Cattle Market Pulse

Lake Cumberland Livestock Market Report

Somerset, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Saturday, December 2, 2023

1,119 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $186.31/cwt +29.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,554/hd at 834 lb · 94 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $220.06/cwt ≈ $1,710/hd at 777 lb · 71 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $192.45/cwt +22.45 vs last sale · ≈ $1,891/hd at 983 lb · 57 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,119 346 1,610
Feeder cattle 952 224 1,407
Slaughter cattle 130 93 155
Replacement cattle 37 29 48

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Saturday the feeder market appeared stronger with a good quality offering. Good quality 600-700 lbs steers were mostly steady, while lighter steers weighing 400-600 lbs were sharply higher with strong demand. Feeder heifers 400-500 lbs were steady to 2.00 higher, while the 500-650 lbs heifers were sharply higher with a good supply. Slaughter cows were 1.00 to 2.00 lower with a good supply and slaughter bulls were mostly steady. There was moderate demand for slaughter animals.

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
220 220 1 240.00 $240.00 $528 —
316–320 317 4 235.00–250.00 $246.21 $780 +1.36
320 fancy 320 3 260.00–270.00 $266.67 $853 -23.33
367–390 fancy 375 3 255.00–260.00 $258.27 $969 —
360–395 380 5 242.50–247.50 $246.03 $935 +16.03
420–440 430 2 225.00–228.00 $226.47 $974 -23.53
405–442 fancy 431 12 247.50–267.50 $260.69 $1,124 —
455–487 465 11 222.50–243.00 $235.95 $1,097 +16.95
450–490 fancy 475 7 246.00–260.00 $254.65 $1,210 —
517 value added 517 7 255.00 $255.00 $1,318 —
505–535 525 13 224.00–244.00 $234.73 $1,232 +28.22
552 value added 552 13 247.00–248.00 $247.85 $1,368 —
555–595 581 18 217.50–234.00 $225.24 $1,309 +8.43
612–633 value added 618 10 224.00–228.00 $226.77 $1,401 —
605–635 623 10 200.00–220.00 $212.90 $1,326 +1.22
657 value added 657 14 225.00 $225.00 $1,478 —
650–685 664 5 197.50–215.00 $205.52 $1,365 -1.98
715–735 723 3 212.00–215.00 $213.18 $1,541 +20.68
755–765 761 4 200.00–207.50 $204.39 $1,555 —
778 value added 778 67 221.00 $221.00 $1,719 —
812–835 820 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,558 —
870–895 883 2 190.00–200.00 $195.07 $1,722 +17.57
960 960 3 182.50 $182.50 $1,752 +12.50
984 value added 984 54 193.00 $193.00 $1,899 —
1001 value added 1001 53 200.50 $200.50 $2,007 —
1015 1015 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,837 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–240 225 2 200.00 $200.00 $450 —
250–275 267 3 180.00–210.00 $189.38 $506 -10.62
320 320 1 200.00 $200.00 $640 —
385 385 1 221.00 $221.00 $851 —
400–425 412 3 200.00–210.00 $205.87 $848 —
453–465 458 6 190.00–220.00 $207.34 $950 —
511–538 522 10 216.00–220.00 $218.12 $1,139 +68.12
575–580 578 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,185 —
615 615 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,184 —
675 675 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,282 —
730 730 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,314 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 160.00 $160.00 $632 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205–240 222 6 200.00–215.00 $202.70 $450 -16.87
250–295 267 3 200.00–202.50 $200.78 $536 -39.22
300 300 1 200.00 $200.00 $600 —
360–385 372 16 200.00–215.00 $204.16 $759 -3.38
400–445 424 31 200.00–215.00 $208.25 $883 +6.00
455–498 480 27 200.00–215.00 $206.48 $991 +0.39
500–545 522 19 200.00–210.00 $203.19 $1,061 +11.16
560–585 575 13 192.00–205.00 $202.14 $1,162 +14.02
600–635 611 9 180.00–200.00 $197.42 $1,206 +17.65
650–665 660 3 180.00–200.00 $193.43 $1,277 —
700–707 702 7 175.00–185.00 $182.12 $1,278 -9.08
770–780 773 5 170.00–185.00 $180.48 $1,395 +20.48
833 value added 833 73 191.00 $191.00 $1,591 —
828–843 837 21 170.00 $170.00 $1,423 +13.28
895 895 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,253 ±0.00
945 945 2 150.00 $150.00 $1,418 +0.85
1007 value added 1007 48 173.50 $173.50 $1,747 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 170.00 $170.00 $408 —
295 295 1 195.00 $195.00 $575 —
300–345 328 21 162.50–191.00 $182.26 $598 -13.01
360–395 379 13 160.00–195.00 $186.61 $707 +4.31
410–445 432 8 170.00–197.50 $187.06 $808 —
450–490 474 11 175.00–195.00 $188.64 $894 -1.36
505–540 530 7 160.00–195.00 $187.30 $993 +24.86
555–597 576 13 165.00–195.00 $179.75 $1,035 +10.51
600–635 622 6 150.00–175.00 $169.79 $1,056 +19.79
652–690 669 8 150.00–177.50 $160.54 $1,074 —
700–715 708 2 150.00–155.00 $152.47 $1,079 —
815 815 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,141 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–245 230 2 135.00–150.00 $142.99 $329 —
266 266 3 150.00 $150.00 $399 —
420 420 1 150.00 $150.00 $630 +7.50
645 645 1 140.00 $140.00 $903 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,462 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 255.00 $255.00 $599 +7.74
260 260 1 252.50 $252.50 $656 +22.50
310–335 319 4 225.00–250.00 $240.24 $766 -11.76
365–390 378 4 220.00–230.00 $222.45 $841 -16.63
370–385 fancy 378 5 248.00–265.00 $254.21 $961 —
420–431 fancy 428 5 245.00–252.50 $249.51 $1,068 —
422–445 431 9 221.00–230.00 $225.88 $974 -26.62
455–495 472 11 217.50–235.00 $228.25 $1,077 +12.65
505–537 522 12 210.00–229.00 $222.69 $1,162 +6.89
560 value added 560 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,299 —
550–595 575 9 200.00–219.00 $207.57 $1,194 -2.44
600–630 605 8 194.00–216.00 $205.30 $1,242 +5.30
650–695 668 4 170.00–180.00 $177.40 $1,185 —
820 820 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,230 —
920–945 933 2 132.50–137.50 $134.97 $1,259 —
965 965 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,245 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
223 223 4 206.00 $206.00 $459 —
295 295 1 210.00 $210.00 $620 —
323 323 3 212.00 $212.00 $685 +37.00
415–445 430 2 170.00–200.00 $184.48 $793 +6.98
450–499 484 10 185.00–200.00 $190.07 $920 +5.04
525–545 535 3 160.00–182.50 $174.04 $931 -15.46
552–590 562 12 178.00–187.50 $182.35 $1,025 +6.13
605–640 622 7 170.00–192.00 $178.91 $1,113 +6.67
655–695 680 4 169.00–175.00 $173.56 $1,180 +4.64
820 820 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,107 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 450 1 145.00 $145.00 $652 —
650 650 1 142.50 $142.50 $926 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705–1130 876 85-90% 5 40.00–50.00 $44.37 $389 —
710–1280 904 85-90% 35 64.00–79.00 $72.91 $659 —
875–1235 1048 85-90% 11 80.00–88.00 $82.30 $863 -0.01
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1540 1230 80-85% 15 90.00–99.50 $93.13 $1,145 —
915–1550 1235 80-85% 30 80.00–89.00 $84.35 $1,042 —
1070–1490 1272 80-85% 3 100.00–108.00 $104.19 $1,325 +8.86
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1650 1474 75-80% 5 99.00–102.50 $101.13 $1,491 +7.58
1330–1795 1533 75-80% 11 87.00–97.00 $92.66 $1,420 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–2200 1562 6 91.00–107.00 $100.04 $1,563 -26.96
1150–2295 1702 6 109.00–120.00 $112.58 $1,916 —
2225 2225 1 128.00 $128.00 $2,848 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 875 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 835.00 $835.00
805–1105 975 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 835.00–1,085.00 $1,005.32
1140 1140 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
1115–1175 1141 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 950.00–1,025.00 $975.49
1015–1285 1149 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 950.00–1,100.00 $1,019.62
1205 1205 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1460 1460 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 120.00 $120.00 $306 —
355 355 1 112.50 $112.50 $399 —

↑ 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.