Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, July 15, 2025

1,072 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 $316.70/cwt +37.70 vs last sale · ≈ $2,931/hd at 925 lb · 225 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $321.94/cwt ≈ $2,840/hd at 882 lb · 171 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $342.55/cwt -10.36 vs last sale · ≈ $2,117/hd at 618 lb · 98 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,072 1,145 914
Feeder cattle 1,045 1,060 888
Slaughter cattle 24 65 26
Replacement cattle 3 20 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday feeder steers sold mixed with 400-500 lbs 5.00 higher; 500-700 lbs 5.00 lower with good demand for weaned thin-fleshed offerings. Yearling steers limited comparison with very good demand. Feeder heifers sold unevenly steady to 5.00 higher with good demand for weaned thin-fleshed packages. Softer undertone for yearling heifers in a limited comparison. Slaughter cows sold 5.00 to 10.00 lower in a lite test. Slaughter bulls sold steady 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
332–345 fancy 334 6 445.00–452.50 $446.29 $1,491 —
345 345 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,389 —
355 fancy 355 1 447.50 $447.50 $1,589 —
375–380 378 4 402.50–417.50 $409.33 $1,547 -28.17
400–425 value added 413 3 410.00–427.50 $420.70 $1,737 +9.92
440 440 1 397.50 $397.50 $1,749 +13.20
465 465 2 387.50 $387.50 $1,802 +10.50
472–477 value added 475 12 388.00–397.50 $392.72 $1,865 —
512–529 value added 525 17 376.00–390.00 $378.60 $1,988 -11.20
505–545 532 3 352.50–372.50 $358.83 $1,909 -1.17
560–575 563 5 357.50–361.00 $360.29 $2,028 -3.38
600–648 value added 622 26 350.00–358.00 $357.01 $2,221 +8.06
685 value added 685 6 340.00–351.00 $349.17 $2,392 -23.77
715 value added 715 3 325.00 $325.00 $2,324 -19.00
725 725 1 291.00 $291.00 $2,110 -10.64
760–786 value added 774 8 325.00–330.00 $326.25 $2,525 +19.14
790 790 1 302.50 $302.50 $2,390 +4.50
815 815 2 295.00–310.00 $302.50 $2,465 +14.50
817 thin fleshed 817 67 326.75 $326.75 $2,670 —
869–898 thin fleshed 882 171 318.50–324.25 $321.94 $2,840 —
911–929 920 112 315.00–316.25 $315.64 $2,904 +36.64
928 thin fleshed 928 54 320.75 $320.75 $2,977 —
933 fancy 933 59 315.00 $315.00 $2,939 —
964 964 51 300.00 $300.00 $2,892 +37.50
1006 fancy 1006 53 295.25 $295.25 $2,970 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 2 345.00 $345.00 $1,490 —
455–493 478 7 352.50–365.00 $356.28 $1,703 -14.50
505–545 527 6 332.50–350.00 $341.56 $1,800 +0.19
550–565 560 3 329.00–331.00 $330.01 $1,848 -7.78
625–640 631 5 312.50–317.50 $314.53 $1,985 +39.53
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,852 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,040 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–275 265 2 377.50–390.00 $383.51 $1,016 +8.51
305–345 325 2 347.50–357.50 $352.81 $1,147 -24.87
353–380 362 6 342.50–360.00 $353.18 $1,279 —
426–433 value added 430 11 365.00–379.00 $372.05 $1,600 -7.61
415–445 436 4 347.00–357.50 $352.44 $1,537 +20.61
457–492 472 7 335.00–370.00 $347.61 $1,641 +2.61
503–548 value added 517 17 337.50–351.00 $345.84 $1,788 -21.31
571–598 587 19 325.00–332.50 $329.05 $1,932 +7.57
614–642 value added 618 98 318.00–345.75 $342.55 $2,117 +2.11
689 value added 689 79 319.75 $319.75 $2,203 -9.75
690–692 691 4 295.00–310.00 $302.49 $2,090 +12.49
720 720 1 288.00 $288.00 $2,074 —
732 value added 732 2 302.50 $302.50 $2,214 +0.71
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425–440 433 2 300.00–342.50 $321.62 $1,393 —
530 530 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,683 +13.92
577 577 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,789 +16.39
600 600 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,680 +45.00
755 755 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,812 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 332.50 $332.50 $1,796 —
616 value added 616 3 312.50 $312.50 $1,925 -10.50
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,133 -12.50
575 575 1 257.50 $257.50 $1,481 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,230 +35.00
400 400 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,440 —
470–480 473 3 362.50–370.00 $367.46 $1,738 —
520 520 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,846 +15.00
550 fancy 550 2 362.50 $362.50 $1,994 —
553–575 556 8 332.00–342.50 $333.36 $1,853 —
655–690 665 5 280.00–312.50 $288.91 $1,921 -7.79
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 392.50 $392.50 $981 —
405–420 413 2 321.00–331.00 $325.91 $1,346 —
455 455 2 335.00–344.00 $339.50 $1,545 —
517–525 520 3 291.00–330.00 $304.13 $1,581 —
562 562 5 302.50 $302.50 $1,700 -19.83
620 620 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,674 —
731 731 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,718 +14.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 375 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,162 -15.00
440 440 1 200.00 $200.00 $880 —
480 480 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,056 -105.00
500–530 510 4 247.50–280.00 $264.13 $1,347 -38.20
550–570 560 2 202.00–275.00 $239.15 $1,339 -61.85

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1435 1330 75-80% 3 160.00–162.00 $160.72 $2,138 —
1135–1885 1541 75-80% 5 163.00–168.00 $164.95 $2,542 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1075 1011 85-90% 4 152.00–163.00 $159.17 $1,609 +17.96
965–1100 1028 85-90% 3 135.00–147.00 $141.40 $1,454 +0.19
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105 1105 80-85% 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,713 —
1065–1610 1269 80-85% 5 165.00–172.00 $168.66 $2,140 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2030 2030 1 211.00 $211.00 $4,283 —
2035–2145 2090 2 194.00–202.00 $197.89 $4,136 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–915 913 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 162.50–163.00 $162.75 $1,486
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1115 1115 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 183.00 $183.00 $2,040

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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.