Cattle Market Pulse

Russell Co. Stockyard Market Report

Russell Springs, Kentucky · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 18, 2026

1,026 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 $400.60/cwt +17.10 vs last sale · ≈ $2,909/hd at 726 lb · 99 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $440.31/cwt +11.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,773/hd at 630 lb · 93 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $412.77/cwt -8.42 vs last sale · ≈ $2,835/hd at 687 lb · 91 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,026 1,154 0
Feeder cattle 967 1,097 0
Slaughter cattle 41 40 0
Replacement cattle 18 17 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Wednesday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs. sold sharply higher and those over 600 lbs. were 4.00-6.00 lower. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs. traded 6.00-8.00 lower and those over 500 lbs. were 6.00-8.00 higher. Overall strong demand for the feeders today. There were spots where the quality and demand match last week's and it soften prices a little. Slaughter cows sold 4.00-6.00 higher and slaughter bulls were steady on a light test.

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 1 655.00 $655.00 $1,572 —
242 fancy 242 2 750.00 $750.00 $1,815 —
286–297 290 6 640.00–642.50 $641.65 $1,861 —
300–309 fancy 308 6 705.00–715.00 $713.37 $2,197 —
300–315 311 4 669.00–680.00 $671.65 $2,089 —
361 fancy 361 4 640.00 $640.00 $2,310 +59.87
365–395 387 10 595.00–615.00 $600.00 $2,322 +51.35
411–431 424 12 550.00–572.00 $561.40 $2,380 +31.15
427–440 fancy 434 12 580.00–585.00 $582.54 $2,528 —
456–497 471 17 510.00–543.00 $530.95 $2,501 +32.19
481 fancy 481 7 558.00 $558.00 $2,684 +32.02
510 fancy 510 2 545.00 $545.00 $2,780 —
500–535 515 21 505.00–533.00 $523.39 $2,695 +20.56
552 value added 552 6 499.00 $499.00 $2,754 —
556–583 569 13 472.50–485.00 $478.06 $2,720 +57.35
605–643 627 31 415.00–438.00 $429.00 $2,690 +6.01
610–638 value added 631 62 442.00–452.00 $445.97 $2,814 +9.07
667 fancy 667 5 435.00 $435.00 $2,901 —
655–697 686 4 397.50–405.00 $400.05 $2,744 -13.37
665–692 value added 688 82 411.00–418.00 $412.03 $2,835 -23.07
706–739 value added 725 93 396.00–410.00 $401.96 $2,914 —
735–748 745 6 377.50–380.00 $379.59 $2,828 -3.91
753–778 value added 777 69 381.75–383.00 $381.82 $2,967 —
788–790 789 4 350.00–370.00 $364.99 $2,880 +9.11
804–812 value added 806 21 355.00–360.00 $359.04 $2,894 —
820–848 846 14 345.00–349.50 $349.19 $2,954 +0.45
897 897 2 325.00 $325.00 $2,915 -13.22
940 value added 940 12 322.50 $322.50 $3,032 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 323 2 610.00 $610.00 $1,970 —
375–395 385 2 507.50–515.00 $511.15 $1,968 +56.15
405–442 424 13 450.00–530.00 $498.50 $2,114 +25.65
452–497 482 12 450.00–507.00 $478.99 $2,309 —
505–530 520 3 460.00–470.00 $465.08 $2,418 -5.19
565–590 574 7 355.00–435.00 $420.02 $2,411 +20.02
600–620 608 6 350.00–400.00 $386.39 $2,349 -9.11
672–691 684 10 335.00–390.00 $379.29 $2,594 +26.84
720–735 728 2 340.00–355.00 $347.58 $2,530 —
770 770 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,772 —
905 905 4 299.00 $299.00 $2,706 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 2 355.00–380.00 $367.50 $1,746 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 635.00 $635.00 $1,270 —
251–275 257 5 520.00–550.00 $539.75 $1,387 —
261–270 fancy 265 5 640.00–660.00 $648.16 $1,718 —
305–327 fancy 323 5 570.00–590.00 $573.78 $1,853 —
338–340 339 4 485.00–490.00 $488.74 $1,657 -14.31
352–360 fancy 354 5 540.00–570.00 $563.89 $1,996 -6.11
355–399 386 10 490.00–517.50 $508.96 $1,965 -3.52
400–447 433 15 457.50–482.00 $464.80 $2,013 -31.78
452–455 fancy 453 3 477.50–485.00 $482.49 $2,186 -1.79
450–492 473 30 430.00–455.00 $444.86 $2,104 -20.35
500–545 value added 523 8 440.00–451.00 $441.56 $2,309 -3.20
500–545 526 18 420.00–437.00 $432.06 $2,273 +6.48
554–579 value added 570 19 413.50–430.00 $415.74 $2,370 +1.65
555–596 574 11 390.00–410.00 $405.03 $2,325 +19.22
602–606 value added 605 14 400.00–408.00 $406.15 $2,457 —
615–646 640 32 365.00–385.00 $368.42 $2,358 -1.03
718–738 726 8 345.00–352.00 $347.67 $2,524 +21.51
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–242 228 5 445.00–550.00 $509.46 $1,162 +39.46
275–292 287 7 400.00–500.00 $468.97 $1,346 +5.02
310–347 329 11 402.50–465.00 $448.13 $1,474 +11.63
355–390 381 6 430.00–445.00 $440.73 $1,679 +4.98
400–430 415 2 390.00–420.00 $405.54 $1,683 -39.44
480 480 1 417.50 $417.50 $2,004 +5.61
500–545 525 6 385.00–407.00 $401.69 $2,109 +1.46
580 580 1 377.50 $377.50 $2,190 +23.00
625–637 631 6 340.00–355.00 $352.19 $2,222 +25.81
650–670 657 3 285.00–337.50 $315.93 $2,076 -5.51
740 740 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,072 -17.50
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 415.00 $415.00 $2,013 —
588 588 3 320.00 $320.00 $1,882 —
640 640 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,144 —
685 685 3 335.00 $335.00 $2,295 ±0.00
745 745 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,086 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 2 334.00 $334.00 $2,405 —
755 755 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,492 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,260 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215 215 1 650.00 $650.00 $1,398 —
290 290 1 690.00 $690.00 $2,001 +165.00
321 321 4 677.50 $677.50 $2,175 +102.50
350–392 368 6 537.00–570.00 $550.25 $2,025 +10.29
415–445 429 4 487.50–517.50 $501.95 $2,153 +14.09
460–486 480 4 452.50–487.50 $479.11 $2,300 -6.15
502 fancy 502 12 519.00 $519.00 $2,605 —
505–535 523 7 445.00–485.00 $463.33 $2,423 +25.85
555–572 564 7 392.00–452.00 $422.82 $2,385 +27.54
615–645 631 4 385.00–400.00 $389.99 $2,461 +0.99
660–695 681 4 372.50–385.00 $375.53 $2,557 +7.53
727 727 2 370.00 $370.00 $2,690 —
785 785 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,826 +25.00
845 845 1 312.50 $312.50 $2,641 —
870 870 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,697 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–290 278 3 550.00–600.00 $577.07 $1,604 —
315–335 325 2 470.00–550.00 $508.77 $1,654 +58.77
360–385 376 5 485.00–525.00 $501.67 $1,886 +41.67
437–442 440 4 400.00–462.50 $431.43 $1,898 -3.96
517–540 525 3 370.00–407.00 $394.31 $2,070 -3.98
710 710 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,343 —
805 805 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,294 —
965 965 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,606 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295–1800 1483 75-80% 6 165.00–178.00 $169.93 $2,520 —
1440–1780 1519 75-80% 9 152.00–160.00 $157.51 $2,393 +4.89
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855–1105 980 85-90% 2 157.50–159.00 $158.35 $1,552 —
1030 1030 85-90% 1 172.00 $172.00 $1,772 —
935–1180 1044 85-90% 4 115.00–126.00 $122.83 $1,282 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985 985 80-85% 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,615 —
1130 1130 80-85% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,582 +8.00
1040–1225 1152 80-85% 5 168.50–182.00 $172.76 $1,990 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–2465 1875 3 172.00–182.00 $176.69 $3,313 -23.31
1965 1965 1 200.00 $200.00 $3,930 +17.51

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1030–1160 1095 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,650.00–2,075.00 $1,875.11
1165 1165 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1205 1205 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00
1130–1365 1218 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,800.00–2,450.00 $2,050.68
1230 1230 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00
1245 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00
980 980 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1085 1085 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,275.00 $3,275.00

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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
1375 1375 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,950.00 $2,950.00 —

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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.