Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 9, 2025

1,813 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $406.47/cwt +56.55 vs last sale · ≈ $2,535/hd at 624 lb · 177 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $320.68/cwt +2.24 vs last sale · ≈ $2,963/hd at 924 lb · 172 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $369.66/cwt +35.74 vs last sale · ≈ $2,121/hd at 574 lb · 128 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,813 733 1,403
Feeder cattle 1,709 705 1,344
Slaughter cattle 93 26 54
Replacement cattle 11 2 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering. Good quality feeder steers and heifers 600 lbs and under were 3.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in several spots with a good supply and good demand for weaned and value added packages. Yearling steers and heifers appeared steady with a large supply but limited comparisons. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality feeders and long weaned calves, while discounting plainer and off colored calves severely. Slaughter cows were mostly steady to 2.00 lower for the leans with a good supply and slaughter bulls were 2.00 to 3.00 lower with 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
325 325 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,446 —
330 fancy 330 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,650 +55.00
332 thin fleshed 332 4 545.00 $545.00 $1,809 —
350–376 fancy 370 4 495.00–515.00 $499.74 $1,849 +47.24
375–380 377 3 443.00–480.00 $467.56 $1,763 +42.56
400–420 412 3 400.00–403.00 $401.86 $1,656 -30.64
452–487 fancy 467 16 417.50–420.00 $418.86 $1,956 —
467–490 479 4 382.50–400.00 $388.90 $1,863 -6.10
520–525 523 3 360.00–362.50 $361.67 $1,892 -0.83
516–540 fancy 528 70 438.00–443.50 $440.77 $2,327 —
505–545 value added 535 22 389.00–411.00 $402.38 $2,153 +2.81
554 fancy 554 5 420.00 $420.00 $2,327 —
550–590 578 4 350.00–375.00 $367.35 $2,123 +10.05
566–598 value added 585 10 387.50–397.00 $391.59 $2,291 +16.59
607–643 value added 621 155 400.00–420.00 $411.69 $2,557 +41.69
638–647 642 22 357.00–383.00 $369.70 $2,373 +24.08
650–696 680 18 323.00–347.00 $341.51 $2,322 +17.64
653–691 value added 687 82 379.95–402.50 $381.82 $2,623 —
710–742 726 9 317.00–330.00 $320.85 $2,329 +0.64
740 thin fleshed 740 3 349.00 $349.00 $2,583 —
752–797 776 32 315.00–330.00 $319.45 $2,479 +11.37
783 value added 783 57 340.00 $340.00 $2,662 -12.60
855 855 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,650 -7.50
921 921 3 300.00 $300.00 $2,763 +20.00
900–948 value added 924 169 315.00–325.95 $321.05 $2,967 -1.95
966–972 970 12 290.00–295.00 $292.08 $2,833 —
1007–1008 value added 1007 89 307.50–316.00 $312.27 $3,145 —
1012 1012 2 289.00 $289.00 $2,925 —
1216 1216 6 281.00 $281.00 $3,417 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
297 297 2 397.50 $397.50 $1,181 +69.32
360 360 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,494 —
400–440 408 7 340.00–350.00 $348.22 $1,421 -16.69
450–490 458 5 347.50–367.50 $363.22 $1,664 +0.20
535 535 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,766 —
575–590 586 4 320.00–330.00 $326.92 $1,916 +1.92
615–641 639 18 320.00–345.00 $338.32 $2,162 +30.62
795 795 2 270.00 $270.00 $2,146 -15.84
875 875 2 267.50 $267.50 $2,341 —
1025 1025 1 236.00 $236.00 $2,419 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 5 341.00 $341.00 $1,913 —
612–621 618 7 319.00–345.00 $337.65 $2,087 —
745 745 1 267.00 $267.00 $1,989 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,020 —
425 425 1 312.50 $312.50 $1,328 —
675 675 6 271.00 $271.00 $1,829 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
600 600 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,725 -5.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1370 1370 1 230.00 $230.00 $3,151 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
221 221 3 350.00 $350.00 $774 —
308 thin fleshed 308 4 407.50 $407.50 $1,255 —
311 311 3 385.00 $385.00 $1,197 —
355–378 372 4 387.50–390.00 $388.10 $1,444 +13.10
410–440 415 6 360.00–372.50 $370.29 $1,537 -7.21
410–449 fancy 436 17 390.00–402.50 $393.86 $1,717 -11.14
456–497 fancy 470 51 392.50–408.50 $403.27 $1,895 —
515–517 value added 516 10 370.00–383.00 $376.51 $1,943 —
503–532 517 18 347.00–365.00 $358.61 $1,854 +4.86
550–597 573 38 339.00–363.00 $355.82 $2,039 +28.94
574 value added 574 90 375.50 $375.50 $2,155 +25.50
602–630 619 20 325.00–350.00 $335.05 $2,074 +2.55
637 value added 637 87 369.00 $369.00 $2,351 —
651–652 651 32 311.00–319.00 $314.00 $2,044 -3.47
662 value added 662 70 331.50 $331.50 $2,195 —
711 value added 711 51 321.00–332.00 $324.45 $2,307 —
712–742 727 4 282.50–295.00 $288.62 $2,098 +0.64
767 767 2 287.00 $287.00 $2,201 -12.68
792 value added 792 70 306.50 $306.50 $2,427 —
815 815 1 267.00 $267.00 $2,176 —
824 824 6 253.00 $253.00 $2,085 —
940 940 1 257.00 $257.00 $2,416 —
1140 1140 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,508 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
217 217 2 365.00 $365.00 $792 —
342 342 5 367.50 $367.50 $1,257 —
405–445 428 4 332.50–357.50 $338.54 $1,449 -2.74
470 470 1 317.50 $317.50 $1,492 -18.39
510 510 1 337.00 $337.00 $1,719 +24.00
596 596 15 328.00 $328.00 $1,955 +26.45
642 642 2 321.00 $321.00 $2,061 +45.88
900 900 1 227.50 $227.50 $2,048 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 230.00 $230.00 $598 —
310–345 328 2 280.00–300.00 $289.47 $949 —
445 445 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,380 —
612–620 615 3 290.00–292.50 $291.66 $1,794 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 fancy 315 2 465.00 $465.00 $1,465 —
360–377 367 5 390.00–400.00 $394.11 $1,446 -28.39
522 522 2 372.50 $372.50 $1,944 —
550 550 3 370.00 $370.00 $2,035 +11.24
606 606 10 320.00–322.00 $320.60 $1,943 +12.67
655 655 4 329.00 $329.00 $2,155 —
765 765 1 267.00 $267.00 $2,043 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 400.00 $400.00 $860 —
345 345 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,208 —
522 522 2 312.50 $312.50 $1,631 +10.00
595 595 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,904 +20.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975 975 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,633 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 286.00 $286.00 $1,630 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1835 1525 75-80% 20 153.00–169.00 $160.33 $2,445 —
1510–1550 1530 75-80% 2 140.00–148.00 $144.05 $2,204 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1365 1258 80-85% 3 140.00–147.00 $143.55 $1,806 -9.97
1175–1450 1290 80-85% 16 151.00–163.00 $157.63 $2,033 —
1365 1365 80-85% 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,457 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $958 -62.84
820–1500 1121 85-90% 12 127.00–141.00 $135.42 $1,518 -8.49
1105–1255 1160 85-90% 3 109.00–119.00 $115.42 $1,339 —
990–1340 1162 85-90% 3 150.00–154.00 $152.29 $1,770 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1760 1408 2 157.00–167.00 $160.75 $2,263 -20.26
1320–1865 1635 4 184.00–192.00 $188.44 $3,081 —
1875–2080 1977 3 197.00–204.00 $200.55 $3,965 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
810–1055 908 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 180.00–230.00 $204.15 $1,854

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850–940 880 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,400.00–1,950.00 $1,760.11
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1345 1345 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1065 1065 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1890 1890 80-85% 1 155.00 $155.00 $2,930 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
770 770 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,270 —

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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.