Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 24, 2023

527 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 $155.16/cwt +3.98 vs last sale · ≈ $954/hd at 615 lb · 54 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $171.16/cwt +2.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,166/hd at 681 lb · 30 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $158.65/cwt -9.96 vs last sale · ≈ $752/hd at 474 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 527 807 1,199
Feeder cattle 383 762 1,160
Slaughter cattle 143 38 38
Replacement cattle 1 7 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold 5.00 higher with good demand in a light test. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold 2.00 to 4.00 lower with moderate demand in a light test. Yearlings limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls light test.

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
360 360 1 195.00 $195.00 $702 -2.50
390–393 value added 392 5 200.00–212.00 $203.89 $799 —
410–445 value added 439 6 209.00–214.00 $213.22 $936 +11.14
442 442 2 190.00 $190.00 $840 +20.00
450–485 value added 464 4 194.00–214.00 $204.23 $948 +14.58
470 470 2 182.00–193.00 $187.50 $881 —
510–542 value added 524 18 190.00–201.00 $196.62 $1,030 -8.38
565–585 value added 567 11 184.00–191.00 $189.90 $1,077 +5.96
605 605 1 150.00 $150.00 $908 —
616 thin fleshed 616 3 181.00 $181.00 $1,115 —
610–645 value added 627 7 166.00–177.00 $173.16 $1,086 -3.93
652–690 value added 681 30 158.00–174.00 $171.16 $1,166 -1.27
712–740 value added 717 6 155.00–172.00 $169.07 $1,212 +2.23
764–795 value added 776 14 168.00–170.00 $168.85 $1,310 +11.85
810 810 7 169.00 $169.00 $1,369 —
875 875 1 167.00 $167.00 $1,461 -3.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 140.00 $140.00 $532 —
437 437 2 181.00 $181.00 $791 —
480 480 1 141.00 $141.00 $677 —
535–545 543 4 161.00–164.00 $161.74 $878 —
745 745 2 141.00 $141.00 $1,050 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,338 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 147.50 $147.50 $310 +5.00
340 value added 340 3 159.00 $159.00 $541 -16.64
365 value added 365 1 165.00 $165.00 $602 -5.20
372–390 381 4 145.00–154.00 $149.61 $570 -6.36
411–446 value added 429 6 159.00–167.00 $163.16 $700 -1.88
430–445 440 5 145.00–158.00 $149.77 $659 —
455 455 3 145.00–156.00 $148.67 $676 -3.32
455–495 value added 477 21 156.00–164.00 $160.08 $764 -10.61
500–535 value added 528 18 157.00–165.00 $162.54 $858 +2.03
535 535 1 155.00 $155.00 $829 ±0.00
570 570 1 155.00 $155.00 $884 +3.59
557–585 value added 575 18 156.00–166.00 $160.48 $923 -1.44
608–610 608 5 133.00–136.00 $133.60 $812 -10.22
612–619 fancy 613 43 155.00–160.00 $159.18 $976 —
615–645 value added 632 6 140.00–146.00 $144.33 $912 -8.86
657–674 value added 667 12 140.00–148.00 $145.13 $968 -8.62
680–694 691 9 134.00–141.00 $136.09 $940 —
705 705 1 132.00 $132.00 $931 +4.52
705–732 value added 729 8 136.00–146.50 $145.23 $1,059 +9.99
780–790 value added 788 5 139.00–141.00 $140.60 $1,108 -3.52
800 800 2 136.00 $136.00 $1,088 —
830 830 1 100.00 $100.00 $830 -2.00
890 890 1 105.00 $105.00 $934 -14.16
1190 1190 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,297 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 130.00 $130.00 $462 -12.00
475 475 1 130.00 $130.00 $618 -14.00
535 535 1 126.00 $126.00 $674 -19.00
550–581 575 7 139.00–145.00 $142.02 $817 -2.98
620 620 1 132.00 $132.00 $818 +22.00
675–695 685 2 123.00–126.00 $124.52 $853 -0.13
745 745 1 118.00 $118.00 $879 +0.71
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 3 125.00 $125.00 $875 +17.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 110.00 $110.00 $292 —
455 455 1 120.00 $120.00 $546 -10.00
590 590 1 112.00 $112.00 $661 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 3 179.00 $179.00 $734 —
454 fancy 454 5 185.00 $185.00 $840 —
515–525 value added 520 3 175.00–198.00 $184.26 $958 +1.88
550–582 value added 567 8 173.00–183.00 $176.46 $1,001 +2.80
620 value added 620 1 159.00 $159.00 $986 +5.20
675–696 value added 685 11 152.00–158.50 $156.21 $1,070 +3.87
710 710 1 139.00 $139.00 $987 +6.00
740 value added 740 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,036 +1.61
752 value added 752 4 138.50 $138.50 $1,042 —
755–775 765 2 132.00–133.00 $132.49 $1,014 +0.49
820 820 2 120.00 $120.00 $984 —
880 880 2 123.00 $123.00 $1,082 —
1050–1051 1051 4 103.00–108.00 $106.75 $1,122 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 150.00 $150.00 $398 —
350 350 1 150.00 $150.00 $525 —
495 495 1 137.50 $137.50 $681 —
585 585 1 141.00 $141.00 $825 +11.00
750 750 1 124.00 $124.00 $930 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215–1390 1332 75-80% 3 71.00 $71.00 $946 —
1175–1575 1344 75-80% 11 72.00–77.00 $74.48 $1,001 —
1355–2065 1614 75-80% 31 77.00–86.00 $82.14 $1,326 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1010 947 85-90% 3 52.00 $52.00 $492 —
865–1180 1035 85-90% 8 57.00–63.00 $61.30 $634 +3.79
930–1250 1042 85-90% 15 65.00–70.00 $67.85 $707 +10.34
1025–1145 1095 85-90% 3 74.00–78.00 $76.33 $836 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1160 1122 80-85% 3 67.00–72.00 $69.74 $782 —
1005–1505 1223 80-85% 11 72.00–77.00 $74.59 $912 —
1150–1690 1378 80-85% 12 77.00–85.00 $80.80 $1,113 -5.20

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570 1570 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,413 —
1375–1790 1583 2 105.00–108.00 $106.30 $1,683 —
1740–1955 1838 3 109.00 $109.00 $2,003 -4.00

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
790–1240 1043 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 82.00–87.00 $84.55 $882
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915 915 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 79.00 $79.00 $723

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1390 1390 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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.