Cattle Market Pulse

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) Market Report

Lexington, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 12, 2026

941 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 heifers $418.73/cwt +18.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,676/hd at 639 lb · 83 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $349.69/cwt +9.69 vs last sale · ≈ $3,247/hd at 929 lb · 78 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $420.45/cwt +19.08 vs last sale · ≈ $2,444/hd at 581 lb · 73 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 941 446 1,141
Feeder cattle 897 407 1,021
Slaughter cattle 44 35 107
Replacement cattle 0 4 13

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week the feeder market was stronger in spots with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 600 lbs and under were mostly steady to 5.00 higher in spots with a good supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Yearling steers and heifers appeared steady with a good supply but limited head to head comparisons. Slaughter cows were 1.00 to 3.00 higher with a moderate supply and good demand and no trends on slaughter bulls due to last weeks lite 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
285 fancy 285 1 595.00 $595.00 $1,696 —
290 290 1 520.00 $520.00 $1,508 —
312 fancy 312 2 610.00 $610.00 $1,903 —
325 325 1 542.50 $542.50 $1,763 -32.50
412 fancy 412 2 565.00 $565.00 $2,328 —
410–445 433 3 503.00–535.00 $513.09 $2,222 -1.91
460–465 fancy 463 3 547.50–550.00 $548.33 $2,539 +6.70
455–491 477 13 501.00–520.00 $510.53 $2,435 —
500–527 514 4 492.50–503.00 $497.61 $2,558 +17.61
512–540 value added 528 39 512.00–525.00 $517.85 $2,734 +5.65
550–570 value added 566 23 486.00–497.00 $494.67 $2,800 -15.33
597–598 597 10 447.00–467.50 $459.29 $2,742 —
612–619 value added 617 55 453.25–468.50 $457.37 $2,822 —
605–645 629 9 415.00–442.50 $428.96 $2,698 -16.76
650–660 value added 657 7 437.50 $437.50 $2,874 —
653–670 658 7 410.00–413.00 $410.87 $2,704 -7.89
705–717 713 6 390.00 $390.00 $2,781 —
775–797 791 12 335.00–355.00 $343.05 $2,714 -49.95
817–840 828 9 325.00–345.00 $336.10 $2,783 -23.90
884 value added 884 26 354.00 $354.00 $3,129 -9.75
905–930 917 3 320.00–337.00 $327.41 $3,002 -12.59
918–934 value added 929 75 350.50–350.75 $350.58 $3,257 —
1015 1015 6 323.00 $323.00 $3,278 —
1106 value added 1106 51 322.25 $322.25 $3,564 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,013 —
585 585 1 397.00 $397.00 $2,322 —
630 630 2 397.00 $397.00 $2,501 —
700–747 734 5 353.00–359.00 $355.79 $2,611 +23.29
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,980 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 492.50 $492.50 $1,207 -7.50
340 340 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,632 —
380–392 388 3 452.50–472.50 $459.03 $1,781 -3.33
400–419 fancy 409 13 481.00–499.00 $492.98 $2,016 -17.11
428–445 432 4 461.00–462.50 $461.39 $1,993 +4.27
436 thin fleshed 436 4 517.00 $517.00 $2,254 —
465–484 479 9 450.00–455.00 $453.91 $2,174 +16.41
483 thin fleshed 483 3 502.50 $502.50 $2,427 —
450–488 fancy 484 24 461.00–480.00 $464.12 $2,246 +0.73
505–540 528 7 390.00–411.00 $403.96 $2,133 +4.43
503–548 value added 539 19 419.00–439.00 $422.21 $2,276 —
565–590 579 15 385.00–402.50 $396.74 $2,297 +15.07
560–592 value added 582 58 409.00–434.00 $426.58 $2,483 +1.58
612–625 616 3 370.00–392.50 $384.89 $2,371 +9.14
640 value added 640 80 420.00 $420.00 $2,688 —
650–676 667 20 382.00–394.00 $390.91 $2,607 +40.91
660–673 669 8 351.00–377.00 $362.11 $2,423 +12.11
703–710 705 5 340.00–361.00 $353.17 $2,490 +53.17
751–795 776 17 320.00–338.00 $332.98 $2,584 -5.61
808 808 14 318.00 $318.00 $2,569 +12.40
855 855 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,736 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 2 445.00 $445.00 $1,602 —
445 445 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,914 —
450–478 471 4 400.00–416.00 $403.82 $1,902 —
520–535 525 3 361.00–375.00 $370.24 $1,944 -12.26
555–585 566 4 332.00–360.00 $348.11 $1,970 —
650–686 677 4 320.00–336.00 $332.16 $2,249 +9.66
728 728 3 329.00 $329.00 $2,395 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317 317 2 397.50 $397.50 $1,260 —
770 770 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,540 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 417.50 $417.50 $1,754 —
735 735 1 331.00 $331.00 $2,433 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
135 fancy 135 1 825.00 $825.00 $1,114 —
215 215 1 600.00 $600.00 $1,290 +30.00
325–330 328 2 540.00–565.00 $552.60 $1,813 +12.60
360 360 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,836 -30.50
405–448 fancy 437 4 515.00–537.50 $532.29 $2,326 —
452–470 fancy 458 3 502.50–515.00 $510.72 $2,339 —
509 509 7 470.00 $470.00 $2,392 —
530 fancy 530 1 505.00 $505.00 $2,676 —
607–640 638 33 387.50–394.00 $393.47 $2,510 -1.49
643 fancy 643 3 419.00 $419.00 $2,694 —
675–680 679 8 377.50 $377.50 $2,563 -10.91
757 757 7 318.00 $318.00 $2,407 -34.50
852 852 2 296.00 $296.00 $2,522 +5.21
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
185 185 1 530.00 $530.00 $980 —
285 285 1 475.00 $475.00 $1,354 -25.00
390 390 1 452.50 $452.50 $1,765 -47.50
540 540 1 410.00 $410.00 $2,214 +17.50
645 645 1 361.00 $361.00 $2,328 +1.00
690 690 1 327.00 $327.00 $2,256 —
710 710 1 319.00 $319.00 $2,265 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,950 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,476 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365–1535 1458 75-80% 3 185.00–189.00 $186.59 $2,720 —
1325–1585 1488 75-80% 6 176.00–182.00 $178.82 $2,661 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1135 1053 85-90% 2 167.00–173.00 $169.76 $1,788 —
875–1160 1066 85-90% 5 143.00–155.00 $149.39 $1,592 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1285 1213 80-85% 4 174.00–180.00 $177.99 $2,159 —
1305–1315 1310 80-85% 2 190.00–193.00 $191.49 $2,509 +6.49

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1325 1200 2 198.00–205.00 $201.86 $2,422 —
1855–2420 2110 10 225.00–239.00 $231.43 $4,883 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1190–1365 1307 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 185.00–191.00 $187.52 $2,451

↑ Back to top

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.