Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 31, 2024

1,666 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $229.57/cwt ≈ $1,773/hd at 772 lb · 190 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.66/cwt +10.52 vs last sale · ≈ $1,356/hd at 632 lb · 123 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $256.02/cwt +9.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,607/hd at 628 lb · 83 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,666 720 198
Feeder cattle 1,575 593 186
Slaughter cattle 54 68 12
Replacement cattle 37 59 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers and heifers under 600 lbs. sold sharply higher and the steers and heifers over 600 lbs. were 6.00-8.00 higher. The overall quality of today's feeder offering was excellent with several weaned, pre-conditioned packages that saw strong demand from the buyers. Slaughter cows and bulls sold mostly 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
216 216 4 297.50 $297.50 $643 +22.50
332–336 fancy 335 22 326.00–334.00 $332.56 $1,114 —
340 340 1 319.00 $319.00 $1,085 +35.03
350–377 fancy 363 5 314.00–321.00 $316.91 $1,150 +1.38
400–447 fancy 432 20 310.00–320.00 $314.57 $1,359 +11.05
405–448 437 6 285.00–307.00 $300.37 $1,313 +20.46
468–480 472 6 285.00–294.00 $290.79 $1,373 +5.45
470–482 value added 481 25 309.00–314.00 $309.23 $1,487 —
506–545 value added 533 16 290.00–296.00 $291.63 $1,554 +6.09
501–546 534 19 264.00–288.50 $284.38 $1,519 +13.09
561–564 value added 563 15 279.50–282.50 $280.10 $1,577 +8.10
561–598 582 27 249.00–274.00 $258.59 $1,505 +3.09
603–608 value added 606 11 269.00–275.00 $271.17 $1,643 +7.71
600–648 631 72 241.00–264.00 $253.71 $1,601 +15.59
658–695 671 78 226.00–248.00 $240.84 $1,616 +7.05
700–749 727 69 217.00–233.50 $228.29 $1,660 +4.50
755–790 766 55 209.00–225.00 $219.91 $1,685 —
775 value added 775 135 233.50 $233.50 $1,810 —
805–840 819 8 192.00–209.00 $202.57 $1,659 -1.67
819 value added 819 66 231.00 $231.00 $1,892 —
853–855 853 11 200.00–212.00 $210.91 $1,799 +10.91
887 value added 887 62 223.85 $223.85 $1,986 —
935 935 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,776 -4.00
985 985 3 188.00 $188.00 $1,852 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 280.00 $280.00 $938 —
368–377 372 5 280.00 $280.00 $1,042 +30.00
455–490 480 4 252.00–267.50 $258.48 $1,241 +7.19
542–545 543 3 250.00–257.50 $252.51 $1,371 +36.51
588–592 590 5 224.00–244.00 $235.97 $1,392 -4.03
620–645 625 43 222.00–236.50 $230.29 $1,439 +10.29
708 708 4 194.00 $194.00 $1,374 —
775–790 783 2 196.00–197.00 $196.50 $1,539 -3.50
1040 1040 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,726 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 220.00 $220.00 $682 —
480 480 1 200.00 $200.00 $960 —
567 567 2 204.00 $204.00 $1,157 —
695 695 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,286 —
Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750–752 751 4 165.00–170.00 $167.50 $1,258 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,030 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–245 235 3 280.00–290.00 $283.97 $667 +3.97
265–295 269 9 272.50–300.00 $281.32 $757 +16.71
312–320 314 10 270.00–290.00 $282.93 $888 +30.43
327–340 fancy 331 3 309.00–311.00 $310.32 $1,027 +42.82
353 fancy 353 20 305.00 $305.00 $1,077 +32.50
350–391 379 8 285.00–296.00 $293.06 $1,111 +31.06
401–410 fancy 407 9 288.00–295.00 $290.30 $1,182 +15.97
405–445 433 35 255.00–281.00 $276.33 $1,197 +15.10
455–499 481 36 250.00–264.00 $260.09 $1,251 +11.58
487 fancy 487 2 271.00 $271.00 $1,320 —
500–525 value added 519 23 242.25–248.00 $242.65 $1,259 -7.35
505–545 531 33 224.00–240.00 $229.42 $1,218 +3.69
550–582 value added 566 26 225.00–233.25 $229.84 $1,301 +7.30
555–598 590 24 206.00–223.00 $212.24 $1,252 -2.30
606–648 value added 626 64 215.00–223.75 $218.64 $1,369 —
616–646 638 59 203.00–212.00 $210.35 $1,342 +6.21
653–665 value added 657 26 213.00–214.00 $213.92 $1,405 —
652–686 671 32 202.50–209.50 $205.28 $1,377 +5.61
700–745 716 24 195.50–208.00 $200.89 $1,438 +9.39
770 770 2 204.00 $204.00 $1,571 +17.99
805–832 820 25 171.00–195.00 $176.98 $1,451 +0.96
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–240 228 2 255.00–257.50 $256.18 $584 —
265–290 278 3 235.00–260.00 $248.14 $690 +23.14
316–340 322 4 254.00–255.00 $254.74 $820 +25.22
366 366 3 247.50 $247.50 $906 +23.02
400–445 428 6 225.00–251.00 $242.27 $1,037 +11.46
460–470 468 4 223.00–240.00 $229.25 $1,073 +4.15
530 530 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,086 +0.60
582–595 586 3 200.00–202.00 $200.68 $1,176 —
635 635 1 196.00 $196.00 $1,245 —
686 686 8 193.50 $193.50 $1,327 —
750 750 2 193.00 $193.00 $1,448 —
935 935 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,356 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 217.50 $217.50 $674 —
440 440 1 220.00 $220.00 $968 +39.00
475–485 480 2 170.00–203.00 $186.67 $896 —
520 520 1 177.00 $177.00 $920 —
550–570 560 2 165.00–179.00 $171.88 $963 —
630 630 2 160.00–172.50 $166.25 $1,047 —
805 805 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,389 —
860 860 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,428 +36.00
920 920 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,104 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
521 521 6 204.00 $204.00 $1,063 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
283 283 3 282.50 $282.50 $799 —
317–325 320 3 270.00 $270.00 $864 —
332 fancy 332 5 318.00 $318.00 $1,056 -2.00
350 fancy 350 4 316.00 $316.00 $1,106 +13.38
360–387 378 3 290.00–296.00 $294.10 $1,112 +13.57
410–446 439 5 275.00–276.00 $275.81 $1,211 +2.47
440 fancy 440 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,309 +4.12
467 fancy 467 4 295.00 $295.00 $1,378 +16.99
451–495 470 17 260.00–278.00 $266.42 $1,252 +19.25
510–535 515 5 247.00–260.00 $256.31 $1,320 +14.28
530 fancy 530 1 282.00 $282.00 $1,495 —
552–580 570 7 240.00–250.00 $244.32 $1,393 +10.32
602 602 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,505 +18.94
651 fancy 651 8 226.00 $226.00 $1,471 —
650–671 665 9 209.00–220.00 $215.71 $1,434 +9.71
740–743 742 5 198.00–204.00 $202.80 $1,505 —
762–765 763 3 190.00–202.50 $198.32 $1,513 +7.87
820 820 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,476 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 250.00 $250.00 $525 -20.00
373 373 5 270.00 $270.00 $1,007 —
480–490 485 2 225.00–237.50 $231.31 $1,122 +21.31
525 525 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,234 —
595 595 1 229.00 $229.00 $1,363 +14.00
890 890 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,495 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 200.00 $200.00 $630 —
460 460 1 200.00 $200.00 $920 +15.00
710–730 720 2 181.00–189.00 $184.94 $1,332 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1085–1095 1090 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 1,500.00–1,550.00 $1,524.89 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915 915 85-90% 1 70.00 $70.00 $640 —
825–1285 1036 85-90% 4 80.00–87.00 $83.72 $867 -8.86
1025–1155 1073 85-90% 4 103.50–110.00 $107.43 $1,153 —
880–1265 1078 85-90% 8 89.00–99.00 $94.63 $1,020 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1470 1346 75-80% 5 95.00–107.00 $99.86 $1,344 —
1385–1600 1489 75-80% 6 109.00–119.00 $111.84 $1,665 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165–1265 1216 80-85% 5 94.50–100.00 $97.29 $1,183 —
1225 1225 80-85% 1 88.00 $88.00 $1,078 —
1230 1230 80-85% 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,316 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,060 —
1155–2040 1407 6 114.00–128.00 $122.05 $1,717 —
2115 2115 1 135.00 $135.00 $2,855 —

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Bred Cows

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785 thin fleshed 785 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00
801–825 807 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,150.00–1,175.00 $1,156.39
870 thin fleshed 870 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
900–915 thin fleshed 908 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 775.00–850.00 $812.19
975 975 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,285.00 $1,285.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1220 1220 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,285.00 $1,285.00
1130–1345 1238 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,525.00–1,550.00 $1,538.59
1320 1320 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945 945 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00
975 975 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,285.00 $1,285.00

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Bred Heifers

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
755–795 775 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,085.00–1,100.00 $1,092.69
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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
1130 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
890 890 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00 —

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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.