Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 4, 2025

1,064 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) report →

light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $252.05/cwt +17.05 vs last sale · ≈ $2,340/hd at 928 lb · 81 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $264.27/cwt +8.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,230/hd at 844 lb · 63 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $262.20/cwt +1.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,775/hd at 677 lb · 59 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,064 812 804
Feeder cattle 1,000 743 741
Slaughter cattle 61 66 62
Replacement cattle 3 3 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 700 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher with good demand; yearlings packages sold 5.00 to 7.00 higher with very good demand. Feeder heifers under 550 lb sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with instances sharply higher for weaned thin-fleshed packages. Slaughter cows sold steady with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 5.00 higher on high dressing individuals. Some fleshy new crop bawling calves starting to show up and a few plainer old crop calves compared to yesterday.

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
370–387 value added 381 3 375.00–402.50 $393.61 $1,500 -13.87
400–440 value added 415 14 365.00–412.50 $399.96 $1,660 +46.20
440–443 442 4 340.00–342.50 $340.62 $1,506 —
455–490 value added 476 12 350.00–372.50 $368.61 $1,755 +0.24
460–495 486 4 340.00–350.00 $342.37 $1,664 —
500–545 value added 525 18 325.00–347.50 $340.63 $1,788 +7.61
552–593 value added 571 24 317.50–342.00 $334.11 $1,908 -14.40
601–645 value added 613 43 297.50–321.00 $314.29 $1,927 +9.82
600–645 631 5 280.00–295.00 $286.92 $1,810 +5.67
655–687 value added 672 48 283.00–299.00 $293.37 $1,971 -2.13
675 675 1 283.00 $283.00 $1,910 +2.89
700–721 value added 713 29 280.00–284.00 $281.51 $2,007 +1.99
700–745 715 3 250.00–260.00 $254.13 $1,817 -3.37
754–788 value added 767 20 254.00–268.00 $262.21 $2,011 +4.21
755–781 773 20 250.00–254.00 $251.11 $1,941 -3.50
810–840 821 5 240.00–255.00 $249.95 $2,052 -1.35
846 value added 846 58 265.50 $265.50 $2,246 —
888–895 888 19 240.00–244.50 $244.26 $2,169 —
900–925 905 22 236.00–240.50 $240.13 $2,173 —
937 fancy 937 59 256.50 $256.50 $2,403 —
975–990 983 2 230.00–232.00 $230.99 $2,271 —
1000–1045 1014 5 215.00–229.00 $223.49 $2,266 +1.49
1018 fancy 1018 51 244.20 $244.20 $2,486 —
1170 1170 1 208.00 $208.00 $2,434 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 3 320.00 $320.00 $1,152 —
517 517 2 317.50 $317.50 $1,641 —
555–595 558 13 305.00–312.50 $311.31 $1,737 —
650–670 660 2 262.50–270.00 $266.19 $1,757 —
716 value added 716 3 275.00 $275.00 $1,969 —
725 725 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,831 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 310.00 $310.00 $868 ±0.00
305 305 2 327.50 $327.50 $999 —
352 352 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,197 —
435 435 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,229 -12.50
675–690 683 2 232.50–255.00 $243.63 $1,664 -18.37
740 740 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,554 —
935 935 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,776 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,440 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 value added 235 1 340.00 $340.00 $799 —
295 value added 295 1 332.50 $332.50 $981 —
305 value added 305 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,098 —
300–342 328 6 295.00–315.00 $305.88 $1,003 +7.88
365–377 371 4 312.00–317.50 $314.79 $1,168 +11.82
365–390 value added 379 5 324.00–342.50 $333.79 $1,265 -19.51
400–440 value added 429 38 316.00–362.50 $338.18 $1,451 +21.48
430–440 433 3 295.00–312.50 $303.60 $1,315 +23.60
450–495 value added 477 16 295.00–330.00 $318.28 $1,518 +5.07
460–495 487 8 270.00–295.00 $281.92 $1,373 +1.04
502–540 518 11 272.50–290.00 $278.08 $1,440 +4.08
505–540 value added 525 17 294.00–322.50 $306.59 $1,610 +18.76
551–595 value added 567 25 277.50–303.00 $285.21 $1,617 -1.61
559–595 572 17 270.00–275.00 $272.74 $1,560 -5.26
607 607 5 290.00 $290.00 $1,760 +50.00
605–645 value added 627 30 267.50–278.00 $275.27 $1,726 +0.35
627–645 633 3 250.00–252.50 $251.65 $1,593 +11.65
650–682 value added 677 59 257.00–271.00 $262.20 $1,775 +0.02
721 721 11 271.00 $271.00 $1,954 +36.02
726–730 727 5 237.00–237.50 $237.10 $1,724 +2.12
770–781 779 34 251.00–252.00 $251.17 $1,957 +14.17
791 value added 791 13 242.50 $242.50 $1,918 -9.50
805 805 2 212.50 $212.50 $1,711 -37.47
985 985 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,872 -22.00
1042 1042 2 194.00 $194.00 $2,021 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 282.50 $282.50 $960 +22.50
370 370 1 255.00 $255.00 $944 -25.00
450–490 468 4 260.00–280.00 $264.81 $1,239 -0.19
520–537 530 6 247.50–270.00 $265.48 $1,407 +13.77
555–597 579 9 250.00–267.50 $260.49 $1,508 -6.56
640 640 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,520 -2.01
670 670 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,541 -3.52
722 722 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,444 —
750–780 765 2 210.00–217.00 $213.57 $1,634 -19.43
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
543 543 5 289.00 $289.00 $1,569 +19.00
555–590 582 8 262.50–279.00 $275.64 $1,604 —
640 640 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,568 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 207.50 $207.50 $706 —
430–435 433 2 230.00–232.50 $231.26 $1,001 —
525 525 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,142 —
590 590 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,239 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1562 1562 2 173.00 $173.00 $2,702 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 320.00 $320.00 $864 —
325 325 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,227 —
390–395 393 2 373.00–390.00 $381.45 $1,499 +61.45
400–442 424 4 327.50–367.50 $348.98 $1,480 —
455–490 478 11 320.00–360.00 $339.68 $1,624 +26.71
510–530 value added 520 16 297.50–337.50 $310.33 $1,614 +10.84
502–541 528 6 267.50–291.00 $283.92 $1,499 +1.92
550–590 value added 572 5 290.00–315.00 $302.34 $1,729 +4.94
590 590 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,652 -2.95
605–625 618 3 252.00–255.00 $254.02 $1,570 -11.90
681 681 3 243.00 $243.00 $1,655 -6.70
701–740 value added 711 4 247.50–250.00 $248.15 $1,764 —
740 740 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,746 -12.13
761–780 767 5 237.50 $237.50 $1,822 -10.00
870 870 2 205.00–227.50 $216.25 $1,881 -6.05
966–977 970 5 187.50–200.00 $194.97 $1,891 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 282.50 $282.50 $918 -57.50
405–440 423 2 252.50–280.00 $265.68 $1,124 —
495 495 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,287 -27.15
500–545 525 5 252.50–276.00 $266.75 $1,400 —
580 580 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,552 -2.50
667 667 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,501 -5.00
715 715 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,555 —
775 775 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,395 —
880 880 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,408 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 252.50 $252.50 $922 —
500 500 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,112 —
580 580 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,247 —
695 695 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,390 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
600 600 1 251.00 $251.00 $1,506 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1085 1085 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1380 1168 80-85% 5 132.00–136.00 $134.15 $1,567 +6.77
1090–1800 1296 80-85% 10 124.00–131.00 $127.38 $1,651 —
1115–1620 1369 80-85% 4 140.00–153.00 $145.89 $1,997 +0.12
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1625 1387 75-80% 9 133.00–139.00 $136.94 $1,899 —
1300–1705 1516 75-80% 6 140.00–147.00 $142.10 $2,154 -4.22
1520 1520 75-80% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,976 -16.32
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775 775 85-90% 1 104.00 $104.00 $806 —
940–1080 1016 85-90% 5 124.00–131.00 $127.37 $1,294 —
845–1225 1029 85-90% 4 114.00–120.00 $116.42 $1,198 —
895–1380 1063 85-90% 4 111.00–114.00 $112.40 $1,195 +5.79

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1360 1255 2 138.00–141.00 $139.63 $1,752 —
1030–1840 1459 8 152.50–171.00 $163.58 $2,387 —
1820 1820 1 182.00 $182.00 $3,312 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
835–1010 950 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 143.00–183.00 $168.19 $1,598

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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.