Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 26, 2023

1,581 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $227.59/cwt -9.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,116/hd at 930 lb · 269 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $232.28/cwt -9.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,065/hd at 889 lb · 133 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $241.86/cwt -10.48 vs last sale · ≈ $2,034/hd at 841 lb · 125 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,581 1,638 1,647
Feeder cattle 1,454 1,564 1,599
Slaughter cattle 123 74 45
Replacement cattle 4 — 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 600 lbs lightly tested. Yearling steers sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower following the downturn in CME feeder and DOW futures markets today. Feeder heifers sold 2.00 to 5.00 lower with many new crop bawling calves on offer. Yearling heifers sold steady with good demand. The price difference between weaned and bawling calves is widening each week with more fleshy calves coming to town as dry conditions have persisted. Some much needed rain in forecast for mid-week. Slaughter cows sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower with light demand under heavy supply. 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
420 420 1 256.00 $256.00 $1,075 ±0.00
456 value added 456 3 265.00 $265.00 $1,208 ±0.00
500 500 4 242.00 $242.00 $1,210 —
510 value added 510 7 259.00 $259.00 $1,321 +0.55
570 570 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,374 -8.59
578 value added 578 4 262.00 $262.00 $1,514 -2.32
600–645 625 8 233.00–238.00 $234.40 $1,465 +0.40
672 672 2 238.00 $238.00 $1,599 +3.00
719 719 5 232.00 $232.00 $1,668 -9.60
738–740 value added 738 6 238.00–239.00 $238.83 $1,763 -23.43
773 773 3 228.00 $228.00 $1,762 -4.51
768–797 value added 787 85 236.00–240.00 $239.81 $1,887 -9.33
830 830 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,868 -21.14
841 thin fleshed 841 124 242.00 $242.00 $2,035 —
850–896 889 133 216.00–234.00 $232.28 $2,065 -9.84
926–930 thin fleshed 928 99 230.25–233.75 $232.23 $2,155 —
923–940 931 170 222.00–226.50 $224.88 $2,094 -11.17
980 980 2 210.00 $210.00 $2,058 —
992–996 fancy 994 105 224.00–225.00 $224.41 $2,231 —
1025–1040 1033 2 175.00–180.00 $177.48 $1,833 —
1060–1090 1081 4 175.00–190.00 $184.05 $1,990 —
1096 fancy 1096 53 215.75 $215.75 $2,365 —
1125 1125 1 176.00 $176.00 $1,980 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,017 —
450 450 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,058 +1.19
515 515 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,133 -0.51
555 555 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,299 —
645 645 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,496 —
750–783 775 4 190.00–210.00 $205.16 $1,590 -1.84
805–840 830 5 183.00–216.00 $198.45 $1,647 —
898 898 65 211.75 $211.75 $1,902 —
900 900 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,602 —
1105 1105 1 149.00 $149.00 $1,646 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 value added 635 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,524 —
685 685 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,627 —
705–722 708 10 216.00 $216.00 $1,529 —
838 838 27 218.00 $218.00 $1,827 —
852 852 16 225.00 $225.00 $1,917 —
955 955 2 203.00 $203.00 $1,939 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 2 230.00 $230.00 $782 —
435–445 442 3 222.00–225.00 $222.98 $986 -6.02
450 value added 450 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,035 -12.26
482–495 487 10 221.00–229.00 $225.32 $1,097 +3.32
505–520 513 2 220.00–221.00 $220.49 $1,131 -4.51
511–546 value added 533 9 227.00–235.00 $230.87 $1,231 -2.58
573 573 3 221.00 $221.00 $1,266 -0.50
558–594 value added 580 14 227.00–233.00 $230.47 $1,337 -5.32
600–612 605 5 197.00–216.00 $204.69 $1,238 -22.30
600–635 value added 621 11 224.00–231.00 $227.21 $1,411 -15.61
652 value added 652 5 234.00 $234.00 $1,526 —
677 677 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,503 -18.59
705–708 value added 707 5 219.00–229.00 $226.01 $1,598 -14.60
715–745 732 12 187.00–216.00 $206.41 $1,511 -23.59
762 value added 762 66 238.00 $238.00 $1,814 +6.50
763–775 769 9 186.00–209.00 $197.85 $1,521 —
825–835 828 3 163.00–187.00 $172.39 $1,427 -46.94
855 855 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,411 —
965 965 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,457 —
1190 1190 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,547 —
1255 1255 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,757 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222–245 230 3 180.00 $180.00 $414 —
265–270 268 2 170.00–180.00 $175.05 $469 —
320–342 335 3 191.00–195.00 $193.73 $649 +13.73
365–390 375 4 170.00–204.00 $189.99 $712 +22.49
410–445 417 6 180.00–213.00 $192.31 $802 —
450–485 465 3 170.00–200.00 $189.57 $882 -20.43
515–545 530 2 200.00–210.00 $205.14 $1,087 +0.56
560–595 578 2 200.00–211.00 $205.67 $1,189 -9.33
605 605 1 189.00 $189.00 $1,143 +9.00
695 695 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,258 -15.01
720–730 725 2 160.00–166.00 $162.98 $1,182 +22.98
750–777 764 6 150.00–176.00 $164.90 $1,260 —
820–840 830 2 145.00–149.00 $146.98 $1,220 —
965–980 973 2 142.50–144.00 $143.26 $1,394 -16.74
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 145.00 $145.00 $703 —
520–540 527 3 130.00–137.50 $132.56 $699 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
528 528 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,003 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1425 1293 3 118.00–142.50 $130.28 $1,685 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 363 3 275.00 $275.00 $998 +20.96
400–445 423 6 240.00–270.00 $255.81 $1,082 +9.96
515–538 534 10 229.00–237.00 $230.36 $1,230 -6.42
550 550 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,265 +5.04
605–635 615 3 200.00–212.00 $207.87 $1,278 -1.44
652–695 661 14 194.00–215.00 $204.88 $1,354 -9.80
732–742 738 12 188.00–215.00 $194.33 $1,434 -12.67
767–775 772 5 190.00–208.00 $200.84 $1,550 -12.16
800–845 809 5 171.00–180.00 $172.88 $1,399 -24.61
850–895 872 3 170.00–193.00 $184.48 $1,609 -11.86
910–915 913 2 170.00–197.00 $183.54 $1,676 -3.46
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–280 275 2 190.00–245.00 $217.00 $597 —
310 310 1 200.00 $200.00 $620 —
350–395 370 3 220.00–240.00 $230.75 $854 —
425 425 2 210.00–220.00 $215.00 $914 —
470 470 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,010 —
500–535 518 7 200.00–217.50 $208.86 $1,082 -13.03
550–590 570 6 215.00–227.50 $219.01 $1,248 +14.20
645 645 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,232 -4.00
655–687 675 6 184.00–193.00 $188.22 $1,270 —
725 725 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,348 +6.00
765 765 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,408 —
835 835 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,336 —
955 955 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,337 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 140.00 $140.00 $679 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1630 1418 75-80% 8 84.00–93.00 $89.03 $1,262 —
1210–1910 1445 75-80% 22 93.00–99.00 $95.70 $1,383 —
1260–1925 1533 75-80% 16 100.00–112.00 $102.88 $1,577 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–1070 938 85-90% 5 70.00–77.00 $74.69 $701 -3.31
825–1240 1042 85-90% 9 87.00–95.00 $89.78 $936 —
990–1290 1164 85-90% 8 78.00–83.00 $80.25 $934 —
1065–1285 1175 85-90% 2 99.00 $99.00 $1,163 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1235 1169 80-85% 6 89.00–93.00 $90.20 $1,054 -17.63
1025–1390 1224 80-85% 9 94.00–99.00 $96.04 $1,176 —
1070–1570 1255 80-85% 3 103.00–114.00 $106.42 $1,336 +6.72

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1220 1200 2 112.00–114.00 $113.02 $1,356 —
1635–1895 1747 3 118.00–129.00 $125.24 $2,188 —
1575–2170 1842 7 130.00–141.00 $134.92 $2,485 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–1180 1030 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 115.00–130.00 $123.59 $1,273
895–1300 1098 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 104.00–112.50 $108.61 $1,193

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1440 1440 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1230 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00

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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
1480 1480 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
791 791 55 191.75 $191.75 $1,517 —

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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.