Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 9, 2024

759 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $226.13/cwt ≈ $2,148/hd at 950 lb · 61 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $249.12/cwt +18.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,667/hd at 669 lb · 45 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $255.39/cwt +9.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,448/hd at 567 lb · 44 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 759 516 1,397
Feeder cattle 621 466 1,293
Slaughter cattle 136 39 93
Replacement cattle 2 11 11

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher on weaned packages with very good demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00 higher with very 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
305 305 1 300.00 $300.00 $915 —
321 value added 321 6 323.00 $323.00 $1,037 —
351 351 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,053 —
388 value added 388 3 317.00 $317.00 $1,230 -2.00
405 405 2 290.00 $290.00 $1,174 —
408–445 value added 429 14 307.00–320.00 $314.40 $1,349 —
457 457 2 304.00 $304.00 $1,389 +26.57
465–492 value added 477 10 310.00–324.00 $319.70 $1,525 —
500–522 value added 505 17 293.00–320.00 $306.21 $1,546 —
505–535 518 3 269.00–290.00 $280.64 $1,454 -0.36
554–565 value added 559 26 296.00–308.00 $303.33 $1,696 —
575 575 1 268.00 $268.00 $1,541 -2.80
600–631 thin fleshed 613 30 298.00–304.00 $301.22 $1,846 +4.22
600–645 value added 619 9 274.00–295.00 $283.44 $1,754 -1.98
652–690 665 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,729 —
650–695 value added 680 28 265.00–294.00 $279.71 $1,902 +0.54
704–717 value added 706 19 250.00–271.00 $259.10 $1,829 —
710–715 713 2 238.00–241.00 $239.51 $1,708 —
757–790 value added 779 6 239.00–246.00 $241.27 $1,879 —
800–830 820 12 220.00–235.00 $232.28 $1,905 —
880 880 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,954 —
908 908 3 211.00 $211.00 $1,916 —
950–957 950 61 208.00–226.75 $226.13 $2,148 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 4 280.00 $280.00 $1,078 —
500 500 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,195 -22.88
555 555 2 252.00 $252.00 $1,399 —
660–690 670 3 238.00–245.00 $240.40 $1,611 —
775 775 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,782 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 247.50 $247.50 $656 —
510 510 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,122 —
610 610 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,379 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 288.00 $288.00 $1,166 —
490 490 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,377 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 5 285.00 $285.00 $929 +12.00
356–375 361 6 272.00–292.50 $282.65 $1,020 -13.20
350–395 value added 374 5 300.00–312.50 $307.99 $1,152 -1.01
410–445 427 5 250.00–260.00 $257.24 $1,098 -6.76
422–445 value added 434 8 260.00–287.50 $274.29 $1,190 -18.68
450–495 value added 470 16 269.00–284.00 $277.97 $1,306 +5.20
470–490 480 2 255.00–257.00 $256.02 $1,229 +8.59
500–540 518 11 243.00–255.00 $251.68 $1,304 +4.25
500–545 value added 526 27 258.00–274.00 $271.54 $1,428 +18.11
552–585 567 17 249.00–255.00 $252.29 $1,430 +8.54
563–578 value added 567 27 256.00–260.00 $257.34 $1,459 -8.34
617 617 2 239.00 $239.00 $1,475 +7.50
600–645 value added 628 11 241.00–254.00 $248.70 $1,562 +8.70
656–682 value added 668 43 242.00–255.00 $249.82 $1,669 —
690 690 2 234.00 $234.00 $1,615 +3.81
712 712 2 223.00 $223.00 $1,588 -10.00
720–745 728 3 200.00–201.00 $200.66 $1,461 -32.34
788 788 3 211.00 $211.00 $1,663 —
812 812 2 189.00 $189.00 $1,535 -10.00
872 872 4 193.00 $193.00 $1,683 -2.00
873 value added 873 3 204.00 $204.00 $1,781 —
920–931 927 5 187.00–192.00 $190.01 $1,761 —
1033 1033 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,859 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 225 1 247.50 $247.50 $557 —
418 418 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,045 +12.00
480–495 488 2 231.00–240.00 $235.57 $1,150 +5.72
605–640 628 4 210.00–226.00 $219.61 $1,379 +25.61
740 740 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,369 +1.00
775 775 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,240 —
815 815 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,394 —
930 930 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,432 -1.96
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1470 1299 8 145.00–173.00 $154.67 $2,009 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,282 -5.99
680 680 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,550 +23.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 300.00 $300.00 $765 —
400 value added 400 2 303.00 $303.00 $1,212 +11.00
410–445 425 3 288.00–291.00 $289.63 $1,231 +23.30
465 value added 465 2 294.00 $294.00 $1,367 —
465–487 483 8 270.00–291.00 $285.22 $1,378 +12.22
500–505 503 2 277.00–280.00 $278.51 $1,401 +7.77
521 value added 521 4 285.00 $285.00 $1,485 +1.00
552–573 566 6 265.00–280.00 $269.88 $1,528 +5.65
570 value added 570 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,545 —
631 value added 631 5 271.00 $271.00 $1,710 —
657–687 672 4 237.00–242.00 $239.44 $1,609 +11.87
705–720 713 2 226.00–230.00 $228.02 $1,626 —
755–773 769 4 221.00–223.00 $222.51 $1,711 +11.19
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505–545 525 2 241.00–250.00 $245.67 $1,290 +4.67
552–572 562 4 250.00–262.00 $256.11 $1,439 —
600–612 607 4 222.00–232.00 $229.28 $1,392 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,314 -12.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 232.50 $232.50 $802 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1390 1216 75-80% 7 117.00–124.00 $121.91 $1,482 —
1000–1725 1429 75-80% 48 124.00–144.00 $132.70 $1,896 +1.08
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1405 1267 80-85% 6 114.00–123.00 $120.56 $1,527 —
1065–1725 1293 80-85% 29 124.00–144.00 $131.71 $1,703 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 85-90% 1 99.00 $99.00 $718 —
805 805 85-90% 1 88.00 $88.00 $708 —
915–1060 975 85-90% 4 107.00–111.00 $109.56 $1,068 —
930–1160 1032 85-90% 12 116.00–128.00 $120.51 $1,244 +2.57

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425–2000 1673 6 155.00–176.00 $163.77 $2,740 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
975–1060 1023 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 123.00–128.00 $125.00 $1,279
1175 1175 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,586

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1400 1400 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
760 760 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00

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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.