Cattle Market Pulse

KY-TN Livestock Market Report

Guthrie, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 21, 2026

970 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $394.83/cwt +3.43 vs last sale · ≈ $2,773/hd at 702 lb · 75 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $380.98/cwt +18.18 vs last sale · ≈ $2,970/hd at 780 lb · 69 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $467.27/cwt -6.98 vs last sale · ≈ $2,495/hd at 534 lb · 40 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 970 877 801
Feeder cattle 720 705 647
Slaughter cattle 140 126 115
Replacement cattle 110 46 39

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs. sold 3.00-5.00 lower and those over 600 lbs. were 6.00-8.00 higher. Feeder heifers traded 6.00-8.00 lower. Overall good demand remained for the male calves despite an off day on the futures market and a large number of colored calves in today's offering. Slaughter cows and bulls sold mostly steady.

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
358–395 370 3 560.00 $560.00 $2,072 -10.00
407 407 14 545.00 $545.00 $2,218 +28.82
473–498 481 9 490.00–492.50 $491.64 $2,365 -15.36
500–541 534 40 461.00–479.00 $467.27 $2,495 -6.98
552 value added 552 13 479.00 $479.00 $2,644 -6.00
554–574 565 10 435.00–442.50 $439.26 $2,482 —
615 value added 615 8 430.00 $430.00 $2,644 -2.44
618–640 624 24 409.00–425.00 $420.36 $2,623 +20.36
685–695 688 4 375.00–385.00 $377.53 $2,597 +7.29
700 value added 700 67 399.00 $399.00 $2,793 +7.60
705–743 723 8 355.00–365.00 $359.88 $2,602 —
779 value added 779 63 384.25 $384.25 $2,993 +15.25
765–789 785 6 344.00–360.00 $346.60 $2,721 +8.60
803–825 816 10 345.00–358.00 $350.12 $2,857 —
852–864 862 16 337.50–343.00 $341.98 $2,948 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–433 426 10 450.00–495.00 $464.13 $1,977 —
490 490 1 450.00 $450.00 $2,205 +50.00
538 538 12 440.00 $440.00 $2,367 —
590 590 1 415.00 $415.00 $2,448 +20.00
620–645 633 2 390.00 $390.00 $2,469 +26.30
680 680 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,346 —
950–993 978 5 300.00–307.50 $303.97 $2,973 —
1040 1040 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,912 —
1163 1163 2 254.00 $254.00 $2,954 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
581 581 14 325.00 $325.00 $1,888 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 7 390.00 $390.00 $2,301 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 405.00 $405.00 $2,288 —
710 710 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,450 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1695 1455 3 225.00–242.00 $235.40 $3,425 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–285 283 2 570.00–580.00 $574.96 $1,627 +34.96
361–367 362 19 490.00 $490.00 $1,774 -33.77
428 428 16 480.00 $480.00 $2,054 -8.35
490 490 28 418.00 $418.00 $2,048 -16.59
533 value added 533 6 409.00 $409.00 $2,180 +1.50
530–546 542 22 393.00–395.00 $394.56 $2,139 +8.56
552 552 5 397.00 $397.00 $2,191 —
605 value added 605 4 401.00 $401.00 $2,426 —
612–625 621 21 361.00–370.00 $368.14 $2,286 -7.86
694 694 6 340.00 $340.00 $2,360 -18.85
701–703 702 10 324.00–336.00 $328.79 $2,308 -8.71
752–770 757 4 325.00–333.00 $330.96 $2,505 —
875 875 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,625 —
908 908 2 287.50 $287.50 $2,610 —
1008 1008 2 277.50 $277.50 $2,797 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 2 490.00 $490.00 $1,690 +49.77
353–380 374 9 445.00–470.00 $452.50 $1,692 +76.42
425–440 438 14 400.00–445.00 $428.09 $1,875 +35.17
585–598 593 5 340.00–357.50 $350.59 $2,079 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
635 635 4 358.00 $358.00 $2,273 —
650 650 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,080 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 fancy 360 16 600.00 $600.00 $2,160 +35.00
378 378 2 560.00 $560.00 $2,117 +46.31
423 423 12 542.50 $542.50 $2,295 +27.50
487 487 13 485.00 $485.00 $2,362 +33.39
510–543 535 14 427.00–440.00 $430.12 $2,301 +27.49
613–626 623 15 390.00–399.00 $397.52 $2,477 +27.52
657 657 3 370.00 $370.00 $2,431 +19.00
702 702 3 347.50 $347.50 $2,439 +1.50
755 755 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,605 +16.02
812 812 3 305.00 $305.00 $2,477 —
1085 1085 1 285.00 $285.00 $3,092 —
1137 1137 3 263.00 $263.00 $2,990 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 2 495.00 $495.00 $1,757 +57.28
428–430 429 4 510.00–515.00 $512.49 $2,199 +104.95
475 475 3 465.00 $465.00 $2,209 +62.62
565 565 1 395.00 $395.00 $2,232 +55.00
605 605 9 375.00 $375.00 $2,269 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115 1115 75-80% 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,840 —
1235–1500 1330 75-80% 7 167.00–177.50 $175.17 $2,330 —
1210–1475 1372 75-80% 5 177.50–183.00 $181.05 $2,484 —
1020–1770 1401 75-80% 27 180.00–200.00 $187.54 $2,627 —
1270–1960 1567 75-80% 10 185.00–202.50 $192.94 $3,023 +19.52
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–1370 1134 80-85% 8 180.00–187.50 $182.61 $2,071 —
825–1370 1159 80-85% 15 163.00–176.00 $169.22 $1,961 +11.23
880–1455 1246 80-85% 8 170.00–182.50 $176.17 $2,195 -11.80
1290 1290 80-85% 1 197.50 $197.50 $2,548 —
1300 1300 80-85% 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,950 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780–1225 976 85-90% 4 121.00–147.50 $140.78 $1,374 -40.17
875–1125 1013 85-90% 3 177.50–189.00 $183.84 $1,862 +17.51
1085 1085 85-90% 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,953 —
935–1245 1096 85-90% 6 163.00–172.50 $165.58 $1,815 —
815–1290 1120 85-90% 13 150.00–160.00 $155.24 $1,739 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1560 1423 2 192.00–192.50 $192.27 $2,736 —
1460–1730 1582 5 217.50–227.50 $224.10 $3,545 —
1480–1850 1665 2 195.00–211.00 $203.89 $3,395 -7.20
1665–2100 1836 5 231.00–242.50 $235.47 $4,323 —
1765–2030 1898 2 227.50–232.00 $229.59 $4,358 —
1685–2320 1978 3 217.50–222.50 $220.55 $4,362 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1110–1215 1157 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 2,450.00–2,670.00 $2,543.03
1000–1265 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 2,550.00–2,995.00 $2,771.36
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
880–910 895 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 2,070.00–2,500.00 $2,288.60
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820 820 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1150–1180 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,800.00–3,100.00 $2,948.07
1115–1300 1195 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,900.00–4,200.00 $3,410.62
1160–1395 1278 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,100.00 $3,100.00
1185–1555 1348 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 2,900.00–3,400.00 $3,177.97
1380 1380 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 3,050.00 $3,050.00
1550 1550 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00

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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
1125–1150 1138 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 2,800.00–3,600.00 $3,195.60 —
1150–1225 1179 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 4,500.00–5,300.00 $5,127.56 +1,877.56
1175–1340 1257 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 16 3,650.00–5,000.00 $4,330.83 —
1150–1450 1275 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 3,800.00–4,300.00 $4,058.43 —
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1025 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 4,500.00 $4,500.00 —
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 4,900.00 $4,900.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
800 800 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,500.00 $4,500.00 —
920 920 (<2 yrs)Open 1 3,050.00 $3,050.00 —

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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.