Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 4, 2022

1,102 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $156.86/cwt -15.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,407/hd at 897 lb · 133 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $171.24/cwt +0.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,430/hd at 835 lb · 120 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $172.12/cwt -0.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,216/hd at 706 lb · 81 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,102 1,647 1,231
Feeder cattle 1,003 1,599 1,184
Slaughter cattle 90 45 46
Replacement cattle 9 3 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold steady to 3.00 lower with moderate demand. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 8.00 lower with most decline on fleshy 400-600 lb calves. Buyers showing preference for long-weaned calves with bawling calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand. 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
325–330 328 2 170.00–179.00 $174.47 $572 —
422–436 426 13 168.00–182.00 $178.15 $759 +5.51
455–490 474 10 158.00–169.00 $163.05 $773 -5.49
488 value added 488 11 184.00 $184.00 $898 -2.00
500–538 value added 513 9 171.00–182.00 $178.15 $914 +3.41
530–543 541 8 159.00–164.00 $159.61 $863 -3.53
571 value added 571 19 183.00 $183.00 $1,045 +7.39
552–590 572 14 156.00–165.00 $161.26 $922 -3.74
601–631 value added 619 19 156.00–165.00 $157.38 $974 -18.33
667–676 value added 674 15 161.00–164.00 $163.21 $1,100 -3.33
686 686 3 145.00 $145.00 $995 -6.73
700–722 value added 705 78 164.00–174.40 $173.32 $1,222 +0.07
741 741 3 141.00 $141.00 $1,045 -13.00
763–777 value added 775 59 153.00–175.25 $172.61 $1,338 -0.87
795 795 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,113 -9.04
810–849 835 120 167.00–174.00 $171.24 $1,430 -0.06
870–899 897 133 155.70–165.00 $156.86 $1,407 +0.86
905 thin fleshed 905 55 167.25 $167.25 $1,514 —
915 915 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,455 —
916 fancy 916 13 163.00 $163.00 $1,493 —
950–965 fancy 961 44 163.00–164.00 $163.29 $1,569 —
1060 1060 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,378 -5.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–395 375 2 168.00–170.00 $168.95 $634 —
500 500 1 159.00 $159.00 $795 —
585 585 1 150.00 $150.00 $878 -12.00
620 620 7 141.00 $141.00 $874 —
880 880 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,153 —
1010 1010 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,212 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
585 585 1 143.00 $143.00 $837 —
605–642 626 4 134.00–142.00 $137.17 $859 -8.31
665 665 1 141.00 $141.00 $938 +1.81
840 840 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,084 -19.00
900 900 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,170 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–370 360 2 140.00–144.00 $141.94 $511 -1.55
436–445 value added 438 10 150.00–160.00 $152.03 $666 -5.04
440 440 4 140.00 $140.00 $616 -7.64
450–490 464 8 140.00–142.00 $140.99 $654 -4.75
460–487 value added 471 21 147.00–152.00 $150.35 $708 -1.64
510–526 523 20 137.00–141.00 $137.94 $721 -8.26
500–541 value added 531 4 143.00 $143.00 $759 -11.59
550 550 2 140.00 $140.00 $770 -4.88
550–567 value added 553 11 143.00–150.00 $147.61 $816 -11.30
610–619 value added 618 37 157.00–168.50 $167.58 $1,036 +13.80
640 640 1 135.00 $135.00 $864 —
655 655 1 135.00 $135.00 $884 -4.66
657 value added 657 2 152.00 $152.00 $999 -13.23
710 value added 710 2 143.00 $143.00 $1,015 -21.05
764 value added 764 13 147.00 $147.00 $1,123 -17.21
932 932 2 128.00 $128.00 $1,193 —
950 950 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,007 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 120.00 $120.00 $240 —
300 300 2 128.00 $128.00 $384 —
360 360 1 124.00 $124.00 $446 —
405–440 420 5 120.00–137.00 $131.47 $552 —
450–490 473 8 119.00–135.00 $127.55 $603 -5.45
500 500 1 131.00 $131.00 $655 -1.48
550–585 576 4 120.00–132.00 $123.55 $712 +1.55
628–645 638 7 124.00–126.00 $124.84 $796 +3.28
695 695 2 124.00 $124.00 $862 —
905 905 1 91.00 $91.00 $824 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 2 135.00 $135.00 $776 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 155.00 $155.00 $372 +15.00
365 365 2 157.00 $157.00 $573 -10.90
427 427 2 169.00 $169.00 $722 +7.58
470–475 473 2 153.00–172.00 $162.55 $769 +10.55
525–535 531 9 152.00 $152.00 $807 -2.35
560 560 5 140.00 $140.00 $784 -4.93
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–295 273 2 140.00 $140.00 $382 —
355–385 373 3 140.00–141.00 $140.66 $525 —
565–575 570 2 138.00–143.00 $140.48 $801 —
625–627 626 6 115.00–125.00 $120.34 $753 +3.24
650–680 672 6 116.00–127.00 $121.72 $818 —
735 735 1 97.00 $97.00 $713 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505–525 515 2 101.00–102.50 $101.74 $524 -18.26

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1425 1267 80-85% 22 77.00–83.00 $80.23 $1,017 —
1390 1390 80-85% 1 77.00 $77.00 $1,070 —
1210–1615 1429 80-85% 9 84.00–94.00 $86.78 $1,240 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–985 960 85-90% 2 45.00–56.00 $50.36 $483 -15.47
850–1210 1039 85-90% 10 67.00–73.00 $70.99 $738 -0.60
715–1315 1058 85-90% 12 60.00–67.00 $63.75 $674 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1495 1377 75-80% 3 67.00–76.00 $72.38 $997 -17.51
1185–1580 1393 75-80% 6 77.00–83.00 $78.77 $1,097 -11.12
1170–1535 1401 75-80% 8 83.00–89.00 $85.68 $1,200 +2.71

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1905 1526 7 104.00–108.00 $105.54 $1,611 —
1925–2070 1998 2 116.00–120.00 $117.93 $2,356 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885–1220 1043 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 83.00–101.00 $95.12 $992

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1125–1355 1247 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 850.00–1,075.00 $962.03
1220–1300 1260 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 925.00–1,075.00 $1,002.38
1320 1320 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,000.00 $1,000.00

↑ 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.