Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 28, 2025

1,069 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 $266.83/cwt +16.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,794/hd at 672 lb · 102 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $283.89/cwt +9.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,624/hd at 572 lb · 92 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $260.95/cwt +42.59 vs last sale · ≈ $2,153/hd at 825 lb · 72 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,069 762 1,098
Feeder cattle 999 720 1,016
Slaughter cattle 63 39 76
Replacement cattle 7 3 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 600 lbs sold steady in a lite test with good demand; over 600 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold mostly 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand; instances sharply higher on replacement quality yearlings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold 5.00 higher 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
305–320 313 2 340.00–387.50 $364.32 $1,140 —
365 fancy 365 2 401.00 $401.00 $1,464 —
385–395 390 2 347.50–360.00 $353.67 $1,379 —
400–445 value added 416 5 360.00–405.00 $382.10 $1,590 -5.08
415–445 430 2 312.50–323.00 $317.93 $1,367 -47.07
457–475 value added 466 9 350.00–380.00 $364.75 $1,700 -32.75
475–485 480 4 320.00–335.00 $327.42 $1,572 -12.58
500–545 value added 526 38 320.00–347.50 $335.13 $1,763 +12.63
507–537 527 9 305.00–315.00 $310.64 $1,637 -6.36
550–597 value added 573 12 325.00–330.00 $326.28 $1,870 -4.77
600–640 value added 616 32 307.00–335.00 $317.57 $1,956 +39.32
600–646 616 16 275.00–299.00 $293.41 $1,807 +23.41
650–689 value added 672 18 290.00–307.50 $294.05 $1,976 +4.07
668–690 676 9 270.00–285.00 $281.42 $1,902 +16.42
700–733 value added 716 39 260.00–280.00 $273.65 $1,959 +4.79
775–782 779 4 252.00–258.00 $255.01 $1,987 +4.01
750–790 value added 787 15 252.50–256.00 $255.78 $2,013 -13.41
804–826 812 8 244.00–253.00 $247.43 $2,009 +7.43
855–872 871 44 257.00–260.00 $259.87 $2,263 +39.87
910 910 1 233.00 $233.00 $2,120 -7.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 305.00 $305.00 $884 —
335 335 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,240 —
360 360 1 270.00 $270.00 $972 —
465–470 468 2 281.00–310.00 $295.42 $1,383 +5.42
600–620 612 5 242.50–264.00 $252.08 $1,543 +7.08
795 795 1 241.00 $241.00 $1,916 +17.00
840 840 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,949 —
870 870 1 227.00 $227.00 $1,975 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 301.00 $301.00 $1,731 —
945 945 1 219.00 $219.00 $2,070 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–345 338 3 330.00–342.50 $334.25 $1,130 —
353–390 365 6 320.00–340.00 $330.82 $1,207 +20.82
350–398 value added 385 11 355.00–367.50 $362.80 $1,397 +32.80
410–445 value added 428 15 310.00–335.00 $329.47 $1,410 +10.52
455–490 value added 469 45 302.50–347.50 $320.49 $1,503 -6.66
475–490 486 5 288.00–300.00 $291.15 $1,415 +8.72
507 507 2 277.50 $277.50 $1,407 +3.89
500–546 value added 529 38 280.00–307.50 $294.75 $1,559 -2.24
550–596 value added 570 80 280.00–320.00 $285.60 $1,628 +10.28
560–593 587 12 260.00–277.50 $272.47 $1,599 +11.13
600–643 value added 625 65 254.00–293.00 $273.65 $1,710 +13.36
626–635 631 6 250.00–251.00 $250.17 $1,579 —
658–665 661 7 242.00–250.00 $246.99 $1,633 +4.73
650–690 value added 673 95 256.00–293.00 $268.29 $1,806 +17.12
703–745 709 17 220.00–236.00 $223.77 $1,587 -3.09
730–745 value added 736 6 240.00–260.00 $253.32 $1,864 -7.68
755–780 value added 774 17 252.00–252.50 $252.39 $1,953 —
783 783 9 225.00 $225.00 $1,762 —
824 824 66 265.00 $265.00 $2,184 +60.00
827–843 838 6 211.00–219.00 $216.37 $1,813 +11.37
880 880 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,769 —
1025 1025 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,794 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 255.00 $255.00 $523 —
330 330 2 280.00–285.00 $282.50 $932 +10.00
372–380 375 6 256.00–310.00 $282.83 $1,061 +12.83
405 405 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,053 —
465–495 480 3 255.00–270.00 $264.30 $1,269 +10.26
500–530 518 4 235.00–261.00 $247.17 $1,280 —
560–565 561 4 235.00–253.00 $239.53 $1,344 -12.97
637 637 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,414 -8.00
670–695 684 4 220.00–231.00 $225.41 $1,542 —
700–740 721 4 190.00–215.00 $200.33 $1,444 -9.67
750–797 778 6 202.50–212.00 $209.09 $1,627 +2.94
815–820 818 2 190.00–191.00 $190.50 $1,558 —
860 860 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,462 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 2 321.00 $321.00 $1,204 —
555–595 578 4 275.00–277.50 $275.60 $1,593 —
740 740 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,720 —
750–775 763 2 215.00–230.00 $222.62 $1,699 —
950 950 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,805 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,194 —
567 567 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,208 —
610 610 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,281 —
660 660 3 200.00–212.50 $208.33 $1,375 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1530 1455 2 154.00–159.00 $156.63 $2,279 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–385 370 2 365.00–390.00 $376.99 $1,395 +16.99
385 value added 385 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,540 —
417 417 2 323.00 $323.00 $1,347 —
420–447 value added 438 3 377.50–379.00 $377.98 $1,656 —
465–495 value added 491 7 339.00–352.50 $341.40 $1,676 —
500–540 value added 526 13 317.50–345.00 $336.82 $1,772 +4.35
525–540 533 2 310.00–312.50 $311.27 $1,659 +31.27
552–581 value added 572 13 308.00–331.00 $318.34 $1,821 —
565–590 577 6 295.00–305.00 $297.03 $1,714 -15.97
620 620 1 261.00 $261.00 $1,618 —
615–631 value added 625 9 280.00–305.00 $289.57 $1,810 +0.57
655 655 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,703 —
667–672 value added 670 6 268.00–283.00 $272.98 $1,829 +3.98
730 730 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,734 -5.00
780–790 787 3 232.50–240.00 $237.52 $1,869 —
800–810 805 2 200.00–215.00 $207.45 $1,670 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 2 260.00–335.00 $297.50 $997 —
380–390 385 2 281.00–300.00 $290.38 $1,118 —
415–440 428 2 295.00–317.50 $305.92 $1,309 —
455 455 1 303.00 $303.00 $1,379 —
510 510 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,454 —
600–620 609 4 234.00–242.50 $237.89 $1,449 —
690 690 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,587 —
715–735 725 2 190.00–219.00 $204.30 $1,481 —
785 785 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,747 —
825 825 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,568 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,262 —
593 593 3 221.00 $221.00 $1,311 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
665 665 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,563 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1200 1170 80-85% 2 122.00–129.00 $125.59 $1,469 —
995–1305 1186 80-85% 12 133.00–139.00 $136.36 $1,617 —
1165–1580 1406 80-85% 7 141.00–147.00 $143.13 $2,012 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885 885 85-90% 1 78.00 $78.00 $690 -12.00
885–1170 1056 85-90% 5 105.00–114.00 $110.95 $1,172 —
980–1285 1095 85-90% 3 96.00–100.00 $97.56 $1,068 —
945–1330 1140 85-90% 7 120.00–129.00 $125.34 $1,429 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1585 1428 75-80% 6 140.00–144.00 $142.43 $2,034 —
1245–1745 1436 75-80% 4 133.00–139.00 $136.95 $1,967 —
1430–1595 1513 75-80% 2 131.00 $131.00 $1,982 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1860 1613 2 167.00–169.00 $168.15 $2,712 —
1340–1960 1689 7 170.00–179.00 $173.29 $2,927 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1090–1230 1160 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 147.50–155.00 $151.48 $1,757

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1180–1370 1275 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,800.00–1,850.00 $1,826.86
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1275 1275 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 231.00 $231.00 $970 —
665–666 666 4 188.00–202.50 $191.62 $1,276 —
950 950 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,188 —

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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.