Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 31, 2026

843 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $351.78/cwt +10.30 vs last sale · ≈ $3,096/hd at 880 lb · 178 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $353.40/cwt +6.88 vs last sale · ≈ $2,846/hd at 805 lb · 69 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $435.97/cwt +3.49 vs last sale · ≈ $2,289/hd at 525 lb · 47 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 843 766 589
Feeder cattle 727 681 499
Slaughter cattle 112 77 64
Replacement cattle 4 8 26

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was mostly stronger with a good quality offering. Feeder steers 350 lbs and under appeared stronger, while the 400-600 lbs steers were mostly steady to 3.00 lower in spots with a good supply and good demand. Yearling steers appeared stronger as well but with limited head to head comparisons. Feeder heifers 500 lbs and under were sharply higher with strong demand, while heifers over 500 lbs were steady to 5.00 higher with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows and bulls were mostly steady 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
295 fancy 295 1 610.00 $610.00 $1,800 -62.50
309–339 thin fleshed 331 18 647.50–675.00 $667.86 $2,211 —
365 fancy 365 1 605.00 $605.00 $2,208 —
370 370 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,850 -34.90
440–445 fancy 443 2 562.50–567.50 $564.99 $2,503 -0.03
451–473 fancy 466 23 550.00–567.50 $561.67 $2,617 +13.76
460–490 470 12 512.50–535.00 $514.58 $2,419 -5.42
500 500 2 480.00–510.00 $495.00 $2,475 -5.30
501–542 value added 510 15 522.50–532.50 $529.03 $2,698 -13.97
550–590 555 8 440.00–449.00 $447.80 $2,485 -5.59
556–575 value added 561 7 482.50–497.50 $493.11 $2,766 +7.37
605–612 value added 608 9 442.50–457.50 $449.21 $2,731 -35.79
600–647 644 18 415.00–433.00 $418.35 $2,694 -1.28
651–655 value added 654 13 437.50–455.00 $449.64 $2,941 —
680 680 5 402.50 $402.50 $2,737 -23.05
711–723 718 13 374.00–379.00 $375.39 $2,695 +5.39
763 763 4 376.00 $376.00 $2,869 +17.49
805–820 value added 805 67 348.00–354.50 $354.40 $2,853 —
817 817 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,614 -26.52
875 875 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,712 -20.00
865–899 value added 880 177 348.00–356.00 $352.02 $3,098 +10.27
1007 1007 7 304.00 $304.00 $3,061 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,936 —
495 495 1 495.00 $495.00 $2,450 —
580 580 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,320 —
607–625 613 3 362.50–395.00 $383.95 $2,354 -16.05
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,660 ±0.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 thin fleshed 240 1 690.00 $690.00 $1,656 —
250–280 265 2 510.00 $510.00 $1,352 +36.63
290 thin fleshed 290 1 660.00 $660.00 $1,914 —
290–295 fancy 292 4 550.00–600.00 $582.42 $1,701 +67.42
300–330 fancy 315 2 530.00–555.00 $543.10 $1,711 -9.49
335–340 338 2 462.50–485.00 $473.67 $1,601 -8.83
350–377 fancy 367 6 510.00–545.00 $524.06 $1,923 +22.64
355–396 379 7 460.00–495.00 $483.80 $1,834 +16.30
388–392 thin fleshed 390 10 557.50–575.00 $568.04 $2,215 —
400 400 2 482.50 $482.50 $1,930 +16.49
406–420 thin fleshed 411 12 527.50–537.50 $529.82 $2,178 —
412–425 fancy 420 11 500.00–512.50 $509.98 $2,142 +30.22
450–452 fancy 451 4 477.50–479.00 $478.25 $2,157 +0.16
452–460 thin fleshed 457 6 517.50–522.50 $519.15 $2,373 —
460–497 485 6 425.00–450.00 $433.63 $2,103 +33.63
500–540 521 31 400.00–425.00 $418.14 $2,179 +1.21
532–537 value added 533 16 432.50–476.00 $470.52 $2,508 +28.06
557–565 value added 557 17 425.00 $425.00 $2,367 -16.94
550–595 579 19 390.00–412.50 $400.72 $2,320 -14.20
610–625 618 9 382.50–400.00 $393.82 $2,434 +5.06
660–691 671 14 381.00–399.00 $392.64 $2,635 +5.99
765–775 772 3 345.00–352.50 $347.48 $2,683 —
805 805 1 307.50 $307.50 $2,475 —
838 838 3 340.00 $340.00 $2,849 —
932 932 2 275.00 $275.00 $2,563 +23.74
1205 1205 1 237.50 $237.50 $2,862 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,298 —
450–497 481 3 400.00–412.50 $408.60 $1,965 —
545 545 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,908 —
693 693 3 337.50 $337.50 $2,339 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,280 —
620 620 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,860 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 520.00 $520.00 $988 -45.00
220 fancy 220 1 700.00 $700.00 $1,540 —
255 fancy 255 1 700.00 $700.00 $1,785 —
300–305 fancy 303 2 685.00–695.00 $690.04 $2,091 +42.54
315–345 336 7 605.00–630.00 $622.30 $2,091 +5.30
377 377 2 555.00 $555.00 $2,092 -25.00
407 thin fleshed 407 2 615.00 $615.00 $2,503 +10.00
407–430 415 3 540.00–547.50 $542.59 $2,252 +26.57
425–446 fancy 438 7 565.00–580.00 $574.34 $2,516 -0.63
455 fancy 455 1 567.50 $567.50 $2,582 -15.00
475–495 480 4 500.00–535.00 $520.67 $2,499 +22.10
500–520 fancy 513 12 512.50–542.50 $522.41 $2,680 -0.09
500–536 519 8 482.50–502.50 $493.11 $2,559 +13.11
550–580 560 4 465.00–485.00 $477.79 $2,676 +7.79
616–637 623 8 415.00–419.00 $416.98 $2,598 +25.93
650 fancy 650 1 410.00 $410.00 $2,665 —
665–672 671 5 379.00–397.50 $382.67 $2,568 +2.33
715–725 721 6 353.00–367.50 $361.87 $2,609 +1.97
770 770 1 342.50 $342.50 $2,637 -6.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 535.00 $535.00 $1,685 —
395 395 1 490.00 $490.00 $1,936 —
450 450 1 480.00 $480.00 $2,160 —
710–735 730 5 320.00–327.00 $325.64 $2,377 +28.14
785–792 790 3 240.00–305.00 $261.54 $2,066 —
1015 1015 1 202.50 $202.50 $2,055 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,800 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1410 1410 75-80% 1 150.00 $150.00 $2,115 —
1190–1775 1532 75-80% 10 181.00–187.00 $183.73 $2,815 +0.33
1345–1755 1557 75-80% 19 161.00–179.00 $174.16 $2,712 +5.62
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 80-85% 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,856 -13.23
1060–1370 1216 80-85% 17 159.00–174.00 $166.14 $2,020 -1.09
1130–1500 1284 80-85% 9 177.00–189.00 $181.67 $2,333 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1060 898 85-90% 4 105.00–126.00 $117.80 $1,058 —
790–1205 1039 85-90% 5 141.00–150.00 $147.10 $1,528 —
880–1410 1154 85-90% 10 155.00–169.00 $160.37 $1,851 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285 1285 1 194.00 $194.00 $2,493 —
1290 1290 1 157.00 $157.00 $2,025 —
1530–1995 1778 6 207.00–225.00 $215.84 $3,838 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930–985 958 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 209.00–232.50 $217.27 $2,081
975–1150 1048 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 187.00–199.00 $193.99 $2,033

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1160–1300 1230 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,650.00–2,850.00 $2,755.69

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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.