Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report, Lexington, KY

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 13, 2025

1,141 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 $292.76/cwt +6.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,685/hd at 917 lb · 181 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $289.50/cwt -1.32 vs last sale · ≈ $2,539/hd at 877 lb · 113 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $284.76/cwt +22.65 vs last sale · ≈ $2,754/hd at 967 lb · 74 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,141 1,222 990
Feeder cattle 1,021 1,125 895
Slaughter cattle 107 66 86
Replacement cattle 13 31 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers sold 5.00-10.00 higher with very good demand. Yearling steers were 5.00-10.00 higher with very good demand. Heifers sold steady in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows were 2.00-4.00 higher except for lean cows which were sharply higher with very good demand and slaughter bulls had no comparison available but were in very 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
240 fancy 240 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,056 —
331 fancy 331 3 455.00 $455.00 $1,506 —
335 335 2 423.00–425.00 $424.00 $1,420 —
375 375 1 425.00 $425.00 $1,594 -10.00
415 415 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,660 —
440 value added 440 7 441.00 $441.00 $1,940 +10.05
450–482 471 3 390.00–405.00 $400.23 $1,885 +5.90
500 500 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,925 +10.18
502–536 value added 521 38 403.00–416.00 $407.72 $2,124 -22.43
555–582 value added 573 11 382.50–387.50 $384.60 $2,204 +4.72
555–593 585 5 375.00–381.00 $376.14 $2,200 +8.16
602–643 value added 614 34 351.00–382.00 $375.73 $2,307 +39.28
685 685 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,312 +16.57
652–699 value added 690 21 345.00–360.00 $355.81 $2,455 -3.89
707–710 709 4 322.50–332.50 $327.51 $2,322 +39.25
810 810 1 293.00 $293.00 $2,373 +20.55
877 877 113 289.50 $289.50 $2,539 +19.66
907–925 fancy 917 181 291.10–293.60 $292.76 $2,685 +5.32
951 951 15 274.00 $274.00 $2,606 —
971 fancy 971 59 287.50 $287.50 $2,792 —
1057–1064 fancy 1058 58 262.00–264.90 $264.65 $2,800 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,290 —
450 450 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,699 -2.50
510 510 1 369.00 $369.00 $1,882 —
820 820 1 262.50 $262.50 $2,152 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860 860 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,279 —
1045 1045 1 221.00 $221.00 $2,309 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200 1200 1 201.00 $201.00 $2,412 —
1745 1745 1 179.00 $179.00 $3,124 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 333 3 380.00–392.50 $383.88 $1,278 +6.51
342–343 value added 343 7 407.50–421.00 $417.15 $1,431 —
357–380 369 4 365.00–381.00 $373.25 $1,377 —
360–383 value added 380 9 411.00–417.50 $411.68 $1,564 +1.49
405–440 value added 418 6 363.00–380.00 $373.78 $1,562 -6.74
431–447 435 8 342.50–357.50 $346.35 $1,507 -24.65
457–483 value added 466 36 352.50–371.00 $365.30 $1,702 —
470–491 483 11 339.00–352.00 $343.88 $1,661 +5.01
502–540 value added 526 71 327.50–367.00 $348.18 $1,831 -22.02
555–590 value added 563 13 320.00–345.00 $338.32 $1,905 -1.07
595 595 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,874 +3.02
600–640 616 8 305.00–317.50 $312.99 $1,928 —
605–631 value added 620 27 317.50–333.00 $325.89 $2,021 -12.59
650–663 value added 662 19 322.50–329.50 $329.14 $2,179 +0.98
710 710 1 269.00 $269.00 $1,910 +15.27
720 720 15 320.00 $320.00 $2,304 +66.27
715–743 value added 733 13 281.00–296.00 $289.51 $2,122 —
758–775 value added 774 53 274.75–297.50 $276.43 $2,140 —
760–795 778 2 262.50–269.00 $265.68 $2,067 —
782 782 4 295.00 $295.00 $2,307 —
840–845 843 2 235.00–246.00 $240.52 $2,028 —
882 value added 882 2 267.50 $267.50 $2,359 —
905 value added 905 4 259.00 $259.00 $2,344 —
910 910 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,820 —
978 value added 978 8 247.00 $247.00 $2,416 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 295.00 $295.00 $678 —
460–495 483 3 313.00–317.50 $314.43 $1,519 —
510–545 532 3 285.00–305.00 $297.37 $1,582 —
555 555 1 297.00 $297.00 $1,648 —
620–640 633 5 242.50–280.00 $264.62 $1,675 -10.38
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 250.00 $250.00 $712 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 fancy 335 1 442.50 $442.50 $1,482 —
355 fancy 355 1 427.50 $427.50 $1,518 -10.00
390 390 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,599 +10.00
405–445 value added 430 8 412.50–422.50 $416.83 $1,792 —
437–445 440 3 381.00–402.50 $388.25 $1,708 -5.59
455–466 value added 463 4 395.00–399.00 $398.02 $1,843 —
455–495 481 5 377.00–392.00 $388.72 $1,870 +28.07
510–541 527 11 367.50–382.00 $376.72 $1,985 +9.89
557–575 569 13 360.00–382.50 $372.38 $2,119 +12.79
605–647 value added 621 6 327.50–340.00 $333.86 $2,073 +2.44
657–662 660 4 305.00–307.00 $306.00 $2,020 -7.50
650–695 value added 666 6 322.50–335.00 $326.69 $2,176 —
735–740 738 3 285.00–315.00 $294.95 $2,177 —
750–797 774 13 295.00–313.00 $303.13 $2,346 +32.23
840 840 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,680 -60.00
1055 1055 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,794 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465–485 475 3 347.50–375.00 $361.56 $1,717 +44.06
545 545 1 321.00 $321.00 $1,749 —
560–570 565 2 290.00–341.00 $315.27 $1,781 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610 610 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,281 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1280 1242 80-85% 3 143.00–144.00 $143.66 $1,784 -3.85
1170–1445 1297 80-85% 9 147.00–155.00 $151.60 $1,966 —
1130–1605 1299 80-85% 19 158.00–175.00 $164.39 $2,135 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1775 1479 75-80% 17 156.00–164.00 $159.94 $2,366 —
1520 1520 75-80% 1 143.00 $143.00 $2,174 -13.01
1205–1775 1539 75-80% 7 152.00–155.00 $153.59 $2,364 -2.42
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985 985 85-90% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,133 -13.37
875–1435 1078 85-90% 10 149.00–162.00 $155.29 $1,674 —
1110–1140 1127 85-90% 3 144.00–149.00 $147.02 $1,657 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1950 1683 8 197.00–216.00 $207.21 $3,487 —
1265–2285 1685 4 175.00–187.00 $177.87 $2,997 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–1135 982 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 8 170.00–200.00 $178.18 $1,750
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
840–1180 965 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 155.00–167.00 $160.72 $1,551

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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
1385 1385 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 3,450.00 $3,450.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1540–1575 1558 80-85% 2 163.00–165.00 $163.99 $2,555 —
1570 1570 80-85% 1 146.00 $146.00 $2,292 —

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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.