Cattle Market Pulse

KY-TN Livestock Market Report

Guthrie, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 2, 2024

799 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest KY-TN Livestock Market report →

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $248.77/cwt +2.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,540/hd at 619 lb · 58 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $283.32/cwt +1.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,533/hd at 541 lb · 52 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $263.14/cwt +1.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,421/hd at 540 lb · 49 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 799 903 734
Feeder cattle 672 641 571
Slaughter cattle 95 172 127
Replacement cattle 32 90 36

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers sold steady to 4.00 higher. Feeder heifers traded 6.00-8.00 higher. A very good quality offering saw better demand from buyers than in the previous few weeks. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-4.00 lower and slaughter bulls were fully steady on a plain quality offering.

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
355–397 367 14 332.50–348.00 $343.59 $1,261 -6.41
459–466 464 26 326.75–330.00 $329.13 $1,527 —
500–540 525 23 277.50–297.50 $296.09 $1,554 +6.09
615–619 617 29 272.50–275.00 $273.54 $1,688 —
675–688 686 8 247.50–258.00 $251.07 $1,722 -4.45
703 value added 703 13 255.00 $255.00 $1,793 —
745 745 1 237.00 $237.00 $1,766 -2.49
819–840 825 7 223.00–228.00 $226.55 $1,869 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–335 313 4 307.50–310.00 $308.17 $965 -14.33
380 380 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,216 +7.50
460 460 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,322 —
515 515 3 252.50–270.00 $258.33 $1,330 +0.83
715–735 719 5 230.00–232.00 $231.59 $1,665 —
820 820 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,763 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425 1425 1 147.50 $147.50 $2,102 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 320.00 $320.00 $752 —
255–293 281 11 322.50–335.00 $329.82 $927 +9.82
310 310 3 305.00 $305.00 $946 -22.50
359–368 361 24 298.00–301.00 $300.24 $1,084 +3.39
420–433 432 33 292.50 $292.50 $1,264 +4.50
484–492 485 40 270.00–270.50 $270.46 $1,312 —
524–548 540 49 254.00–267.00 $263.14 $1,421 +13.19
615–635 619 58 239.00–253.50 $248.77 $1,540 +2.50
659–668 662 10 223.00–238.00 $233.46 $1,546 +11.21
695 unweaned 695 7 211.00 $211.00 $1,466 —
763–793 value added 786 8 205.00–211.00 $206.46 $1,623 —
818 value added 818 3 197.00 $197.00 $1,611 —
824 824 6 193.00 $193.00 $1,590 +8.00
955 955 2 182.00 $182.00 $1,738 —
1005 1005 5 178.00 $178.00 $1,789 —
1135 1135 2 166.00 $166.00 $1,884 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 277.50 $277.50 $860 -7.65
380–390 385 2 262.50–265.00 $263.77 $1,016 —
440–447 446 28 257.00–269.00 $263.59 $1,176 +6.09
670 670 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,290 -13.50
700 700 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,260 +0.17
753–790 765 5 169.00–185.00 $176.88 $1,353 —
955 955 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,647 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 2 240.00 $240.00 $917 +7.50
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240 1240 1 167.50 $167.50 $2,077 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 2 357.50–380.00 $368.75 $848 +18.80
295 295 4 340.00 $340.00 $1,003 +7.86
303–315 309 4 330.00 $330.00 $1,020 +5.06
369 fancy 369 11 359.50 $359.50 $1,327 —
382 382 9 339.00 $339.00 $1,295 -5.98
412 fancy 412 13 350.00 $350.00 $1,442 —
464–490 481 28 311.00–320.00 $314.34 $1,512 +2.24
534–544 541 52 282.00–284.00 $283.32 $1,533 +1.30
560 560 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,456 +2.15
603–619 613 8 248.00–251.00 $249.89 $1,532 -4.98
675 675 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,603 —
702–730 705 19 229.00–239.00 $237.91 $1,677 +1.69
760 760 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,733 +4.75
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 255.00 $255.00 $842 —
350 350 1 285.00 $285.00 $998 —
400–444 435 5 275.00–278.00 $277.45 $1,207 —
450 450 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,204 —
500 500 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,338 —
590 590 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,446 —
985 985 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,551 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 250.00 $250.00 $975 —
440 440 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,078 —
650 650 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,576 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1755 1392 75-80% 14 117.00–130.00 $124.80 $1,737 —
1030–1565 1399 75-80% 21 132.00–143.00 $136.40 $1,908 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1150 1095 80-85% 2 106.00–107.00 $106.53 $1,167 —
1060–1250 1142 80-85% 6 129.00–135.00 $131.64 $1,503 —
1025–1520 1233 80-85% 13 115.00–126.00 $122.82 $1,514 -0.94
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–920 828 85-90% 2 88.00–92.50 $90.00 $745 —
810–985 879 85-90% 5 92.50–107.50 $102.59 $902 +15.59
890 890 85-90% 1 128.00 $128.00 $1,139 +41.00
835–1240 1096 85-90% 11 113.00–125.00 $119.15 $1,306 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–2000 1554 11 133.00–149.00 $141.97 $2,206 —
1005–2175 1819 8 150.00–165.00 $155.16 $2,822 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1150–1165 1158 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,675.00–1,900.00 $1,786.77
1165 1165 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1170–1350 1260 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,750.00–2,250.00 $2,017.86
1350 1350 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
755 755 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
790 790 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
940 940 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
960 960 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985 985 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
780 780 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00
800 800 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
770–850 810 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,350.00–1,375.00 $1,363.12
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00

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Beef Dairy Steers

Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 4 207.50 $207.50 $1,152 —
708 708 3 197.00 $197.00 $1,395 —

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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
1250–1325 1294 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 2,350.00–2,800.00 $2,672.71 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
900 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —

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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.