Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 4, 2026

824 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 $397.32/cwt +15.94 vs last sale · ≈ $2,552/hd at 642 lb · 77 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $353.33/cwt +4.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,729/hd at 772 lb · 71 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $457.84/cwt +29.29 vs last sale · ≈ $2,176/hd at 475 lb · 49 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 824 944 1,006
Feeder cattle 748 808 920
Slaughter cattle 62 125 77
Replacement cattle 14 11 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was mostly stronger, but spotty at times with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 450 lbs and under were sharply higher, while the 500-550 lbs steers were mostly steady with a good supply and good demand. Yearling steers appeared 6.00 to 8.00 higher with a good supply and strong demand. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were steady to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 higher with a good supply and slaughter bulls were 3.00 to 5.00 higher 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
300–320 304 7 555.00–595.00 $575.89 $1,751 -4.14
336 fancy 336 3 635.00 $635.00 $2,134 —
360 fancy 360 12 609.00 $609.00 $2,192 —
350–398 373 13 522.50–565.00 $549.87 $2,051 +22.25
405 fancy 405 11 579.00 $579.00 $2,345 +29.00
410–445 425 4 537.50–547.50 $544.28 $2,313 +39.21
456–476 fancy 465 15 527.50–537.50 $530.50 $2,467 —
465–487 474 7 510.00–522.50 $515.63 $2,444 +17.85
503–508 value added 505 16 511.00–533.00 $517.92 $2,615 -2.08
500–535 508 5 470.00–471.00 $470.39 $2,390 -0.11
551–560 value added 558 15 499.00–530.00 $521.94 $2,912 —
555–580 571 25 451.00–485.00 $475.88 $2,717 +16.67
625–647 value added 635 27 449.00–457.50 $452.79 $2,875 +22.53
652 652 5 383.00 $383.00 $2,497 -11.01
666 value added 666 8 427.00 $427.00 $2,844 +2.00
720–740 735 7 372.50–388.00 $383.26 $2,817 +15.76
752 752 2 282.50 $282.50 $2,124 -73.46
765–796 779 25 362.50–377.50 $368.76 $2,873 +12.80
856–860 857 7 345.00–352.00 $351.00 $3,008 -3.00
920–945 933 2 330.00–336.00 $333.04 $3,107 +10.22
1035 1035 1 324.00 $324.00 $3,353 —
1135 1135 5 310.00 $310.00 $3,518 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–432 430 3 492.50–500.00 $494.97 $2,128 +20.47
475–495 488 3 472.00–477.50 $475.72 $2,322 +20.72
580 580 1 387.50 $387.50 $2,248 -38.62
615 615 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,460 +30.05
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–442 428 3 420.00–425.00 $421.56 $1,804 +19.06
535 535 1 292.50 $292.50 $1,565 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,432 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,577 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,020 -40.00
288 fancy 288 3 635.00 $635.00 $1,829 +32.63
300–342 fancy 330 18 559.00–595.00 $571.63 $1,886 +6.63
342 342 2 505.00 $505.00 $1,727 -8.42
350–355 fancy 353 3 520.00–540.00 $533.40 $1,883 +23.45
380–395 390 3 480.00–500.00 $489.28 $1,908 -4.03
400–447 fancy 420 20 485.00–499.00 $494.68 $2,078 +9.68
425–445 435 2 460.00–470.00 $465.11 $2,023 +0.60
452–488 fancy 471 35 452.50–487.50 $473.30 $2,229 +19.56
467–498 484 12 410.00–445.00 $423.54 $2,050 -2.04
497 497 2 393.00 $393.00 $1,953 -32.58
505–507 value added 506 4 435.00–463.00 $448.97 $2,272 +25.66
500–535 522 22 401.00–423.00 $416.62 $2,175 +12.48
558–573 value added 563 15 415.00–431.00 $423.05 $2,382 -12.76
551–597 572 16 390.00–407.00 $400.72 $2,292 +24.41
620–645 627 11 357.50–386.00 $368.19 $2,309 -13.19
642 642 2 351.00 $351.00 $2,253 -30.38
611–647 value added 645 64 399.00–404.00 $403.78 $2,604 —
656 656 3 395.00 $395.00 $2,591 +14.96
690–695 693 2 333.00–335.00 $334.00 $2,315 -46.04
717 717 7 370.00 $370.00 $2,653 +36.31
745 745 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,533 +6.31
772 value added 772 69 353.75 $353.75 $2,731 —
780 780 2 339.00 $339.00 $2,644 -9.74
810 810 1 309.00 $309.00 $2,503 —
935 935 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,758 -30.00
1085 1085 1 264.00 $264.00 $2,864 -26.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 302 2 481.00 $481.00 $1,453 —
365 365 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,679 +4.97
470–480 475 2 386.00–400.00 $393.07 $1,867 -8.79
500–505 502 4 377.50–390.00 $383.01 $1,923 +2.76
565 565 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,147 +22.48
615–630 626 7 330.00–350.00 $345.61 $2,164 +3.71
715 715 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,216 —
1020 1020 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,346 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,007 —
340 340 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,105 -75.00
435 435 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,522 —
540 540 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,517 —
635 635 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,588 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–295 292 3 590.00–592.50 $590.84 $1,725 +50.84
317 fancy 317 2 665.00 $665.00 $2,108 +62.38
357–393 375 7 547.50–562.00 $553.10 $2,074 +20.20
405–440 422 6 505.00–527.50 $516.13 $2,178 +6.56
405–435 fancy 428 4 555.00–563.00 $561.11 $2,402 -8.89
455 fancy 455 1 545.00 $545.00 $2,480 -35.00
452–497 474 10 480.00–507.50 $495.95 $2,351 -5.60
520–547 532 19 450.00–477.50 $461.44 $2,455 -0.21
570 570 1 410.00 $410.00 $2,337 +10.00
607–645 618 5 361.00–397.50 $370.98 $2,293 -31.03
652–690 667 12 363.00–387.50 $378.92 $2,527 -1.34
700 700 1 363.00 $363.00 $2,541 -4.98
760–790 775 2 311.00–330.00 $320.32 $2,482 -22.06
830 830 3 323.00 $323.00 $2,681 —
930 930 1 271.00 $271.00 $2,520 —
960 960 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,400 -30.00
1015 1015 3 275.00 $275.00 $2,791 +21.26
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,836 +23.41
427 427 2 460.00 $460.00 $1,964 -21.94
530–535 534 4 400.00–427.00 $416.04 $2,222 -15.21
570–577 575 3 395.00 $395.00 $2,271 +15.09
640 640 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,176 -35.00
895 895 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,238 -52.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,207 -45.00
395 395 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,659 —
545 545 1 361.00 $361.00 $1,967 -36.43

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1330 1205 80-85% 8 173.00–181.00 $175.42 $2,114 +2.44
1140–1555 1370 80-85% 4 184.00–186.00 $184.78 $2,531 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1250 1135 85-90% 6 164.00–175.00 $169.25 $1,921 +3.88
1010–1230 1167 85-90% 5 138.00–154.00 $150.22 $1,753 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380 1380 75-80% 1 185.00 $185.00 $2,553 —
1370–1755 1515 75-80% 9 167.00–181.00 $178.28 $2,701 -8.25

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–2045 1645 2 180.00–182.00 $180.76 $2,974 —
1165–2125 1693 6 219.00–238.00 $230.08 $3,895 —
1265–2380 1823 2 200.00–210.00 $206.53 $3,765 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1165–1370 1253 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 200.00–233.00 $215.53 $2,701

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1135–1175 1155 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,050.00–3,700.00 $3,369.37
1240–1400 1320 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,250.00–3,950.00 $3,621.21
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1085 1085 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
980–1280 1130 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,500.00–2,900.00 $2,726.55

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–965 927 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,500.00–3,000.00 $2,716.64

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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
1335 1335 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 5,050.00 $5,050.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700–732 721 3 255.00–260.00 $258.38 $1,863 —
836 836 3 247.50 $247.50 $2,069 —

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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.