Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, February 20, 2024

1,039 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 $225.99/cwt +16.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,735/hd at 768 lb · 122 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $228.03/cwt -2.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,839/hd at 807 lb · 56 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $261.36/cwt +29.23 vs last sale · ≈ $1,852/hd at 709 lb · 47 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,039 558 906
Feeder cattle 942 506 842
Slaughter cattle 88 47 63
Replacement cattle 9 5 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday steer and heifer calves under 550 lbs sold sharply higher with very good demand; heifers over 550 sold 3.00 to 7.00 higher with good demand. Yearling steers sold 2.00 to 3.00 higher in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand. Market very active for good quality weaned calf packages.

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
270 value added 270 1 330.00 $330.00 $891 —
345 value added 345 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,182 —
380–390 value added 384 9 325.00–332.00 $329.11 $1,264 +17.85
405–412 410 3 303.00 $303.00 $1,242 +38.00
405–445 value added 427 14 306.00–335.00 $326.02 $1,392 +17.56
457–495 478 10 297.00–305.00 $300.39 $1,436 —
460–489 value added 485 7 313.00–319.00 $318.19 $1,543 +27.09
500–530 512 3 255.00–267.50 $261.07 $1,337 +1.40
505–535 value added 522 29 275.00–306.00 $296.74 $1,549 -3.25
560–574 value added 567 22 264.00–290.00 $276.27 $1,566 -4.83
585 585 6 250.00 $250.00 $1,462 -10.48
615 615 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,476 +2.01
607–635 value added 622 22 257.00–279.00 $274.25 $1,706 —
627 thin fleshed 627 4 274.00 $274.00 $1,718 —
662–680 value added 666 14 256.00–268.00 $262.19 $1,746 -2.33
685 685 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,665 +4.65
700 fancy 700 13 268.00 $268.00 $1,876 —
707–748 value added 712 34 232.00–264.00 $258.82 $1,843 +24.84
752–792 value added 788 23 238.50–240.00 $239.21 $1,885 +2.58
802–805 value added 804 50 229.00–232.50 $231.24 $1,859 —
812–842 827 4 200.00–211.00 $205.40 $1,699 -18.80
830 830 2 193.00 $193.00 $1,602 -31.20
850 850 4 187.00 $187.00 $1,590 -22.06
860–881 875 15 209.00–214.00 $212.35 $1,858 +3.29
930 930 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,776 -7.59
975 975 2 195.00–196.00 $195.50 $1,906 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 268.00 $268.00 $1,581 —
605 605 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,313 —
886 886 8 214.00 $214.00 $1,896 —
911 911 3 193.00 $193.00 $1,758 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 280.00 $280.00 $938 —
585 585 3 242.00 $242.00 $1,416 —
620–640 634 4 194.00–229.00 $215.39 $1,366 -16.60
655–660 658 2 227.00–234.00 $230.49 $1,517 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 182.00 $182.00 $946 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 value added 225 1 284.00 $284.00 $639 +46.50
235 235 1 270.00 $270.00 $634 —
265–290 278 2 247.00–270.00 $259.02 $720 —
280–285 value added 281 4 282.50–295.00 $291.83 $820 +51.83
305–345 value added 323 4 267.00–295.00 $280.94 $907 —
305–340 326 4 251.00–260.00 $254.84 $831 —
355–380 372 3 248.00–262.00 $257.54 $958 +31.54
355–395 value added 382 13 262.00–297.50 $276.32 $1,056 +21.32
400–445 value added 422 38 263.00–292.00 $279.16 $1,178 +10.84
455–490 473 4 250.00–254.00 $251.93 $1,192 +14.29
455–496 value added 474 37 260.00–292.50 $275.01 $1,304 +12.75
500–545 value added 509 30 246.00–274.00 $257.89 $1,313 +12.95
507–541 530 6 242.00–243.00 $242.68 $1,286 +13.68
555–597 579 14 221.00–240.00 $232.11 $1,344 +7.46
550–595 value added 580 20 246.00–259.00 $254.21 $1,474 +3.47
605–615 611 5 195.00–220.00 $210.00 $1,283 +9.55
600–643 value added 613 22 220.00–249.00 $236.65 $1,451 +12.09
650–690 666 7 189.00–206.00 $199.14 $1,326 -3.36
659–694 value added 666 38 222.00–234.00 $230.38 $1,534 -7.02
707–740 716 8 179.00–198.00 $189.16 $1,354 -11.70
715–735 724 7 210.00–211.00 $210.28 $1,522 +9.42
724–745 value added 728 11 213.00–216.00 $213.56 $1,555 -17.44
756 fancy 756 58 230.00 $230.00 $1,739 —
755–783 776 7 182.00–209.00 $200.09 $1,553 -8.91
758–789 value added 779 57 212.00–232.00 $225.09 $1,753 —
808 fancy 808 12 228.00 $228.00 $1,842 —
840 840 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,344 -25.00
863 863 4 182.00 $182.00 $1,571 +42.00
900–945 923 2 156.00–172.00 $163.80 $1,512 —
970–978 976 4 157.50–180.00 $163.09 $1,592 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–245 228 2 232.00–240.00 $235.69 $537 —
255–285 270 2 222.50–230.00 $226.04 $610 +26.94
300–310 305 2 205.00–222.00 $213.64 $652 —
380–395 388 2 210.00–240.00 $225.29 $874 +15.29
410 410 1 220.00 $220.00 $902 -10.00
450–498 482 6 230.00–239.00 $235.54 $1,135 +10.54
560–595 576 4 200.00–221.00 $210.72 $1,214 +38.22
620–630 627 3 181.00–197.00 $186.28 $1,168 +23.78
657 657 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,314 +46.00
700–741 726 5 157.00–177.50 $168.92 $1,226 +18.92
785 785 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,197 +2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,140 —
700 700 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,358 —
930 930 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,479 —
990 990 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,267 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 310.00 $310.00 $682 —
220–235 value added 229 4 330.00–367.50 $352.95 $808 —
285 285 1 285.00 $285.00 $812 -18.00
292 value added 292 5 317.00 $317.00 $926 —
305–347 327 8 300.00–307.00 $302.93 $991 —
330–346 value added 342 4 327.50–333.00 $331.67 $1,134 —
352–385 value added 365 12 300.00–350.00 $338.58 $1,236 —
421–442 value added 435 11 297.00–315.00 $310.74 $1,352 +35.63
460 460 2 256.00 $256.00 $1,178 +11.00
477–497 value added 484 7 291.00–322.50 $301.89 $1,461 +25.51
525 525 5 264.00 $264.00 $1,386 +24.00
531–545 value added 536 5 260.00–275.00 $263.05 $1,410 +0.60
560–570 565 5 242.00–252.00 $248.59 $1,405 +1.13
552–585 value added 574 9 260.00–272.00 $264.92 $1,521 +4.92
615–647 634 4 220.00–228.00 $222.48 $1,411 —
670–692 680 5 197.00–214.00 $206.48 $1,404 +8.48
685 value added 685 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,534 —
705–713 value added 711 4 219.00–231.00 $221.97 $1,578 —
735 735 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,580 +11.41
755–770 766 4 200.00–210.00 $202.46 $1,551 —
885 885 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,779 —
905 905 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,584 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–340 329 4 237.50–300.00 $264.61 $871 —
380 380 1 262.50 $262.50 $998 —
445 445 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,101 —
575–585 580 2 223.00–229.00 $225.97 $1,311 —
650 650 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,326 —
780 780 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,505 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 170.00 $170.00 $604 —
400–440 428 4 187.50–220.00 $208.54 $893 —
500 500 1 191.00 $191.00 $955 —
560 560 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,078 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
657 657 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,248 —
801 801 3 185.00 $185.00 $1,482 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1785 1335 75-80% 11 106.00–114.00 $109.88 $1,467 —
1335 1335 75-80% 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,322 —
1255–1695 1473 75-80% 14 114.00–125.00 $116.41 $1,715 +9.79
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
680–975 800 85-90% 3 70.00–79.00 $74.10 $593 —
720–1310 1046 85-90% 9 92.00–98.00 $94.97 $993 —
835–1190 1053 85-90% 3 84.00–89.00 $86.45 $910 -13.58
1050–1295 1139 85-90% 6 98.00–105.00 $102.39 $1,166 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–1465 1164 80-85% 6 106.00–114.00 $110.69 $1,288 —
1145–1495 1289 80-85% 12 115.00–131.00 $120.06 $1,548 +11.77
1340 1340 80-85% 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,327 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1270 1253 2 114.00–128.00 $121.10 $1,517 —
1820–2250 2033 4 131.00–143.00 $135.70 $2,759 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985–1125 1055 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,175.00–1,275.00 $1,228.32
1395 1395 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00

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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
1660–1790 1725 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,000.00–2,300.00 $2,155.65 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1045 1045 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820 820 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,148 —

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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.