Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 24, 2024

720 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $237.15/cwt +1.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,599/hd at 674 lb · 44 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $226.37/cwt -4.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,184/hd at 523 lb · 38 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $247.02/cwt +4.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,536/hd at 622 lb · 37 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 720 928 405
Feeder cattle 593 899 375
Slaughter cattle 68 23 29
Replacement cattle 59 6 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

No trend due to market closure last week. A very high quality feeder calf offering today saw strong demand from buyers across all classes. Slaughter cows sold much higher than in previous sales.

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
245 245 1 275.00 $275.00 $674 —
275–278 277 5 267.50–300.00 $273.94 $759 —
315–340 327 3 270.00–301.00 $283.97 $929 —
370–382 fancy 378 3 312.50–317.00 $315.53 $1,193 —
380 380 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,159 +25.00
400–415 408 2 275.00–285.00 $279.91 $1,142 +12.46
410–448 fancy 442 7 301.00–305.00 $303.52 $1,342 +22.52
452–497 474 17 271.00–290.00 $285.34 $1,353 +20.35
480–491 fancy 489 15 294.00–301.00 $299.75 $1,466 —
518–533 value added 525 13 284.00–286.00 $285.54 $1,499 +11.49
505–547 537 16 265.00–279.00 $271.29 $1,457 +20.44
577 value added 577 4 272.00 $272.00 $1,569 +6.00
593 593 12 255.50 $255.50 $1,515 +8.26
610–612 value added 612 13 257.00–264.00 $263.46 $1,612 —
612–642 627 24 229.00–250.00 $238.12 $1,493 -4.63
652–655 value added 654 12 245.50–247.00 $246.12 $1,610 —
657–695 682 32 220.00–244.00 $233.79 $1,594 -2.07
700–741 729 14 222.00–226.00 $223.79 $1,631 +3.18
830–840 834 4 202.00–206.00 $204.24 $1,703 -1.76
850 850 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,700 +2.03
910 910 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,765 —
1015 1015 1 182.00 $182.00 $1,847 +12.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 250.00 $250.00 $875 —
455–495 471 7 247.00–257.50 $251.29 $1,184 +31.31
530 530 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,145 -12.97
555 555 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,332 +26.60
630 630 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,386 +20.00
772 772 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,544 +10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 200.00 $200.00 $780 —
410–415 413 2 180.00–200.00 $190.06 $785 -12.38
760 760 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,387 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 280.00 $280.00 $672 —
288–290 288 5 262.00–275.00 $264.61 $762 +35.13
320 320 1 252.50 $252.50 $808 +36.16
338 fancy 338 4 267.50 $267.50 $904 —
365 365 1 262.00 $262.00 $956 +49.43
370 fancy 370 4 272.50 $272.50 $1,008 —
422–440 fancy 424 11 274.00–277.50 $274.33 $1,163 +45.52
440–445 443 2 257.50–265.00 $261.23 $1,157 +41.41
455–456 value added 455 11 278.00–285.50 $283.45 $1,290 —
467–488 482 13 242.00–270.00 $248.51 $1,198 +37.43
515–537 523 37 214.00–235.00 $225.73 $1,181 +8.62
530 value added 530 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,325 +13.40
554–575 559 8 200.00–219.00 $214.54 $1,199 +11.39
557–580 value added 573 25 222.00–229.00 $222.54 $1,275 -3.96
600–618 608 9 199.00–208.00 $204.14 $1,241 +10.26
650–685 670 26 195.00–207.00 $199.67 $1,338 +7.44
708 708 5 191.50 $191.50 $1,356 +6.12
775–785 780 2 185.00–187.00 $186.01 $1,451 +7.71
800–815 805 4 170.00–189.00 $176.02 $1,417 +3.94
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
267 267 2 225.00 $225.00 $601 —
315–335 325 2 229.00–230.00 $229.52 $746 —
355–380 368 2 224.00–225.00 $224.48 $826 —
420–445 428 3 226.00–238.00 $230.81 $988 —
450–490 479 10 207.00–235.00 $225.10 $1,078 +35.10
540–542 542 5 202.00–205.00 $204.40 $1,108 +14.12
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280 280 1 210.00 $210.00 $588 +20.00
390 390 1 182.50 $182.50 $712 —
445 445 1 181.00 $181.00 $805 —
660–672 665 5 176.00–180.00 $178.38 $1,186 —
875 875 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,138 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 fancy 305 5 320.00 $320.00 $976 —
362–380 368 3 262.50–290.00 $280.53 $1,032 +3.20
356–392 fancy 377 7 301.00–305.00 $302.62 $1,141 —
420–437 fancy 431 3 290.00–295.00 $293.38 $1,264 —
432–444 439 9 272.50–274.00 $273.34 $1,200 —
461–465 fancy 462 4 277.00–281.00 $278.01 $1,284 —
460–480 467 3 247.00–247.50 $247.17 $1,154 -5.36
500–521 514 6 240.00–243.00 $242.03 $1,244 +1.03
595 595 2 234.00 $234.00 $1,392 +4.00
601–635 607 14 220.00–233.00 $231.06 $1,403 —
685 685 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,411 +19.32
700–705 701 4 184.00–199.00 $195.23 $1,369 +20.23
750–763 761 6 177.50–193.00 $190.45 $1,449 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 270.00 $270.00 $662 —
490–495 492 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,033 -6.28
570 570 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,226 —
782–790 786 4 160.00–167.50 $163.77 $1,287 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
477 477 2 185.00 $185.00 $882 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045–1320 1166 80-85% 10 105.00–118.00 $110.28 $1,286 —
1210–1350 1276 80-85% 9 95.00–101.00 $98.12 $1,252 +6.14
1230–1380 1305 80-85% 2 80.00–85.50 $82.91 $1,082 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820 820 85-90% 1 81.00 $81.00 $664 —
865–1230 984 85-90% 4 60.00–72.00 $66.95 $659 -25.00
910–1205 1038 85-90% 6 88.00–95.00 $92.58 $961 +32.57
1050–1295 1163 85-90% 6 98.00–108.00 $101.52 $1,181 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295–1605 1412 75-80% 6 98.50–108.00 $104.61 $1,477 —
1255–1680 1433 75-80% 9 110.00–122.00 $115.41 $1,654 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1770 1770 1 122.00 $122.00 $2,159 —
1735–1940 1832 3 128.00–129.00 $128.35 $2,351 +14.35

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Stock Cows

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
810 810 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,010.00 $1,010.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 thin fleshed 1025 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1010–1038 thin fleshed 1033 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 21 985.00–1,135.00 $1,064.28
1060 thin fleshed 1060 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,175.00 $1,175.00
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00
1200 1200 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1260 1260 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00
1155–1460 1308 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,475.00–1,725.00 $1,614.58
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
780 780 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,185.00 $1,185.00
830 830 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00
865 865 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00
910 thin fleshed 910 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 975.00 $975.00
940 940 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 985.00 $985.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925–985 thin fleshed 960 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 850.00–925.00 $886.89
985 985 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,410.00 $1,410.00

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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
1150 1150 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00 —
1405 1405 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00 —
1555 1555 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —

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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.