Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 29, 2024

1,206 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 heifers $248.91/cwt -2.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,666/hd at 669 lb · 149 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $256.26/cwt +7.47 vs last sale · ≈ $2,100/hd at 819 lb · 135 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $255.93/cwt -5.29 vs last sale · ≈ $2,038/hd at 796 lb · 103 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,206 1,154 937
Feeder cattle 1,134 1,056 895
Slaughter cattle 72 91 42
Replacement cattle — 7 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold steady with good demand on weaned thin-fleshed offerings. Yearling steers sold steady to 2.00 higher with very good demand. Heifer calves and yearling heifers softer undertone with more fleshy offerings this week. Buyers showing preference for good quality long-weaned vaccinated calf packages and yearlings in good condition. Fleshy, short-weaned, medium frame, and plain calves facing discounts. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00 lower; however a few exceptionally high dressing cows noted. 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
453–470 value added 460 5 278.00–281.00 $279.77 $1,287 -7.73
555 555 2 271.00 $271.00 $1,504 +0.15
603–633 619 28 241.00–256.00 $251.71 $1,558 +9.51
633–648 value added 641 24 266.00–277.00 $272.52 $1,747 -7.71
667–686 value added 682 40 259.00–262.00 $259.66 $1,771 -14.68
708 value added 708 72 260.75 $260.75 $1,846 +2.74
770 770 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,810 -9.00
791–799 value added 797 101 247.50–260.20 $256.34 $2,043 —
802–829 value added 817 125 255.50–258.50 $256.84 $2,098 +3.59
849 849 10 249.00 $249.00 $2,114 +2.65
869 869 20 219.50 $219.50 $1,907 -22.12
885 885 11 245.00 $245.00 $2,168 +3.38
894 value added 894 51 249.25 $249.25 $2,228 —
910 910 5 235.00 $235.00 $2,138 —
950 950 2 241.00 $241.00 $2,290 —
1135 1135 3 175.00 $175.00 $1,986 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–340 335 2 260.00–270.00 $265.07 $888 —
405–410 408 2 238.00–255.00 $246.55 $1,006 -13.45
450–486 472 5 240.00–261.00 $252.98 $1,194 —
535 535 2 249.00–257.50 $253.25 $1,355 —
560–585 577 12 223.00–242.00 $234.97 $1,356 -4.57
646 646 3 226.00 $226.00 $1,460 —
655–670 660 3 220.00–235.00 $225.08 $1,486 +12.58
726–735 728 4 225.00–228.00 $225.76 $1,644 —
800–835 814 5 221.00–230.00 $224.81 $1,830 —
855 855 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,731 —
900 900 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,980 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670 670 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,424 -32.50
700 700 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,421 —
942 942 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,837 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
655 655 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,228 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358–375 value added 362 4 257.50–260.00 $259.35 $939 —
352–387 375 6 235.00–249.00 $244.62 $917 +4.62
400–430 415 2 237.50–240.00 $238.80 $991 -2.68
450–494 479 9 233.00–244.00 $239.87 $1,149 -9.13
513–545 value added 522 16 246.00–249.00 $247.82 $1,294 -3.70
535–545 540 2 236.00–244.00 $240.04 $1,296 +5.04
550–590 value added 577 20 246.00–255.00 $250.52 $1,446 +0.12
560–588 579 12 237.00–240.00 $238.77 $1,382 +3.77
607–645 612 8 223.00–230.00 $229.08 $1,402 +9.08
614 fancy 614 7 238.00 $238.00 $1,461 —
622 value added 622 2 242.00 $242.00 $1,505 -8.00
651–699 value added 669 144 247.00–250.00 $249.75 $1,671 -2.49
667–685 677 5 220.00–230.00 $224.75 $1,522 -2.75
717–733 value added 724 19 224.00–234.00 $229.74 $1,663 -4.76
730 730 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,533 —
806–813 808 13 217.00–225.00 $222.52 $1,798 +15.86
840 840 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,512 -26.66
850 850 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,810 —
887 887 2 186.00 $186.00 $1,650 -4.00
1060 1060 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,961 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–380 363 3 230.00–233.00 $231.95 $842 +31.95
400–448 419 11 215.00–232.00 $225.81 $946 +2.10
450–498 472 15 217.50–225.00 $221.76 $1,047 +1.40
475 value added 475 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,045 —
500–515 506 5 220.00–231.00 $225.47 $1,141 +2.47
575–585 577 5 210.00–226.00 $222.00 $1,281 —
600–640 621 4 180.00–210.00 $193.92 $1,204 -16.87
660–690 669 4 188.00–205.00 $198.64 $1,329 +2.23
740 740 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,347 —
945 945 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,370 -19.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 200.00 $200.00 $600 —
370 370 1 200.00 $200.00 $740 —
425–435 430 2 195.00–205.00 $200.06 $860 -9.94
450–485 469 7 210.00–212.50 $210.37 $987 +0.37
562 562 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,124 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308 308 3 227.00 $227.00 $699 —
483 483 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,125 —
645 645 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,451 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
292 292 2 273.00 $273.00 $797 —
345 345 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,018 —
350–365 358 2 282.50–285.00 $283.72 $1,016 —
428–443 437 8 250.00–255.00 $253.86 $1,109 -36.14
455 455 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,128 -12.67
480 value added 480 5 257.00–260.00 $259.40 $1,245 -18.10
507–520 514 8 242.50–250.00 $246.92 $1,269 -8.08
515 value added 515 1 251.00 $251.00 $1,293 -16.50
555–561 value added 560 10 255.00–261.00 $259.81 $1,455 —
583–587 584 11 240.00–246.00 $244.90 $1,430 -7.47
610–630 623 4 220.00–235.00 $227.84 $1,419 -7.18
651 651 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,432 -2.50
700–735 716 10 217.50–229.00 $224.75 $1,609 —
805 805 1 174.00 $174.00 $1,401 -55.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378–395 382 4 245.00–260.00 $248.88 $951 —
433–445 437 5 220.00–236.00 $232.17 $1,015 +2.17
450 450 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,012 —
501–515 504 5 220.00–232.50 $229.94 $1,159 -11.17
561–580 574 9 220.00–231.00 $227.41 $1,305 —
602–610 604 11 200.00–217.50 $205.26 $1,240 -1.04
650–680 667 10 190.00–217.50 $207.92 $1,387 —
725 725 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,468 +2.52
870 870 2 152.50 $152.50 $1,327 —
915 915 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,464 +7.00
952 952 2 146.00 $146.00 $1,390 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 221.00 $221.00 $597 —
375–380 378 2 205.00–210.00 $207.48 $784 —
470–485 478 2 210.00–217.50 $213.69 $1,021 —
510–527 520 5 202.50–220.00 $212.12 $1,103 -3.02
555–585 574 4 207.50–211.00 $209.89 $1,205 -2.82
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 338 4 265.00 $265.00 $896 —
638 638 4 217.00 $217.00 $1,384 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030–1875 1404 75-80% 8 123.00–125.00 $124.04 $1,742 +3.48
1405–1870 1538 75-80% 9 110.00–122.00 $117.51 $1,807 —
1570 1570 75-80% 1 128.00 $128.00 $2,010 -6.58
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1335 1231 80-85% 5 115.00–121.00 $118.81 $1,463 —
1065–1715 1327 80-85% 5 122.00–125.00 $123.11 $1,634 +4.17
1260–1465 1363 80-85% 5 129.00–157.00 $140.82 $1,919 +4.55
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930 930 85-90% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,070 —
875–1070 968 85-90% 4 106.00–113.00 $109.17 $1,057 —
1315 1315 85-90% 1 102.00 $102.00 $1,341 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1865 1410 4 141.00–154.00 $147.47 $2,079 -4.07
1740–1770 1755 2 171.00–176.00 $173.52 $3,045 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 155.00 $155.00 $922 —

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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.