Cattle Market Pulse

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

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 24, 2026

766 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 $358.25/cwt +150.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,698/hd at 753 lb · 74 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $386.92/cwt ≈ $2,968/hd at 767 lb · 66 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $340.00/cwt ≈ $2,815/hd at 828 lb · 57 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 766 294 755
Feeder cattle 681 280 706
Slaughter cattle 77 14 47
Replacement cattle 8 — 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week the feeder market was stronger with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 300 lbs and under appeared firm with a light test, while the 400-600 lbs calves were 3.00 to 8.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Yearling steers and heifers appeared stronger as well with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows and bulls appeared stronger with a good supply and good demand, however no trends due to last weeks light 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
295 fancy 295 1 672.50 $672.50 $1,984 —
325 fancy 325 1 605.00 $605.00 $1,966 —
355–360 358 2 520.00–550.00 $534.90 $1,915 —
405–435 fancy 418 10 550.00–581.00 $565.02 $2,362 +40.02
420 420 1 510.00 $510.00 $2,142 +7.50
485 485 1 520.00 $520.00 $2,522 +17.50
470–497 fancy 490 8 543.00–555.00 $547.91 $2,685 +27.91
515 value added 515 1 543.00 $543.00 $2,796 —
515–545 533 7 482.50–515.00 $500.30 $2,667 —
546 546 3 402.50 $402.50 $2,198 —
552–559 value added 557 7 477.50–489.00 $485.74 $2,706 +3.24
550–591 563 11 433.00–462.50 $453.39 $2,553 —
635–645 643 4 411.00–425.00 $419.63 $2,698 -13.37
643 value added 643 6 485.00 $485.00 $3,119 —
669–688 679 10 422.00–429.00 $425.55 $2,889 —
721–745 value added 726 14 397.00–406.00 $404.02 $2,933 —
720–735 728 2 370.00 $370.00 $2,694 +12.50
766 value added 766 61 389.25 $389.25 $2,982 —
755–797 780 5 347.00–377.50 $358.51 $2,796 —
817–841 835 13 332.50–350.00 $346.52 $2,893 —
872 value added 872 44 341.75 $341.75 $2,980 —
875 875 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,888 —
925 value added 925 57 336.95 $336.95 $3,117 +7.20
960 960 1 330.00 $330.00 $3,168 —
1040–1045 1043 2 294.00–337.00 $315.55 $3,291 —
1057 1057 7 290.00 $290.00 $3,065 —
1121 1121 6 280.00 $280.00 $3,139 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,704 —
530 530 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,279 —
630 630 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,520 +2.50
805–825 815 2 300.00–302.50 $301.23 $2,455 —
870 870 1 281.00 $281.00 $2,445 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,600 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
165 165 3 570.00 $570.00 $940 —
235 fancy 235 1 520.00 $520.00 $1,222 —
275–280 277 3 470.00–480.00 $473.37 $1,311 —
290 fancy 290 1 515.00 $515.00 $1,494 —
300 thin fleshed 300 2 585.00–600.00 $592.50 $1,778 —
335 335 2 482.50 $482.50 $1,616 -15.00
335–340 fancy 338 2 540.00–565.00 $552.59 $1,868 —
360–395 fancy 373 3 492.50–510.00 $501.42 $1,870 —
370–391 386 6 450.00–475.00 $467.50 $1,805 -10.69
415–445 431 10 450.00–472.50 $466.01 $2,009 +20.21
440–442 fancy 441 4 477.00–482.50 $479.76 $2,116 —
452–490 fancy 466 13 467.00–485.00 $478.09 $2,228 —
450–496 473 15 432.00–459.00 $447.02 $2,114 +13.68
475 475 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,900 -33.34
505 505 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,944 -19.90
502–515 509 4 412.50–422.50 $416.93 $2,122 +12.03
500–520 value added 512 11 427.50–451.00 $442.46 $2,265 —
551–581 value added 567 15 431.00–447.00 $441.94 $2,506 +26.94
555–597 570 10 397.50–420.00 $414.92 $2,365 —
622–647 633 11 370.00–396.00 $388.76 $2,461 +9.93
665–681 679 8 377.00–388.00 $386.65 $2,625 —
705–730 716 4 313.00–347.00 $327.67 $2,346 —
751–783 value added 753 74 350.00–359.50 $358.25 $2,698 —
828 value added 828 57 340.00 $340.00 $2,815 —
870 870 3 350.00 $350.00 $3,045 —
900 900 1 352.50 $352.50 $3,172 —
910–920 915 2 250.00–252.50 $251.26 $2,299 —
1045 1045 1 231.00 $231.00 $2,414 —
1055 1055 1 285.00 $285.00 $3,007 —
1255 1255 2 217.00 $217.00 $2,723 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405–440 423 2 437.50–440.00 $438.70 $1,856 +48.70
505 505 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,944 —
575 575 1 385.00 $385.00 $2,214 +34.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 3 387.50 $387.50 $1,968 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 450.00 $450.00 $900 —
445 445 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,691 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445 1445 1 203.00 $203.00 $2,933 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180 fancy 180 1 680.00 $680.00 $1,224 —
192 192 2 565.00 $565.00 $1,085 —
240 240 1 580.00 $580.00 $1,392 —
250–280 thin fleshed 265 2 685.00–720.00 $701.51 $1,859 —
290 290 1 520.00 $520.00 $1,508 -10.00
305 fancy 305 1 647.50 $647.50 $1,975 +17.50
315 315 1 617.00 $617.00 $1,944 +62.00
360–385 373 2 580.00 $580.00 $2,163 +34.86
400–405 fancy 403 2 570.00–580.00 $574.97 $2,317 +47.47
410 thin fleshed 410 1 605.00 $605.00 $2,480 —
430–435 433 2 512.00–520.00 $516.02 $2,234 +16.02
455 fancy 455 4 560.00–590.00 $582.50 $2,650 +61.69
455 455 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,820 -91.94
450–495 472 4 490.00–505.00 $498.57 $2,353 +6.63
520 fancy 520 2 522.50 $522.50 $2,717 +5.88
535 535 1 480.00 $480.00 $2,568 +10.19
560 560 1 470.00 $470.00 $2,632 +13.31
630–648 645 6 381.00–395.00 $391.05 $2,522 —
655–670 663 3 380.00–381.00 $380.34 $2,522 -19.64
700–742 728 3 357.50–365.00 $359.90 $2,620 -0.10
770 770 1 349.00 $349.00 $2,687 —
822 822 4 340.00 $340.00 $2,795 —
1115 1115 5 290.00 $290.00 $3,234 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 1 447.58 $447.58 $1,947 —
575 575 1 425.00 $425.00 $2,444 —
675 675 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,295 -32.50
743 743 3 297.50 $297.50 $2,210 —
917 917 2 260.00 $260.00 $2,384 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,280 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1885 1518 75-80% 18 175.00–199.00 $183.40 $2,784 —
1320–2045 1584 75-80% 11 157.00–174.00 $168.54 $2,670 -18.96
1680 1680 75-80% 1 151.00 $151.00 $2,537 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995–1455 1146 80-85% 6 175.00–192.00 $180.91 $2,073 —
1080–1365 1226 80-85% 10 159.00–172.00 $167.23 $2,050 —
1325–1360 1343 80-85% 2 150.00–153.00 $151.48 $2,034 -17.52
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780 780 85-90% 1 113.00 $113.00 $881 —
775–1185 990 85-90% 7 137.50–151.00 $144.26 $1,428 -9.84
890–1180 1058 85-90% 3 125.00–130.00 $126.77 $1,341 -45.76
1055–1335 1215 85-90% 3 164.00–179.00 $169.49 $2,059 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1935 1431 4 187.00–199.00 $193.49 $2,769 —
1820–1940 1880 2 207.00–222.00 $214.74 $4,037 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1080 1080 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,322

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1280 1280 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,575.00 $2,575.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1155 1155 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,025.00 $2,025.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1240–1460 1350 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 3,550.00–3,850.00 $3,712.22 —

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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.