Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 17, 2025

476 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $388.45/cwt +14.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,884/hd at 485 lb · 25 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $462.47/cwt +29.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,716/hd at 371 lb · 12 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $349.35/cwt +8.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,485/hd at 711 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 476 808 436
Feeder cattle 416 674 387
Slaughter cattle 34 60 28
Replacement cattle 26 74 21

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers sold 7.00-9.00 higher. Feeder heifers traded 2.00-4.00 lower. The quality today varied greatly throughout the feeders. The better male calves saw good demand. The plain, unweaned feeders faced moderate discounts. Slaughter cows and 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
335 335 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,558 —
367 367 2 487.00 $487.00 $1,787 +55.01
420 420 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,690 -16.01
546 546 4 404.00 $404.00 $2,206 -12.70
572 572 11 399.00–400.00 $399.64 $2,286 +20.43
601–645 630 9 368.00–378.00 $371.18 $2,338 -0.08
695 695 1 356.00 $356.00 $2,474 +5.14
700 value added 700 7 355.00 $355.00 $2,485 -4.50
720–731 727 5 333.00–347.00 $341.45 $2,482 +6.40
815–825 820 2 330.00 $330.00 $2,706 +8.00
885 885 1 324.00 $324.00 $2,867 +32.00
955–960 959 5 304.00–314.00 $305.99 $2,934 —
1010 1010 1 292.00 $292.00 $2,949 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–325 320 2 415.00–430.00 $422.38 $1,352 +57.38
425–440 433 2 365.00–380.00 $372.37 $1,612 —
450–485 468 2 365.00–370.00 $367.59 $1,720 -21.79
512–542 529 6 317.00–360.00 $337.56 $1,786 -40.58
678 678 3 321.00 $321.00 $2,176 +21.00
737 737 4 310.00 $310.00 $2,285 +13.54
810 810 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,349 —
898 898 3 275.00 $275.00 $2,470 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,833 —
995 995 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,886 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,197 -40.00
310–345 322 3 410.00–437.50 $419.83 $1,352 -5.50
357–391 375 6 410.00–435.00 $420.53 $1,577 —
400–430 408 4 379.00–380.00 $379.26 $1,547 -5.74
483–495 485 25 387.00–395.00 $388.45 $1,884 +14.70
515–547 522 9 350.00–373.00 $367.65 $1,919 +5.09
552–597 571 6 324.00–339.00 $332.63 $1,899 -11.26
605–616 611 7 326.00–333.00 $330.03 $2,016 -6.74
650–659 658 7 305.00–321.00 $318.74 $2,097 -4.16
730 730 1 302.00 $302.00 $2,205 -16.86
820 820 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,214 +2.99
835 value added 835 7 296.00 $296.00 $2,472 —
860 860 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,365 —
965 965 1 259.00 $259.00 $2,499 —
1080 1080 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,538 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–290 278 3 375.00–400.00 $388.20 $1,079 —
340 340 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,309 +40.00
365–397 383 7 365.00–370.00 $367.96 $1,409 +5.11
505–540 526 6 295.00–331.00 $320.16 $1,684 -12.57
550 550 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,678 —
663 663 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,790 -25.00
710 710 1 271.00 $271.00 $1,924 -11.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 1 392.50 $392.50 $1,492 —
420–430 421 9 360.00–370.00 $368.87 $1,553 —
453 453 3 367.50 $367.50 $1,665 —
635 635 1 307.00 $307.00 $1,949 —
930 930 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,372 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
202–231 221 6 575.00–600.00 $582.61 $1,288 +90.59
260–270 265 2 460.00–530.00 $494.34 $1,310 +38.26
306 fancy 306 3 540.00 $540.00 $1,652 —
337 337 2 452.00 $452.00 $1,523 +3.60
366 fancy 366 6 492.00 $492.00 $1,801 —
360–390 376 6 428.00–442.50 $432.95 $1,628 +0.14
418–432 424 8 410.00–427.50 $423.91 $1,797 +38.91
450–480 461 7 380.00–387.50 $381.85 $1,760 -12.78
505–547 536 11 355.00–373.00 $362.37 $1,942 -1.25
560–580 565 7 335.00–345.00 $342.12 $1,933 -8.90
640 640 2 323.00 $323.00 $2,067 -4.10
685 685 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,192 -0.23
700 700 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,135 -13.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,360 —
350–372 365 6 390.00–410.00 $403.20 $1,472 +28.20
400 400 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,400 —
565 565 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,695 -16.59
720 720 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,908 —
915 915 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,150 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1205 1205 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 2,475.00 $2,475.00 —
1405–1595 1500 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 2,675.00–3,000.00 $2,847.79 —
1675 1675 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)N/A 1 2,975.00 $2,975.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 85-90% 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,593 —
895–1470 1125 85-90% 4 120.00–130.00 $124.88 $1,405 -15.37
1150–1187 1175 85-90% 3 135.00–136.00 $135.67 $1,594 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1375 1375 75-80% 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,959 +1.99
1335–1640 1468 75-80% 5 164.00–174.50 $169.67 $2,491 —
1475 1475 75-80% 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,858 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1210 1153 80-85% 2 135.50–143.00 $139.44 $1,608 —
1310 1310 80-85% 1 157.00 $157.00 $2,057 —
1535 1535 80-85% 1 165.00 $165.00 $2,533 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1675 1442 3 178.00–183.00 $181.27 $2,614 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1270 1270 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,125.00 $2,125.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1295 1295 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,925.00 $1,925.00
1540 1540 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
935 935 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00
1005 1005 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
813 813 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,150.00 $2,150.00
795–845 820 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,150.00–2,325.00 $2,234.83
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955 955 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00
1070 1070 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
930 930 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 —

↑ 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.