Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Saturday) Market Report

Campbellsville, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Saturday, May 18, 2024

1,484 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $273.89/cwt +4.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,441/hd at 526 lb · 24 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 2-3 steers $249.89/cwt +49.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,192/hd at 477 lb · 17 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $298.12/cwt -29.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,440/hd at 483 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,484 260 289
Feeder cattle 1,258 161 231
Slaughter cattle 168 85 54
Replacement cattle 58 14 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Saturday; Feeder steers and feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Strong demand for all classes of feeders. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady.

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
340 340 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,258 +45.93
388 388 5 337.00 $337.00 $1,308 -11.43
410 410 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,353 +21.98
452–489 483 12 295.00–315.00 $298.12 $1,440 -29.88
540–545 541 5 271.00–310.00 $302.14 $1,635 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476–485 477 17 232.50–251.00 $249.89 $1,192 +49.89
540 540 1 207.00 $207.00 $1,118 -14.00
850 850 2 192.00 $192.00 $1,632 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 317.50 $317.50 $667 —
390 390 3 301.00–317.50 $312.00 $1,217 +4.00
400–430 420 3 296.00–309.00 $303.29 $1,274 +32.29
460–495 472 4 269.00–275.00 $270.82 $1,278 -11.18
503–542 526 24 263.00–281.00 $273.89 $1,441 +4.40
560–565 563 2 258.00–263.00 $260.49 $1,467 +3.01
600–635 618 2 247.00–250.00 $248.54 $1,536 +8.54
675 675 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,485 —
745 745 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,699 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 210.00 $210.00 $724 -107.52
400–445 413 4 240.00–289.00 $267.79 $1,106 +10.79
455–495 475 2 228.00–267.50 $248.58 $1,181 -18.62
500–535 526 4 243.00–262.00 $251.83 $1,325 +9.70
585 585 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,351 +11.98
615 615 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,365 -0.52
680 680 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,455 —
775 775 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,325 -25.00
820 820 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,533 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–285 273 2 337.50–347.50 $342.73 $936 -62.27
275 fancy 275 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,100 —
305 305 2 315.00 $315.00 $961 -43.00
350–390 370 2 322.50–330.00 $326.45 $1,208 -27.40
470–481 478 4 280.00–295.00 $291.31 $1,392 -1.69
505–545 518 3 279.00–289.00 $285.50 $1,479 +20.62
550 fancy 550 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,568 —
555–590 573 2 261.00–265.00 $262.94 $1,507 +30.94
630 630 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,569 —
667 667 2 238.00 $238.00 $1,587 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 210.00 $210.00 $714 -15.00
390 390 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,121 —
430 430 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,215 -17.37
475 475 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,140 -12.31
535 535 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,118 -51.00
645 645 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,354 -19.00
665–690 673 4 211.00–229.00 $220.51 $1,484 —
715 715 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,280 -25.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–1545 1187 80-85% 5 85.00–113.00 $105.98 $1,258 —
890–1695 1266 80-85% 39 115.00–136.00 $126.49 $1,601 —
1040–1575 1331 80-85% 31 132.00–146.00 $137.85 $1,835 +43.75
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1701 1441 75-80% 12 134.00–148.00 $140.82 $2,029 —
1500–1645 1573 75-80% 2 128.00–130.00 $128.95 $2,028 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870 870 85-90% 1 107.00 $107.00 $931 —
895–1130 994 85-90% 7 91.00–116.00 $105.41 $1,048 +7.24
995 995 85-90% 1 119.50 $119.50 $1,189 +21.33

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1490 1250 4 125.00–135.00 $130.39 $1,630 —
1185–2190 1760 14 143.00–159.00 $154.12 $2,713 +26.12
1530–2075 1832 12 160.00–175.00 $166.65 $3,053 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
865 865 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,021

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1015 1015 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00
1015–1160 1088 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,075.00–2,225.00 $2,145.00
1095 1095 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Heifers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 195.00 $195.00 $575 —
381 381 12 217.00 $217.00 $827 —
403 403 6 213.00 $213.00 $858 —
530 530 1 175.00 $175.00 $928 —
665 665 6 200.00 $200.00 $1,330 —
720 720 5 209.00 $209.00 $1,505 —
920 920 2 184.00 $184.00 $1,693 —

↑ Back to top

Beef Dairy Steers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
354 354 5 272.50 $272.50 $965 —
413–430 422 6 237.50–251.00 $244.39 $1,031 —
514–528 524 18 230.00–253.00 $236.27 $1,238 —
570 570 2 221.00 $221.00 $1,260 —
617 617 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,141 —
708 708 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,458 —
785 785 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,515 —
852 852 5 180.50 $180.50 $1,538 —

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —
950–1475 1203 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 7 1,725.00–2,500.00 $1,977.82 —
1150–1335 1243 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 2,375.00–2,750.00 $2,548.54 —
1055–1500 1278 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,700.00–2,625.00 $2,243.05 —
1340 1340 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —
1410 1410 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,875.00 $2,875.00 —
Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1292 1292 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 2,200.00 $2,200.00 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1025 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00 —
1195 1195 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
297 297 10 257.00 $257.00 $763 —
320–340 329 15 245.00–285.00 $255.83 $842 —
345 value added 345 30 253.00 $253.00 $873 —
350–398 386 54 220.00–332.50 $248.97 $961 —
418 value added 418 40 250.00 $250.00 $1,045 —
415–445 432 53 222.50–251.00 $244.75 $1,057 —
453–498 470 65 221.00–256.00 $242.07 $1,138 —
510–547 538 90 229.00–251.00 $236.13 $1,270 -2.87
558–598 578 71 210.00–240.00 $233.95 $1,352 —
600–648 623 39 200.00–217.00 $209.43 $1,305 —
650–672 666 36 175.00–207.00 $198.09 $1,319 —
705–743 725 41 189.00–209.50 $201.02 $1,457 —
755–790 779 11 171.00–195.00 $189.77 $1,478 —
805–815 810 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,498 —
811 value added 811 68 200.00 $200.00 $1,622 —
857–881 871 26 170.50–189.50 $184.97 $1,611 —
887 value added 887 62 197.10 $197.10 $1,748 —
919–934 925 20 171.00–184.25 $178.90 $1,655 —
965–985 972 3 167.00–173.00 $169.03 $1,643 —
1019 1019 5 173.00 $173.00 $1,763 —
1145 1145 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,843 —
1170 1170 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,872 —

↑ Back to top

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.