Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 16, 2025

1,393 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $336.54/cwt +30.58 vs last sale · ≈ $2,576/hd at 765 lb · 303 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $357.67/cwt +25.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,796/hd at 782 lb · 202 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $315.00/cwt +60.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,605/hd at 827 lb · 70 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,393 1,813 650
Feeder cattle 1,314 1,709 602
Slaughter cattle 75 93 44
Replacement cattle 4 11 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was stronger in spots with a good quality offering of mostly yearling cattle. Feeder steers 600 lbs and under were mostly steady with a limited supply, except for the 400-500 lbs steers who were sharply higher with strong demand for that weight range. Yearling steers were 3.00 to 6.00 higher with a good supply and strong demand for value added groups and packages. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were unevenly steady with a limited supply and good demand for long weaned and guaranteed open heifers. Yearling heifers were sharply higher with a large supply and strong demand for quality groups and value added loads. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 higher with a good supply and 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
300 fancy 300 1 505.00 $505.00 $1,515 +5.00
322 322 2 427.50 $427.50 $1,377 -17.50
372–390 378 3 460.00 $460.00 $1,739 -7.56
401–410 fancy 404 8 482.50–490.00 $487.17 $1,968 —
425–447 435 5 442.50–465.00 $451.34 $1,963 +49.48
450–487 462 9 410.00–437.50 $425.06 $1,964 +36.16
465–470 fancy 469 4 462.50–480.00 $475.66 $2,231 +56.80
502 fancy 502 4 445.00 $445.00 $2,234 +4.23
512 512 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,946 +18.33
535 value added 535 1 402.50 $402.50 $2,153 +0.12
557–580 value added 566 19 380.00–397.50 $391.49 $2,216 -0.10
555–590 570 3 342.50–367.50 $350.76 $1,999 -16.59
616 value added 616 3 395.00 $395.00 $2,433 -16.69
615–648 640 8 332.50–337.50 $333.41 $2,134 -36.29
650–687 670 13 330.00–360.00 $346.44 $2,321 +4.93
700 thin fleshed 700 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,450 —
706–745 720 7 312.50–332.50 $324.47 $2,336 +3.62
771 771 3 310.00 $310.00 $2,390 -9.45
759–796 value added 782 199 356.00–362.00 $358.39 $2,803 +18.39
825 825 6 317.50 $317.50 $2,619 —
875 875 2 310.00 $310.00 $2,712 ±0.00
876 value added 876 62 353.95 $353.95 $3,101 —
933 value added 933 54 326.60 $326.60 $3,047 +5.55
980 value added 980 52 316.75 $316.75 $3,104 —
1135 1135 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,838 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,131 -7.50
310 310 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,271 —
390 390 1 392.50 $392.50 $1,531 -22.50
450–460 455 2 372.50–400.00 $386.40 $1,758 +23.18
550–585 567 3 312.50–337.50 $325.26 $1,844 -1.66
615 615 2 322.50–327.50 $325.00 $1,999 -13.32
655–690 667 3 327.50 $327.50 $2,184 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 352.50 $352.50 $1,622 —
500 500 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,412 —
655 655 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,834 +9.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 4 387.50 $387.50 $1,345 —
385 385 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,502 +1.90
415–440 427 3 377.50–387.50 $383.23 $1,636 +12.94
433–440 fancy 435 4 392.50–405.00 $401.84 $1,748 +7.98
455–495 479 13 352.50–375.00 $362.80 $1,738 —
465–498 fancy 481 11 382.50–392.50 $388.18 $1,867 -15.09
522 value added 522 6 372.50 $372.50 $1,944 -4.01
510–546 538 5 332.50–347.50 $342.11 $1,841 -16.50
550–592 585 7 327.50–345.00 $340.50 $1,992 -15.32
608–645 626 19 312.50–327.50 $319.14 $1,998 -15.91
665–686 682 5 305.00–322.50 $308.41 $2,103 -5.59
745 745 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,862 -38.62
747 747 2 310.00 $310.00 $2,316 +21.38
753–767 value added 764 290 325.50–341.00 $337.36 $2,577 +30.86
795 795 13 318.25 $318.25 $2,530 +31.25
827 value added 827 70 315.00 $315.00 $2,605 —
975 975 1 247.50 $247.50 $2,413 —
1105–1120 1113 2 219.00–240.00 $229.43 $2,554 +9.43
1175–1180 1178 2 226.00–232.50 $229.26 $2,701 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 345.00 $345.00 $932 —
335–345 340 3 337.50–342.50 $340.01 $1,156 -27.49
370–390 383 3 330.00–342.50 $338.26 $1,296 —
435 435 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,522 +11.46
465–490 478 2 340.00–347.50 $343.65 $1,643 +26.15
512–545 527 5 317.50–327.50 $322.92 $1,702 -14.08
550–585 568 4 290.00–310.00 $300.31 $1,706 -27.69
640 640 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,888 -26.00
652–670 658 3 290.00–292.50 $291.65 $1,919 —
700 700 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,908 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 fancy 300 1 497.50 $497.50 $1,492 +32.50
370 fancy 370 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,887 —
405 405 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,762 —
485 485 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,819 —
525 fancy 525 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,995 —
515–535 530 4 340.00–355.00 $351.36 $1,862 -21.14
590–595 591 5 317.50–325.00 $319.01 $1,885 —
610 610 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,952 -0.60
620 fancy 620 1 355.00 $355.00 $2,201 —
720–735 730 3 260.00–282.50 $275.10 $2,008 —
787 787 2 242.50 $242.50 $1,908 -24.50
807 807 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,876 —
865 865 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,825 —
922 922 2 237.50 $237.50 $2,190 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–290 280 2 380.00–395.00 $387.23 $1,084 —
587–592 590 4 290.00–300.00 $294.98 $1,740 -25.02
610–645 632 3 257.50–270.00 $262.37 $1,658 —
675 675 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,907 —
715–740 728 2 237.50–247.50 $242.59 $1,766 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
160 160 1 325.00 $325.00 $520 —
495 495 1 272.50 $272.50 $1,349 —
560 560 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,232 -66.00
610 610 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,403 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 1 195.00 $195.00 $2,057 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1235 1193 80-85% 3 174.00–177.00 $175.99 $2,100 —
1075–1450 1218 80-85% 12 153.00–167.00 $159.20 $1,939 —
1125–1350 1257 80-85% 3 141.00–145.00 $143.12 $1,799 -0.43
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1830 1501 75-80% 10 161.00–169.00 $165.02 $2,477 +4.69
1350–1810 1512 75-80% 3 170.00–173.00 $171.50 $2,593 +11.17
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
845 845 85-90% 1 117.00 $117.00 $989 —
900–1070 1010 85-90% 3 155.00–165.00 $159.23 $1,608 —
915–1300 1106 85-90% 6 132.00–147.00 $140.77 $1,557 +5.35

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1525 1395 3 163.00–177.00 $170.37 $2,377 —
1355–2075 1694 4 182.00–190.00 $184.66 $3,128 —
1320–2480 1748 12 196.00–209.00 $202.90 $3,547 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960–1035 998 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 174.00–185.00 $179.71 $1,794

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1155 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
1610 1610 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1060 1060 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
970 970 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415 1415 80-85% 1 168.00 $168.00 $2,377 —
1535–1640 1588 85-90% 2 134.00–135.00 $134.52 $2,136 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
622 value added 622 31 278.00 $278.00 $1,729 —
657–696 value added 676 157 270.00–272.00 $271.00 $1,832 —

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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.