Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 13, 2022

1,682 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $174.64/cwt +17.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,430/hd at 819 lb · 311 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $170.16/cwt +14.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,208/hd at 710 lb · 192 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $173.32/cwt +5.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,147/hd at 662 lb · 141 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,682 1,539 1,735
Feeder cattle 1,598 1,439 1,678
Slaughter cattle 82 98 57
Replacement cattle 2 2 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold 3.00 to 6.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages. Yearlings sold steady in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold steady with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 higher 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
262 value added 262 2 205.00 $205.00 $537 —
265–285 275 2 182.50–188.00 $185.35 $510 —
315–345 value added 333 3 200.00–222.50 $211.96 $706 —
355 355 1 182.50 $182.50 $648 ±0.00
367–395 value added 374 6 210.00–212.50 $212.08 $793 —
410–430 value added 413 10 181.00–201.00 $186.85 $772 +4.30
446–448 447 7 172.00–177.00 $174.14 $778 —
455 value added 455 8 178.00–185.00 $183.25 $834 +8.63
477 477 2 174.00 $174.00 $830 +7.45
500–505 501 6 161.00–169.00 $165.33 $828 +4.76
514–520 value added 516 61 178.00–194.00 $191.89 $990 +17.24
550–570 559 4 160.00–169.00 $164.21 $918 +6.79
551–571 value added 569 67 170.00–178.10 $177.16 $1,008 +3.19
600–605 603 3 159.00 $159.00 $959 +7.01
600–635 value added 612 51 161.00–179.50 $169.98 $1,040 +6.24
622 thin fleshed 622 75 186.25 $186.25 $1,158 —
651–686 value added 661 135 157.00–179.00 $174.13 $1,151 +5.07
665–676 674 6 150.00–156.00 $155.01 $1,045 +3.44
700–720 value added 701 47 158.00–168.00 $159.89 $1,121 -0.66
701 701 70 170.25 $170.25 $1,193 +26.80
724 fancy 724 75 176.50 $176.50 $1,278 —
755 755 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,155 +7.27
774–783 value added 776 13 162.00–163.00 $162.23 $1,259 -3.01
779 fancy 779 62 180.00 $180.00 $1,402 —
816–822 817 56 167.50–168.50 $168.34 $1,375 +11.49
804–846 fancy 819 255 174.50–178.00 $176.02 $1,442 —
850 850 3 164.00 $164.00 $1,394 +13.97
911 911 3 163.00 $163.00 $1,485 —
960 fancy 960 3 169.00 $169.00 $1,622 —
1125 1125 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,328 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 155.00 $155.00 $380 —
428 428 3 150.00 $150.00 $642 —
505–510 508 5 150.00–159.00 $155.19 $788 +8.81
635 635 1 130.00 $130.00 $826 —
655–680 672 3 136.00–148.00 $144.10 $968 +10.10
725–730 728 2 140.00–149.00 $144.52 $1,052 —
760–775 766 4 133.00–145.00 $136.77 $1,048 +1.77
805 805 2 129.00–151.00 $140.00 $1,127 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1527 1339 4 129.00–138.00 $132.87 $1,779 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 1 160.00 $160.00 $872 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 120.00 $120.00 $570 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
170 170 1 150.00 $150.00 $255 —
327 value added 327 5 150.00 $150.00 $490 —
395 value added 395 1 154.00 $154.00 $608 —
416–442 426 5 141.00 $141.00 $601 -3.36
405–447 value added 434 10 151.00–166.00 $156.15 $678 +4.04
460–485 value added 462 46 152.00–160.00 $159.17 $735 +8.01
450–495 468 16 144.00–150.00 $147.16 $689 +4.68
511–545 value added 518 36 151.00–157.00 $152.73 $791 +3.77
526 526 3 146.00 $146.00 $768 -0.10
555–595 571 6 140.00–148.00 $144.35 $824 +0.61
557–596 value added 583 8 149.00–153.00 $150.75 $879 -14.22
605–647 value added 627 115 143.00–162.50 $155.64 $976 -5.60
605–645 633 8 130.00–139.00 $136.87 $866 +2.59
685 685 6 130.00 $130.00 $890 -4.37
713–746 value added 730 19 141.00–144.00 $142.61 $1,041 -6.21
735 735 1 121.00 $121.00 $889 -10.64
760–795 780 6 110.00–127.50 $116.31 $907 -11.69
768–783 value added 781 22 140.00–144.00 $143.46 $1,120 -3.54
815 815 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,060 -0.27
850 850 1 106.00 $106.00 $901 —
877 877 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,052 —
988 988 5 117.00 $117.00 $1,156 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–230 217 3 120.00–122.50 $120.88 $262 —
260–295 278 6 120.00–135.00 $131.03 $364 —
315–325 320 2 130.00 $130.00 $416 —
350–362 358 3 132.50–134.00 $133.51 $478 +5.25
400–415 408 2 123.00–125.00 $124.02 $506 +0.53
475 475 1 138.00 $138.00 $656 +6.96
515 515 1 124.00 $124.00 $639 +0.03
550–586 577 5 121.00–130.00 $127.25 $734 +3.26
620–645 631 4 110.00–120.00 $116.95 $738 -9.03
685–695 692 3 121.00–128.00 $123.31 $853 +6.92
760–782 775 3 105.00–106.00 $105.67 $819 -6.32
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 150.00 $150.00 $720 +18.00
765 765 1 116.00 $116.00 $887 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385 1385 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,579 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 105.00 $105.00 $672 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 2 175.00 $175.00 $569 —
382 382 2 175.00 $175.00 $668 -2.50
390 value added 390 1 200.00 $200.00 $780 —
400–425 value added 413 2 172.50–180.00 $176.14 $727 —
430 430 1 165.00 $165.00 $710 +5.40
450–462 value added 456 11 171.00–182.00 $176.21 $804 +7.08
515 515 1 146.00 $146.00 $752 +2.31
515–545 value added 529 7 157.00–170.00 $165.34 $875 +4.31
550–585 563 4 146.00–156.00 $151.00 $850 +1.99
565–585 value added 568 6 163.00–170.00 $168.80 $959 —
603–642 value added 619 7 141.00–153.00 $144.74 $896 -2.60
618–645 625 7 134.00–138.00 $136.98 $856 +0.98
662–665 663 3 135.00 $135.00 $895 —
655–693 value added 682 12 141.00–148.00 $143.16 $976 -1.84
721–735 724 6 133.00–144.00 $135.01 $977 +12.08
800–842 812 7 125.00–128.00 $126.44 $1,027 +10.71
895 895 1 118.00 $118.00 $1,056 -3.00
915 915 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,125 —
950 950 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,092 -5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 165.00 $165.00 $487 —
392 392 2 161.00 $161.00 $631 —
465 465 1 137.00 $137.00 $637 -3.00
540 540 1 137.50 $137.50 $742 +2.08
585–590 588 2 138.00–141.00 $139.49 $820 +10.49
610–615 613 2 120.00–122.00 $121.00 $742 -1.45
670 670 1 116.00 $116.00 $777 -8.78
732 732 2 121.00 $121.00 $886 +20.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 2 169.00 $169.00 $507 —
665 665 1 136.00 $136.00 $904 —
742 742 2 123.00 $123.00 $913 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 120.00 $120.00 $612 +5.15

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1675 1436 75-80% 10 64.00–69.00 $66.55 $956 +5.87
1305–1635 1471 75-80% 4 61.00–63.00 $61.97 $912 -5.71
1305–1800 1548 75-80% 9 69.00–75.00 $71.03 $1,100 -1.21
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1590 1205 80-85% 4 55.00–62.00 $59.74 $720 -0.64
1100–1405 1277 80-85% 12 63.00–68.00 $65.95 $842 —
1340–1725 1558 80-85% 4 71.00–91.00 $79.35 $1,236 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1375 1076 85-90% 4 43.00–53.00 $47.79 $514 —
910–1325 1113 85-90% 9 61.00–67.00 $64.48 $718 +19.41
955–1275 1113 85-90% 4 55.00–59.00 $57.10 $636 +12.03

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1420 1383 2 78.00–85.00 $81.59 $1,128 —
1370–1805 1588 2 104.00–116.00 $109.18 $1,734 —
1355–2045 1705 4 89.00–102.00 $97.57 $1,664 +5.36

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1080 1080 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 78.00 $78.00 $842

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1175 1175 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 725.00 $725.00 —

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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.