Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, March 23, 2026

1,330 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 steers $505.18/cwt +41.08 vs last sale · ≈ $2,902/hd at 574 lb · 143 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $456.60/cwt +27.39 vs last sale · ≈ $2,863/hd at 627 lb · 99 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $438.79/cwt +17.32 vs last sale · ≈ $2,956/hd at 674 lb · 99 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,330 719 1,217
Feeder cattle 1,217 608 1,090
Slaughter cattle 112 106 121
Replacement cattle 1 5 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday both the feeder and slaughter markets were stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 300 lbs and under appeared steady with a light test, while the 400-600 lbs steers were sharply higher across all weight comparisons with a good supply and strong demand. Yearling steers appeared stronger as well but with limited head to head comparisons. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were 6.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand. Slaughter cows were 6.00 to 8.00 higher for the heavier conditioned cows while the leans were 1.00 to 3.00 higher with a good supply and slaughter bulls were steady to 3.00 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
250–270 260 2 595.00–605.00 $600.19 $1,560 —
285 fancy 285 1 700.00 $700.00 $1,995 ±0.00
305–310 fancy 308 2 620.00–650.00 $635.12 $1,956 +15.12
305–310 308 2 580.00–600.00 $590.08 $1,817 —
335 thin fleshed 335 1 692.50 $692.50 $2,320 —
350–385 364 8 523.00–556.00 $540.67 $1,968 —
350–385 fancy 366 9 590.00–617.50 $606.50 $2,220 +39.04
410 410 5 515.00–540.00 $520.00 $2,132 +15.35
410–426 thin fleshed 421 9 600.00–610.00 $602.62 $2,537 —
407–440 fancy 426 7 563.00–590.00 $576.02 $2,454 +32.34
455 thin fleshed 455 1 582.50 $582.50 $2,650 —
462–494 fancy 485 19 532.50–538.00 $536.13 $2,600 +2.41
482–487 485 11 495.00–496.00 $495.45 $2,403 -2.58
500–536 thin fleshed 523 18 529.00–545.00 $535.52 $2,801 +8.47
502–540 value added 531 49 497.50–521.00 $514.19 $2,730 +23.86
515–545 534 13 460.00–490.00 $482.50 $2,577 +35.53
540 540 1 445.00 $445.00 $2,403 -1.97
555–582 value added 573 13 470.00–500.00 $482.89 $2,767 +14.21
557–574 thin fleshed 573 91 530.00–538.00 $530.51 $3,040 —
565–581 578 39 440.00–463.00 $453.50 $2,621 +24.50
600–645 627 22 420.00–445.00 $438.66 $2,750 +38.96
620–631 value added 627 77 458.00–469.50 $461.73 $2,895 +27.15
657–676 value added 672 88 428.00–450.00 $441.87 $2,969 +16.45
675–691 688 11 405.00–417.50 $414.14 $2,849 +18.76
700–741 738 29 371.00–390.00 $384.31 $2,836 +10.60
767–785 value added 772 15 375.00–380.00 $378.34 $2,921 —
760–798 783 18 348.00–370.00 $359.00 $2,811 +10.00
805–821 817 9 338.00–343.00 $341.46 $2,790 +7.28
860 860 1 303.00 $303.00 $2,606 —
902 902 4 300.00 $300.00 $2,706 -26.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 2 500.00 $500.00 $1,250 -40.00
335 335 1 517.00 $517.00 $1,732 —
360–397 385 3 502.50–507.50 $505.94 $1,948 —
425–445 433 3 440.00–465.00 $453.13 $1,962 -31.87
542 542 2 450.00 $450.00 $2,439 +50.00
570 570 1 397.50 $397.50 $2,266 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 3 390.00 $390.00 $2,496 —
745 745 3 360.00 $360.00 $2,682 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
402 402 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,558 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1595 1595 2 198.00 $198.00 $3,158 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,856 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–260 253 3 487.50–510.00 $495.20 $1,253 +16.83
262–295 thin fleshed 273 3 530.00–560.00 $540.81 $1,476 —
310 thin fleshed 310 1 590.00 $590.00 $1,829 —
320–345 fancy 330 8 520.00–565.00 $551.12 $1,819 +11.12
332–345 336 3 490.00–512.50 $504.81 $1,696 +11.68
350–362 thin fleshed 355 5 540.00–560.00 $551.84 $1,959 —
355–390 fancy 368 11 500.00–525.00 $515.84 $1,898 +10.63
355–395 379 11 472.50–492.50 $478.82 $1,815 +3.29
400–447 423 29 450.00–480.00 $468.06 $1,980 -2.23
400–445 fancy 425 8 490.00–505.00 $498.00 $2,116 +15.50
460 460 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,771 -49.28
450–485 fancy 468 20 460.00–475.00 $467.27 $2,187 +14.43
470–495 486 7 425.00–450.00 $435.21 $2,115 +0.93
500–540 517 16 397.50–422.50 $411.55 $2,128 +7.64
500–533 value added 519 39 440.00–465.00 $449.45 $2,333 +24.87
550–590 564 19 390.00–410.00 $403.54 $2,276 +22.72
552–590 value added 569 38 415.00–437.00 $426.77 $2,428 +13.78
585 585 2 370.00 $370.00 $2,164 -10.82
600–615 605 3 362.50–385.00 $374.17 $2,264 —
601–647 value added 619 72 392.50–416.00 $409.92 $2,537 +10.80
650 650 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,340 ±0.00
665–677 value added 675 27 380.00–397.50 $392.17 $2,647 —
725–732 731 5 315.00–349.00 $342.25 $2,502 —
770–795 787 3 329.00–335.00 $330.96 $2,605 +12.49
760–796 790 6 363.00–364.00 $363.16 $2,869 —
805 805 1 349.00 $349.00 $2,809 —
809–846 828 10 304.00–330.00 $317.29 $2,627 —
980 980 1 222.50 $222.50 $2,180 -14.50
1085 1085 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,441 -34.00
1120 1120 1 245.00 $245.00 $2,744 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,282 -5.00
310–335 320 5 467.50–475.00 $470.45 $1,505 —
390 390 2 425.00–453.00 $439.00 $1,712 -9.58
415–435 432 8 427.50–435.00 $433.45 $1,873 +31.78
470 470 1 412.50 $412.50 $1,939 +3.00
527–547 537 4 380.00–385.00 $382.55 $2,054 +9.43
550 550 1 375.00 $375.00 $2,062 +15.00
630–645 640 3 307.50–331.00 $323.29 $2,069 -5.91
735 735 2 285.00 $285.00 $2,095 -13.88
840 840 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,394 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 395.00 $395.00 $928 -5.00
345 345 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,449 +17.50
445 445 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,780 +25.51
590–598 596 4 345.00–350.00 $348.76 $2,079 —
645 645 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,742 —
655 655 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,965 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 355.00 $355.00 $2,006 —

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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 1 560.00 $560.00 $1,260 +12.76
255–290 fancy 277 3 670.00–695.00 $684.73 $1,897 +29.73
275–290 283 2 610.00–617.50 $613.65 $1,737 +43.65
320–335 325 3 560.00–597.50 $584.62 $1,900 -5.38
310–340 fancy 330 3 675.00–692.50 $680.48 $2,246 +55.52
365 365 2 550.00 $550.00 $2,008 +6.80
370–383 fancy 380 4 580.00–600.00 $584.87 $2,223 +4.77
400–435 thin fleshed 420 6 577.50–602.50 $585.12 $2,458 —
420–440 427 6 500.00–525.00 $517.72 $2,211 +16.70
415–445 fancy 433 3 547.50–560.00 $554.13 $2,399 +28.70
470–477 475 3 495.00–507.50 $499.13 $2,371 +0.69
475 thin fleshed 475 1 565.00 $565.00 $2,684 +12.50
455–495 fancy 483 5 525.00–550.00 $542.36 $2,620 +11.20
505 thin fleshed 505 1 545.00 $545.00 $2,752 +30.00
505–525 fancy 515 6 500.00–515.00 $507.45 $2,613 +15.36
510–527 521 3 459.00–475.00 $464.22 $2,419 +16.72
563–597 574 7 427.50–445.00 $435.10 $2,497 -10.70
580 fancy 580 3 456.00–465.00 $459.00 $2,662 -1.83
600–635 thin fleshed 618 11 430.00–445.00 $440.01 $2,719 —
700–720 fancy 710 2 372.50–377.50 $375.04 $2,663 +14.04
743 743 3 352.50 $352.50 $2,619 +7.35
775 775 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,616 +35.02
835 835 1 302.50 $302.50 $2,526 -15.00
1065–1090 1078 2 242.50–271.00 $256.58 $2,766 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 2 500.00–510.00 $505.00 $1,439 +5.00
300–340 325 4 485.00–490.00 $486.77 $1,582 -27.18
400–425 408 3 447.50–467.50 $459.74 $1,876 -1.49
475 475 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,185 +17.31
1030 1030 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,931 —
1080 1080 2 195.00 $195.00 $2,106 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,268 +30.00

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1640 1444 75-80% 7 171.00–181.00 $176.52 $2,549 —
1315–1845 1616 75-80% 18 186.00–208.00 $196.58 $3,177 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680–1060 945 85-90% 4 130.00–136.00 $134.12 $1,267 —
880–1125 992 85-90% 7 144.00–157.00 $150.79 $1,496 +17.79
765–1240 1054 85-90% 12 161.00–183.00 $169.90 $1,791 +21.62
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080 1080 80-85% 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,739 —
1090–1400 1208 80-85% 12 187.00–203.00 $193.33 $2,335 +15.26
1070–1380 1209 80-85% 8 169.00–183.00 $177.70 $2,148 -0.37

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355 1355 1 177.00 $177.00 $2,398 —
1630–2000 1773 6 205.00–221.00 $211.33 $3,747 —
YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1610–2120 1923 6 228.00–236.00 $232.21 $4,465 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935–1065 991 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 225.00–259.00 $242.61 $2,404
945–1415 1116 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 8 202.00–220.00 $211.39 $2,359

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1105 1105 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00

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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.