Cattle Market Pulse

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

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 3, 2024

1,369 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 $293.11/cwt ≈ $1,845/hd at 629 lb · 193 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $263.05/cwt ≈ $2,069/hd at 787 lb · 143 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $247.51/cwt ≈ $2,290/hd at 925 lb · 123 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,369 202 1,430
Feeder cattle 1,333 150 1,349
Slaughter cattle 36 51 81
Replacement cattle — 1 —

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers traded noticeably higher in a limited comparison to last week's lite test ahead of the Holiday. Very good demand for 600-800 lb yearling steers and heifers and weaned calf packages. Market very active on a good through attractive quality offering. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 higher in a limited comparison. Slaughter bulls steady in a lite test.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–336 fancy 330 6 345.00–355.00 $347.85 $1,148 —
370 fancy 370 1 339.00 $339.00 $1,254 —
400–417 412 7 282.50–292.50 $289.73 $1,194 —
410–449 value added 443 27 310.00–329.00 $327.05 $1,449 +7.05
450–490 value added 471 11 295.00–327.00 $308.29 $1,452 +25.79
508 508 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,372 —
515–545 value added 522 34 290.00–317.50 $314.52 $1,642 +32.02
565 565 3 279.00 $279.00 $1,576 —
582 value added 582 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,630 —
605–640 622 14 250.00–259.00 $257.15 $1,599 —
600–645 value added 630 179 265.00–298.00 $295.92 $1,864 —
656–665 value added 660 31 276.00–279.00 $277.30 $1,830 —
670–675 673 13 250.00–254.00 $251.61 $1,693 —
700 700 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,698 —
717–746 value added 742 40 251.00–263.00 $259.28 $1,924 —
777–785 781 4 241.00–245.00 $242.99 $1,898 —
784 fancy 784 62 268.75 $268.75 $2,107 —
788–792 value added 789 77 250.00–262.00 $259.50 $2,047 —
813–820 815 18 241.00–244.00 $243.16 $1,982 +23.16
825 825 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,898 +10.00
864–878 870 9 234.00–237.00 $235.65 $2,050 —
880 value added 880 61 249.25 $249.25 $2,193 —
886 886 3 239.00 $239.00 $2,118 —
903–913 911 14 224.00–230.00 $225.27 $2,052 —
916–939 fancy 927 109 247.75–253.00 $250.37 $2,321 —
1025 1025 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,876 —
1080 1080 1 191.00 $191.00 $2,063 —
1130–1135 1133 2 175.00–194.00 $184.48 $2,090 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 422 2 287.00 $287.00 $1,211 —
565 565 17 265.00 $265.00 $1,497 +15.00
627 627 2 252.00 $252.00 $1,580 —
648 value added 648 13 255.00 $255.00 $1,652 —
814–847 826 11 225.00–226.00 $225.37 $1,862 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 290.00 $290.00 $754 —
500 500 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,275 —
600 600 1 231.00 $231.00 $1,386 —
695 695 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,661 +9.00
720–745 733 2 230.00–231.00 $230.49 $1,689 —
805 805 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,787 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 217.50 $217.50 $794 —
460 460 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,058 —
560 560 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,288 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340 1340 1 156.00 $156.00 $2,090 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 fancy 205 2 300.00 $300.00 $615 —
260 260 1 280.00 $280.00 $728 —
300 fancy 300 1 285.00 $285.00 $855 —
356–375 363 9 270.00–275.00 $272.41 $989 —
367–395 value added 375 7 281.00–305.00 $288.25 $1,081 —
415–435 value added 420 8 265.00–287.50 $284.07 $1,193 +11.57
415–445 435 3 250.00–252.50 $250.80 $1,091 —
452–462 457 4 247.00–248.00 $247.51 $1,131 —
460–485 value added 477 21 264.00–275.00 $268.38 $1,280 —
522–545 526 17 246.00–247.50 $246.27 $1,295 —
517–531 value added 527 14 255.00–261.00 $256.56 $1,352 —
554–590 value added 574 16 252.50–262.00 $258.06 $1,481 +10.56
577–587 582 4 242.00–247.00 $244.52 $1,423 +2.02
600–627 618 3 231.00–235.00 $233.71 $1,444 +8.71
633 633 76 272.00 $272.00 $1,722 +47.00
634 value added 634 5 255.00 $255.00 $1,617 —
660–693 676 11 230.00–236.00 $234.40 $1,585 —
653–696 value added 685 98 240.00–248.00 $246.22 $1,687 —
705–743 714 13 242.00–244.00 $243.52 $1,739 —
710–742 value added 731 24 226.00–238.00 $229.88 $1,680 —
750 value added 750 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,725 —
840 840 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,722 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 250.00 $250.00 $775 —
352–355 353 3 240.00–250.00 $246.65 $871 —
410 410 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,000 +6.00
530 530 8 230.00 $230.00 $1,219 +0.43
577–585 582 6 227.00–232.00 $228.65 $1,331 +4.65
600–635 626 4 215.00–218.00 $217.28 $1,360 +2.94
681 681 4 206.00 $206.00 $1,403 —
717–745 726 3 190.00–220.00 $209.74 $1,523 +48.11
807 807 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,469 —
930 930 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,479 +8.34
965 965 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,616 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
437 437 2 233.00 $233.00 $1,018 —
500 500 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,150 —
706 706 5 246.00 $246.00 $1,737 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1240 1170 2 136.00 $136.00 $1,591 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 212.50 $212.50 $786 —

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 307.50 $307.50 $938 —
385 value added 385 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,299 +17.50
390 390 1 303.00 $303.00 $1,182 —
420–435 value added 428 2 307.50–322.50 $314.87 $1,348 —
465–482 value added 479 10 297.00–317.50 $310.94 $1,489 +29.94
500–543 532 4 256.00 $256.00 $1,362 +6.49
535 value added 535 5 275.00 $275.00 $1,471 +21.00
550–588 value added 576 19 261.00–274.00 $269.26 $1,551 +14.26
560–587 578 3 250.00–252.50 $250.81 $1,450 +3.34
600 600 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,380 +10.00
658–690 666 4 229.00 $229.00 $1,525 —
688 value added 688 6 245.00 $245.00 $1,686 —
737–740 value added 738 3 235.00–236.00 $235.33 $1,737 —
755 value added 755 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,736 —
825 825 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,518 +17.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 257.50 $257.50 $798 -25.50
355 355 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,021 —
445 445 1 244.00 $244.00 $1,086 —
510 510 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,173 —
561–576 569 7 242.50–247.00 $244.52 $1,391 —
635 635 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,397 —
710–748 733 5 201.00–204.00 $202.84 $1,487 —
750–772 761 4 196.00–204.00 $200.06 $1,522 —
840 840 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,428 —
940 940 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,419 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 250.00 $250.00 $862 —
423 423 3 230.00 $230.00 $973 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 2 275.00 $275.00 $940 —

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Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1425 1280 75-80% 3 123.00–124.00 $123.33 $1,579 —
1270–1825 1433 75-80% 11 126.00–138.00 $130.97 $1,877 +14.97
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1335 1136 80-85% 5 120.00–127.00 $122.70 $1,394 —
1100–1375 1225 80-85% 4 126.00–135.00 $129.37 $1,585 +5.55
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1170 1115 85-90% 5 114.00–121.00 $117.70 $1,312 +4.03
1150 1150 85-90% 1 84.00 $84.00 $966 —

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1515–1955 1785 3 157.00–165.00 $160.72 $2,869 +8.75
1730–2025 1843 3 149.00–154.00 $150.56 $2,775 —

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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.