Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 11, 2024

1,305 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $262.74/cwt +13.86 vs last sale · ≈ $1,951/hd at 743 lb · 165 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $241.93/cwt +32.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,823/hd at 753 lb · 140 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $277.13/cwt +17.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,839/hd at 664 lb · 101 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,305 622 445
Feeder cattle 1,243 525 384
Slaughter cattle 47 78 49
Replacement cattle 15 19 12

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs. sold sharply higher and those over 600 lbs. were mostly steady. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs. traded sharply higher and over 500 lbs. were 2.00-4.00 higher. The demand for all classes of feeder cattle was extremely good especially for the highest quality, lightweight calves. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls were 2.00-4.00 lower.

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
240 240 1 340.00 $340.00 $816 —
252 fancy 252 13 411.00 $411.00 $1,036 —
310 fancy 310 5 410.00 $410.00 $1,271 —
370 370 1 365.00 $365.00 $1,350 +27.50
400 fancy 400 17 389.00 $389.00 $1,556 —
405–441 436 17 350.00–376.00 $371.93 $1,622 +44.43
458–467 fancy 463 11 380.00–390.00 $385.50 $1,785 +50.79
455–485 476 13 325.00–343.00 $332.61 $1,583 +11.70
503–515 value added 505 26 340.00–345.00 $344.02 $1,737 —
522–545 534 20 314.00–333.00 $322.36 $1,721 +25.92
553–567 value added 559 21 312.00–315.50 $314.25 $1,757 —
565–593 580 58 287.50–310.00 $298.31 $1,730 +9.08
595 595 1 264.00 $264.00 $1,571 -25.23
602–640 621 14 265.00–277.50 $272.32 $1,691 -10.30
632 632 2 258.00 $258.00 $1,631 -24.62
655–675 659 9 265.00–270.00 $267.77 $1,765 +7.77
650–672 value added 664 92 277.25–282.50 $278.05 $1,846 —
703–715 704 17 245.00–257.50 $251.79 $1,773 +2.91
747 value added 747 148 264.00 $264.00 $1,972 —
760–775 770 6 240.00–244.00 $242.67 $1,869 +0.67
805–836 822 7 228.00–243.00 $234.64 $1,929 —
882 value added 882 61 244.25 $244.25 $2,154 —
900 900 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,980 —
1078 1078 3 209.00 $209.00 $2,253 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 325.00 $325.00 $942 —
387 387 2 327.50 $327.50 $1,267 —
405–440 430 7 317.50–335.00 $326.44 $1,404 —
473–485 476 4 314.00–317.50 $316.61 $1,507 —
505–541 523 6 300.00–309.00 $306.26 $1,602 —
560–570 565 4 270.00–282.50 $276.19 $1,560 —
646–647 646 7 257.50–270.00 $266.42 $1,721 —
672–695 685 9 240.00–254.00 $247.93 $1,698 —
700–715 708 2 230.00–231.00 $230.49 $1,632 —
785 785 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,806 —
810 810 1 221.00 $221.00 $1,790 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 2 270.00 $270.00 $796 —
432–445 435 5 285.00–302.00 $298.52 $1,299 +18.52
470 470 2 292.50 $292.50 $1,375 +5.59
500–540 515 14 257.50–270.00 $263.37 $1,356 +16.81
565–591 586 5 240.00–260.00 $256.14 $1,501 -13.86
610–640 618 7 216.00–245.00 $228.84 $1,414 -33.73
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 239.00 $239.00 $1,183 —
630 630 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,418 —
690 690 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,587 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,081 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 fancy 276 5 340.00 $340.00 $938 —
260–296 286 5 317.50–320.00 $318.30 $910 —
317 317 2 327.50 $327.50 $1,038 +31.43
357–375 358 15 307.50–313.00 $312.62 $1,119 +18.62
376 fancy 376 6 330.00 $330.00 $1,241 —
425–428 fancy 427 9 315.00–317.50 $316.11 $1,350 +9.08
428 428 4 287.00 $287.00 $1,228 +2.81
486 fancy 486 8 309.00 $309.00 $1,502 +10.61
470–496 490 8 282.50–295.00 $292.00 $1,431 +10.80
500–548 522 48 254.00–272.50 $266.48 $1,391 -3.75
557–597 573 16 250.00–272.00 $257.50 $1,475 +0.42
607–645 630 21 239.00–254.00 $245.88 $1,549 -7.67
650–667 663 9 227.00–242.50 $231.73 $1,536 +6.58
736 736 14 226.75 $226.75 $1,669 +7.75
753 value added 753 129 244.25 $244.25 $1,839 —
755–795 759 11 205.00–216.50 $214.72 $1,630 +5.72
828 value added 828 63 229.50 $229.50 $1,900 —
865–885 880 11 200.00–207.25 $205.93 $1,812 —
950 950 3 191.00 $191.00 $1,814 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–385 363 4 285.00–290.00 $287.45 $1,043 —
420–425 424 5 271.00–272.50 $271.90 $1,153 —
452–475 457 8 267.50–274.00 $272.04 $1,243 —
516 516 3 252.00 $252.00 $1,300 —
565–595 578 3 233.00–244.00 $239.09 $1,382 —
610–635 614 9 230.00–236.00 $235.20 $1,444 —
660–665 664 4 215.00–220.00 $216.24 $1,436 —
712–740 721 3 215.00–216.00 $215.34 $1,553 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212 212 2 290.00 $290.00 $615 —
250–280 268 3 270.00–275.00 $273.26 $732 -6.74
310–342 331 3 285.00 $285.00 $943 —
370–380 375 2 265.00–280.00 $272.60 $1,022 —
410–443 435 8 256.00–267.50 $262.74 $1,143 +10.07
455–496 487 11 230.00–262.50 $250.96 $1,222 -13.49
502–545 515 4 230.00–237.00 $233.41 $1,202 -11.64
555 555 2 218.00 $218.00 $1,210 -29.50
645 645 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,400 -11.74

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
207 207 2 362.50 $362.50 $750 —
262 262 2 342.50 $342.50 $897 -32.50
310–317 314 4 328.00–332.00 $329.98 $1,036 +14.37
370 fancy 370 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,332 —
375 375 3 322.50 $322.50 $1,209 -1.50
436 436 5 325.00 $325.00 $1,417 +16.49
460–495 485 7 295.00–315.00 $305.82 $1,483 -6.18
515–535 519 5 300.00–315.00 $305.95 $1,588 +6.72
572–595 581 8 227.50–285.00 $269.80 $1,568 -2.70
625–640 633 6 260.00–267.00 $263.54 $1,668 +10.45
718 718 3 243.00 $243.00 $1,745 +19.17
765 765 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,798 +12.09
845 845 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,690 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 1 280.00 $280.00 $658 —
400–435 415 6 275.00–282.50 $277.11 $1,150 —
480–485 483 2 255.00–262.50 $258.73 $1,250 —
500–520 514 5 255.00–277.50 $262.92 $1,351 -15.63
590 590 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,357 -25.00
1045 1045 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,803 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 575 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,092 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
605 605 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,437 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1220 1220 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940 940 85-90% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,119 —
830–1110 976 85-90% 4 104.00–111.00 $106.43 $1,039 —
840–1270 1080 85-90% 10 76.00–95.00 $85.05 $919 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130 1130 75-80% 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,017 —
1395 1395 75-80% 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,758 —
1330–1550 1473 75-80% 8 115.00–124.00 $120.12 $1,769 -5.68
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1350 1213 80-85% 2 113.00–120.00 $116.10 $1,408 +29.40
1255 1255 80-85% 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,569 -6.04
1070–1525 1272 80-85% 3 103.00–107.00 $105.24 $1,339 -1.50

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1625 1625 1 132.00 $132.00 $2,145 —
1660–1860 1760 2 147.00–154.00 $150.30 $2,645 —
1735–2230 1957 3 143.00–144.00 $143.38 $2,806 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1120 1120 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1135 thin fleshed 1135 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1145 1145 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1110–1205 1158 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,400.00–1,550.00 $1,478.08
1510 1510 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00
995 995 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820–950 thin fleshed 885 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,085.00 $1,057.20

↑ Back to top

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.