Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, July 9, 2024

1,240 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $303.22/cwt +19.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,908/hd at 629 lb · 162 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $251.72/cwt +1.01 vs last sale · ≈ $2,343/hd at 931 lb · 134 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $257.29/cwt -2.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,235/hd at 869 lb · 128 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,240 1,239 842
Feeder cattle 1,115 1,160 740
Slaughter cattle 97 76 96
Replacement cattle 28 3 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

No market trend due to Holiday; however market active for all classes. Very good demand for weaned and yearling packages and high dressing lean cows.

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
410–447 value added 432 4 314.00–353.00 $326.35 $1,410 -38.65
457–480 value added 469 4 303.00–310.00 $306.41 $1,437 —
525–545 value added 534 5 300.00–305.00 $301.99 $1,613 -4.98
535 535 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,498 —
557–595 value added 590 21 290.00–312.50 $306.25 $1,807 +4.33
600–633 value added 629 160 281.00–304.90 $303.72 $1,910 +11.13
642 642 2 263.00 $263.00 $1,688 -6.00
651–690 value added 657 96 280.00–307.00 $302.49 $1,987 +14.49
700–711 value added 704 10 261.00–277.00 $269.46 $1,897 -9.24
748 748 3 254.00 $254.00 $1,900 —
825 825 1 251.00 $251.00 $2,071 +6.03
868 fancy 868 64 261.60 $261.60 $2,271 +1.50
869 value added 869 56 255.30 $255.30 $2,219 —
856–892 872 8 230.00–241.00 $236.74 $2,064 -15.76
903 903 5 241.00 $241.00 $2,176 -6.01
917–946 fancy 932 129 249.50–254.90 $252.14 $2,350 -1.11
986 986 31 228.00 $228.00 $2,248 +18.00
1015–1025 1016 61 217.50–229.50 $227.91 $2,316 —
1065 1065 53 227.10 $227.10 $2,419 —
1190 1190 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,142 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,285 -9.00
530 530 1 274.00 $274.00 $1,452 —
610 610 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,525 +13.00
745 745 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,788 -5.00
780 780 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,802 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 1 139.00 $139.00 $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
225 225 1 297.50 $297.50 $669 —
343–345 344 4 281.00–291.00 $288.49 $992 -11.51
346 fancy 346 3 305.00 $305.00 $1,055 —
365–370 value added 366 10 305.50–317.00 $306.66 $1,122 —
360–390 370 3 270.00–291.00 $283.62 $1,049 -16.38
407–415 value added 412 7 285.00–297.00 $293.32 $1,208 -2.28
445 445 4 279.00 $279.00 $1,242 —
455–490 478 5 262.00–271.00 $266.17 $1,272 +6.17
458–489 value added 485 45 274.00–278.00 $276.87 $1,343 —
551–571 value added 561 9 267.00–269.00 $268.13 $1,504 -16.76
550–582 571 6 253.00–261.00 $256.10 $1,462 -4.26
607–642 value added 625 8 254.00–259.00 $256.57 $1,604 -3.54
635–640 637 3 234.00–235.00 $234.34 $1,493 -9.12
650–659 value added 658 16 253.00–261.00 $260.51 $1,714 -0.96
680 680 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,639 —
706–730 712 4 220.00–222.00 $221.49 $1,577 +7.50
759 759 5 247.00 $247.00 $1,875 —
820 820 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,742 —
845 845 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,724 —
850 850 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,849 —
865–875 870 2 118.00–191.00 $154.29 $1,342 —
878 value added 878 3 216.00 $216.00 $1,896 -6.00
920 920 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,748 -25.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–275 268 2 270.00–277.50 $273.64 $733 —
420 420 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,029 +12.50
475–480 478 2 240.00–241.00 $240.50 $1,150 +0.50
500–530 516 7 236.00–255.00 $244.91 $1,264 -1.09
550 550 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,304 —
614–635 619 7 200.00–216.00 $203.06 $1,257 -26.94
710–718 716 4 195.00–204.00 $197.23 $1,412 -12.77
770–780 775 2 141.00–172.00 $156.40 $1,212 —
820–835 828 2 159.00–170.00 $164.45 $1,362 —
985 985 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,635 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1254 1254 13 162.00 $162.00 $2,031 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
627 627 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,442 —
705 705 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,318 —
875 875 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,575 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860 860 1 116.00 $116.00 $998 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
257–285 266 3 310.00–320.00 $316.43 $842 +13.93
355–370 fancy 359 4 362.50–370.00 $364.43 $1,308 —
350–370 360 2 312.50 $312.50 $1,125 -26.50
410–441 value added 421 10 296.00–340.00 $332.28 $1,399 +31.57
485–490 488 2 273.00–287.00 $280.04 $1,367 —
500–548 530 8 261.00–262.00 $261.61 $1,387 -0.91
530–540 value added 538 6 275.00–306.00 $295.90 $1,592 —
550–588 570 6 262.00–276.00 $268.13 $1,528 +3.65
600–626 619 12 243.00–260.00 $248.31 $1,537 -1.78
622 value added 622 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,679 +5.00
665 665 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,616 -9.72
725–735 729 7 229.00–237.00 $235.00 $1,713 —
760 760 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,824 —
805–820 813 5 200.00–212.00 $206.41 $1,678 —
860 860 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,806 —
951 951 10 200.00 $200.00 $1,902 —
1080 1080 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,976 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 292.50 $292.50 $760 —
305 305 1 260.00 $260.00 $793 —
390 390 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,014 —
475–495 485 2 251.00–260.00 $255.59 $1,240 —
505 505 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,212 —
565–585 575 4 250.00–256.00 $252.75 $1,453 +19.26
670 670 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,595 —
890 890 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,602 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
612 612 2 246.00 $246.00 $1,506 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 250.00 $250.00 $925 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405–1620 1533 75-80% 3 124.00–130.00 $126.18 $1,934 —
1270–2060 1548 75-80% 12 130.00–139.00 $135.95 $2,105 —
1240–1850 1579 75-80% 14 141.00–154.00 $145.95 $2,305 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1425 1203 80-85% 6 131.00–139.00 $135.17 $1,626 —
970–1535 1278 80-85% 12 142.00–155.00 $148.87 $1,903 —
1140–1650 1395 80-85% 2 127.00–129.00 $127.82 $1,783 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795–1015 904 85-90% 7 116.00–125.00 $121.90 $1,102 —
745–1090 918 85-90% 2 97.00–97.50 $97.30 $893 —
945–1220 1111 85-90% 7 126.00–148.00 $139.54 $1,550 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1550–2290 1789 7 174.00–193.00 $181.22 $3,242 —
1415–2190 1793 6 153.00–169.00 $161.80 $2,901 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1155–1335 1245 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,675.00–1,900.00 $1,795.63
1320 1320 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1230 1230 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
840 840 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,175.00 $1,100.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1045–1800 1295 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 8 1,300.00–1,850.00 $1,685.03 —
1305 1305 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 695 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,320 +20.00
963 fancy 963 59 206.90 $206.90 $1,992 —

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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.