 824 5 330.00–339.00 $334.18 $2,754 +45.18
901 901 6 326.00 $326.00 $2,937 +19.87
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262 262 2 540.00 $540.00 $1,415 —
432 432 2 485.00 $485.00 $2,095 —
460 460 1 455.00 $455.00 $2,093 +5.00
535 535 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,140 -17.50
640 640 1 357.50 $357.50 $2,288 —
680 680 2 361.00 $361.00 $2,455 +8.51
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,160 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
170 170 1 620.00 $620.00 $1,054 —
280–295 287 3 475.00–480.00 $478.37 $1,373 —
305–336 fancy 330 5 540.00 $540.00 $1,782 +12.55
310–347 331 7 471.00–497.50 $493.13 $1,632 +18.13
350–390 372 9 462.50–487.50 $475.53 $1,769 -0.46
370–393 fancy 384 12 500.00–510.00 $505.21 $1,940 -39.79
400–435 419 16 440.00–477.50 $470.29 $1,971 +9.58
410–442 fancy 431 3 482.50 $482.50 $2,080 -1.15
450–480 fancy 459 17 449.00–457.50 $452.84 $2,079 -9.02
456–496 483 24 420.00–445.00 $434.28 $2,098 +0.18
500–530 value added 513 15 418.00–447.50 $424.58 $2,178 +9.84
500–525 515 3 399.00–412.50 $403.91 $2,080 +19.19
550–585 value added 564 13 402.50–422.50 $412.99 $2,329 —
560–580 570 2 371.00–391.00 $380.82 $2,171 -22.90
608–626 value added 615 38 390.00–404.00 $399.12 $2,455 —
620–647 641 8 360.00–380.00 $365.79 $2,345 +11.64
655 655 2 352.50–367.50 $360.00 $2,358 +80.00
751–760 753 4 308.00–322.00 $318.47 $2,398 —
996 996 5 237.00 $237.00 $2,361 —
1090 1090 1 259.00 $259.00 $2,823 —
1160 1160 1 222.50 $222.50 $2,581 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180 180 1 480.00 $480.00 $864 +75.00
280 280 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,274 —
355–375 365 2 442.50–455.00 $448.58 $1,637 +11.58
400 400 3 400.00–402.50 $401.67 $1,607 —
495 495 3 408.00–412.50 $409.50 $2,027 -0.50
510–525 518 2 365.00–381.00 $373.12 $1,933 +21.37
560 560 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,016 +9.38
630–645 638 4 325.00–337.00 $329.20 $2,100 -10.05
650–680 667 3 315.00–329.00 $320.91 $2,140 +24.41
700–745 723 2 295.00–303.00 $298.88 $2,161 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 400.00 $400.00 $880 —
325 325 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,308 —
422–440 428 3 362.50–397.50 $374.49 $1,603 —
520 520 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,716 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
165 fancy 165 1 620.00 $620.00 $1,023 —
235–245 240 2 535.00–560.00 $547.24 $1,313 —
255 255 1 570.00 $570.00 $1,454 —
297 fancy 297 2 655.00 $655.00 $1,945 —
300 300 1 590.00 $590.00 $1,770 —
305–310 fancy 308 2 620.00–630.00 $624.96 $1,925 +15.07
360–375 fancy 368 2 575.00–585.00 $580.10 $2,135 —
355–392 385 8 531.00–557.50 $543.20 $2,091 +20.20
400–425 416 5 492.50–505.00 $501.02 $2,084 +17.18
410–435 fancy 426 4 511.00–530.00 $525.43 $2,238 +17.98
465 thin fleshed 465 1 552.50 $552.50 $2,569 —
457–488 475 10 489.00–510.00 $498.44 $2,368 +33.44
465–485 fancy 478 4 525.00–540.00 $531.16 $2,539 +35.52
502–520 fancy 512 8 475.00–499.00 $492.09 $2,520 +30.76
515 thin fleshed 515 2 515.00 $515.00 $2,652 —
545 545 2 447.50 $447.50 $2,439 +23.23
560 fancy 560 3 460.00–462.50 $460.83 $2,581 —
557–595 569 10 439.00–455.00 $445.80 $2,537 +28.02
607–635 616 3 392.50–400.00 $395.08 $2,434 +27.58
605–645 fancy 630 13 411.00–437.50 $422.43 $2,661 +12.77
655–680 665 3 355.00–376.00 $363.22 $2,415 -6.78
705–725 710 4 331.00–350.00 $345.15 $2,451 —
715–725 fancy 720 3 359.00–363.00 $361.00 $2,599 -4.00
750–760 755 2 300.00–305.00 $302.48 $2,284 -28.52
750–765 fancy 758 2 350.00–360.00 $354.95 $2,691 —
840 840 1 317.50 $317.50 $2,667 -5.00
935 935 5 318.00 $318.00 $2,973 —
1005 1005 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,814 -17.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 512.50 $512.50 $1,230 —
250 250 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,250 —
300–345 323 2 500.00–530.00 $513.95 $1,660 —
385–395 388 3 442.50–487.50 $470.15 $1,824 —
410–440 423 6 450.00–465.00 $461.23 $1,951 +21.17
475–495 489 5 435.00–462.50 $442.69 $2,165 +0.19
570 570 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,394 +47.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,120 —
425 425 1 417.50 $417.50 $1,774 +93.71
457 457 2 405.00 $405.00 $1,851 +55.00
515 515 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,790 —
980 980 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,058 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1795 1502 75-80% 30 176.00–195.00 $183.41 $2,755 —
1265–1920 1722 75-80% 9 164.00–173.00 $169.92 $2,926 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1390 1230 80-85% 11 174.00–186.00 $178.07 $2,190 —
1145–1590 1302 80-85% 9 157.00–172.00 $167.29 $2,178 +4.92
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990 990 85-90% 1 133.00 $133.00 $1,317 —
870–1235 1061 85-90% 11 140.00–155.00 $148.28 $1,573 -9.45
840–1490 1165 85-90% 2 170.00–175.00 $173.20 $2,018 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1620 1620 1 197.00 $197.00 $3,191 —
1520–1855 1672 9 205.00–220.00 $214.56 $3,587 —
YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1925–2105 2002 3 225.00–231.00 $227.76 $4,560 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
900–915 908 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 237.50–245.00 $241.28 $2,191
1010–1220 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 217.50–225.00 $220.90 $2,463

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1305 1305 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00
1175–1450 1313 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,725.00–2,750.00 $2,736.19

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
840 840 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00

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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.