Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

778 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $188.19/cwt ≈ $1,480/hd at 787 lb · 88 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $187.27/cwt -2.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,166/hd at 623 lb · 46 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $190.35/cwt ≈ $1,752/hd at 920 lb · 44 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 778 729 1,457
Feeder cattle 645 610 1,351
Slaughter cattle 83 119 93
Replacement cattle 50 — 13

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold 3.00 to 7.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 lower with more fleshy new crop calves on offer this week compared to last week. Very good demand for yearlings. 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
338 value added 338 3 237.50 $237.50 $803 -12.42
385 value added 385 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,001 +27.50
400–410 405 2 190.00–210.00 $199.88 $810 —
429–445 value added 431 11 222.50–242.00 $238.64 $1,029 +0.90
475–493 value added 483 20 226.00–255.00 $245.35 $1,185 +23.15
500–540 value added 518 24 225.00–249.00 $235.74 $1,221 +0.84
540 540 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,134 —
555–598 value added 580 23 219.00–245.00 $236.30 $1,371 -2.70
580 580 2 192.00 $192.00 $1,114 —
600–605 603 2 190.00–204.00 $197.03 $1,188 —
615–646 value added 628 13 210.00–242.00 $222.82 $1,399 +1.19
671–681 value added 676 16 208.00–221.00 $213.93 $1,446 -3.79
707 707 4 190.00 $190.00 $1,343 +8.56
717 value added 717 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,441 +10.00
750–782 value added 763 11 200.00–208.00 $204.35 $1,559 +7.52
802–810 fancy 803 13 191.00–199.00 $198.38 $1,593 —
920 fancy 920 43 190.50 $190.50 $1,753 —
940 940 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,730 —
970 970 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,794 +1.00
1002 1002 7 181.50 $181.50 $1,819 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
717 717 2 153.00 $153.00 $1,097 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 190.00 $190.00 $589 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 280 11 187.50–190.00 $189.38 $530 —
360–395 value added 371 4 196.00–210.00 $205.53 $763 -9.47
405–442 418 9 181.00–190.00 $187.22 $783 -13.11
403–445 value added 422 20 198.00–216.00 $208.88 $881 -17.87
460–495 value added 481 12 190.00–214.00 $205.26 $987 -15.17
510–520 515 2 185.00–186.00 $185.50 $955 -3.13
512–545 value added 530 15 195.00–207.00 $200.77 $1,064 -2.46
552–589 value added 574 28 195.00–199.00 $197.53 $1,134 -6.60
580 580 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,030 -7.18
600–640 value added 615 30 178.00–196.00 $193.84 $1,192 +1.34
600–643 637 16 171.00–176.00 $174.95 $1,114 -3.03
665–680 673 2 170.00–173.00 $171.52 $1,154 +6.52
650–692 value added 678 34 178.00–192.00 $186.83 $1,267 +0.76
735–745 741 8 165.00–166.00 $165.63 $1,227 —
765–768 768 6 165.00–170.00 $169.17 $1,299 —
787–788 value added 788 82 188.50–189.80 $189.58 $1,494 —
810–813 812 6 169.00–170.00 $169.33 $1,375 +4.33
970 970 3 130.00 $130.00 $1,261 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 162.50 $162.50 $479 —
345 345 1 160.00 $160.00 $552 -6.63
380 380 1 152.50 $152.50 $580 -20.40
415–445 427 5 155.00–175.00 $169.05 $722 -13.40
450 450 1 170.00 $170.00 $765 +6.00
530 530 1 140.00 $140.00 $742 -35.40
550 550 1 160.00 $160.00 $880 —
605–630 619 5 142.50–162.00 $156.85 $971 +11.07
660–677 671 3 145.00–165.00 $158.45 $1,063 +5.45
735 735 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,029 +20.00
770–795 778 3 126.00–131.00 $129.01 $1,004 -10.99
800 800 1 110.00 $110.00 $880 -10.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 180.00 $180.00 $756 —
620 620 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,079 +24.00
810 810 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,280 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 100.00 $100.00 $450 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
150 150 1 182.50 $182.50 $274 —
210 210 1 182.00 $182.00 $382 —
282 282 5 200.00 $200.00 $564 ±0.00
355–390 367 3 195.00–210.00 $204.68 $751 —
352–393 value added 368 14 227.50–231.00 $229.03 $843 -1.58
400–425 value added 406 6 208.00–230.00 $226.16 $918 +0.53
455–495 value added 474 16 214.00–246.00 $237.12 $1,124 +8.20
505–527 value added 521 6 210.00–244.00 $233.13 $1,215 +15.71
565–597 value added 580 5 214.00–237.00 $223.79 $1,298 +16.04
585 585 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,217 —
605–645 value added 626 7 199.00–205.00 $202.68 $1,269 -4.81
655–690 value added 673 5 201.00–210.00 $204.17 $1,374 —
715 715 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,180 —
785–790 788 3 177.00–180.00 $178.00 $1,403 +27.06
820 820 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,250 —
895 895 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,119 —
935 935 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,159 —
965 965 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,062 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 190.00 $190.00 $542 +15.00
305–325 312 3 175.00–190.00 $181.84 $567 -2.87
595 595 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,041 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 2 150.00 $150.00 $562 —
470 470 1 130.00 $130.00 $611 +17.50

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1095 1067 80-85% 3 78.00–81.00 $79.67 $850 —
1010–1435 1204 80-85% 7 84.00–89.00 $86.97 $1,047 —
1045–1290 1208 80-85% 8 91.00–106.00 $94.29 $1,139 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125 1125 75-80% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,001 —
1160–1845 1500 75-80% 14 91.00–106.00 $96.93 $1,454 -4.03
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–940 890 85-90% 2 71.00–73.00 $71.94 $640 —
930 930 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $856 —
1030–1510 1270 85-90% 2 73.00–80.00 $75.84 $963 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280 1280 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,446 —
1335–2170 1804 7 120.00–147.00 $128.22 $2,313 +11.22

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930 930 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
920–1140 1008 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 875.00–1,000.00 $924.30
1290 1290 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 $
730 730 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 725.00 $725.00
670–840 737 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 700.00–825.00 $787.10
790 790 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 625.00 $625.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
660 660 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1020–1295 1197 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 11 1,350.00–1,560.00 $1,492.99 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
868–912 886 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 1,225.00–1,250.00 $1,239.70 —
1060 1060 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
780 780 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 800.00 $800.00 —

↑ 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.