Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 20, 2025

755 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $350.53/cwt -4.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,383/hd at 680 lb · 153 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $359.43/cwt -16.30 vs last sale · ≈ $2,282/hd at 635 lb · 139 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $264.75/cwt -2.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,325/hd at 878 lb · 61 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 755 1,141 682
Feeder cattle 692 1,021 632
Slaughter cattle 54 107 50
Replacement cattle 9 13 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower with moderate to good demand. Feeder heifers under 600 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; over 600 lbs 5.00 lower with moderate to good demand. Yearling steers and heifers sold 5.00 lower in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows and slaughter bulls sold 5.00 to 10.00 higher with 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
340–345 342 3 407.50–437.50 $417.60 $1,428 -6.40
355–385 370 2 410.00–417.50 $413.90 $1,531 -11.10
400–420 value added 410 7 425.00–437.50 $433.21 $1,776 -7.79
410–435 423 2 392.50–407.50 $399.78 $1,691 -0.22
455–490 467 3 385.00–415.00 $397.19 $1,855 -3.04
505–525 518 3 372.50–377.00 $375.54 $1,945 -9.46
510–526 value added 524 47 377.50–391.00 $387.71 $2,032 -20.01
555–566 value added 560 7 380.00–381.00 $380.57 $2,131 -4.03
580 580 5 369.00 $369.00 $2,140 -7.14
612–620 615 4 320.00–330.00 $327.50 $2,014 —
613–640 value added 616 50 335.00–365.25 $360.58 $2,221 -15.15
647 fancy 647 85 360.25 $360.25 $2,331 —
670 670 1 321.00 $321.00 $2,151 -16.50
669–692 value added 680 152 349.95–351.50 $350.72 $2,385 -5.09
700 fancy 700 3 319.00 $319.00 $2,233 —
705–720 713 3 280.00–305.00 $294.67 $2,101 -32.84
752–785 760 25 287.00–300.00 $290.22 $2,206 —
920 920 3 278.00 $278.00 $2,558 —
1005–1036 1034 36 247.50–258.00 $257.43 $2,662 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,047 —
447 447 2 383.00 $383.00 $1,712 —
482–490 486 5 352.50–372.50 $365.56 $1,777 —
522–540 531 8 365.00–367.00 $365.98 $1,943 -3.02
570–575 573 2 245.00–345.00 $295.22 $1,692 —
600–630 618 3 310.00–320.00 $313.69 $1,939 —
668 668 3 279.00 $279.00 $1,864 —
700 700 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,820 —
790 790 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,212 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
516 516 3 360.00 $360.00 $1,858 —
910 910 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,002 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–715 710 2 232.50–250.00 $241.31 $1,713 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 337.50 $337.50 $928 —
371 371 3 380.00 $380.00 $1,410 +6.75
420–436 value added 432 4 380.00–390.00 $382.43 $1,652 +8.65
402–446 433 7 352.00–365.00 $355.44 $1,539 +9.09
485 485 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,722 +11.12
510–545 value added 538 35 330.00–353.00 $341.34 $1,836 -6.84
550–585 value added 567 5 330.00–340.00 $336.66 $1,909 -1.66
625–632 630 3 291.00–305.00 $300.37 $1,892 -12.62
640–642 value added 642 15 318.00–327.50 $318.63 $2,046 -7.26
655–665 658 4 317.50 $317.50 $2,089 —
720–740 730 2 260.00–267.50 $263.80 $1,926 -56.20
750–785 768 2 257.00–257.50 $257.26 $1,976 -8.42
840 840 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,991 -3.52
878 fancy 878 61 264.75 $264.75 $2,325 —
900–935 910 4 222.00–240.00 $229.34 $2,087 +29.34
950–960 955 2 207.00–219.00 $212.97 $2,034 —
1025 1025 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,742 —
1080 1080 1 205.00 $205.00 $2,214 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 331.00 $331.00 $1,142 —
375 375 2 355.00 $355.00 $1,331 —
415 415 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,370 —
450–465 458 2 300.00–350.00 $325.41 $1,490 +10.98
520–530 525 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,628 +12.63
555 555 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,610 -7.00
620 620 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,519 -19.62
765–785 775 2 222.50–225.00 $223.77 $1,734 —
875–895 885 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,858 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550–570 560 2 280.00–303.00 $291.29 $1,631 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1385 1375 2 187.00–191.00 $188.99 $2,599 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 —— 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,032 —
410–425 418 —— 2 395.00–412.50 $403.91 $1,688 +15.66
455–490 476 —— 6 380.00–395.00 $388.60 $1,850 -0.12
525–530 527 —— 3 367.50–375.00 $370.02 $1,950 -6.70
560 560 —— 2 355.00 $355.00 $1,988 -17.38
600–647 639 —— 6 316.00–320.00 $319.37 $2,041 —
750 750 —— 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,062 -28.13
860–895 878 —— 2 205.00–220.00 $212.35 $1,864 —
1025 1025 —— 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,973 —
1060 1060 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,438 +60.00
1085 1085 —— 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,682 -15.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,521 —
530 530 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,908 —
595 595 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,053 —
640 640 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,952 —
1055 1055 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,604 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 351.00 $351.00 $1,737 -10.56
555–580 568 2 320.00–335.00 $327.67 $1,861 +12.40
662 662 2 310.00 $310.00 $2,052 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 300.00 $300.00 $870 —
325 325 1 270.00 $270.00 $878 —
570–580 575 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,725 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1125 1080 80-85% 2 143.00–147.00 $145.08 $1,567 —
995–1380 1210 80-85% 7 150.00–162.00 $157.22 $1,902 +13.56
1130–1410 1318 80-85% 8 165.00–185.00 $170.55 $2,248 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1525 1320 75-80% 3 157.00–162.00 $159.00 $2,099 —
1180–1880 1510 75-80% 12 166.00–188.00 $173.61 $2,622 +30.61
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1245 1107 85-90% 3 143.00–151.00 $147.01 $1,627 -0.01
920–1310 1135 85-90% 3 156.00–168.00 $162.03 $1,839 +15.01
1175–1295 1235 85-90% 2 132.00–135.00 $133.43 $1,648 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1690 1690 1 191.00 $191.00 $3,228 +13.13
1580–2190 1893 3 205.00–224.00 $216.22 $4,093 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
845–1025 967 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 5 163.00–199.00 $178.40 $1,725

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1220–1480 1310 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,300.00–2,700.00 $2,497.58
1475–1655 1565 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,825.00–2,200.00 $2,001.72

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
845 845 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
672 672 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,310 —
730 730 2 189.00 $189.00 $1,380 —
780 780 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,349 —
845 845 1 169.00 $169.00 $1,428 —

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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.