Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 6, 2025

1,222 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $290.82/cwt +32.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,583/hd at 888 lb · 173 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $369.28/cwt +43.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,983/hd at 537 lb · 129 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $286.70/cwt ≈ $2,660/hd at 928 lb · 124 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,222 668 882
Feeder cattle 1,125 563 801
Slaughter cattle 66 89 79
Replacement cattle 31 16 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold steady to firm instances noticeably higher for preconditioned calf packages with very good demand. Yearlings noticeably higher in a limited comparison with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold 3.00 to 10.00 higher with very good demand for preconditioned packages. Slaughter cows sold 2.00 to 5.00 higher with most advance on lean cows with good demand. Slaughter bulls no 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
377 377 2 435.00 $435.00 $1,640 +25.45
402–427 value added 410 25 420.00–441.00 $430.95 $1,767 —
460 value added 460 1 417.50 $417.50 $1,920 —
455–493 478 5 389.00–403.00 $394.33 $1,885 -24.67
517–535 value added 517 92 395.00–432.00 $430.15 $2,224 +34.13
515–547 531 4 372.50–377.00 $374.82 $1,990 -2.18
550–586 value added 574 12 377.50–381.00 $379.88 $2,181 -5.12
566–595 577 24 360.00–370.00 $367.98 $2,123 +10.48
610–632 value added 625 3 327.50–355.00 $336.45 $2,103 -12.59
635 635 3 320.00 $320.00 $2,032 -4.17
650–667 661 3 317.00–329.00 $320.93 $2,121 -4.23
675–683 value added 676 25 357.50–360.00 $359.70 $2,432 +12.70
705–707 value added 705 11 292.50–327.00 $320.71 $2,261 +12.51
707–725 713 3 280.00–292.50 $288.26 $2,055 —
775–795 785 2 255.00–280.00 $267.34 $2,099 -19.74
788 value added 788 6 309.00 $309.00 $2,435 +10.00
810–835 821 4 259.00–282.50 $272.45 $2,237 -1.72
857–885 862 6 269.00–273.00 $269.84 $2,326 —
882–897 fancy 889 167 290.10–292.50 $291.57 $2,592 —
915–940 925 3 248.00–266.00 $256.94 $2,377 —
917–940 fancy 928 121 285.00–289.75 $287.44 $2,667 —
975–994 994 57 240.00–262.50 $262.11 $2,605 —
1013 fancy 1013 113 270.25 $270.25 $2,738 —
1055–1075 1065 2 230.00 $230.00 $2,450 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,251 -15.00
465 465 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,767 —
592 592 2 347.50 $347.50 $2,057 —
650 650 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,885 -20.00
860 860 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,978 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,395 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 328 2 375.00–380.00 $377.37 $1,238 -2.63
355–385 value added 366 7 400.00–430.00 $410.19 $1,501 —
405 405 1 371.00 $371.00 $1,503 +3.70
425–447 value added 441 8 353.00–387.50 $380.52 $1,678 +2.38
450–460 455 2 327.50–350.00 $338.87 $1,542 -4.20
510–545 528 2 309.00–312.50 $310.69 $1,640 +3.33
500–547 value added 537 127 335.00–377.50 $370.20 $1,988 +26.45
555–599 value added 594 63 323.00–343.00 $339.39 $2,016 +9.24
592–595 594 4 305.00–319.00 $311.98 $1,853 -1.67
600–641 value added 632 96 315.00–341.25 $338.48 $2,139 +3.50
657–695 674 4 280.00–300.00 $292.08 $1,969 -2.52
661–684 value added 680 19 312.50–331.00 $328.16 $2,231 —
705–730 718 2 252.50–255.00 $253.73 $1,822 -19.27
885 885 1 247.50 $247.50 $2,190 +10.63
1010 1010 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,868 -36.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605 605 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,664 +38.16
665 665 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,596 -14.33
700 700 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,463 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,120 —
285 fancy 285 1 432.50 $432.50 $1,233 —
370 370 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,480 -8.00
382 fancy 382 2 437.50 $437.50 $1,671 —
420–435 430 3 380.00–422.50 $393.84 $1,694 +20.87
465–490 479 4 345.00–375.00 $360.65 $1,728 -54.35
517–545 526 4 362.50–370.00 $366.83 $1,930 -25.64
557–595 572 11 354.00–367.50 $359.59 $2,057 -33.41
605–606 value added 605 7 320.00–340.00 $331.42 $2,005 —
685–691 690 4 313.00–315.00 $313.50 $2,163 —
765–785 775 2 259.00–282.50 $270.90 $2,099 —
805 805 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,093 —
895 895 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,327 +70.05
950 950 1 219.00 $219.00 $2,080 +9.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,312 -69.00
495 495 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,572 -23.15
500 500 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,600 —
970 970 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,552 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085–1685 1246 80-85% 8 144.00–152.00 $147.51 $1,838 —
1215–1310 1261 80-85% 4 131.00–141.00 $137.30 $1,731 -7.01
1270–1865 1515 80-85% 3 158.00–166.00 $160.89 $2,437 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1361 1234 75-80% 4 145.00–150.00 $147.24 $1,817 —
1275–1615 1514 75-80% 8 153.00–160.00 $156.01 $2,362 +3.73
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–840 815 85-90% 2 111.00–113.00 $112.03 $913 —
885–1050 968 85-90% 2 127.00–130.00 $128.37 $1,243 —
970–1140 1040 85-90% 6 148.00–156.00 $153.29 $1,594 +30.42

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
670–1110 837 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 167.50–185.00 $175.89 $1,472
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1010 1010 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,464

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1045–1160 1102 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,300.00–2,800.00 $2,542.06

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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
930–1320 1075 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 3,100.00–3,600.00 $3,331.94 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
750–1100 883 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 2,500.00–3,050.00 $2,840.74 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
715–945 830 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,800.00–1,950.00 $1,885.39 —

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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.