Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 6, 2022

892 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $174.70/cwt +26.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,069/hd at 612 lb · 92 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $159.05/cwt +3.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,330/hd at 836 lb · 73 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $187.53/cwt -1.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,420/hd at 757 lb · 71 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 892 1,153 1,625
Feeder cattle 727 1,079 1,508
Slaughter cattle 131 71 102
Replacement cattle 34 3 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady on similar quality; however more average quality and soft fleshy bawling calves starting to show up to town and buyers showing preference on hard weaned calves and fleshy bawling calves facing discounts. Very good demand for yearlings. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher with very good demand for heavy high dressing cows. Slaughter bulls sold steady 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
260 260 2 192.50 $192.50 $500 —
365–387 value added 382 6 203.00–212.50 $205.69 $786 —
400–435 value added 417 6 198.00–211.00 $205.10 $855 —
460 460 1 184.00 $184.00 $846 +4.99
470–487 value added 484 20 204.00–205.50 $205.28 $994 —
505–518 515 5 169.00–185.00 $180.82 $931 -4.16
501–528 value added 516 22 195.00–207.00 $203.84 $1,052 +8.82
557–582 value added 571 12 187.00–193.00 $189.63 $1,083 —
572–583 579 6 179.00–183.00 $181.68 $1,052 -7.32
610 610 2 160.00–163.00 $161.50 $985 -1.50
615–648 value added 643 15 167.00–191.00 $187.11 $1,203 -12.71
660–685 value added 670 19 167.00–190.00 $186.35 $1,249 -3.56
685 685 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,082 —
720–745 value added 729 4 173.00–175.00 $174.24 $1,270 +2.35
756–780 value added 757 68 166.00–190.00 $188.80 $1,429 +5.23
755–775 768 3 155.00–164.00 $158.70 $1,219 —
820–823 value added 822 11 174.00–179.00 $177.64 $1,460 —
871 value added 871 60 175.50 $175.50 $1,529 —
875 875 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,391 -15.45
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 2 186.00 $186.00 $632 —
445 445 6 177.00 $177.00 $788 —
535–540 538 2 153.00–156.00 $154.49 $831 —
605–625 615 2 140.00–150.00 $145.08 $892 —
670 670 1 149.00 $149.00 $998 —
825 825 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,155 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450–485 468 2 175.00–184.00 $179.67 $841 —
835 835 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,420 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,581 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 157.50 $157.50 $346 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 152.50 $152.50 $427 —
285 value added 285 3 194.00 $194.00 $553 —
340 value added 340 2 172.00 $172.00 $585 —
382–395 386 3 150.00–163.00 $158.57 $612 —
420 420 2 152.00 $152.00 $638 —
425–448 value added 442 5 153.00–160.00 $155.74 $688 -15.33
454 value added 454 8 155.00 $155.00 $704 -33.45
467–495 481 10 145.00–154.00 $150.70 $725 —
500–535 518 9 146.00–154.00 $149.73 $776 -13.72
517–523 value added 521 7 159.00–160.00 $159.28 $830 -20.55
552–559 558 13 149.00–154.00 $153.62 $857 -3.62
565–595 value added 585 3 158.00–165.00 $162.75 $952 -21.92
600–635 value added 611 85 150.00–179.75 $177.30 $1,083 +28.86
605–635 625 7 139.00–145.00 $143.12 $894 —
652 652 2 140.00 $140.00 $913 -5.40
660–695 value added 672 16 140.00–150.00 $141.27 $949 -13.26
700–740 714 6 125.00–139.00 $134.11 $958 +1.14
835–841 value added 836 73 141.00–165.00 $159.05 $1,330 +3.66
896 896 5 135.00 $135.00 $1,210 —
905 905 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,176 —
987 987 2 110.00 $110.00 $1,086 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 2 140.00 $140.00 $441 -4.00
360–390 381 7 134.00–140.00 $137.10 $522 —
435–445 440 2 131.00–140.00 $135.45 $596 -10.10
460 460 1 135.00 $135.00 $621 -1.25
540 540 2 129.00 $129.00 $697 —
570–595 583 2 134.00–140.00 $136.94 $798 +0.94
602–610 605 4 131.00–137.00 $132.50 $802 +1.74
667 667 2 137.00 $137.00 $914 +14.66
775 775 1 110.00 $110.00 $852 —
805 805 3 100.00 $100.00 $805 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 150.00 $150.00 $518 —
395 395 5 158.00 $158.00 $624 —
610 610 1 137.00 $137.00 $836 —
940 940 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,166 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 121.00 $121.00 $526 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 197.50 $197.50 $543 —
312 312 7 203.00 $203.00 $633 +20.50
372 value added 372 2 213.00 $213.00 $792 —
350–385 379 6 190.00–204.00 $194.18 $736 +8.18
450–493 value added 477 16 197.00–201.00 $199.77 $953 —
470–491 480 8 171.00–195.00 $182.80 $877 -1.20
502–540 value added 521 5 175.00–199.00 $189.31 $986 +9.22
515–540 528 2 158.00–160.00 $159.02 $840 -12.53
582 value added 582 2 171.00 $171.00 $995 —
560–595 584 4 157.00–165.00 $160.45 $937 -9.38
600–645 value added 623 4 165.00–170.00 $167.41 $1,043 -1.08
615–645 635 3 150.00–154.00 $152.71 $970 —
710 value added 710 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,164 —
730 730 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,088 —
770 770 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,063 +1.00
815 815 2 145.00–149.00 $147.00 $1,198 —
965 965 1 103.00 $103.00 $994 —
1215 1215 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,276 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 2 185.00 $185.00 $472 —
442–445 443 3 147.00–166.00 $153.36 $679 —
455 455 2 142.00 $142.00 $646 —
680 680 1 135.00 $135.00 $918 +15.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 125.00 $125.00 $306 —
395 395 1 137.00 $137.00 $541 —
440 440 1 120.00 $120.00 $528 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
927 927 2 90.00 $90.00 $834 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1480 1191 80-85% 7 74.00–81.00 $79.06 $942 -6.67
1000–1410 1204 80-85% 14 81.00–90.00 $86.96 $1,047 —
1220–1475 1344 80-85% 16 94.00–104.00 $96.97 $1,303 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–1045 949 85-90% 4 54.00–63.00 $58.61 $556 -16.85
830–1165 994 85-90% 6 65.00–73.00 $69.55 $691 —
995–1250 1098 85-90% 10 74.00–79.00 $76.73 $842 —
985–1310 1197 85-90% 12 80.00–91.00 $85.21 $1,020 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1310 1200 75-80% 2 76.00–82.00 $78.73 $945 —
1205–1740 1452 75-80% 17 82.00–90.00 $87.97 $1,277 —
1195–1935 1582 75-80% 12 90.00–106.00 $95.65 $1,513 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–2210 1688 9 114.00–129.00 $120.58 $2,035 —
1255–2405 1763 8 96.00–113.00 $105.87 $1,866 —
1825–2165 1995 2 80.00–91.00 $85.97 $1,715 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–885 883 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 88.00–91.00 $89.50 $790

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
950–1320 1112 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 13 890.00–1,225.00 $1,064.67
1040–1280 1160 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 875.00–1,225.00 $1,068.10
1380 1380 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845 845 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00
1005–1120 1063 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 700.00–800.00 $752.71
1010–1130 1065 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 740.00–840.00 $791.17

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820–830 825 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 830.00–840.00 $834.97

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 87.50 $87.50 $424 —

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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.