Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 14, 2024

990 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $293.31/cwt +11.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,955/hd at 667 lb · 111 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $234.84/cwt -5.16 vs last sale · ≈ $1,754/hd at 747 lb · 70 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $264.41/cwt +20.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,626/hd at 615 lb · 61 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 990 882 1,255
Feeder cattle 895 801 1,143
Slaughter cattle 86 79 106
Replacement cattle 9 2 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages suitable for grass. Feeder heifers sold steady on similar quality; however more new crop short-weaned calves on offer with fleshy offerings facing discounts. Buyers showing preference for weaned preconditioned packages suitable for grass. Slaughter cows sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand heading into grilling season. 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
270 270 1 325.00 $325.00 $878 —
330 value added 330 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,056 -80.00
350–360 value added 355 2 320.00–347.00 $333.31 $1,183 —
403–445 value added 424 14 327.00–362.50 $348.65 $1,478 -0.40
420–442 435 3 305.00–310.00 $308.39 $1,341 +18.39
455–496 value added 476 25 311.00–357.50 $342.22 $1,629 +17.10
475–490 483 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,497 —
520 520 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,508 +4.49
505–546 value added 531 51 300.00–352.50 $321.51 $1,707 -3.05
550–570 560 2 289.00–291.00 $290.02 $1,624 +4.02
550–592 value added 585 35 294.00–315.00 $307.15 $1,797 -8.86
600–641 625 5 285.00–290.00 $285.96 $1,787 +21.89
634 fancy 634 34 306.00 $306.00 $1,940 —
658–669 665 12 261.00–271.00 $267.70 $1,780 +12.70
665 fancy 665 87 298.00 $298.00 $1,982 —
653–693 value added 680 12 283.00–289.00 $284.92 $1,937 +0.99
700–727 value added 713 21 251.00–292.00 $272.45 $1,943 +7.42
764–773 value added 765 21 249.00–254.00 $253.28 $1,938 —
800–840 818 8 221.00–230.00 $223.83 $1,831 -13.17
827 value added 827 46 236.00 $236.00 $1,952 —
850–867 864 5 220.00–227.00 $225.62 $1,949 —
947 947 2 226.00 $226.00 $2,140 —
955 955 1 224.00 $224.00 $2,139 —
1150 1150 1 182.00 $182.00 $2,093 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385–390 388 2 280.00–300.00 $290.06 $1,125 —
420 420 1 279.00 $279.00 $1,172 —
577 577 4 261.00 $261.00 $1,506 —
645 645 1 267.00 $267.00 $1,722 +8.49
680–685 682 3 241.00–252.00 $244.68 $1,669 -5.32
705–735 720 2 225.00–236.00 $230.61 $1,660 -8.39
800–830 808 4 196.00–220.00 $202.17 $1,634 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975 975 1 218.00 $218.00 $2,126 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 307.50 $307.50 $953 +5.00
361–368 value added 365 6 313.00–325.00 $319.06 $1,165 +2.48
360–390 370 3 292.50–297.50 $295.07 $1,092 -15.93
400–445 value added 428 36 265.00–292.00 $285.62 $1,222 -19.97
455–490 value added 474 19 268.00–286.00 $275.00 $1,304 -22.44
485–487 486 3 264.00–265.00 $264.33 $1,285 -15.67
512–535 523 8 254.00–260.00 $257.28 $1,346 -4.28
516–545 value added 525 27 266.00–282.00 $276.31 $1,451 -1.88
550–590 565 21 253.00–264.00 $257.40 $1,454 -4.10
552–586 value added 584 33 268.00–279.00 $278.37 $1,626 +2.02
600–640 608 7 237.00–239.00 $238.15 $1,448 -5.85
600–645 value added 616 54 252.00–274.00 $267.81 $1,650 —
680–690 value added 687 12 242.00–245.00 $243.92 $1,676 -15.91
740–747 value added 747 70 231.00–234.95 $234.84 $1,754 —
762–785 764 11 197.00–207.00 $197.93 $1,512 —
780–783 value added 781 9 224.00 $224.00 $1,749 +2.60
830 830 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,618 -3.00
902–930 908 5 161.00–184.00 $179.29 $1,628 -7.71
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 257.50 $257.50 $515 —
360–390 375 3 240.00–280.00 $266.37 $999 -20.50
445 445 2 230.00–237.50 $233.75 $1,040 —
477–487 482 5 230.00–245.00 $236.47 $1,140 -18.72
535–545 541 5 235.00–250.00 $243.00 $1,315 -6.11
550–580 569 5 230.00–241.00 $238.68 $1,358 —
602 602 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,385 -1.69
705–715 708 3 190.00–208.00 $197.32 $1,397 -11.76
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1450 1450 1 147.00 $147.00 $2,132 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,148 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 2 303.00–315.00 $309.00 $1,051 —
350–370 360 2 290.00–293.00 $291.54 $1,050 —
435–447 441 4 309.00–317.50 $313.19 $1,381 +29.19
445 value added 445 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,424 +4.56
472–485 478 5 293.00–304.00 $299.97 $1,434 -1.27
465–490 value added 479 6 310.00–319.00 $312.12 $1,495 —
505–545 value added 521 23 283.00–316.00 $303.42 $1,581 +9.38
535 535 1 279.00 $279.00 $1,493 -6.00
560–575 value added 569 5 282.00–299.00 $290.61 $1,654 +6.39
570–595 578 3 267.00–278.00 $274.23 $1,585 —
607–645 616 6 242.50–256.00 $245.68 $1,513 -20.32
620–633 value added 629 7 259.00–268.00 $262.54 $1,651 -11.79
651–696 669 13 240.00–255.00 $248.47 $1,662 -5.92
734 734 5 228.00 $228.00 $1,674 -14.73
750–760 755 2 224.00–236.00 $229.96 $1,736 +4.96
915 915 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,647 —
1050 1050 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,712 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 308.00 $308.00 $970 —
445 445 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,028 —
485 485 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,346 +7.50
675–678 677 4 230.00–232.00 $230.50 $1,560 -3.50
925 925 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,582 +31.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755 755 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,653 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 225.00 $225.00 $821 -25.00

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1525 1372 75-80% 5 124.00–129.00 $126.87 $1,741 —
1165–1770 1421 75-80% 29 130.00–145.00 $135.89 $1,931 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1245 1170 80-85% 3 127.00–128.00 $127.30 $1,489 —
1125–1495 1282 80-85% 25 129.00–142.00 $137.74 $1,766 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845–900 873 85-90% 2 94.00–98.00 $95.94 $838 +6.94
960–1080 1010 85-90% 3 112.00–117.00 $113.58 $1,147 -5.88
900–1215 1075 85-90% 13 118.00–139.00 $126.54 $1,360 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1840 1519 4 154.00–166.00 $161.69 $2,456 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1235 1235 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
645 645 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
830 830 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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
1145–1185 1165 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,375.00–2,625.00 $2,502.15 —

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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.