Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 1, 2024

596 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $262.71/cwt +7.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,514/hd at 576 lb · 23 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $316.53/cwt +30.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,333/hd at 421 lb · 22 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $328.29/cwt ≈ $1,198/hd at 365 lb · 20 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 596 754 637
Feeder cattle 516 671 592
Slaughter cattle 60 58 27
Replacement cattle 20 25 18

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers sold 5.00-7.00 higher with the exception of those steers in the 500 lb. range and they were sharply higher. The 400-600 lb. heifers traded sharply higher with the remaining heifers selling mostly steady. Very good demand was seen across all classes of feeder calves despite some volatility with the futures market in recent days. 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
340–345 341 4 370.00–382.50 $375.64 $1,281 +19.64
350–380 365 2 340.00–365.00 $351.99 $1,285 +6.99
378 fancy 378 3 390.00 $390.00 $1,474 +15.00
400–440 423 4 325.00–332.50 $328.14 $1,388 —
417–442 fancy 430 4 349.00–350.50 $349.77 $1,504 +1.77
450–475 fancy 463 2 340.00–350.00 $344.86 $1,597 —
450–490 479 9 300.00–331.00 $317.61 $1,521 +7.29
510–512 512 7 312.00–320.00 $313.14 $1,603 +23.14
521 value added 521 5 328.00 $328.00 $1,709 +21.00
550–595 value added 562 8 307.50–315.00 $312.01 $1,753 +14.36
556–597 579 12 285.00–297.50 $289.42 $1,676 —
600–640 614 17 270.00–288.00 $280.36 $1,721 -3.64
652–695 662 17 265.00–289.00 $281.48 $1,863 +11.48
740 740 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,758 -20.45
770–795 783 6 235.00–242.00 $240.35 $1,882 +10.35
865 865 15 228.50 $228.50 $1,977 +2.50
930 930 1 197.00 $197.00 $1,832 —
1100 1100 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,870 -8.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 336.00 $336.00 $1,126 —
375–395 385 2 315.00–322.50 $318.65 $1,227 —
440 440 3 285.00–307.50 $300.00 $1,320 +3.93
487–495 491 4 290.00–297.50 $293.72 $1,442 —
500–545 523 7 280.00–295.00 $286.85 $1,500 +13.85
560–590 570 3 267.50–274.00 $269.74 $1,538 +2.24
615–645 631 4 242.00–264.00 $255.14 $1,610 —
650–685 668 2 220.00–250.00 $234.61 $1,567 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–390 380 2 240.00–285.00 $263.09 $1,000 —
520–525 523 3 230.00–270.00 $243.25 $1,272 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,186 —
522 522 2 255.00 $255.00 $1,331 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 330.00 $330.00 $940 +5.00
305–335 326 4 300.00–310.00 $302.97 $988 -16.25
356–370 fancy 358 6 357.50–365.00 $358.79 $1,284 —
350–380 368 14 303.00–330.00 $315.22 $1,160 —
406–445 417 14 298.00–320.00 $307.74 $1,283 +21.71
411–442 fancy 428 8 328.00–334.00 $331.91 $1,421 —
455 fancy 455 5 322.00 $322.00 $1,465 —
452–480 465 8 290.00–312.50 $300.29 $1,396 +31.12
502 value added 502 2 298.00 $298.00 $1,496 —
500–522 516 6 277.00–290.00 $283.20 $1,461 +23.76
565–575 value added 573 5 272.00–275.00 $273.81 $1,569 —
570–591 577 18 245.00–265.00 $259.63 $1,498 +4.73
600–631 616 17 236.50–260.00 $240.51 $1,482 -8.82
663–695 681 19 220.00–233.50 $227.28 $1,548 -7.49
700–740 729 13 216.00–221.50 $220.28 $1,606 +3.14
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 300.00 $300.00 $870 —
330–335 334 4 290.00–292.50 $291.88 $975 —
350–395 376 4 275.00–295.00 $281.01 $1,057 +9.84
400–445 423 8 265.00–290.00 $275.31 $1,165 +11.64
450–495 482 14 260.00–280.00 $270.00 $1,301 +28.99
505–540 516 4 250.00–262.00 $256.52 $1,324 +16.52
555–590 579 6 224.00–242.00 $236.71 $1,371 +4.76
625–635 630 2 225.00–230.00 $227.48 $1,433 —
745 745 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,490 —
770 770 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,463 —
805 805 1 184.00 $184.00 $1,481 +10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,084 +43.00
455–485 470 2 230.00–247.50 $238.47 $1,121 +53.47
547 547 2 227.50 $227.50 $1,244 —
625–645 633 3 170.00–195.00 $183.46 $1,161 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
797 797 2 185.50 $185.50 $1,478 —
860 860 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,531 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 340.00 $340.00 $680 —
265–285 278 3 360.00–385.00 $373.05 $1,037 -26.95
330 330 1 337.50 $337.50 $1,114 +2.50
350–362 fancy 358 3 360.00–362.50 $361.69 $1,295 -18.31
355–375 360 6 331.00–352.50 $339.54 $1,222 -7.83
400–440 426 7 315.00–341.00 $323.32 $1,377 +14.11
450–492 468 8 297.50–320.00 $311.32 $1,457 +7.44
507 fancy 507 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,648 —
500–524 519 11 280.00–298.00 $291.05 $1,511 +12.38
605–621 617 4 255.00–257.50 $256.89 $1,585 +6.89
665–685 669 5 237.50–256.00 $246.64 $1,650 +7.66
800–805 803 2 208.00–214.00 $211.01 $1,694 +6.07
852 852 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,704 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,012 +25.00
325–340 330 3 322.50 $322.50 $1,064 —
360–390 375 2 317.50–322.50 $320.10 $1,200 +4.48
405 405 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,225 +46.49
545 545 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,472 +17.39
590–597 595 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,488 +19.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 280.00 $280.00 $686 —
305 305 1 265.00 $265.00 $808 +55.00
455–480 468 2 217.00–228.00 $222.65 $1,042 —
585 585 1 219.00 $219.00 $1,281 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1185 1156 80-85% 4 130.00–134.00 $132.00 $1,526 +9.18
1165 1165 80-85% 1 102.00 $102.00 $1,188 -20.82
930–1430 1182 80-85% 17 115.00–129.00 $123.04 $1,454 +0.22
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315–1465 1388 75-80% 6 130.00–136.00 $133.23 $1,849 +9.12
1235–1735 1437 75-80% 16 118.00–129.00 $124.16 $1,784 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925 925 85-90% 1 104.00 $104.00 $962 +8.32
860–1145 1044 85-90% 5 120.00–139.00 $125.31 $1,308 —
925–1240 1083 85-90% 2 117.00–118.00 $117.57 $1,273 -6.92

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445–1785 1643 3 157.00–161.00 $158.38 $2,602 —
1805–1950 1878 2 148.00–150.00 $148.96 $2,797 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035–1141 1120 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 1,425.00–1,450.00 $1,429.62

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 thin fleshed 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00
1030–1205 1118 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,625.00–1,800.00 $1,719.35
1145 1145 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00
1125–1250 1188 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,525.00–1,575.00 $1,551.32
1190–1305 1248 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,725.00–1,750.00 $1,736.92
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960 960 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
1045 1045 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
985 985 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
765 765 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00 —

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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.