Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 17, 2023

803 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Russell Co. Stockyard report →

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $191.70/cwt ≈ $1,495/hd at 780 lb · 140 head
light 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $194.10/cwt -11.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,599/hd at 824 lb · 82 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $195.25/cwt ≈ $1,718/hd at 880 lb · 62 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 803 509 793
Feeder cattle 731 424 754
Slaughter cattle 58 69 30
Replacement cattle 14 16 9

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers and bull calves sold 10.00-12.00 higher with a few calves selling even higher. Feeder heifers traded 4.00-6.00 higher. Today's offering included many favorably conditioned, weaned calves which saw very strong demand from the buyers. Slaughter cows were 2.00-4.00 higher and slaughter bulls sold 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
207 fancy 207 4 287.50 $287.50 $595 +20.00
320 fancy 320 3 281.00 $281.00 $899 +30.00
340 340 1 253.00 $253.00 $860 —
355 355 1 226.00 $226.00 $802 -11.50
363–392 fancy 374 8 250.00–270.00 $266.77 $998 —
415–445 432 5 232.00–244.00 $236.78 $1,023 +16.31
410–445 fancy 437 17 250.00–264.00 $258.61 $1,130 +16.61
450–492 fancy 465 12 239.00–258.00 $251.42 $1,169 +3.92
450–496 486 5 207.50–226.00 $221.56 $1,077 -0.15
500–540 528 4 230.00–247.00 $238.65 $1,260 +13.92
510–546 value added 537 10 253.00–270.00 $261.08 $1,402 +10.63
552–595 567 4 208.00–222.50 $217.64 $1,234 +9.64
567–595 value added 580 8 230.00–252.00 $248.74 $1,443 +8.66
600–645 value added 614 4 240.00–247.00 $244.42 $1,501 +11.16
642 642 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,444 +12.00
668–685 value added 673 24 228.50–242.50 $237.31 $1,597 —
715 value added 715 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,637 —
775 775 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,356 -26.66
818–826 value added 824 82 194.00–194.50 $194.10 $1,599 -11.00
880 value added 880 62 195.25 $195.25 $1,718 —
1010 1010 6 160.00 $160.00 $1,616 —
1169 1169 18 143.50 $143.50 $1,678 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 202.50 $202.50 $547 —
565 565 1 172.50 $172.50 $975 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 138.00 $138.00 $759 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 fancy 200 2 252.50 $252.50 $505 —
298 fancy 298 4 234.00 $234.00 $697 —
300–310 304 4 207.50–220.00 $212.55 $646 -0.08
307–330 fancy 314 7 226.00–234.00 $231.82 $728 —
350–383 368 12 210.00–219.00 $216.17 $796 +3.45
350–386 fancy 375 7 225.00–229.00 $227.01 $851 —
405–423 fancy 411 12 221.00–230.00 $224.98 $925 —
415–447 432 10 202.50–219.00 $215.64 $932 +4.72
450–495 fancy 475 28 219.00–226.00 $223.12 $1,060 —
492–497 495 12 200.00–215.00 $213.41 $1,056 +11.58
502–540 value added 530 27 215.00–220.00 $216.40 $1,147 +4.46
510–546 539 10 194.00–210.00 $207.30 $1,117 +7.68
565 565 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,124 +6.90
550–570 value added 566 10 203.00–213.00 $208.82 $1,182 —
610–615 613 2 190.00–195.00 $192.49 $1,180 +3.53
630 value added 630 3 228.00 $228.00 $1,436 —
657 value added 657 20 216.50 $216.50 $1,422 —
665 665 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,197 —
700 700 2 172.00 $172.00 $1,204 —
775–785 value added 780 140 190.25–193.25 $191.70 $1,495 —
800–826 808 16 159.50–163.00 $161.36 $1,304 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–345 342 3 165.00–190.00 $181.59 $621 +29.09
380 380 1 172.50 $172.50 $656 —
430 430 1 177.50 $177.50 $763 +1.43
510–535 523 2 182.50–190.00 $186.16 $974 +18.66
580 580 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,044 —
615–645 630 2 174.00–180.00 $176.93 $1,115 -2.08
925 925 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,119 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 150.00 $150.00 $960 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780 780 1 115.00 $115.00 $897 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–240 225 2 212.50–235.00 $224.50 $505 —
265–282 272 5 222.50–240.00 $229.76 $625 -17.74
315–335 fancy 325 4 235.00–250.00 $240.62 $782 —
338 338 3 225.00 $225.00 $760 -2.50
380–390 388 4 200.00–230.00 $214.59 $833 -1.38
445 fancy 445 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,224 +33.07
452–497 fancy 460 12 245.00–254.00 $252.13 $1,160 +20.38
455–497 477 6 227.50–236.00 $230.79 $1,101 +12.04
505–512 510 4 202.50–220.00 $211.61 $1,079 +5.50
500–535 fancy 520 5 231.00–241.00 $235.59 $1,225 +16.71
550–575 fancy 561 7 217.00–227.00 $222.31 $1,247 +1.31
575 575 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,156 -9.25
620–630 625 2 196.00–200.00 $197.98 $1,237 -8.10
631 fancy 631 3 212.00 $212.00 $1,338 —
690 690 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,225 -28.50
715–735 728 3 178.00–187.00 $181.62 $1,322 +8.62
755–765 758 3 159.00–170.00 $166.30 $1,261 —
820 820 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,230 -14.62
1110–1140 1125 2 111.00–116.00 $113.53 $1,277 +3.53
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 185.00 $185.00 $435 —
250–267 261 3 185.00–200.00 $195.22 $510 —
320 320 1 200.00 $200.00 $640 —
410 410 1 198.00 $198.00 $812 +48.00
460 460 1 197.50 $197.50 $908 +22.50
625 625 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,125 +12.98

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805–1005 919 85-90% 7 50.00–60.00 $55.43 $509 —
890–1040 945 85-90% 5 68.00–76.00 $71.76 $678 —
960–1210 1084 85-90% 6 80.00–84.00 $82.40 $893 +2.40
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1170 1105 80-85% 3 80.00–87.00 $83.19 $919 —
1150–1300 1212 80-85% 15 90.00–100.00 $95.52 $1,158 +13.55
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305 1305 75-80% 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,174 —
1330–1500 1376 75-80% 9 96.00–115.00 $103.14 $1,419 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1580 1580 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,991 +11.00
1585–1650 1618 2 100.00–105.00 $102.45 $1,658 —
1220–2030 1623 3 112.00–123.00 $116.66 $1,893 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
995 thin fleshed 995 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
1015 thin fleshed 1015 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 985.00 $985.00
1025 thin fleshed 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1075 1075 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1080 1080 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
1130 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,110.00 $1,110.00
1135 1135 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
895 895 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
915 915 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
830 830 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 650.00 $650.00
895 895 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
970 970 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00

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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.