Cattle Market Pulse

Paris Stockyards Market Report

Paris, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 12, 2024

2,915 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Paris Stockyards report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $280.86/cwt -17.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,622/hd at 578 lb · 153 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $241.34/cwt -5.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,636/hd at 678 lb · 149 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $256.08/cwt -14.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,721/hd at 672 lb · 142 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,915 3,189 1,775
Feeder cattle 2,670 2,839 1,296
Slaughter cattle 198 309 233
Replacement cattle 47 41 246

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Thursday the feeder market was unevenly steady to stronger in spots with a plainer than average quality offering. Good quality feeder steers 400 lbs and under were sharply higher with a good supply and strong demand, while there bigger brothers were unevenly steady to 3.00 lower with moderate demand. Feeder heifers 450 lbs and under were steady to 5.00 higher for the bawling calves and sharply higher for the weaned and pre-conditioned heifers, while the 550-750 lbs heifers were 2.00 to 6.00 higher with a good supply and strong demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for weaned packages of calves, while discounting plainer and off colored severely. Slaughter cows were 1.00 to 3.00 lower with a good supply and slaughter bulls were steady with good demand.

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
255 255 1 380.00 $380.00 $969 +30.54
265–290 fancy 278 2 425.00 $425.00 $1,182 —
305–315 310 2 380.00–385.00 $382.46 $1,186 +32.14
300–327 fancy 320 4 400.00–407.50 $405.01 $1,296 +15.76
367 fancy 367 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,395 +2.76
355–395 376 7 345.00–362.50 $354.50 $1,333 +8.34
405–445 fancy 424 13 342.50–360.00 $349.73 $1,483 -1.83
405–445 427 21 320.00–340.00 $327.70 $1,399 -2.17
450–481 fancy 469 36 336.00–350.00 $339.95 $1,594 -10.98
455–498 481 41 312.00–332.50 $320.64 $1,542 -9.92
506–548 529 20 290.00–310.00 $296.63 $1,569 +0.23
517–548 value added 532 40 317.50–337.50 $327.86 $1,744 +0.94
556–585 569 90 262.00–280.00 $272.52 $1,551 -9.52
570–593 value added 590 63 288.00–297.00 $292.77 $1,727 -9.60
614–637 value added 616 86 282.50–294.00 $293.17 $1,806 +10.16
603–645 627 41 253.00–272.00 $261.26 $1,638 -1.75
651–696 value added 657 52 270.00–277.50 $271.07 $1,781 -5.14
651–697 681 90 240.00–260.00 $247.42 $1,685 -8.99
705–745 726 38 237.00–251.00 $243.96 $1,771 -0.63
723–737 value added 732 31 254.00–260.00 $257.51 $1,885 -1.56
753–785 765 24 230.00–244.00 $239.92 $1,835 -0.35
773 value added 773 8 250.00 $250.00 $1,932 -16.72
805–820 809 15 220.00–235.00 $223.62 $1,809 -14.07
856–895 871 14 227.50–242.50 $236.97 $2,064 +6.97
936 936 3 204.00 $204.00 $1,909 -30.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,116 +55.00
360 360 2 340.00–345.00 $342.50 $1,233 +21.84
400–445 431 5 300.00–317.50 $311.24 $1,341 -3.76
470 470 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,457 +22.52
505–547 521 13 265.00–287.00 $284.33 $1,481 +26.03
585–595 590 10 249.00–260.00 $254.15 $1,499 -6.72
620–640 628 3 240.00–250.00 $244.95 $1,538 -0.05
680–693 687 6 225.00–237.50 $230.70 $1,585 -8.66
792 792 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,742 —
822–825 823 3 209.00–210.00 $209.33 $1,723 +29.33
865–877 870 6 205.00–220.00 $211.37 $1,839 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,185 +10.00
473 473 4 277.00 $277.00 $1,310 +82.00
537 537 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,020 +10.00
576–581 580 10 207.50–222.50 $218.03 $1,265 —
645 645 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,354 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 5 230.00 $230.00 $1,352 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115–1130 1120 3 177.00–180.00 $178.99 $2,005 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 270.00 $270.00 $540 —
225 fancy 225 2 315.00–330.00 $322.50 $726 -17.50
290 fancy 290 1 315.00 $315.00 $914 +5.00
330 fancy 330 1 327.50 $327.50 $1,081 +14.03
352–390 fancy 364 14 320.00–335.00 $330.22 $1,202 +16.25
355–395 387 17 297.00–310.00 $301.18 $1,166 +4.51
401–430 fancy 416 13 305.00–322.50 $307.58 $1,280 -0.75
405–445 438 21 282.50–300.00 $293.78 $1,287 +1.29
451–464 fancy 455 30 287.00–302.50 $293.65 $1,336 -2.70
451–499 480 61 258.50–277.00 $262.71 $1,261 -17.01
500–543 519 57 250.00–269.00 $262.66 $1,363 -2.18
522 value added 522 50 286.00 $286.00 $1,493 +1.20
553–586 571 58 240.00–257.50 $250.81 $1,432 +1.28
574 value added 574 80 280.00 $280.00 $1,607 +9.81
620 value added 620 69 274.50 $274.50 $1,702 +19.84
605–646 623 68 230.00–250.00 $237.57 $1,480 +3.62
655–690 671 69 220.00–238.00 $228.12 $1,531 -6.41
684 value added 684 80 252.75 $252.75 $1,729 +1.15
707–747 724 29 215.00–235.00 $225.64 $1,634 -0.03
750–794 781 34 215.00–229.00 $223.48 $1,745 +13.51
807–849 836 20 210.00–225.00 $220.05 $1,840 +22.05
925 925 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,859 —
1043 1043 8 176.00 $176.00 $1,836 -13.56
1050–1058 1056 5 160.00–182.50 $178.03 $1,880 -10.97
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–282 278 3 242.50–260.00 $248.17 $690 —
317–340 325 3 260.00–270.00 $266.51 $866 —
383–387 385 5 270.00–280.00 $274.02 $1,055 +5.80
411–445 425 12 230.00–252.50 $237.06 $1,008 -24.97
475–495 491 31 247.00–257.00 $252.15 $1,238 +5.54
500–545 521 44 230.00–247.50 $241.61 $1,259 +14.79
559–593 579 63 230.00–236.00 $234.10 $1,355 +3.05
610–645 639 34 216.00–229.00 $221.50 $1,415 +6.29
651–685 660 10 200.00–212.50 $209.80 $1,385 -5.86
710–745 728 2 189.00–200.00 $194.63 $1,417 +7.13
787 787 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,574 +30.00
853–895 864 4 180.00–202.50 $196.67 $1,699 +12.08
1010 1010 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,414 -29.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–388 380 7 220.00–232.50 $228.12 $867 -15.63
470 470 3 217.50 $217.50 $1,022 -3.50
760–785 777 3 167.50 $167.50 $1,301 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 222.00 $222.00 $1,276 —
640 640 3 212.00–230.00 $224.00 $1,434 —
685 685 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,576 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 1 154.00 $154.00 $1,802 —
1465 1465 1 176.00 $176.00 $2,578 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 320.00 $320.00 $656 —
225 fancy 225 1 375.00 $375.00 $844 —
260–292 281 3 330.00–340.00 $333.08 $936 +12.78
320 fancy 320 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,232 —
335 335 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,172 -12.50
355–390 fancy 367 10 350.00–365.00 $360.28 $1,322 -41.72
370–390 378 4 315.00–337.50 $331.84 $1,254 -28.30
426–435 428 4 302.00–315.00 $311.70 $1,334 -3.49
405–441 fancy 431 5 326.00–335.00 $328.48 $1,416 -14.02
460–495 fancy 474 22 319.00–327.50 $322.64 $1,529 -8.33
468–495 477 10 300.00–317.50 $312.60 $1,491 +4.65
505–542 522 10 275.00–292.00 $285.33 $1,489 -0.25
522 fancy 522 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,618 —
559–567 fancy 561 13 286.00–296.00 $292.89 $1,643 —
575–597 592 23 250.00–265.00 $251.27 $1,488 -14.96
613–645 627 24 230.00–247.00 $240.03 $1,505 -14.90
652–695 668 17 234.00–250.00 $242.45 $1,620 +2.45
712–735 720 9 220.00–230.00 $224.11 $1,614 -10.89
765–767 766 4 220.00–224.00 $222.00 $1,701 -7.55
807–825 813 7 202.00–219.00 $213.54 $1,736 -10.22
851–860 853 5 200.00–212.50 $209.98 $1,791 -10.02
950 950 5 187.00 $187.00 $1,776 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 2 260.00 $260.00 $889 -70.00
375 375 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,059 -47.53
420 420 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,218 —
535–545 541 15 260.00–270.00 $267.97 $1,450 —
580–592 586 6 232.00–240.00 $236.32 $1,385 -3.72
605 605 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,210 -29.46
676–696 687 7 217.00–229.00 $222.06 $1,526 —
825 825 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,650 —
980 980 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,558 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,105 —
455 455 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,001 -40.00
595 595 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,205 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–1030 927 85-90% 6 70.00–89.00 $82.39 $764 —
715–1235 961 85-90% 19 90.00–110.00 $101.03 $971 -42.97
845–1110 973 85-90% 4 130.00–138.00 $133.98 $1,304 -10.02
815–1415 1042 85-90% 12 110.00–123.00 $114.34 $1,191 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1185 1048 80-85% 2 139.00–145.00 $142.39 $1,492 —
920–1390 1167 80-85% 14 102.00–111.50 $108.91 $1,271 —
925–1515 1193 80-85% 24 112.00–124.00 $117.11 $1,397 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1620 1485 75-80% 2 125.00 $125.00 $1,856 -2.18
1380–1660 1532 75-80% 8 108.00–112.00 $110.54 $1,693 -8.91
1335–1865 1542 75-80% 30 113.00–121.50 $117.68 $1,815 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150–1825 1474 12 131.00–142.00 $138.04 $2,035 —
1470–2015 1690 11 143.00–155.00 $147.61 $2,495 -13.45
1435–2010 1744 4 158.00–164.00 $161.57 $2,818 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
812 thin fleshed 812 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,210.00 $1,210.00
925 925 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
1105–1445 1273 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,525.00–2,325.00 $1,869.61
1120–1505 1291 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,850.00–2,200.00 $2,087.00
1285–1310 1295 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,430.00–1,975.00 $1,637.01

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
715 715 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00
725 725 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00

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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
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00 —
1190 1190 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00 —
1295 1295 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00 —
1410 1410 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 -88.60
1440–1542 1486 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 2,550.00–2,650.00 $2,616.91 —

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
768 768 3 110.00 $110.00 $845 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
169 169 6 120.00 $120.00 $203 —
260 260 6 135.00 $135.00 $351 —
585 585 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,112 —

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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.