Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, August 15, 2023

1,382 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 $237.37/cwt -3.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,114/hd at 891 lb · 180 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $242.94/cwt -0.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,669/hd at 687 lb · 122 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $252.67/cwt ≈ $1,921/hd at 760 lb · 107 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,382 805 1,241
Feeder cattle 1,305 717 1,166
Slaughter cattle 76 83 66
Replacement cattle 1 5 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steer and heifer calves traded 3.00 to 7.00 higher with very good demand for attractive weaned calf packages. Yearlings sold steady on similar quality with good demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 4.00 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
255 value added 255 1 270.00 $270.00 $688 —
270 fancy 270 1 320.00 $320.00 $864 —
320–345 333 2 260.00–263.00 $261.44 $871 -10.56
370 370 1 265.00 $265.00 $980 +7.00
422 value added 422 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,182 —
452–492 value added 470 21 252.00–274.00 $266.55 $1,253 +1.32
520–547 value added 542 50 254.00–275.00 $271.68 $1,473 +16.68
568–580 value added 574 17 259.00–268.00 $264.65 $1,519 -0.91
600–637 value added 614 55 247.00–268.00 $259.81 $1,595 -6.46
640 640 2 231.00–237.00 $234.00 $1,498 —
656–674 value added 672 53 252.00–266.25 $262.44 $1,764 +24.44
700–730 value added 717 94 246.50–259.00 $251.17 $1,801 -9.62
745–748 747 4 232.00–240.00 $238.01 $1,778 —
750–784 thin fleshed 760 93 252.50–255.00 $254.28 $1,933 —
761 value added 761 14 242.00 $242.00 $1,842 —
800 fancy 800 11 245.00–246.00 $245.82 $1,967 —
842 842 18 238.00 $238.00 $2,004 —
860–895 879 4 207.50–220.00 $213.58 $1,877 —
870–897 thin fleshed 891 176 235.00–239.75 $237.91 $2,120 —
900–930 915 2 191.00–229.00 $209.69 $1,919 —
907–945 fancy 940 63 232.10–239.00 $232.56 $2,186 —
978 978 3 211.00 $211.00 $2,064 -16.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 229.00 $229.00 $756 -10.00
545 545 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,259 —
557–567 562 5 220.00–246.00 $238.43 $1,340 +0.43
678 678 2 229.00 $229.00 $1,553 +13.00
750–795 780 7 194.00–224.00 $212.01 $1,654 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,774 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 260.00 $260.00 $559 —
265 265 1 262.50 $262.50 $696 +53.75
327 327 2 220.00 $220.00 $719 +2.50
355–377 value added 367 10 230.00–260.00 $250.28 $919 —
390 390 3 225.00–230.00 $228.33 $890 —
400–423 value added 419 7 245.00–258.00 $254.50 $1,066 -0.50
415–440 428 3 220.00–226.00 $223.62 $957 +3.62
450–493 value added 470 27 241.00–250.00 $247.23 $1,162 +7.83
465–490 478 2 230.00–232.50 $231.28 $1,106 +23.78
500–541 value added 520 28 240.00–257.00 $252.65 $1,314 +5.74
500–540 523 7 220.00–237.00 $222.64 $1,164 —
550–586 value added 574 43 233.00–257.00 $249.40 $1,432 +0.11
590–591 591 11 221.00–225.00 $221.36 $1,308 +1.84
600–645 622 19 202.00–229.00 $220.80 $1,373 +31.31
610–645 value added 633 44 232.00–245.25 $244.93 $1,550 -0.94
678–691 value added 687 122 234.25–245.00 $242.94 $1,669 -4.17
701–712 value added 701 83 225.00–242.95 $242.51 $1,700 —
715–733 720 13 219.00–221.00 $219.47 $1,580 +42.61
737 737 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,481 +24.14
750–775 757 29 213.00–214.00 $213.07 $1,613 —
800 800 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,400 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 200.00 $200.00 $970 +4.50
630 630 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,153 —
675–695 679 5 193.00–200.00 $198.57 $1,348 —
720 720 2 173.00–180.00 $176.50 $1,271 +17.57
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
757 757 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,590 —
947 947 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,326 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1311 1311 3 158.00 $158.00 $2,071 —
1335 1335 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,936 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–275 267 3 230.00–310.00 $277.63 $741 +9.35
335 335 1 240.00 $240.00 $804 -35.00
360–395 380 3 245.00–265.00 $256.15 $973 -13.85
410 410 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,046 —
428 value added 428 3 257.00 $257.00 $1,100 +17.00
455–480 value added 468 2 257.50–275.00 $266.02 $1,245 +20.65
450–489 482 13 200.00–237.00 $206.84 $997 -23.16
500 value added 500 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,300 +8.00
505–540 529 4 234.00–252.50 $240.59 $1,273 +6.99
565–570 value added 567 3 240.00–252.00 $247.98 $1,406 +2.98
555–590 573 2 233.00–250.00 $241.24 $1,382 —
605–611 value added 609 10 232.00–246.00 $236.19 $1,438 +7.19
650–685 668 2 200.00–216.00 $208.21 $1,391 +4.32
705–730 713 6 180.00–216.00 $208.19 $1,484 +6.43
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 223.00 $223.00 $691 —
390 390 1 207.50 $207.50 $809 -22.50
465 465 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,093 —
540 540 1 180.00 $180.00 $972 +2.00
550–585 568 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,250 -2.03
740 740 3 185.00 $185.00 $1,369 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 160.00 $160.00 $688 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1480 1230 80-85% 21 99.00–111.00 $106.33 $1,308 —
1230 1230 80-85% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,095 —
1280–1325 1300 80-85% 3 111.00–115.00 $112.36 $1,461 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1130 1050 85-90% 2 88.00–90.00 $88.92 $934 -11.25
810–1215 1069 85-90% 10 94.00–100.00 $96.21 $1,028 -3.96
865–1265 1073 85-90% 6 102.00–104.00 $103.18 $1,107 -8.15
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1540 1342 75-80% 10 102.00–109.00 $107.08 $1,437 —
1255–1580 1472 75-80% 8 110.00–122.00 $114.94 $1,692 -7.12

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1365 1285 2 105.00–111.00 $107.81 $1,385 +22.81
1430–1525 1478 2 116.00–126.00 $120.84 $1,786 —
1755–2395 2083 3 131.00–146.00 $141.79 $2,953 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1165 1165 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 130.00 $130.00 $767 —
690 690 1 153.00 $153.00 $1,056 —
745 745 2 187.50 $187.50 $1,397 +19.50
795 795 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,304 —
817 817 2 172.50 $172.50 $1,409 —
938 938 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,491 —

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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.