Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 20, 2021

896 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $139.53/cwt -4.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,062/hd at 761 lb · 95 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $125.31/cwt +11.96 vs last sale · ≈ $969/hd at 773 lb · 87 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $155.08/cwt +4.73 vs last sale · ≈ $961/hd at 620 lb · 60 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 896 1,412 910
Feeder cattle 804 1,351 785
Slaughter cattle 79 59 76
Replacement cattle 13 2 49

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers sold mostly 2.00 to 5.00 lower with moderate demand for weaned calves; good demand for thin-fleshed yearlings and light demand for fleshy bawling calves. New crop fleshy bawling calves facing noticeable discounts. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 2.00 to 4.00 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
255 value added 255 1 177.50 $177.50 $453 —
325 325 1 162.00 $162.00 $526 -13.00
343 value added 343 3 184.00 $184.00 $631 +14.00
367–390 379 4 164.00–170.00 $166.91 $633 -6.41
388 value added 388 3 189.00 $189.00 $733 —
400–445 425 3 151.00–156.00 $154.09 $655 +1.05
420–447 value added 443 15 166.00–172.00 $171.35 $759 -5.04
455–458 value added 457 4 161.00–163.00 $161.50 $738 -10.12
507–546 value added 517 19 155.00–180.00 $172.79 $893 +6.36
540 540 1 151.00 $151.00 $815 -5.43
561 561 3 149.00 $149.00 $836 -3.17
554–585 value added 571 37 153.00–161.00 $157.32 $898 -1.33
608–648 value added 620 60 142.00–162.00 $155.08 $961 +3.03
657–685 value added 663 5 140.00–143.00 $141.40 $937 -3.10
663–682 669 7 136.00–139.00 $137.98 $923 -2.77
700–737 value added 710 16 130.00–137.00 $132.26 $939 -12.27
717–745 727 11 124.00–125.00 $124.64 $906 -11.36
760–780 value added 761 93 131.00–140.25 $139.84 $1,064 —
767 767 2 125.00 $125.00 $959 -4.51
828–832 830 5 121.00–124.00 $122.20 $1,014 -1.80
850–885 868 2 117.00–122.00 $119.45 $1,037 -11.34
884 fancy 884 56 130.60 $130.60 $1,155 -6.69
926 926 11 116.50 $116.50 $1,079 —
1118–1120 1119 4 103.00–107.00 $106.00 $1,186 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–485 473 2 142.00–143.00 $142.49 $674 —
541 541 3 136.00 $136.00 $736 -4.73
550 550 1 131.00 $131.00 $720 —
617–635 623 3 131.00–135.00 $132.36 $825 -0.64
650–667 661 3 120.00–123.00 $122.02 $807 —
686 value added 686 3 126.00 $126.00 $864 —
820 820 2 115.00 $115.00 $943 +1.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555–590 573 2 145.00–146.00 $145.48 $834 -2.02
620–647 638 3 134.00 $134.00 $855 —
915–937 930 3 108.00–113.00 $109.64 $1,020 -5.36
1161 1161 3 95.00 $95.00 $1,103 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
182 182 2 165.00 $165.00 $300 —
220–225 223 2 150.00 $150.00 $334 —
265 265 1 149.00 $149.00 $395 —
315–335 328 3 135.00–140.00 $138.40 $454 -7.43
389 389 6 140.00 $140.00 $545 -5.33
415–435 423 6 131.00–136.00 $134.48 $569 -1.52
410–449 value added 438 22 139.00–154.00 $147.52 $646 -3.88
450–480 461 4 135.00–137.00 $135.76 $626 +2.43
450–496 value added 481 6 139.00–141.00 $139.62 $672 -5.77
506–532 520 9 131.00–133.00 $132.23 $688 +0.61
505–531 value added 526 16 134.00–140.00 $137.94 $726 -4.71
555–591 577 20 127.00–133.00 $129.21 $746 -4.05
560–595 value added 577 12 130.00–137.00 $133.12 $768 -15.42
600–615 value added 603 12 131.00–134.00 $131.51 $793 +1.75
600–642 622 5 112.00–118.00 $114.78 $714 -6.54
630–645 638 2 115.00–124.00 $119.55 $763 -1.77
657–662 value added 660 16 128.00–134.00 $132.50 $874 -8.98
653–685 664 12 115.00–125.00 $120.11 $798 +0.78
655–695 682 3 112.00–113.00 $112.68 $768 -6.65
700–715 708 2 110.00 $110.00 $779 -8.11
715 value added 715 6 126.00 $126.00 $901 —
730–732 731 3 100.00–104.00 $101.33 $741 -3.07
755–774 value added 773 85 121.00–125.80 $125.58 $971 —
785 785 2 114.00 $114.00 $895 +0.65
853 853 10 119.50 $119.50 $1,019 +14.12
905 905 1 93.00 $93.00 $842 —
926 926 3 99.00 $99.00 $917 —
970 970 1 91.00 $91.00 $883 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 120.00 $120.00 $396 —
355–375 365 2 136.00–137.00 $136.49 $498 —
430 430 1 127.50 $127.50 $548 —
480 480 1 126.00 $126.00 $605 —
505 505 1 120.00 $120.00 $606 ±0.00
550–590 562 5 115.00–121.00 $118.36 $665 -1.64
615 615 2 108.00 $108.00 $664 —
660 660 1 94.00 $94.00 $620 -21.00
837 837 2 90.00 $90.00 $753 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 1 109.00 $109.00 $681 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
292 fancy 292 2 182.00 $182.00 $531 —
310 fancy 310 1 170.00 $170.00 $527 —
365 fancy 365 1 175.00 $175.00 $639 —
410–420 415 2 148.00–153.00 $150.53 $625 —
415–422 value added 420 3 164.00–169.00 $167.35 $703 +7.35
465–495 485 6 143.00–149.00 $144.81 $702 +4.81
516–545 530 13 142.00–155.00 $148.04 $785 -2.54
577–597 588 5 141.00–146.00 $145.00 $853 -2.00
600 600 2 126.00 $126.00 $756 —
600–645 value added 623 9 136.00–143.00 $139.28 $868 +4.76
655–685 value added 670 4 129.00–135.00 $131.93 $884 —
700 value added 700 1 121.00 $121.00 $847 +1.00
705 705 1 119.00 $119.00 $839 +1.00
755–785 value added 775 3 121.00–125.00 $123.70 $959 —
775 775 1 117.00 $117.00 $907 —
805 805 1 105.00 $105.00 $845 +1.00
910 910 1 102.00 $102.00 $928 —
980 980 1 91.00 $91.00 $892 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 132.00 $132.00 $548 —
505 505 1 130.00 $130.00 $656 -4.50
595 595 1 132.00 $132.00 $785 -6.00
615 615 1 121.00 $121.00 $744 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 1 122.00 $122.00 $878 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1605 1605 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1270 1173 80-85% 2 55.00–58.00 $56.38 $661 -2.83
1025–1345 1220 80-85% 7 59.00–64.00 $62.34 $761 -8.24
1105–1580 1316 80-85% 6 65.00–70.00 $68.02 $895 +3.02
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–975 972 85-90% 3 46.00–48.00 $47.00 $457 —
985–1405 1151 85-90% 6 52.00–60.00 $55.25 $636 -2.82
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1665 1416 75-80% 4 62.00–64.00 $62.59 $886 +6.59
1450 1450 75-80% 1 66.00 $66.00 $957 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1565–1920 1740 4 95.00–101.00 $96.84 $1,685 —
1500–2155 1875 3 90.00–91.00 $90.35 $1,694 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1165 1165 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 65.00 $65.00 $757

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1145–1340 1245 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 850.00–1,225.00 $1,041.00
1180–1420 1300 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 800.00–850.00 $822.69
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990–1070 1030 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 600.00–800.00 $696.12
1135 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 725.00 $725.00
1100–1230 1165 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 675.00–700.00 $688.20

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
582 582 2 116.00 $116.00 $675 —
693 693 8 108.00 $108.00 $748 —

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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.