Cattle Market Pulse

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

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 5, 2026

837 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 $323.05/cwt -42.22 vs last sale · ≈ $2,022/hd at 626 lb · 35 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $445.76/cwt +5.52 vs last sale · ≈ $2,177/hd at 488 lb · 31 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $366.44/cwt +1.73 vs last sale · ≈ $2,298/hd at 627 lb · 31 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 837 920 989
Feeder cattle 741 807 830
Slaughter cattle 77 109 141
Replacement cattle 19 4 18

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was spotty but mostly steady with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 350 lbs and under appeared firm with a lite test, while the 400-600 lbs steers were steady to 5.00 higher in spots with a good supply and good demand. Yearling steers appeared unevenly steady ranging from 3.00 higher to 3.00 lower with a limited supply and mixed demand. Feeder heifers 300-450 lbs were steady to 2.00 higher, while the 500-650 lbs heifers were 5.00 to 7.00 higher with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were 3.00 to 4.00 lower with moderate demand and slaughter bulls were steady to 2.00 lower with 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
210 thin fleshed 210 1 645.00 $645.00 $1,354 —
235 235 1 505.00 $505.00 $1,187 —
310–340 325 2 515.00–530.00 $522.15 $1,697 —
380–382 381 3 497.50–500.00 $499.17 $1,902 +11.67
380–385 fancy 382 3 530.00–540.00 $535.00 $2,044 +12.45
415–420 418 2 450.00–455.00 $452.49 $1,891 -0.18
420–433 fancy 430 7 492.50–522.50 $505.00 $2,172 +30.95
465–499 fancy 488 22 452.50–470.00 $462.43 $2,257 -4.82
465–497 489 9 391.00–417.50 $405.02 $1,981 -8.21
500–542 528 3 402.50–405.00 $404.21 $2,134 +19.86
515–545 value added 532 24 417.50–437.00 $422.90 $2,250 -2.95
556 value added 556 11 423.00 $423.00 $2,352 —
567–595 576 3 360.00–387.50 $378.04 $2,178 -6.83
620–631 value added 625 18 370.00–379.00 $373.96 $2,337 -0.63
620–633 630 13 343.00–360.00 $356.03 $2,243 +1.96
651–686 672 16 342.00–351.00 $346.57 $2,329 -9.21
698 value added 698 8 360.00 $360.00 $2,513 -10.89
700–745 734 8 302.00–320.00 $314.47 $2,308 -10.53
737 value added 737 17 355.00 $355.00 $2,616 -1.10
765–785 771 7 300.00–321.00 $315.09 $2,429 -15.79
845 845 2 326.00 $326.00 $2,755 +3.98
874 value added 874 30 326.50 $326.50 $2,854 —
922–930 925 3 302.00–303.00 $302.34 $2,797 -16.66
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,179 —
361 361 3 387.50 $387.50 $1,399 -55.00
630 630 2 327.00 $327.00 $2,060 -14.00
660–695 683 4 299.00–318.00 $304.09 $2,077 —
715 715 1 291.00 $291.00 $2,081 —
750–785 767 4 270.00–286.00 $280.56 $2,152 —
1140 1140 1 218.00 $218.00 $2,485 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 362.00 $362.00 $1,846 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 1 174.00 $174.00 $2,575 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,234 —
250 thin fleshed 250 1 625.00 $625.00 $1,562 —
261 fancy 261 3 535.00 $535.00 $1,396 +10.00
275 275 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,320 +19.68
320 320 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,456 +6.00
325–335 fancy 328 3 465.00–480.00 $474.90 $1,558 —
351–385 fancy 358 8 432.50–450.00 $445.19 $1,594 —
350–362 359 4 415.00–425.00 $417.51 $1,499 +2.51
400–443 fancy 423 11 412.50–430.00 $424.51 $1,796 —
400–446 433 16 375.00–405.00 $391.90 $1,697 +0.62
451 fancy 451 5 382.50 $382.50 $1,725 -7.50
456–498 482 18 352.58–377.50 $361.09 $1,740 +0.57
500–542 516 21 330.00–347.50 $345.32 $1,782 +12.68
513–531 519 9 355.00–357.00 $356.32 $1,849 +23.68
560 value added 560 2 385.00 $385.00 $2,156 —
555–590 574 26 321.00–347.00 $335.37 $1,925 +5.56
605–645 626 35 305.00–333.00 $323.05 $2,022 +12.36
655–695 673 6 297.00–315.00 $300.61 $2,023 -29.02
705–730 721 8 275.00–302.50 $285.36 $2,057 -31.34
751–765 756 6 286.00–297.00 $293.29 $2,217 +12.09
765 765 6 310.00 $310.00 $2,372 +28.80
800 800 1 281.00 $281.00 $2,248 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,320 —
417–436 430 6 357.00–360.00 $357.97 $1,539 —
480–498 493 5 322.50–337.50 $331.49 $1,634 -0.90
530–540 535 2 310.00–312.50 $311.24 $1,665 -3.76
570 570 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,738 +16.23
600–635 618 2 272.50–295.00 $284.07 $1,756 -16.93
655–690 670 5 285.00 $285.00 $1,910 -12.31
790 790 1 253.00 $253.00 $1,999 +3.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–295 fancy 283 10 570.00–595.00 $578.81 $1,638 -38.59
305–330 fancy 320 9 540.00–570.00 $554.64 $1,775 -7.50
312–337 325 4 497.50–500.00 $498.80 $1,621 +28.80
350 350 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,785 +28.15
377–395 fancy 386 10 522.50–533.00 $530.30 $2,047 +18.19
400–421 fancy 415 5 485.00–502.50 $495.98 $2,058 +10.68
460 fancy 460 4 497.50 $497.50 $2,288 +12.50
475 475 1 450.00 $450.00 $2,138 +3.03
512–527 521 6 340.00–360.00 $351.62 $1,832 -19.92
528 fancy 528 4 375.00 $375.00 $1,980 -34.56
550–575 562 6 337.50–361.00 $350.77 $1,971 +0.67
600–645 624 10 310.00–332.50 $321.51 $2,006 -4.35
655–698 685 10 310.00–320.00 $314.95 $2,157 -2.05
700–710 706 5 300.00 $300.00 $2,118 -2.74
750–775 763 2 291.00–295.00 $293.03 $2,236 -3.38
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 465.00 $465.00 $930 —
410–425 418 2 400.00–415.00 $407.37 $1,703 -23.63
487–490 489 5 400.00–415.00 $405.98 $1,985 -4.02
517–532 524 5 317.50–330.00 $325.54 $1,706 +5.37
700 700 1 262.00 $262.00 $1,834 —
780 780 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,028 +43.00
800 800 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,720 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 2 410.00 $410.00 $1,374 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
615 615 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,737 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1550 1034 85-90% 7 115.00–126.00 $121.11 $1,252 —
775–1325 1041 85-90% 4 100.00–110.00 $104.48 $1,088 —
865–1310 1082 85-90% 3 80.00–87.50 $84.02 $909 —
1080–1145 1113 85-90% 2 139.00–140.00 $139.49 $1,553 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 80-85% 1 166.00 $166.00 $2,000 —
1035–1390 1259 80-85% 14 126.00–139.00 $134.75 $1,697 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1670 1492 75-80% 13 128.00–144.00 $135.09 $2,016 —
1440–1570 1505 75-80% 2 147.00–148.00 $147.52 $2,220 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1865 1645 9 177.00–187.00 $182.64 $3,004 —
2050 2050 1 156.00 $156.00 $3,198 —
2230 2230 1 205.00 $205.00 $4,572 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735–910 823 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 200.00–207.50 $203.35 $1,674
1095–1360 1203 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 9 129.00–169.00 $146.73 $1,765

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1030–1070 1050 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,650.00–2,950.00 $2,797.14
1470 1470 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,550.00 $3,550.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1170 1170 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
840–965 903 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,750.00–2,775.00 $2,763.37

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Beef Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710–740 734 5 279.00–281.00 $279.39 $2,051 —
755 755 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,227 —
802 802 3 273.00 $273.00 $2,189 —

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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
1215 1215 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,600.00 $3,600.00 —
1220 1220 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 4,200.00 $4,200.00 —
1505 1505 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —
1670 1670 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,750.00 $3,750.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
665 665 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,396 —
835 835 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,816 —

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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.