Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, November 14, 2023

1,423 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 $229.42/cwt +17.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,974/hd at 861 lb · 71 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $175.70/cwt -11.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,479/hd at 842 lb · 61 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $183.04/cwt +21.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,826/hd at 998 lb · 60 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,423 1,053 1,078
Feeder cattle 1,221 934 1,014
Slaughter cattle 119 119 64
Replacement cattle 83 — 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday steer and heifer calves sold unevenly steady with moderate demand; good demand for weaned calf packages. Off-color, fleshy and bawling calves facing discounts. Yearlings sold steady in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold steady with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 2.00 lower in a limited comparison.

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
370–388 385 6 240.00–266.00 $261.84 $1,008 -0.16
441–445 value added 442 4 270.00–275.00 $273.74 $1,210 +6.78
476 value added 476 13 270.00 $270.00 $1,285 +15.00
480 480 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,164 —
533–545 value added 538 5 245.00–251.00 $248.57 $1,337 -4.43
541–547 546 32 238.00 $238.00 $1,299 —
561–570 563 4 236.00–239.00 $236.76 $1,333 -9.07
565–570 value added 568 3 242.00–247.00 $243.66 $1,384 -14.28
600–618 611 35 228.00–232.00 $230.58 $1,409 -1.14
617–640 value added 626 17 234.00–245.00 $240.55 $1,506 -11.34
655–698 691 11 217.00–226.00 $223.61 $1,545 -7.04
712–738 value added 727 14 220.00–225.00 $222.32 $1,616 -6.81
752–769 value added 763 33 219.00–236.50 $232.43 $1,773 -4.44
800–804 thin fleshed 803 31 229.00–232.50 $231.37 $1,858 —
800–820 814 6 207.00–221.00 $214.83 $1,749 —
859 fancy 859 65 230.80 $230.80 $1,983 —
870–881 877 6 206.00–217.00 $214.52 $1,881 +23.52
905–940 928 3 203.00–207.50 $204.46 $1,897 +4.46
978 978 58 212.00 $212.00 $2,073 +25.78
1090 1090 1 200.00 $200.00 $2,180 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–495 487 5 225.00–237.00 $231.66 $1,128 —
542–545 543 3 201.00–220.00 $213.64 $1,160 -12.36
560–573 564 11 229.00–235.00 $230.66 $1,301 -5.34
600–645 620 6 160.00–210.00 $192.48 $1,193 -17.52
655–687 676 3 196.00–220.00 $212.25 $1,435 -4.65
707–712 708 8 209.00–214.00 $210.26 $1,489 +8.22
755–775 759 6 195.00–206.00 $202.96 $1,540 -13.73
800–815 806 8 197.00–203.00 $200.72 $1,618 —
900–905 902 3 179.00–181.00 $179.67 $1,621 —
972 972 2 184.00 $184.00 $1,788 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,494 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 220.00 $220.00 $605 +5.00
323 value added 323 4 220.00 $220.00 $711 —
361–390 370 6 192.00–198.00 $196.25 $726 —
405–425 409 9 200.00–204.00 $203.08 $831 —
450–494 487 50 197.00–210.50 $206.53 $1,006 -2.24
507–541 526 36 190.00–209.00 $199.57 $1,050 -1.68
552–590 576 24 193.00–208.00 $198.41 $1,143 -1.94
560–595 value added 586 33 209.00–227.00 $219.62 $1,287 +4.32
600–635 611 11 187.00–200.00 $194.06 $1,186 -10.92
601–645 628 19 200.00–206.00 $203.47 $1,278 +6.17
635–636 value added 635 7 223.00–227.00 $225.28 $1,431 +13.57
676–690 685 16 180.00–198.00 $190.60 $1,306 -2.91
700–728 717 5 170.00–178.00 $174.88 $1,254 -22.91
765–782 776 3 165.00–191.00 $182.46 $1,416 —
828 828 6 210.00 $210.00 $1,739 +45.00
810–848 843 55 153.00–193.00 $171.96 $1,450 +6.96
880–882 882 5 173.00–185.00 $175.40 $1,547 —
900–927 914 5 101.00–151.00 $127.31 $1,164 -1.69
970–985 977 4 144.00–203.00 $180.04 $1,759 -5.31
999 fancy 999 56 183.25 $183.25 $1,831 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–395 373 10 160.00–175.00 $167.63 $625 -4.87
405–420 413 3 179.00–182.00 $180.34 $745 +2.84
460–470 465 2 180.00–181.00 $180.51 $839 -19.99
520–545 535 6 181.00–188.00 $183.14 $980 +0.14
555–585 567 3 172.50–190.00 $180.79 $1,025 -0.21
665–690 677 3 168.00–179.00 $174.76 $1,183 -9.24
795 795 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,034 -22.08
800–805 801 7 127.50–142.00 $139.92 $1,121 —
850 850 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,105 -4.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 150.00 $150.00 $472 —
350–390 370 2 155.00–157.50 $156.18 $578 —
405 405 2 155.00 $155.00 $628 +15.00
455 455 1 160.00 $160.00 $728 —
500 500 1 155.00 $155.00 $775 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245 1245 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,606 -5.78

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–275 270 2 165.00–195.00 $179.72 $485 —
300–310 305 2 215.00–227.50 $221.15 $675 —
390 390 1 195.00 $195.00 $760 —
410 410 1 197.50 $197.50 $810 -18.94
456–493 480 14 191.00–215.00 $204.12 $980 -19.36
505–540 523 7 180.00–207.00 $190.55 $997 -11.79
550–595 567 15 180.00–202.00 $189.78 $1,076 +10.80
605–645 623 9 166.00–181.00 $171.88 $1,071 -8.14
655–683 675 5 152.00–173.00 $168.05 $1,134 -11.25
700–745 715 16 148.00–161.00 $157.16 $1,124 -12.87
800–845 823 3 100.00–120.00 $113.16 $931 -26.84
860–870 863 3 110.00–120.00 $116.64 $1,007 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372–395 378 7 235.00–242.00 $239.31 $905 —
415–435 423 3 230.00–240.00 $235.88 $998 -8.70
450 450 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,058 -14.84
500–508 504 9 225.00 $225.00 $1,134 +1.21
550 550 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,210 —
600–630 612 13 184.00–220.00 $198.30 $1,214 -2.65
650–690 680 4 176.00–182.00 $178.45 $1,213 -14.61
707–745 715 10 200.00–211.00 $203.97 $1,458 +15.36
768 768 3 153.00 $153.00 $1,175 -41.19
870 870 2 125.00–134.00 $129.50 $1,127 -24.50
935 935 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,225 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
417 417 2 223.00 $223.00 $930 —
642 642 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,021 —
770 770 4 149.00 $149.00 $1,147 -43.50
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 150.00 $150.00 $660 —
600–611 607 6 141.00–147.00 $145.02 $880 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1635 1416 75-80% 5 86.00–92.00 $89.69 $1,270 -7.12
1280–1645 1515 75-80% 9 92.00–99.00 $95.60 $1,448 +6.45
1415–1680 1586 75-80% 12 99.00–112.00 $102.28 $1,622 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–1215 998 85-90% 4 62.00–71.00 $68.87 $687 —
810–1230 1011 85-90% 5 74.00–81.00 $79.47 $803 +0.80
1010–1200 1078 85-90% 5 82.00–85.00 $83.85 $904 -2.13
1010–1370 1145 85-90% 7 89.00–100.00 $93.65 $1,072 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1280 1196 80-85% 6 87.00–91.00 $89.96 $1,076 —
1040–1345 1231 80-85% 6 95.00–98.00 $96.34 $1,186 +10.12
1050–1400 1231 80-85% 4 102.00–105.00 $103.21 $1,271 +16.99

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1830 1420 5 97.00–108.00 $102.94 $1,462 —
1400–2125 1743 8 108.00–122.00 $114.96 $2,004 —
1805–2230 2016 4 124.00–128.00 $125.30 $2,526 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035–1215 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,375.00 $1,190.02

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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
1680 1680 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1150 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 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
777 thin fleshed 777 50 169.75 $169.75 $1,319 —

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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.