Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, February 4, 2025

939 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 steers $284.29/cwt -5.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,896/hd at 667 lb · 97 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $248.76/cwt -18.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,700/hd at 683 lb · 70 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $255.32/cwt +22.32 vs last sale · ≈ $2,376/hd at 930 lb · 63 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 939 1,069 1,267
Feeder cattle 847 999 1,055
Slaughter cattle 89 63 138
Replacement cattle 3 7 74

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 550 lbs sold steady with good demand for weaned packages; 550-800 lbs traded 5.00 to 10.00 lower with most decline on 600-700 lbs. Yearlings sold steady in a limited comparison with good demand. Feeder heifers sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower with moderate demand. CME cattle futures down Monday and again today put downward pressure on the feeder market. Slaughter cows sold steady except lean cows 5.00 higher with 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
315–337 330 3 357.50–380.00 $372.83 $1,230 +8.51
407–440 416 4 293.00–301.00 $298.10 $1,240 -19.83
431 fancy 431 6 372.50 $372.50 $1,605 —
400–448 value added 434 14 351.00–390.00 $363.64 $1,578 -18.46
467 value added 467 4 351.00–385.00 $368.00 $1,719 +3.25
527 fancy 527 4 377.50 $377.50 $1,989 —
500–546 value added 531 13 325.00–342.50 $336.36 $1,786 +1.23
510–547 534 9 285.00–300.00 $291.59 $1,557 -19.05
555–581 575 4 277.50–282.00 $278.59 $1,602 —
566–593 value added 582 27 289.00–316.00 $297.86 $1,734 -28.42
600–618 612 7 255.00–261.00 $257.59 $1,576 -35.82
600–635 value added 614 27 263.00–303.00 $283.85 $1,743 -33.72
663 fancy 663 20 296.00 $296.00 $1,962 —
652–687 value added 668 74 260.00–290.50 $282.24 $1,885 -11.81
657–695 670 3 253.00–259.00 $256.92 $1,721 -24.50
721–730 value added 723 33 260.00–269.00 $267.14 $1,931 -6.51
761 fancy 761 10 262.00 $262.00 $1,994 —
752–772 762 12 245.00–251.00 $247.00 $1,882 -8.01
800–838 value added 823 13 245.00–254.00 $250.64 $2,063 —
800–833 825 4 230.00–241.00 $238.33 $1,966 -9.10
852–897 871 5 230.00–235.00 $232.45 $2,025 -27.42
905–917 913 5 222.50–229.00 $226.51 $2,068 -6.49
932 fancy 932 58 257.80 $257.80 $2,403 —
981 981 6 210.00 $210.00 $2,060 —
1031 1031 6 213.00 $213.00 $2,196 —
1096 1096 5 200.00 $200.00 $2,192 —
1201 1201 5 200.00 $200.00 $2,402 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–335 328 2 312.50–320.00 $316.34 $1,038 -53.66
470–475 473 2 277.50–285.00 $281.23 $1,330 -14.19
505–540 522 5 257.50–265.00 $260.54 $1,360 —
550–575 558 3 271.00–273.00 $271.69 $1,516 —
640 640 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,536 -12.08
680–687 683 8 226.00–240.00 $234.74 $1,603 —
730–740 737 3 237.00–241.00 $239.68 $1,766 —
840 840 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,865 -10.00
950 950 1 203.00 $203.00 $1,928 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855 855 1 238.00 $238.00 $2,035 —
941 941 6 236.00 $236.00 $2,221 +17.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 260.00 $260.00 $728 —
430 430 1 225.00 $225.00 $968 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 value added 325 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,040 —
380 380 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,102 -40.82
400–447 value added 414 19 282.50–337.50 $315.30 $1,305 -14.17
435 435 1 262.00 $262.00 $1,140 —
475–487 value added 484 14 280.00–340.00 $289.15 $1,399 -31.34
505–533 523 7 255.00–265.00 $259.94 $1,359 -17.56
507–542 value added 527 18 265.00–275.00 $271.47 $1,431 -23.28
550–592 566 16 250.00–260.00 $255.92 $1,449 -16.55
553–582 value added 571 21 260.00–267.00 $264.80 $1,512 -20.80
605–617 613 3 233.00–237.00 $234.32 $1,436 -15.85
600–646 value added 627 41 240.00–257.50 $247.36 $1,551 -26.29
660–690 679 11 236.00–240.00 $237.27 $1,611 -9.72
662–687 value added 684 59 242.00–255.00 $250.90 $1,716 -17.39
700–730 value added 712 5 240.00–243.00 $241.77 $1,721 -11.55
700–725 714 5 221.00–235.00 $228.05 $1,628 +4.28
759–772 value added 762 14 242.50–249.00 $247.34 $1,885 -5.05
800–835 825 4 219.00–225.00 $220.76 $1,821 -44.24
871 871 4 226.00 $226.00 $1,968 +25.00
935 935 1 217.00 $217.00 $2,029 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 265.00 $265.00 $768 —
305–320 310 4 240.00–272.50 $253.32 $785 -29.18
385–395 389 5 279.00–305.00 $286.58 $1,115 +3.75
408–440 416 4 220.00–233.00 $223.44 $930 -36.56
452–495 477 5 232.50–261.00 $241.20 $1,151 -23.10
500–535 520 16 231.00–260.00 $245.14 $1,275 -2.03
575–578 577 6 222.50–237.50 $232.09 $1,339 -7.44
615 615 2 221.00–224.00 $222.50 $1,368 +0.50
660–692 677 5 189.00–228.00 $217.27 $1,471 -8.14
707 707 2 197.50 $197.50 $1,396 -2.83
755–775 769 5 200.00–222.50 $216.17 $1,662 +7.08
930 930 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,693 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 2 252.50 $252.50 $1,502 -23.10
896 896 7 210.00 $210.00 $1,882 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 222.50 $222.50 $912 —
455–460 458 2 200.00 $200.00 $916 —
575 575 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,150 -13.00
611 611 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,222 -10.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1300 1175 4 170.00–187.00 $178.95 $2,103 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,147 —
380 fancy 380 1 372.50 $372.50 $1,416 —
442 442 2 342.50 $342.50 $1,514 +19.50
465–470 468 3 313.00–327.00 $317.63 $1,487 —
508 fancy 508 7 320.00 $320.00 $1,626 —
500–545 512 4 271.00–310.00 $294.73 $1,509 -16.54
552–590 566 9 277.50–305.00 $300.73 $1,702 +3.70
605 605 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,649 +11.50
705–730 722 5 220.00–230.00 $224.39 $1,620 -13.11
815 815 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,557 -16.45
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 297.50 $297.50 $892 ±0.00
370 370 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,128 +14.62
417–440 429 4 267.50–305.00 $286.75 $1,230 -19.17
495 495 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,485 —
545 545 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,403 -27.50
580 580 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,421 —
632 632 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,460 -6.89
775 775 2 182.00–193.00 $187.50 $1,453 -35.00
850–880 868 3 180.00–185.00 $182.67 $1,586 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 245.00 $245.00 $784 —
410–445 423 3 200.00–240.00 $218.10 $923 —
552 552 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,352 —
640 640 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,168 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 2 297.00 $297.00 $1,402 —
680 680 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,734 +20.00
775 775 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,472 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1495 1213 80-85% 11 124.00–131.00 $128.69 $1,561 —
1135–1555 1304 80-85% 10 132.00–139.00 $134.81 $1,758 —
1205–2030 1510 80-85% 6 141.00–151.00 $145.33 $2,194 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1740 1428 75-80% 12 121.00–129.00 $127.42 $1,820 -15.01
1225–1805 1435 75-80% 9 131.00–137.00 $133.69 $1,918 -3.26
1150–2000 1483 75-80% 6 138.00–145.00 $141.03 $2,091 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1065 1018 85-90% 2 105.00–107.00 $105.95 $1,079 —
915–1400 1088 85-90% 8 121.00–129.00 $123.91 $1,348 +26.35
1075–1240 1121 85-90% 4 118.00–121.00 $119.53 $1,340 -5.81

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–2005 1688 9 152.00–163.00 $157.38 $2,657 -15.91
1490–2070 1894 5 164.00–177.00 $169.77 $3,215 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
990–1180 1085 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 153.00–159.00 $155.74 $1,690

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200–1455 1328 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,200.00–2,700.00 $2,425.99

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 167.50 $167.50 $804 —
855 855 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,359 —

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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.