Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 5, 2023

1,430 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 $217.30/cwt +20.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,767/hd at 813 lb · 129 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $206.79/cwt -9.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,803/hd at 872 lb · 128 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $229.57/cwt -11.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,443/hd at 628 lb · 91 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,430 1,847 1,537
Feeder cattle 1,349 1,749 1,439
Slaughter cattle 81 95 98
Replacement cattle — 3 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers traded unevenly steady with best demand for hard-weaned 400-600 lb calves; fleshy and plain calves over 600 lbs facing discounts. Yearlings sold 5.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 6.00 lower with light demand. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00 lower with moderate 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
375 375 1 257.00 $257.00 $964 —
391 value added 391 5 266.00 $266.00 $1,040 —
428–435 430 4 245.00–247.00 $245.51 $1,056 —
420–442 value added 434 16 249.00–264.00 $259.07 $1,124 +2.07
475 475 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,188 —
498 value added 498 17 255.00 $255.00 $1,270 +12.18
503–530 value added 518 42 239.00–250.00 $247.11 $1,280 -4.16
561 value added 561 9 241.00 $241.00 $1,352 +1.84
550–567 562 19 233.00–237.00 $233.83 $1,314 —
604–645 value added 623 20 220.00–230.00 $225.17 $1,403 -18.38
622–626 fancy 624 43 243.00–244.00 $243.49 $1,519 —
635–649 639 28 209.00–218.00 $211.35 $1,351 -9.38
679–681 680 16 197.00–211.00 $201.38 $1,369 -19.24
699 value added 699 15 222.50 $222.50 $1,555 —
705 value added 705 6 212.00 $212.00 $1,495 -12.37
700–717 715 37 178.00–206.00 $200.00 $1,430 -9.00
750–764 759 15 183.00–204.50 $195.10 $1,481 -8.90
790 790 25 191.75 $191.75 $1,515 -12.25
808–819 value added 813 129 215.00–220.00 $217.30 $1,767 —
861–886 value added 871 108 201.00–215.00 $209.07 $1,821 -11.93
872–886 878 20 189.00–199.00 $194.46 $1,707 -6.74
936 936 10 197.00 $197.00 $1,844 -14.52
1003 1003 53 188.50 $188.50 $1,891 -4.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 182.50 $182.50 $420 —
310 310 1 244.00 $244.00 $756 —
477 477 2 234.00 $234.00 $1,116 +11.45
500–545 533 6 214.00–231.00 $222.78 $1,187 +1.78
562–598 578 22 207.00–226.00 $222.58 $1,287 +0.67
605–639 618 24 185.00–206.00 $191.73 $1,185 —
715 715 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,144 -23.71
920 920 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,592 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 3 150.00 $150.00 $664 —
500 500 1 120.00 $120.00 $600 —
595 595 1 167.50 $167.50 $997 —
615 615 2 160.00 $160.00 $984 +20.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
646 646 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,292 -5.00
915 915 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,583 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1340 1275 2 135.00–152.00 $143.07 $1,824 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205–240 value added 223 2 233.00–251.00 $241.29 $538 —
300 value added 300 1 212.00 $212.00 $636 —
310–330 320 3 192.00–209.00 $200.16 $641 -0.84
355–375 368 3 200.00–212.50 $204.02 $751 +4.02
350–381 value added 370 7 211.00–219.00 $217.07 $803 -11.79
410–447 438 11 190.00–212.50 $199.12 $872 +2.26
420–443 value added 440 8 203.00–227.00 $205.86 $906 -5.18
451 value added 451 4 208.00 $208.00 $938 -10.38
455–490 474 15 191.00–199.00 $194.45 $922 -4.44
521 value added 521 13 202.00 $202.00 $1,052 -7.67
500–545 532 36 190.00–199.00 $194.77 $1,036 -2.65
555–595 580 16 189.00–230.00 $199.36 $1,156 +5.01
558–599 value added 588 67 191.00–239.00 $213.03 $1,253 +4.20
612–637 value added 618 16 196.00–198.00 $196.52 $1,214 -23.62
623 623 5 190.00 $190.00 $1,184 +3.97
600–638 626 10 180.00–195.00 $190.85 $1,195 +4.82
665 665 6 191.00 $191.00 $1,270 +11.04
650–683 672 19 168.00–185.00 $177.90 $1,195 -2.06
720–735 732 14 161.00–190.00 $172.90 $1,266 -4.10
737 value added 737 56 201.00 $201.00 $1,481 -17.10
752 752 2 179.00 $179.00 $1,346 —
769 value added 769 6 203.00 $203.00 $1,561 -15.30
787–788 788 10 183.00–192.00 $190.20 $1,499 —
820 value added 820 64 185.75 $185.75 $1,523 -24.30
826 826 5 140.00 $140.00 $1,156 -45.19
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 160.00 $160.00 $376 —
265 265 1 160.00 $160.00 $424 —
355 355 1 172.00 $172.00 $611 -11.00
400 400 1 189.00 $189.00 $756 +35.56
455–495 486 10 162.00–184.00 $168.29 $818 —
500–545 519 13 187.00–189.00 $187.93 $975 —
560–581 573 11 171.00–189.00 $185.48 $1,063 +0.98
600–635 612 5 145.00–185.00 $175.26 $1,073 +12.12
669–690 671 10 170.00–176.00 $175.38 $1,177 —
717–726 723 7 130.00–139.00 $133.26 $963 -16.00
820 820 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,148 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
506 506 4 195.00 $195.00 $987 —
562 562 5 188.00 $188.00 $1,057 —
600 600 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,038 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 2 140.00 $140.00 $528 —
425 425 1 115.00 $115.00 $489 —
475 475 1 125.00 $125.00 $594 —
510–517 515 3 125.00–160.00 $136.56 $703 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,612 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–395 386 5 242.00–262.50 $250.84 $968 -1.73
425–446 441 4 225.00–245.00 $229.82 $1,014 +12.53
470–490 479 5 230.00–245.00 $236.30 $1,132 +11.34
505 505 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,197 +3.33
511 value added 511 4 247.00 $247.00 $1,262 —
552 552 5 231.00 $231.00 $1,275 +2.88
561 value added 561 7 239.00 $239.00 $1,341 —
600–637 615 11 181.00–224.00 $207.92 $1,279 +11.98
650 650 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,300 +1.71
710–720 715 5 176.00–204.00 $185.16 $1,324 +8.47
751–781 766 6 176.00–183.00 $179.57 $1,376 -10.43
813 813 5 174.00 $174.00 $1,415 —
981 981 3 165.00 $165.00 $1,619 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 207.50 $207.50 $571 +26.17
310 310 2 230.00 $230.00 $713 —
395 395 1 233.00 $233.00 $920 +10.72
435 435 1 214.00 $214.00 $931 -5.48
470 470 1 210.00 $210.00 $987 -11.60
500–545 521 7 179.00–229.00 $216.09 $1,126 +0.81
580 580 2 216.00 $216.00 $1,253 +5.00
790 790 2 124.00 $124.00 $980 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
516 516 4 236.00 $236.00 $1,218 —
560 560 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,148 —
670 670 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,213 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 147.50 $147.50 $811 —
670 670 1 140.00 $140.00 $938 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1590 1486 75-80% 5 84.00–88.00 $86.45 $1,285 —
1230–1905 1525 75-80% 14 89.00–95.00 $92.49 $1,410 —
1425–2045 1688 75-80% 12 95.00–104.00 $97.71 $1,649 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100 1100 80-85% 1 75.00 $75.00 $825 —
1140–1360 1264 80-85% 7 88.00–91.00 $89.86 $1,136 —
1170–1475 1283 80-85% 6 80.00–87.00 $84.68 $1,086 —
1595–1765 1680 80-85% 2 98.00–100.00 $99.05 $1,664 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1125 1093 85-90% 4 70.00–73.00 $71.51 $782 -14.57
1060–1225 1143 85-90% 2 81.00–82.00 $81.54 $932 -13.57
1155–1540 1263 85-90% 4 74.00–77.00 $75.61 $955 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1935 1634 11 112.00–123.00 $115.41 $1,886 -3.59
1370–2230 1663 3 95.00–112.00 $103.58 $1,723 -31.23
1740–1780 1760 2 127.00–128.00 $127.49 $2,244 —

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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.