Cattle Market Pulse

Lake Cumberland Livestock Market Report

Somerset, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Saturday, November 18, 2023

539 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Lake Cumberland Livestock report →

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $207.09/cwt +1.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,079/hd at 521 lb · 34 head
light 6-weight M&L 2-3 heifers $186.64/cwt +19.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,168/hd at 626 lb · 22 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $211.31/cwt -12.80 vs last sale · ≈ $991/hd at 469 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 539 701 1,585
Feeder cattle 399 575 1,280
Slaughter cattle 87 71 115
Replacement cattle 53 55 190

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Saturday the feeder market was very uneven with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifer prices showed some wide differences, as several groups had prices ranging from sharply higher to 7.00 lower within a 100 lbs weight class. Buyers were selective but willing to pay some premiums for good quality growthy calves with favorable body condition. However there was moderate demand for lighter muscled, smaller framed, or off colored calves. Slaughter cows were mostly steady to 2.00 higher with good demand, and slaughter bulls appeared steady but with a limited number of comparisons.

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
305–340 fancy 323 2 265.00–270.00 $267.64 $864 —
360–380 fancy 370 2 272.50–297.50 $284.66 $1,053 +17.16
415–445 430 2 244.00–250.00 $246.90 $1,062 -3.58
410–436 fancy 431 5 262.50–275.00 $266.40 $1,148 -12.61
450–490 471 4 220.00–245.00 $230.98 $1,088 -20.02
500–525 507 6 210.00–230.00 $222.55 $1,128 +5.03
527 value added 527 4 245.00–257.00 $251.00 $1,323 -5.00
556 value added 556 5 260.00 $260.00 $1,446 —
565–585 575 2 210.00–217.50 $213.68 $1,229 -22.85
606–646 631 9 215.00–234.00 $222.93 $1,407 -2.18
655–675 673 14 205.00–226.00 $224.10 $1,508 +9.45
700–745 711 4 210.00–220.00 $212.62 $1,512 -6.95
750–770 763 3 197.00–204.00 $201.71 $1,539 -13.51
840 840 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,596 +5.00
893 893 3 195.00 $195.00 $1,741 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–330 317 3 200.00 $200.00 $634 —
415 415 1 210.00 $210.00 $872 —
465–490 478 2 210.00–214.00 $211.95 $1,013 +46.95
520 520 1 160.00 $160.00 $832 —
605–630 618 2 160.00–170.00 $165.10 $1,020 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–442 431 3 230.00–237.50 $232.38 $1,002 —
715 715 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,358 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 225.00 $225.00 $461 -7.50
265–295 275 3 220.00–222.50 $220.89 $607 -2.00
318–340 324 4 202.50–227.50 $220.93 $716 +3.18
365–395 386 7 200.00–210.00 $204.22 $788 -17.08
400–445 427 11 202.00–217.50 $209.80 $896 -10.86
450–495 469 16 202.00–221.00 $211.31 $991 -10.00
500–545 521 34 200.00–219.00 $207.09 $1,079 +1.40
555–595 580 6 189.00–205.00 $198.99 $1,154 -3.56
603–640 613 10 200.00–214.00 $206.26 $1,264 +16.57
652–675 661 7 184.00–195.00 $189.68 $1,254 -3.99
750 750 1 183.00 $183.00 $1,372 +3.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 200.00 $200.00 $400 +7.50
275 275 1 182.50 $182.50 $502 -5.00
315–340 328 6 170.00–192.50 $182.98 $600 —
375–385 380 2 170.00–190.00 $179.87 $684 -3.40
455–495 471 8 180.00–200.00 $192.93 $909 +20.43
505–535 525 3 180.00–192.50 $188.49 $990 +10.84
540 540 1 150.00 $150.00 $810 -27.65
550–585 570 9 155.00–187.50 $179.24 $1,022 -2.46
610–645 626 22 170.00–195.00 $186.64 $1,168 +19.82
650–690 669 7 160.00–180.00 $169.72 $1,135 +6.12
790 790 3 155.00–177.50 $162.50 $1,284 +10.51
835 835 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,127 -5.63
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460–495 478 2 154.00–155.00 $154.48 $738 —
655 655 1 143.00 $143.00 $937 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,778 +38.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–295 fancy 278 2 280.00–282.50 $281.33 $782 +12.35
265–295 280 2 220.00–230.00 $224.73 $629 -4.77
320 320 2 220.00–221.00 $220.50 $706 +9.56
320 fancy 320 1 267.50 $267.50 $856 +3.81
365–375 369 5 245.00–260.00 $251.61 $928 +43.68
365–392 fancy 380 6 268.00–282.00 $274.57 $1,043 +12.47
400–440 414 5 222.50–231.00 $226.15 $936 -12.41
405–440 fancy 419 8 254.00–270.00 $261.40 $1,095 +2.63
450 fancy 450 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,170 —
455–495 480 5 227.50–235.00 $231.56 $1,111 +3.37
502–547 523 15 207.50–225.00 $214.35 $1,121 +6.90
565–595 578 8 201.00–219.00 $214.48 $1,240 +1.01
600 value added 600 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,392 —
600–640 614 14 200.00–220.00 $214.95 $1,320 +24.18
650–670 660 6 201.00–217.50 $209.76 $1,384 +23.81
725–737 731 4 181.00–182.50 $181.76 $1,329 +8.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 200.00 $200.00 $490 -11.18
265 265 1 185.00 $185.00 $490 -17.50
320 320 1 200.00 $200.00 $640 +20.00
375 375 1 160.00 $160.00 $600 -30.26
415–437 430 3 167.50–177.50 $170.72 $734 -28.95
460–475 469 6 189.00–205.00 $197.70 $927 +9.50
505–545 525 9 170.00–200.00 $180.85 $949 -10.95
550–570 565 4 180.00–190.00 $185.63 $1,049 +10.63
605–610 607 3 162.50–170.00 $166.67 $1,012 -12.64
655–692 679 9 160.00–185.00 $176.20 $1,196 -1.13
715–745 730 3 150.00–172.00 $160.52 $1,172 -0.07
762 762 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,257 —
810–840 825 2 140.00–142.00 $141.02 $1,163 +1.02
855 855 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,077 -3.99
900 900 1 122.50 $122.50 $1,102 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–370 363 2 230.00–235.00 $232.55 $844 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
975–1550 1179 80-85% 14 82.50–88.00 $85.06 $1,003 -8.28
1050–1310 1181 80-85% 18 90.00–98.00 $93.63 $1,106 +0.29
1215–1520 1308 80-85% 8 99.00–110.00 $102.31 $1,338 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 85-90% 1 40.00 $40.00 $400 -24.63
880–1370 1028 85-90% 9 60.00–74.00 $66.49 $684 +1.86
850–1335 1095 85-90% 3 90.00–92.00 $91.48 $1,002 +11.40
930–1355 1126 85-90% 20 75.00–89.00 $81.61 $919 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420 1420 75-80% 1 84.50 $84.50 $1,200 -19.24
1350–1800 1535 75-80% 5 90.00–96.00 $92.83 $1,425 —
1600 1600 75-80% 1 102.00 $102.00 $1,632 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1715 1402 3 95.00–105.00 $102.31 $1,434 —
1760–1985 1873 2 124.00–130.00 $127.18 $2,382 —
1390–2245 1914 8 110.00–120.00 $114.46 $2,191 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
865–935 912 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 800.00–985.00 $892.70
970–1345 1104 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 950.00–1,250.00 $1,062.64
1100–1190 1145 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1165 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1095–1420 1238 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 950.00–1,275.00 $1,198.04

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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
1135 1135 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
1195–1300 1248 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,325.00–1,350.00 $1,338.03 —
1285–1430 1358 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,325.00–1,550.00 $1,443.51 —
1390 1390 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00 —

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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.