Cattle Market Pulse

Eastern Cornbelt Direct Cattle Report (IL/IN/MI/MN/OH/KY) Market Report

Kentucky · USDA-reported Direct Livestock

Sale of Monday, January 5, 2026

782 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Eastern Cornbelt Direct Cattle Report (IL/IN/MI/MN/OH/KY) report →

light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $312.00/cwt +13.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,496/hd at 800 lb · 360 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $317.50/cwt ≈ $2,302/hd at 725 lb · 135 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $327.00/cwt -1.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,832/hd at 866 lb · 122 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 782

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
866 866 122 327.00 $327.00 $2,832 -1.00
1003 1003 52 302.00 $302.00 $3,029

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775 775 63 320.00 $320.00 $2,480 +5.00
800 800 360 312.00 $312.00 $2,496 +13.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 135 317.50 $317.50 $2,302
1006 1006 50 279.02 $279.02 $2,807

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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.