Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 11, 2025

771 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 $259.91/cwt +7.86 vs last sale · ≈ $2,389/hd at 919 lb · 104 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $295.23/cwt +16.28 vs last sale · ≈ $2,102/hd at 712 lb · 102 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $276.01/cwt +0.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,732/hd at 628 lb · 48 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 771 1,064 1,117
Feeder cattle 712 1,000 1,048
Slaughter cattle 42 61 63
Replacement cattle 17 3 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers under 500 lbs sold sharply higher; over 500 lbs 5.00 to 10.00 higher, yearlings 3.00 to 5.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages suitable for grass and yearlings. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs sold sharply higher; over 500 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages suitable for grass and yearling replacement quality packages. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. 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
325–345 value added 335 4 400.00–420.00 $406.97 $1,363 —
350–355 value added 353 2 385.00–405.00 $394.93 $1,394 +1.32
400 400 1 381.00 $381.00 $1,524 —
405 value added 405 1 419.00 $419.00 $1,697 +19.04
500 500 2 322.50–332.50 $327.50 $1,638 —
505–543 value added 532 12 337.50–357.50 $347.90 $1,851 +7.27
562–585 570 3 309.00–311.00 $310.32 $1,769 —
592 value added 592 16 348.00 $348.00 $2,060 +13.89
600–645 value added 626 18 298.00–337.50 $308.10 $1,929 -6.19
640 640 2 283.00 $283.00 $1,811 -3.92
656–665 value added 657 7 302.50–316.00 $314.05 $2,063 +20.68
690 690 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,794 -23.00
700–715 711 4 266.00–267.00 $266.75 $1,897 +12.62
700–740 value added 712 98 271.00–302.60 $296.39 $2,110 +14.88
762–775 value added 770 11 269.00–276.00 $273.03 $2,102 +10.82
773 773 4 255.00 $255.00 $1,971 +3.89
810–845 828 4 250.00–260.00 $254.48 $2,107 +4.53
880 880 2 252.00–253.00 $252.50 $2,222 +8.24
906–930 fancy 919 103 259.00–261.00 $260.08 $2,390 +3.58
935 935 1 242.50 $242.50 $2,267 +2.37
959 959 17 251.00 $251.00 $2,407 +20.01
1005 1005 1 234.00 $234.00 $2,352 +10.51
1095 1095 1 210.00 $210.00 $2,300 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
683 683 3 307.50 $307.50 $2,100 +41.31
705 705 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,657 -17.50
725 value added 725 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,885 -15.00
785 785 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,002 —
792 value added 792 5 266.00 $266.00 $2,107 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
675 675 1 257.50 $257.50 $1,738 +13.87
757 757 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,877 —
825 825 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,980 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 375.00 $375.00 $975 —
260–295 value added 278 2 342.50–387.00 $366.15 $1,018 +33.65
375 value added 375 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,350 +26.21
395 395 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,264 +5.21
405–445 427 3 320.00–321.00 $320.34 $1,368 +16.74
426–440 value added 430 4 330.00–337.50 $335.58 $1,443 -2.60
428–443 fancy 436 6 385.00–392.50 $388.69 $1,695 —
450–465 value added 455 3 335.00–353.00 $346.87 $1,578 +28.59
463–471 466 7 310.00–320.00 $314.33 $1,465 +32.41
510 510 1 284.00 $284.00 $1,448 +5.92
500–549 value added 526 24 293.00–315.00 $303.93 $1,599 -2.66
550–579 value added 567 29 291.00–304.00 $298.69 $1,694 +13.48
555–592 576 4 280.00–285.00 $283.26 $1,632 +10.52
607–637 625 7 246.00–261.00 $255.29 $1,596 +3.64
600–645 value added 628 41 262.50–297.00 $279.55 $1,756 +4.28
651–686 value added 668 13 264.00–296.00 $278.48 $1,860 +16.28
669 669 6 306.00 $306.00 $2,047 —
671–688 680 10 245.00–262.00 $259.09 $1,762 —
705–742 722 5 239.00–241.00 $239.81 $1,731 -31.19
730 730 33 279.50 $279.50 $2,040 +42.40
700–743 value added 734 5 250.00–255.00 $250.95 $1,842 —
760–765 763 4 232.50–240.00 $236.26 $1,803 -14.91
812–825 816 3 229.00–239.00 $232.37 $1,896 +19.87
825 value added 825 2 237.50 $237.50 $1,959 —
855 855 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,817 —
850–870 value added 867 6 227.00–236.00 $234.53 $2,033 —
853–883 869 22 251.50–260.00 $255.29 $2,218 —
880 880 2 219.00–220.00 $219.50 $1,932 —
910 910 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,820 —
910 value added 910 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,866 —
982 982 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,787 -8.00
1030 1030 1 207.00 $207.00 $2,132 +13.00
1065 1065 1 190.00 $190.00 $2,024 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 3 255.00–280.00 $263.33 $1,119 —
505–530 518 2 250.00–270.00 $259.76 $1,346 -5.72
645 645 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,596 +10.00
680–685 682 3 232.50–243.00 $236.82 $1,615 +6.82
805 805 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,550 —
865–870 868 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,693 —
930 930 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,628 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575–577 577 5 276.00–282.50 $281.20 $1,623 +5.56
745 745 3 232.50 $232.50 $1,732 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 417.50 $417.50 $877 —
310–340 325 2 389.00–400.00 $394.25 $1,281 +16.75
353–385 361 4 372.00–405.00 $396.20 $1,430 +14.75
420–422 421 3 375.00 $375.00 $1,579 +26.02
435–445 value added 440 2 391.00–392.50 $391.74 $1,724 —
460–461 value added 461 4 382.50–390.00 $384.37 $1,772 —
460–495 474 5 360.00–377.50 $367.64 $1,743 +27.96
500–540 value added 521 8 320.00–343.00 $331.05 $1,725 +20.72
535 535 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,592 +13.58
558–580 567 6 312.50–317.50 $314.27 $1,782 +34.27
600–642 value added 622 10 265.00–290.00 $282.43 $1,757 —
655–695 674 10 252.50–271.00 $261.25 $1,761 +18.25
691 value added 691 6 291.00 $291.00 $2,011 —
705–720 value added 713 2 261.00–269.00 $265.04 $1,890 +16.89
758–775 value added 760 8 246.00–257.50 $248.59 $1,889 —
800 800 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,940 —
895 895 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,835 -11.25
995 995 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,841 -9.97
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 310 3 315.00–340.00 $331.13 $1,027 +48.63
440 440 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,199 +6.82
640 640 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,510 —
740 740 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,684 +10.00
770 770 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,810 +55.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1395 1231 80-85% 7 124.00–131.00 $127.85 $1,574 —
1175–1465 1326 80-85% 5 139.00–142.00 $140.08 $1,857 —
1420 1420 80-85% 2 134.00–138.00 $136.00 $1,931 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1035 980 85-90% 3 95.00–99.00 $97.64 $957 —
985 985 85-90% 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,241 —
945–1095 1030 85-90% 3 103.00–114.00 $108.84 $1,121 -7.58
1075–1250 1148 85-90% 3 117.00–121.00 $119.03 $1,366 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1265 1193 75-80% 2 130.00–131.00 $130.53 $1,557 —
1315–1540 1452 75-80% 3 134.00–137.00 $135.39 $1,966 —
1345–1650 1498 75-80% 2 139.00 $139.00 $2,082 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1625–2085 1793 3 171.00–185.00 $177.36 $3,180 —
1565–2515 1861 4 161.00–169.00 $165.97 $3,089 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935–1060 998 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 149.00–183.00 $164.93 $1,646
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
885–930 908 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 128.00–134.00 $130.93 $1,189

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200 1200 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00
1370 1370 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1330 1330 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1105 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,625.00 $2,625.00 —
1300–1470 1382 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,400.00–2,700.00 $2,600.48 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1325 1325 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,075.00 $2,075.00 —

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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.