Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 11, 2023

1,397 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 $201.46/cwt -1.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,676/hd at 832 lb · 123 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $197.79/cwt +26.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,359/hd at 687 lb · 87 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $243.57/cwt -6.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,284/hd at 527 lb · 82 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,397 763 886
Feeder cattle 1,293 655 822
Slaughter cattle 93 103 62
Replacement cattle 11 5 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week steer calves sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages suitable for grass. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 6.00 lower with good demand for weaned thin- fleshed packages suitable for grass. Fleshy bawlers facing discounts. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 2.00 higher 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
292 value added 292 13 262.00 $262.00 $765 —
370 370 1 227.00 $227.00 $840 +16.00
365–395 value added 371 24 244.00–280.00 $266.18 $988 +4.10
400–447 value added 427 22 245.00–268.00 $257.74 $1,101 +4.87
450–487 value added 468 37 233.00–273.00 $257.33 $1,204 +4.34
500–540 value added 527 82 220.00–253.00 $243.57 $1,284 -6.47
555–598 value added 574 72 215.00–247.00 $235.90 $1,354 -0.31
605–635 value added 623 62 210.00–232.50 $225.14 $1,403 +1.10
630–645 638 2 193.00–198.00 $195.53 $1,247 +5.53
662–670 665 3 183.00–190.00 $187.65 $1,248 +3.72
669 thin fleshed 669 10 226.00 $226.00 $1,512 —
655–688 value added 682 39 200.00–226.00 $220.05 $1,501 +15.05
716–730 value added 716 75 200.00–220.00 $219.46 $1,571 —
700–740 720 2 175.00–190.00 $182.29 $1,312 -2.71
750–755 753 2 178.00–181.00 $179.50 $1,352 +4.84
750–780 value added 760 6 192.00–203.00 $201.19 $1,529 +9.98
810–834 fancy 832 123 196.50–202.00 $201.46 $1,676 —
917 fancy 917 2 197.00 $197.00 $1,806 +10.90
950 fancy 950 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,814 —
978 978 4 170.00 $170.00 $1,663 —
1025 1025 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,784 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,075 —
597 597 2 198.00 $198.00 $1,182 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 163.00 $163.00 $725 —
800–845 823 2 160.00–170.00 $165.14 $1,359 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–295 275 9 185.00–199.00 $192.07 $528 +0.45
250–288 fancy 279 4 204.00–212.50 $205.91 $574 —
307 307 2 182.50 $182.50 $560 -16.50
300–343 value added 339 14 200.00–212.00 $210.75 $714 -5.72
350–395 value added 362 13 204.00–217.00 $212.21 $768 -11.87
360–395 375 3 190.00–201.00 $195.37 $733 +5.87
406–442 value added 425 16 197.00–228.00 $211.80 $900 -3.05
425–445 435 3 187.00–193.00 $189.29 $823 -0.81
455–495 value added 474 31 199.00–215.00 $204.63 $970 +2.74
452–495 479 9 181.00–192.00 $186.66 $894 —
500–545 519 18 181.00–190.00 $185.27 $962 —
500–543 value added 524 53 190.00–206.00 $197.72 $1,036 +2.51
552–597 value added 567 55 191.00–213.00 $205.99 $1,168 +18.46
565–592 581 12 182.00–189.00 $184.24 $1,070 +11.13
600–645 value added 619 57 181.00–203.00 $198.82 $1,231 +14.86
600–633 620 9 171.00–180.00 $176.80 $1,096 +6.80
660–670 663 3 170.00–175.00 $173.32 $1,149 +13.32
651–691 value added 688 84 179.00–199.95 $198.66 $1,367 +18.84
710 710 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,278 +30.00
788 788 3 177.00 $177.00 $1,395 +21.00
826–833 value added 830 8 169.00–180.00 $174.52 $1,449 —
857 value added 857 2 177.00 $177.00 $1,517 —
957 957 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,531 —
1010–1040 1025 2 100.00–132.50 $116.49 $1,194 —
1185–1190 1188 2 130.00–132.00 $131.00 $1,556 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
185 185 1 150.00 $150.00 $278 —
200 200 2 170.00 $170.00 $340 —
255–260 258 3 162.50–180.00 $172.45 $445 +6.20
365–385 375 2 155.00–172.50 $163.52 $613 —
465–490 482 3 160.00–170.00 $163.56 $788 —
505–535 515 5 135.00–175.00 $152.62 $786 —
550–595 576 5 146.00–170.00 $160.99 $927 —
600–635 618 6 140.00–169.00 $157.82 $975 —
850–855 853 2 120.00–136.00 $128.02 $1,092 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 190.00 $190.00 $912 —
577–580 578 3 172.00–179.00 $174.34 $1,008 —
603 fancy 603 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,236 —
725 725 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,058 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 110.00 $110.00 $358 —
480 480 1 110.00 $110.00 $528 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 value added 265 1 232.50 $232.50 $616 —
290 290 1 210.00 $210.00 $609 +3.80
312–335 320 6 205.00–210.00 $206.75 $662 +20.90
310–348 value added 340 5 230.00–254.00 $249.63 $849 +12.21
365 365 3 220.00–222.50 $220.83 $806 +8.30
350–385 value added 377 13 240.00–262.50 $252.00 $950 +2.16
400–445 414 5 200.00–215.00 $203.94 $844 -10.06
410–433 value added 424 13 220.00–277.50 $250.43 $1,062 +17.03
453–470 value added 460 7 214.00–233.00 $220.92 $1,016 -25.09
450–495 473 2 192.00–193.00 $192.52 $911 -12.87
500–535 value added 511 19 210.00–243.00 $230.16 $1,176 -19.95
525–530 528 2 195.00–202.00 $198.48 $1,048 —
552–590 value added 573 13 217.00–235.00 $227.20 $1,302 +15.36
555–590 577 3 183.00–209.00 $199.18 $1,149 +5.18
600–620 613 3 185.00–206.00 $194.43 $1,192 +15.43
615 fancy 615 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,205 —
624–645 value added 630 7 199.00–208.00 $205.37 $1,294 +8.74
650 650 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,183 —
665–695 value added 685 3 183.00–190.00 $185.27 $1,269 -7.24
725 725 1 143.00 $143.00 $1,037 -35.84
763 fancy 763 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,373 —
765–770 768 2 166.00–167.00 $166.50 $1,279 +2.86
830 830 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,295 -2.00
1165 1165 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,212 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
601 601 4 203.00 $203.00 $1,220 —
780 780 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,349 —
865 865 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,254 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–395 388 2 167.50–182.00 $174.89 $679 -15.11
445 445 1 185.00 $185.00 $823 —
770 770 1 136.00 $136.00 $1,047 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 80-85% 1 81.00 $81.00 $923 —
1045–1355 1159 80-85% 8 85.00–91.00 $88.71 $1,028 —
1060–1370 1198 80-85% 17 93.00–106.00 $99.92 $1,197 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1585 1397 75-80% 5 85.00–91.00 $88.27 $1,233 —
1225–1895 1472 75-80% 19 92.00–110.00 $102.37 $1,507 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885 885 85-90% 1 74.00 $74.00 $655 —
890 890 85-90% 2 77.00–78.00 $77.50 $690 —
950–1045 1002 85-90% 3 83.00–85.00 $83.70 $839 —
960–1260 1066 85-90% 7 88.00–103.00 $94.69 $1,009 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–2390 1528 8 105.00–115.00 $109.71 $1,676 —
1535–2155 1814 6 115.00–134.00 $125.30 $2,273 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835–1145 990 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 925.00–1,175.00 $1,069.57
1580 1580 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1090 1090 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1060 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 900.00 $900.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 2 163.00 $163.00 $962 —
732 732 2 127.00 $127.00 $930 —

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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.