Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report, Lexington, KY

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, November 19, 2024

1,038 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 $271.58/cwt +6.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,714/hd at 631 lb · 137 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $258.72/cwt -4.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,739/hd at 672 lb · 98 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $243.11/cwt -11.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,910/hd at 786 lb · 70 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,038 1,119 311
Feeder cattle 994 1,013 262
Slaughter cattle 39 90 49
Replacement cattle 5 16 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers sold steady to lower on average quality offerings in a limited comparison with more fleshy calves on offer and impending winter weather front to impact the region on Thursday buyers showing preference for long-weaned preconditioned calves. Fleshy short-weaned calves pulled right off cows facing discounts. Demand moderate to good for good quality preconditioned calf packages. Yearlings steady in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 3.00 lower with moderate demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady with moderate 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
348 value added 348 3 319.00 $319.00 $1,110 —
415 415 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,125 -29.00
403–445 value added 426 15 277.50–310.00 $288.85 $1,231 —
464–485 value added 474 15 275.00–293.00 $289.16 $1,371 —
480–492 485 6 265.00–275.00 $270.81 $1,313 -22.07
510–545 532 3 261.00–269.00 $264.92 $1,409 -22.58
562–576 value added 564 29 266.00–285.00 $281.81 $1,589 -8.19
590–596 595 4 250.00–257.50 $251.86 $1,499 -32.41
610–645 value added 630 118 254.00–283.50 $276.08 $1,739 +0.95
615–643 637 19 242.00–245.00 $243.64 $1,552 -11.54
660–692 value added 672 96 253.00–260.00 $259.03 $1,741 -9.97
672 672 2 244.00 $244.00 $1,640 -17.18
705–738 value added 710 53 237.50–249.00 $246.17 $1,748 -9.33
740–743 742 5 237.00–238.00 $237.80 $1,764 -12.23
780 780 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,833 -8.68
760–793 value added 786 68 241.00–245.00 $243.35 $1,913 -17.40
800–838 813 11 224.00–226.00 $224.90 $1,828 -5.75
850–890 867 12 225.00–230.00 $227.37 $1,971 +14.65
965–980 974 5 202.00–203.00 $202.40 $1,971 —
988 thin fleshed 988 54 233.90 $233.90 $2,311 —
1080 1080 1 189.00 $189.00 $2,041 —
1145 1145 2 191.00 $191.00 $2,187 —
1195 1195 1 190.00 $190.00 $2,270 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 285.00 $285.00 $855 —
362–365 364 4 255.00–290.00 $281.21 $1,024 —
515–540 524 4 236.00–257.50 $245.92 $1,289 -3.08
585 585 1 257.00 $257.00 $1,503 +17.00
665–685 674 6 225.00–238.00 $232.83 $1,569 +3.30
725 725 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,595 -12.50
770–780 775 2 225.00–226.00 $225.50 $1,748 +5.50
877 877 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,815 —
960–970 965 2 195.00–200.00 $197.49 $1,906 +3.49
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
717–725 720 3 219.00–229.00 $225.64 $1,625 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610 610 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,281 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–390 370 2 257.50–263.00 $260.40 $963 -10.29
367–392 value added 373 9 281.00 $281.00 $1,048 —
408–420 value added 416 12 264.00–270.00 $268.04 $1,115 —
400–445 418 8 240.00–242.50 $240.67 $1,006 -7.44
475–491 value added 479 11 250.00–255.00 $251.40 $1,204 —
487–495 491 4 237.00–244.00 $241.74 $1,187 +6.37
500–540 value added 515 34 245.00–256.00 $252.60 $1,301 -1.40
502–542 526 5 237.50–242.50 $240.33 $1,264 -6.39
562–596 584 15 237.50–242.50 $240.28 $1,403 -0.79
600–648 value added 617 39 233.00–258.00 $250.65 $1,547 +2.98
625 625 4 225.00 $225.00 $1,406 -16.83
653–683 value added 667 37 234.00–253.00 $245.08 $1,635 -10.62
670 670 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,558 -15.00
730–742 736 4 220.00–222.00 $220.99 $1,626 +6.27
850–870 860 2 203.00–208.00 $205.47 $1,767 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–290 285 3 200.00–245.00 $228.75 $652 —
340 340 2 247.50–251.00 $249.25 $847 +8.25
380–385 383 2 220.00–246.00 $232.92 $892 -14.08
480–495 485 3 227.50–232.50 $229.97 $1,115 +2.47
530 530 3 220.00–226.00 $224.00 $1,187 —
555–577 570 3 225.00–230.00 $226.62 $1,292 +6.62
607 607 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,335 -6.74
655–665 660 2 199.00–210.00 $204.54 $1,350 -15.46
840 840 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,554 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 213.00 $213.00 $554 —
360–375 368 2 210.00–212.50 $211.22 $777 —
477 477 2 200.00 $200.00 $954 —
560 560 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,190 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605 605 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,392 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
227 227 2 285.00 $285.00 $647 —
290 fancy 290 1 340.00 $340.00 $986 —
365–385 378 4 285.00–299.00 $295.52 $1,117 -21.15
420 420 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,018 —
455–490 474 6 245.00–267.50 $253.46 $1,201 -31.54
477 value added 477 2 272.50 $272.50 $1,300 —
525–530 value added 527 8 257.50–264.00 $261.55 $1,378 —
520–546 534 11 246.00–257.00 $252.46 $1,348 -0.42
550 value added 550 2 259.00 $259.00 $1,424 —
560–587 579 12 245.00–255.00 $250.73 $1,452 +5.15
600 value added 600 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,470 —
610 610 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,388 -0.61
652–656 654 5 220.00–225.00 $223.01 $1,458 +7.98
800–832 828 8 184.00–192.00 $191.03 $1,582 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–345 333 2 250.00–270.00 $260.38 $867 —
360–370 363 3 210.00 $210.00 $762 —
445 445 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,035 -20.00
465 465 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,070 -15.93
530–545 538 2 230.00–240.00 $235.07 $1,265 —
585 585 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,346 +30.00
610–621 618 4 190.00–217.50 $210.72 $1,302 +5.72
650–672 667 8 194.00–219.00 $214.55 $1,431 +24.55
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 3 215.00 $215.00 $892 —
540 540 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,134 —
555 555 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,235 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,126 —
632 632 2 211.00 $211.00 $1,334 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–915 878 85-90% 2 79.00–85.00 $81.87 $719 —
915–1140 1028 85-90% 2 92.00–97.00 $94.77 $974 -5.23
870–1210 1031 85-90% 4 106.00–109.00 $107.43 $1,108 +7.43
780–1325 1050 85-90% 3 112.00–113.00 $112.58 $1,182 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1560 1240 80-85% 5 112.00–114.00 $113.36 $1,406 +5.46
1400–1430 1415 80-85% 2 109.00 $109.00 $1,542 —
1355–1665 1510 80-85% 2 118.00–123.00 $120.24 $1,816 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 75-80% 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,417 —
1100–1630 1390 75-80% 4 111.00–114.00 $112.55 $1,564 —
1475–2080 1684 75-80% 4 117.00–123.00 $119.53 $2,013 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1485 1413 2 123.00–136.00 $129.83 $1,834 —
1380–1750 1548 3 141.00–153.00 $147.90 $2,289 —
1960–2035 1998 2 158.00–164.00 $160.94 $3,216 +4.23

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1240 1240 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,538
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
790 790 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 121.00 $121.00 $956

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1235–1415 1325 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,425.00 $1,425.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1360 1360 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1110–1320 1215 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,675.00–1,700.00 $1,686.42

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860 860 53 197.00 $197.00 $1,694 —

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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.