Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 22, 2025

1,134 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $392.93/cwt +31.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,011/hd at 512 lb · 57 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $326.82/cwt +17.25 vs last sale · ≈ $2,403/hd at 735 lb · 56 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $280.33/cwt +8.20 vs last sale · ≈ $2,530/hd at 903 lb · 55 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,134 1,090 1,265
Feeder cattle 974 1,005 1,129
Slaughter cattle 137 81 117
Replacement cattle 23 4 19

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers and heifers under 600 lbs sold sharply higher on weaned packages with very good demand on an active market with very good buyer participation. Yearling steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand. Yearling heifers 5.00 to 10.00 higher in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher with good demand. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a lite test.

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
205–220 213 3 382.50–390.00 $385.92 $822 —
285–287 value added 286 3 400.00–440.00 $413.27 $1,182 —
295 295 1 397.50 $397.50 $1,173 —
300–308 305 5 400.00–405.00 $403.03 $1,229 +22.35
325–335 value added 330 2 427.50–430.00 $428.77 $1,415 —
352–393 value added 378 18 415.00–432.00 $422.95 $1,599 —
407–436 value added 418 32 413.00–437.50 $425.28 $1,778 +16.33
400–441 427 13 392.50–411.00 $401.04 $1,712 +15.39
450–485 478 6 360.00–383.00 $365.72 $1,748 -2.97
480–492 value added 484 15 410.00–422.00 $419.31 $2,029 +24.89
500–545 509 16 354.00–383.00 $372.54 $1,896 +42.54
503–525 value added 513 41 387.50–409.00 $400.89 $2,057 +34.54
565 565 1 371.00 $371.00 $2,096 +39.21
550–599 value added 573 28 342.00–387.00 $367.55 $2,106 +16.27
601–648 value added 612 41 337.50–370.00 $362.46 $2,218 +28.71
630–645 639 6 291.00–332.50 $309.16 $1,976 +24.16
653–696 value added 668 19 292.50–363.00 $333.84 $2,230 +10.43
655–687 675 4 299.00–318.00 $303.61 $2,049 +0.03
702–721 value added 717 10 332.50–339.00 $337.73 $2,422 +25.22
707–728 721 6 275.00–295.00 $287.45 $2,073 +21.88
742 thin fleshed 742 40 330.00 $330.00 $2,449 —
755 value added 755 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,227 +8.36
755–790 777 5 269.00–285.00 $277.40 $2,155 +12.40
810–845 825 4 255.00–287.00 $272.64 $2,249 +11.47
847 fancy 847 40 290.25 $290.25 $2,458 —
902 fancy 902 54 280.80 $280.80 $2,533 +8.44
930 930 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,372 +7.50
1057 1057 2 224.00 $224.00 $2,368 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
257–295 270 3 320.00–385.00 $343.70 $928 —
395 395 2 380.00–403.00 $391.50 $1,546 +9.00
400–430 416 4 300.00–369.00 $349.07 $1,452 +6.57
457–477 467 4 367.50–380.00 $373.88 $1,746 —
565–580 573 2 315.00–324.00 $319.56 $1,831 +29.56
710 710 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,576 —
880 880 1 232.00 $232.00 $2,042 +4.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,880 —
675 675 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,160 —
736 736 4 305.00 $305.00 $2,245 —
800 800 1 271.00 $271.00 $2,168 —
860 860 1 251.00 $251.00 $2,159 +16.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 270.00 $270.00 $945 —
432 432 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,231 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 325.00 $325.00 $796 —
250–285 265 4 347.50–375.00 $361.13 $957 —
300–340 value added 323 14 372.00–403.00 $383.11 $1,237 —
310–335 323 2 357.50–360.00 $358.70 $1,159 +20.87
350–395 value added 378 20 360.00–402.50 $393.39 $1,487 —
400–442 value added 425 40 363.00–397.50 $382.33 $1,625 +32.15
425–440 431 4 341.00–360.00 $351.95 $1,517 —
455–490 value added 468 27 347.50–378.00 $368.80 $1,726 +19.48
455–490 478 3 335.00–342.50 $339.27 $1,622 +23.25
500–525 514 7 312.00–321.00 $318.04 $1,635 +8.04
505–548 value added 528 35 322.50–355.00 $339.72 $1,794 +19.37
550–575 value added 553 12 320.00–341.00 $333.53 $1,844 +14.95
550–590 570 10 312.50–317.50 $315.60 $1,799 +14.26
612–640 619 11 272.50–292.50 $285.03 $1,764 +17.53
630–645 value added 634 27 297.00–316.00 $315.28 $1,999 +23.48
650–675 660 4 267.00–283.00 $273.80 $1,807 +12.80
650–690 value added 666 7 284.00–319.00 $302.85 $2,017 +7.19
700–740 720 3 240.00–262.50 $253.04 $1,822 -3.19
710–741 value added 737 20 269.00–277.00 $275.56 $2,031 +0.05
756 756 23 275.25 $275.25 $2,081 —
750–762 761 8 259.00–265.00 $264.26 $2,011 —
803 803 10 290.00 $290.00 $2,329 +69.62
990 990 1 212.50 $212.50 $2,104 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 320.00 $320.00 $880 —
370 370 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,258 +53.67
450–495 473 2 312.50–315.00 $313.81 $1,484 —
500–545 523 2 287.50–301.00 $293.96 $1,537 —
550 550 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,595 +3.75
630 630 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,559 —
730 730 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,752 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620–640 628 5 269.00–280.00 $275.52 $1,730 —
660 660 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,749 —

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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 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,040 —
300–307 fancy 305 3 417.50–422.50 $419.14 $1,278 —
345 345 1 397.50 $397.50 $1,371 +70.00
350–386 value added 366 9 400.00–435.00 $415.74 $1,522 —
370–390 380 4 382.50–410.00 $395.28 $1,502 +44.28
400–431 value added 419 5 387.50–397.50 $391.32 $1,640 —
427 427 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,644 -6.00
454–460 value added 455 7 395.00–400.00 $395.72 $1,801 —
480–492 489 5 360.00–381.00 $369.16 $1,805 —
500–540 518 8 353.00–367.50 $360.19 $1,866 +7.69
510–540 value added 525 2 380.00–381.00 $380.49 $1,998 —
565 value added 565 1 367.50 $367.50 $2,076 —
570–595 587 3 313.00–321.00 $315.59 $1,853 -1.41
630–645 635 4 299.00–302.50 $301.61 $1,915 -4.12
660 660 2 290.00–295.00 $292.50 $1,930 +2.50
710 710 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,846 -21.02
757–770 value added 759 8 274.00–285.00 $283.60 $2,153 —
810–840 823 3 200.00–215.00 $210.08 $1,729 —
1148 1148 3 184.00 $184.00 $2,112 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–245 233 2 325.00–350.00 $336.83 $785 —
250 250 1 355.00 $355.00 $888 —
345 345 1 361.00 $361.00 $1,245 —
465–470 468 3 342.50–367.00 $350.61 $1,641 —
535 535 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,618 +22.50
565–575 570 2 272.00–300.00 $286.12 $1,631 —
880 880 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,430 +2.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,729 —
615–647 642 7 295.00–303.00 $301.91 $1,938 —
715 715 1 279.00 $279.00 $1,995 —
995 995 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,811 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–290 275 2 275.00–305.00 $289.18 $795 —
320 320 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,024 —
395 395 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,086 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–1460 1173 80-85% 8 135.00–140.00 $137.48 $1,613 —
1050–1400 1174 80-85% 8 140.00–148.00 $145.62 $1,710 —
945–1550 1247 80-85% 32 149.00–164.00 $155.64 $1,941 +12.82
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1590 1330 75-80% 27 149.00–158.00 $153.07 $2,036 —
1145–1610 1369 75-80% 17 142.00–148.00 $145.31 $1,989 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745–905 845 85-90% 4 92.00–107.00 $100.13 $846 —
640–1215 989 85-90% 16 115.00–135.00 $128.95 $1,275 +29.95
940–1050 995 85-90% 2 109.00–114.00 $111.64 $1,111 +12.64
840–1245 1013 85-90% 10 135.00–161.00 $141.57 $1,434 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1395 1270 2 154.00–155.00 $154.45 $1,962 —
1440–2230 1941 4 178.00–200.00 $186.15 $3,613 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
810–1380 1094 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 17 149.00–186.00 $159.27 $1,742
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930–1330 1064 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 136.00–143.00 $139.50 $1,484

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
908 908 61 224.50 $224.50 $2,038 —
1007 1007 12 197.00 $197.00 $1,984 —

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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.