Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 1, 2025

589 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 $266.78/cwt +1.16 vs last sale · ≈ $2,482/hd at 930 lb · 62 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $366.12/cwt +3.10 vs last sale · ≈ $2,127/hd at 581 lb · 41 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $295.24/cwt -5.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,848/hd at 626 lb · 35 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 589 755 516
Feeder cattle 499 706 466
Slaughter cattle 64 47 39
Replacement cattle 26 2 11

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and sold steady on similar quality with good demand for weaned packages suitable for grass. Softer undertone for fleshy short-weaned individuals. Lightweight heifers under 500 lbs sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower on an average quality offering with more fleshy short-weaned calves on offer compared to last week; good quality hard-weaned packages over 500 lbs sold steady to firm with good demand. Yearling steers sold steady to 2.00 higher with very good demand. Slaughter cows sold 3.00 to 4.00 lower; except lean cows firm. Slaughter bulls lightly tested. Impending heavy rain forecasted for tomorrow night through the weekend slowed cattle movement today.

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
365–385 value added 377 3 417.50–435.00 $424.24 $1,599 +1.60
400–430 value added 415 2 427.50–432.50 $429.91 $1,784 +29.41
452–490 value added 470 4 355.00–380.00 $368.59 $1,732 -15.02
517–547 value added 528 10 361.00–395.00 $382.47 $2,019 -0.77
580 580 2 309.00 $309.00 $1,792 -22.95
555–590 value added 581 39 335.00–380.00 $369.05 $2,144 -0.19
611–642 value added 623 13 320.00–353.00 $339.42 $2,115 +8.67
650–688 value added 672 21 310.00–335.00 $321.94 $2,163 -0.22
680 680 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,887 —
700–745 value added 722 12 282.00–320.00 $294.45 $2,126 -1.57
735–745 740 2 257.50–262.00 $259.73 $1,922 -11.27
775 value added 775 7 288.00 $288.00 $2,232 +8.59
917–930 923 5 231.00–249.00 $241.44 $2,228 -8.31
931 fancy 931 57 269.00 $269.00 $2,504 +2.25
960–972 962 14 221.00–249.00 $244.96 $2,357 +8.96
1005–1036 1026 5 207.50–230.00 $223.78 $2,296 -2.22
1050 1050 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,415 +39.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,122 -22.50
460–470 465 2 302.50–315.00 $308.82 $1,436 -41.60
535 535 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,525 —
550 550 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,554 +7.50
835 835 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,962 —
910 910 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,911 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,754 —
720 720 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,951 —
1067 1067 2 210.00 $210.00 $2,241 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,313 +20.93

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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 1 327.50 $327.50 $852 —
350–380 value added 368 5 342.50–390.00 $377.95 $1,391 -10.89
415–445 value added 425 14 339.00–355.00 $349.16 $1,484 -30.85
455–492 value added 468 26 326.00–350.00 $338.73 $1,585 -25.82
455–485 470 2 301.00–307.50 $304.35 $1,430 -21.41
500–543 value added 524 13 305.00–337.00 $321.11 $1,683 -5.00
540–545 543 2 287.50 $287.50 $1,561 -12.37
560–595 value added 579 25 313.00–331.00 $321.86 $1,864 +8.30
580 580 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,630 +0.14
615–617 616 3 273.00–277.00 $275.67 $1,698 —
600–645 value added 627 32 277.00–315.00 $297.08 $1,863 -3.20
665 665 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,546 -35.44
685 685 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,730 -15.44
695 value added 695 5 283.00–290.00 $288.60 $2,006 -9.40
707–710 708 3 256.00–261.00 $259.33 $1,836 +12.31
765 765 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,859 +3.00
805 805 1 257.00 $257.00 $2,069 +17.00
867 867 2 248.00 $248.00 $2,150 +13.00
965 965 1 216.00 $216.00 $2,084 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 287 2 302.50 $302.50 $868 +10.00
335 335 1 265.00 $265.00 $888 —
380 380 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,083 —
415 415 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,183 —
475 475 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,282 -30.00
555 555 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,554 —
630 630 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,575 +11.29
700–735 718 2 202.50–222.00 $212.49 $1,526 -17.51
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,200 —
505–535 520 2 212.50–245.00 $228.28 $1,187 +9.17
655 655 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,326 ±0.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,455 —
555 555 1 283.00 $283.00 $1,571 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342–345 344 4 367.50–380.00 $373.78 $1,286 —
357–385 value added 367 4 410.00–432.50 $418.33 $1,535 —
375–390 383 2 347.50–360.00 $353.87 $1,355 -30.59
400–430 value added 424 7 392.50–412.50 $403.06 $1,709 +15.06
440–445 443 2 355.00–361.00 $358.02 $1,586 —
452–492 value added 478 9 364.00–390.00 $370.35 $1,770 -18.98
457–495 480 6 330.00–357.50 $345.91 $1,660 -22.82
500–545 value added 531 14 325.00–365.00 $347.62 $1,846 +5.97
549 549 12 310.00 $310.00 $1,702 +3.83
560–585 value added 569 14 325.00–355.00 $340.18 $1,936 +10.13
578–585 579 13 302.50–310.00 $309.42 $1,792 —
605–625 615 2 285.00–300.00 $292.62 $1,800 +16.29
623–640 value added 627 4 317.50–325.00 $323.09 $2,026 —
667–675 value added 670 3 310.00–329.00 $322.62 $2,162 +2.62
727 value added 727 8 281.00 $281.00 $2,043 —
745 745 1 261.00 $261.00 $1,944 -4.00
830 830 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,768 +3.00
860 860 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,797 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 3 325.00–332.50 $327.50 $917 +2.50
480 480 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,452 -17.50
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 300.00 $300.00 $600 —
365–385 375 2 270.00–300.00 $284.60 $1,067 —
400 400 1 212.50 $212.50 $850 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1545 1412 75-80% 3 119.00–132.00 $126.29 $1,783 -21.63
1110–1790 1413 75-80% 5 130.00–136.00 $132.71 $1,875 -15.21
1210–1820 1516 75-80% 17 138.00–155.00 $141.06 $2,138 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
685–1065 883 85-90% 12 117.00–128.00 $123.50 $1,091 +22.58
945 945 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $756 —
750–1140 970 85-90% 5 129.00–143.00 $135.70 $1,316 +6.74
845–1095 1021 85-90% 4 114.00–117.00 $115.95 $1,184 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1345 1234 80-85% 5 139.00–144.00 $141.36 $1,744 +2.24
1180–1380 1242 80-85% 6 125.00–132.00 $128.45 $1,595 -10.67
1210–1300 1255 80-85% 2 132.00–137.00 $134.59 $1,689 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195 1195 1 147.00 $147.00 $1,757 —
1325–2040 1683 2 155.00–164.00 $160.46 $2,701 -3.19

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960–1305 1154 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 147.50–169.00 $156.21 $1,803

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1085–1255 1170 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,825.00–2,850.00 $2,836.59
1260 1260 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
990 990 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
700 700 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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
1125–1265 1195 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,600.00–2,700.00 $2,652.93 —
1545–1875 1710 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 3,475.00–3,525.00 $3,497.59 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
780–1145 996 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,425.00–2,250.00 $1,872.21 —

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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.