Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, August 31, 2026

440 head sold ·Official USDA report

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $391.95/cwt +8.44 vs last sale · ≈ $2,492/hd at 636 lb · 165 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $350.35/cwt -27.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,629/hd at 465 lb · 11 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $308.62/cwt -24.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,907/hd at 618 lb · 10 head
Lexington, KY (Monday) 6-weight steers hit $391/cwt—the top of the state and $26/cwt above the KY average ($365). The class is down $17 from its $401 mid-July peak. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 440 459 0
Feeder cattle 402 398 0
Slaughter cattle 34 54 0
Replacement cattle 4 7 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was spotty but lower with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 300-600 lbs were 5.00 to 10.00 lower or greater in spots with a good supply and with spotty demand, but the 600-650 lbs weaned and value added steers appeared firm and with good demand. Slaughter cows and bulls were 3.00 to 5.00 lower with a moderate supply and moderate 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
272 272 2 495.00 $495.00 $1,346 —
375 375 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,631 —
396 fancy 396 5 485.00 $485.00 $1,921 —
400–420 414 9 440.00–455.00 $446.76 $1,850 -10.02
510–540 526 7 350.00–370.00 $359.15 $1,889 -37.03
550–597 576 9 349.00–375.00 $357.58 $2,060 -35.42
607–642 625 4 319.00–330.00 $324.35 $2,027 -45.07
628–643 value added 636 161 392.20–395.00 $393.63 $2,503 +7.63
660–665 663 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,122 -33.36
720 720 1 301.00 $301.00 $2,167 —
785 785 3 309.00 $309.00 $2,426 —
882 882 2 302.00 $302.00 $2,664 —
1000 1000 1 273.00 $273.00 $2,730 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,570 —
420–430 425 2 395.00–405.00 $399.94 $1,700 —
488 488 3 385.00 $385.00 $1,879 +35.00
505 505 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,666 -37.50
555–560 558 2 307.50–330.00 $318.80 $1,779 —
695 695 1 287.00 $287.00 $1,995 —
1050 1050 1 217.00 $217.00 $2,278 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,436 +7.50
522 522 2 286.00 $286.00 $1,493 -44.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,530 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 407.50 $407.50 $1,324 -37.50
340 fancy 340 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,530 -42.04
380 fancy 380 1 447.50 $447.50 $1,700 -32.50
365–391 386 5 391.00–403.00 $393.27 $1,518 -8.54
410 fancy 410 3 427.50 $427.50 $1,753 -17.50
430–443 439 5 382.50–410.00 $392.35 $1,722 -4.56
450–478 465 11 342.50–360.00 $350.35 $1,629 -5.47
525–530 527 6 325.00–329.00 $327.33 $1,725 -36.28
565–575 570 5 303.00–325.00 $314.54 $1,793 -34.88
605–627 616 4 317.50–320.00 $318.77 $1,964 -11.81
655–690 672 3 287.50–300.00 $294.91 $1,982 -20.09
727–740 730 5 281.00–285.00 $284.19 $2,075 —
765 765 5 285.00 $285.00 $2,180 -12.00
925 925 1 261.00 $261.00 $2,414 +6.00
950 950 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,518 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,302 —
430–445 438 2 343.00–365.00 $353.81 $1,550 +22.81
455–495 474 7 320.00–330.00 $326.91 $1,550 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,116 -15.00
260–290 275 2 495.00–505.00 $500.27 $1,376 —
345 345 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,690 —
362 362 2 480.00 $480.00 $1,738 +20.71
370 fancy 370 1 497.50 $497.50 $1,841 —
405–445 428 6 425.00–455.00 $441.30 $1,889 -10.09
507 507 2 377.50 $377.50 $1,914 -22.64
555–562 560 3 335.00–352.50 $346.72 $1,942 -8.66
605–625 618 10 300.00–325.00 $308.62 $1,907 -24.24
655–695 672 6 305.00–317.50 $313.24 $2,105 -10.26
710–738 724 6 295.00–307.00 $301.12 $2,180 -21.88
760 760 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,204 —
810 810 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,944 -20.00
855 855 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,907 -28.00
915–940 931 5 193.00–215.00 $208.65 $1,943 -38.33
1010–1020 1015 2 172.00–190.00 $181.04 $1,838 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372–383 379 5 402.50–412.50 $406.43 $1,540 -33.57
455–490 478 3 345.00–357.50 $353.54 $1,690 -42.46
525 525 3 317.50–350.00 $339.17 $1,781 -15.89
590 590 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,873 -8.47
655–685 668 3 257.50–272.50 $266.56 $1,781 —
717 717 4 270.00 $270.00 $1,936 -10.00
785 785 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,904 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1395 1226 80-85% 9 147.00–166.00 $157.59 $1,932 -4.88
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
785 785 85-90% 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,311 —
920–1130 1049 85-90% 5 136.00–151.00 $144.23 $1,513 —
1090 1090 85-90% 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,232 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1780 1780 75-80% 1 153.00 $153.00 $2,723 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135 1135 1 177.50 $177.50 $2,015 —
1200–1705 1453 2 217.00–221.00 $218.65 $3,177 —
1460–2000 1787 5 192.00–205.00 $199.11 $3,558 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–1240 1002 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 155.00–185.00 $166.96 $1,673

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1255 1255 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1600 1600 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690 690 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,466 —
776 776 9 248.00 $248.00 $1,924 —

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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.