Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 22, 2024

1,154 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 $248.79/cwt -4.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,017/hd at 811 lb · 113 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $251.42/cwt +14.76 vs last sale · ≈ $1,727/hd at 687 lb · 90 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $241.62/cwt ≈ $2,146/hd at 888 lb · 88 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,154 1,009 1,753
Feeder cattle 1,056 874 1,590
Slaughter cattle 91 125 162
Replacement cattle 7 10 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers 400-700 lbs sold mostly 3.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned packages. Yearling steers sold steady to 3.00 higher except 700-800 lb yearlings noticeable higher with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher for weaned 500-600 lb packages. Yearling heifers sold steady to 3.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 4.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady with 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
370–385 378 2 300.00–310.00 $305.10 $1,153 —
455–457 value added 456 3 287.50 $287.50 $1,311 —
540 540 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,463 ±0.00
525–549 value added 545 9 275.00–277.50 $277.23 $1,511 -4.09
562–585 571 7 265.00–274.00 $270.85 $1,547 +13.35
572–575 value added 574 7 275.00–288.00 $284.30 $1,632 +9.09
600–645 606 8 241.00–250.00 $242.20 $1,468 —
606–637 value added 610 20 268.00–284.00 $280.23 $1,709 +28.23
660–685 value added 672 9 256.00–279.00 $274.34 $1,844 -1.91
703–716 value added 712 68 254.25–265.50 $258.01 $1,837 +3.20
712–739 733 9 248.00–250.00 $248.43 $1,821 —
775 775 3 244.00 $244.00 $1,891 +2.75
791 fancy 791 66 262.00 $262.00 $2,072 —
801 value added 801 40 253.25 $253.25 $2,029 +0.01
803–844 816 73 245.25–248.50 $246.35 $2,010 —
883–891 888 88 240.50–242.25 $241.62 $2,146 —
931 value added 931 60 242.50 $242.50 $2,258 —
1058 fancy 1058 50 222.00 $222.00 $2,349 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,131 -5.00
552–587 570 4 225.00–255.00 $239.54 $1,365 —
600–615 608 3 220.00–237.50 $230.83 $1,403 -4.17
690 690 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,466 -8.50
945 945 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,852 —
975 975 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,755 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,617 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 245.00 $245.00 $649 —
335–340 338 2 242.50 $242.50 $820 —
367 367 2 240.00 $240.00 $881 -0.76
400 value added 400 3 256.00 $256.00 $1,024 -16.90
400–405 403 2 239.00–244.00 $241.48 $973 —
450–495 value added 472 14 252.50–259.00 $254.44 $1,201 +5.44
475 475 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,183 +4.00
500–524 value added 517 17 247.00–256.00 $251.52 $1,300 +3.68
505–540 518 5 236.00–245.00 $242.09 $1,254 +3.63
530 530 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,246 -3.46
550–580 566 5 235.00–245.00 $240.44 $1,361 +2.67
567 567 4 235.00 $235.00 $1,332 -2.77
558–585 value added 572 10 245.00–259.00 $250.40 $1,432 +3.61
613 613 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,349 -6.69
600–646 624 11 230.00–233.00 $231.36 $1,444 +4.67
626 value added 626 16 250.00 $250.00 $1,565 -4.00
653 653 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,486 +1.25
651–698 value added 688 87 245.00–254.00 $252.24 $1,735 +13.69
732 value added 732 31 234.50 $234.50 $1,717 —
753–760 value added 758 12 219.00–220.00 $219.25 $1,662 -7.80
806 value added 806 65 228.75 $228.75 $1,844 —
834–840 837 9 205.00–208.00 $206.66 $1,730 —
887 887 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,685 —
900–917 911 3 171.00–187.00 $181.73 $1,656 —
1045 1045 2 189.00 $189.00 $1,975 —
1215 1215 1 161.00 $161.00 $1,956 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–335 320 2 230.00–232.50 $231.31 $740 —
375 375 1 200.00 $200.00 $750 —
410–445 434 5 220.00–230.00 $223.71 $971 +3.71
460–495 480 10 210.00–235.00 $220.36 $1,058 -9.64
505 505 2 223.00 $223.00 $1,126 -0.69
600–630 612 8 200.00–226.00 $210.79 $1,290 —
685–690 689 5 190.00–200.00 $196.41 $1,353 -18.58
750–790 770 2 175.00–190.00 $182.69 $1,407 —
805 805 3 151.00 $151.00 $1,216 —
938 938 3 164.00 $164.00 $1,538 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1395 1254 10 150.00–180.00 $173.23 $2,172 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423 423 3 210.00 $210.00 $888 —
470 470 1 210.00 $210.00 $987 —
575 575 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,150 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,348 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,174 +5.00
452–489 478 7 260.00–262.50 $260.67 $1,246 —
495 value added 495 2 277.50 $277.50 $1,374 —
505 value added 505 3 267.50 $267.50 $1,351 —
505 505 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,288 +9.25
550 550 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,458 +18.94
578–593 585 10 247.50–262.50 $252.37 $1,476 +6.31
612–620 615 3 232.50–240.00 $235.02 $1,445 —
655 655 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,457 —
765–790 779 6 209.00–217.00 $214.36 $1,670 —
817 817 2 229.00 $229.00 $1,871 —
1005 1005 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,608 —
1060 1060 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,696 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
247 247 2 235.00 $235.00 $580 —
415 415 1 230.00 $230.00 $954 -20.00
490 490 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,078 -5.02
500–530 506 12 230.00–245.00 $241.11 $1,220 +21.11
615–630 623 2 202.50–210.00 $206.30 $1,285 —
700–740 711 5 190.00–206.00 $199.98 $1,422 +18.98
927 927 2 153.00 $153.00 $1,418 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 220.00 $220.00 $440 —
500–532 523 6 210.00–221.00 $215.14 $1,125 —
575–580 578 2 202.50–223.00 $212.71 $1,229 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 500 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,200 -7.50
785 785 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,531 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1485 1425 75-80% 2 119.00–122.00 $120.56 $1,718 —
1155–1955 1441 75-80% 13 123.00–131.00 $127.72 $1,840 —
1350–1805 1586 75-80% 16 131.00–149.00 $134.58 $2,134 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1360 1254 80-85% 8 123.00–130.00 $127.66 $1,601 -4.67
1240–1390 1315 80-85% 2 118.00–120.00 $118.94 $1,564 —
1035–1655 1392 80-85% 9 131.00–141.00 $136.27 $1,897 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825 825 85-90% 1 100.00 $100.00 $825 —
900–1160 1049 85-90% 6 109.00–117.00 $112.30 $1,178 —
955–1155 1086 85-90% 6 117.00–126.00 $121.14 $1,316 -1.95

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1215 1200 2 105.00–119.00 $111.91 $1,343 —
1220–1610 1403 5 146.00–159.00 $151.54 $2,126 —
1265–1705 1573 4 163.00–170.00 $166.79 $2,624 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1205–1550 1347 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,600.00–2,125.00 $1,901.27
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
805 805 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00

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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.