Cattle Market Pulse

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

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 20, 2026

877 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $407.68/cwt +32.34 vs last sale · ≈ $2,365/hd at 580 lb · 183 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $345.38/cwt +15.52 vs last sale · ≈ $2,643/hd at 765 lb · 107 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $372.41/cwt +20.82 vs last sale · ≈ $2,544/hd at 683 lb · 82 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 877 919 762
Feeder cattle 845 859 720
Slaughter cattle 31 54 39
Replacement cattle 1 6 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was stronger in spots with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 300-400 lbs were mostly steady with a limited supply, while the 500-800 lbs steers were 8.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with strong demand for long weaned and value added groups and loads. Feeder heifers 400-600 lbs were steady to 4.00 higher, while the yearling heifers appeared stronger but with limited head to head comparisons. Slaughter cows and bulls were 2.00 to 4.00 higher with a limited 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
373–391 fancy 381 7 520.00–535.00 $528.40 $2,013 -61.57
385 385 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,886 -5.06
441 441 3 460.00 $460.00 $2,029 +20.00
450–495 479 4 460.00–480.00 $474.65 $2,274 +59.56
480–490 fancy 485 6 490.00–500.00 $494.95 $2,401 -0.50
511–512 value added 512 14 492.50–495.00 $494.47 $2,532 +39.06
513–529 524 11 425.00–440.00 $434.59 $2,277 +14.60
555 555 1 440.00 $440.00 $2,442 +35.41
577 value added 577 70 472.00 $472.00 $2,723 +26.66
605 value added 605 13 407.50 $407.50 $2,465 +13.25
621–638 631 7 381.00–385.00 $382.69 $2,415 +14.84
653–690 668 5 367.50–375.00 $371.90 $2,484 +41.90
668 value added 668 12 400.00 $400.00 $2,672 +23.21
718 718 3 360.00 $360.00 $2,585 +12.61
752–787 value added 784 79 360.00–375.25 $374.14 $2,933 +14.93
840 840 10 328.00 $328.00 $2,755 -12.50
867 867 2 325.00 $325.00 $2,818 -0.09
926 value added 926 56 337.50 $337.50 $3,125 +3.25
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,794 -0.58
455 455 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,820 —
555 555 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,998 -11.15
700 700 2 310.00 $310.00 $2,170 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,575 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335 1335 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,870 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,210 +10.00
325 325 1 445.00 $445.00 $1,446 —
390 390 1 432.50 $432.50 $1,687 +25.79
400–420 fancy 413 3 439.00–442.50 $441.37 $1,823 +11.48
420 420 1 415.00 $415.00 $1,743 -1.25
454–495 fancy 470 20 400.00–425.00 $408.10 $1,918 -2.19
475 475 1 387.50 $387.50 $1,841 -5.50
518–528 value added 522 9 385.00–405.00 $396.02 $2,067 +8.09
505–545 524 4 360.00–372.50 $364.67 $1,911 -1.77
551–587 565 11 352.50–380.00 $369.89 $2,090 +4.18
566–595 value added 581 172 408.00–412.00 $410.10 $2,383 +23.43
610–630 621 9 329.00–345.00 $338.25 $2,101 -10.56
642 value added 642 4 369.00 $369.00 $2,369 —
660–687 value added 683 81 360.00–375.00 $373.03 $2,548 +8.72
685 685 1 322.50 $322.50 $2,209 -21.14
720 720 8 337.50 $337.50 $2,430 +6.37
705–745 725 2 292.50–295.00 $293.72 $2,129 -37.41
755–761 756 37 336.50–337.50 $336.64 $2,545 +39.62
770 value added 770 70 350.00 $350.00 $2,695 +16.74
858 858 9 325.00 $325.00 $2,788 —
885 885 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,655 —
1145 1145 1 200.00 $200.00 $2,290 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 382.50 $382.50 $1,683 —
566–594 583 9 340.00–347.50 $345.05 $2,012 +2.58
660–685 668 3 300.00–312.50 $308.23 $2,059 -12.77
720 720 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,800 —
750 750 1 282.50 $282.50 $2,119 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1105–1295 1182 3 217.00–237.00 $225.01 $2,660 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 305.00 $305.00 $778 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,454 —
320 fancy 320 1 557.50 $557.50 $1,784 —
335–345 340 2 495.00–505.00 $500.07 $1,700 —
370–380 375 2 457.50–465.00 $461.30 $1,730 —
400–420 408 8 455.00–485.00 $461.13 $1,881 —
457–480 fancy 465 3 495.00–507.50 $503.20 $2,340 +13.20
525 fancy 525 6 470.00 $470.00 $2,468 +64.79
565–575 570 2 377.50–392.50 $384.93 $2,194 +15.41
605–630 618 2 330.00–347.50 $338.57 $2,092 -6.43
660 fancy 660 1 367.50 $367.50 $2,426 —
680 680 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,346 +15.00
710 710 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,130 -3.00
700–725 fancy 713 2 322.50–330.00 $326.32 $2,327 -14.44
755 fancy 755 1 332.50 $332.50 $2,510 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 421.00 $421.00 $1,452 —
395 395 1 422.50 $422.50 $1,669 -17.50
565 565 1 322.50 $322.50 $1,822 -28.24
840 840 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,953 +58.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,086 —
845 845 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,479 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
800–1070 962 85-90% 3 128.00–131.00 $129.18 $1,243 —
1005–1210 1067 85-90% 5 137.00–145.00 $141.30 $1,508 -13.14
975–1250 1121 85-90% 7 147.00–161.00 $151.75 $1,701 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1340 1225 80-85% 2 171.00 $171.00 $2,095 —
1195–1415 1305 80-85% 2 138.00–148.00 $142.58 $1,861 -15.88
1465 1465 80-85% 2 160.00–161.00 $160.50 $2,351 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1655 1505 75-80% 2 157.00–161.00 $158.80 $2,390 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340 1340 1 176.00 $176.00 $2,358 —
1395–1510 1453 2 184.00–198.00 $191.28 $2,779 —
2175 2175 1 216.00 $216.00 $4,698 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1090 1090 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 192.50 $192.50 $2,098

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,412 —
675 675 2 272.50 $272.50 $1,839 —
750 750 4 255.00 $255.00 $1,912 —

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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.