Sale reports / Kentucky / Stanford Livestock Auction / 2025-12-18

Stanford Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Stanford, Kentucky · Thu, Dec 18
● Final79 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2191
Feeder Cattle receipts
629 head
▼ 804 vs last sale 1,433▼ 169 vs year ago 798 · −21.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
96 head
▼ 4 vs last sale 100▲ 40 vs year ago 56 · +71.4%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 500 lbs 10.00-15.00 lower, over 500 lbs steady, Feeder heifers steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls steady, Good demand for slaughter classes.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $394.26/cwt on 21 head. That ranks 7 of 32 comparable sales and sits −47.52 against this barn's trailing median of $441.78.
Average price
$394.26
21 head · 537 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,117
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$418
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$76.55/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−2.28
vs KY average
−49.84 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2537401.552,15719thin
Medium and Large 2-3535325.001,7392thin
One grade step is worth $76.55/cwt here — about $418 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale21 hd
394.26
—
KY average21 barns · 533 hd
396.54
−2.28
National average163 barns · 16,063 hd
444.10
−49.84
This barn, trailing median32 sales
441.78
−47.52
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

32 sales
528467407346median 441.7803/1205/0707/0909/1010/29
Steers 500–600 lb: high $514.05, low $359.98, median $441.78 across 32 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,845189.933,5055thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,652159.302,63111
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,313141.211,85418
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,029129.611,33414
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,275195.002,4861thin

Every lot

79 lots · USDA AMS · Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) - Stanford, KY
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers23 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Fancy247455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,1242
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy265494.04/cwt475.00–505.001,3093
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy317472.64/cwt465.00–475.001,4984
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy375450.20/cwt435.00–465.001,6882
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2412383.36/cwt380.00–385.001,5793
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy424442.66/cwt432.50–447.501,8779
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2475360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,7101
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy478409.72/cwt407.00–415.001,9589
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2505365.00/cwt365.00–365.001,8431
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added520415.75/cwt385.00–440.002,16211
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2-3535325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,7392
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added567387.27/cwt381.00–415.002,1966
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2580367.50/cwt367.50–367.502,1321
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2600357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,1453
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added613402.62/cwt372.50–405.502,46882
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2661347.34/cwt340.00–351.002,2963
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2-3675303.39/cwt287.50–320.002,0482
Steers650–700Small 1-2685200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,3701
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2730326.23/cwt325.00–327.502,3812
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2765321.18/cwt310.00–330.002,4574
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added790338.50/cwt338.50–338.502,67462
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2Value Added946320.85/cwt320.85–320.853,03556
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2Value Added976319.75/cwt319.75–319.753,12156
Feeder Cattle · Heifers21 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy275430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,1831
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy308416.22/cwt402.50–430.001,2823
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2-3331332.45/cwt327.50–340.001,1005
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2378371.00/cwt371.00–371.001,4023
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2-3380340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,2921
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy383427.05/cwt405.00–437.501,63610
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy437412.90/cwt393.00–420.001,8049
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2438347.79/cwt340.00–360.001,5235
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3473316.55/cwt310.00–335.001,4974
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy474387.94/cwt385.00–390.001,83911
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2475350.26/cwt340.00–360.001,6644
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added520366.37/cwt355.00–370.001,90513
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2530330.75/cwt320.00–340.001,75311
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2-3540310.81/cwt310.00–312.501,6783
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2568326.60/cwt321.00–342.501,85517
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3577302.90/cwt297.00–315.001,7486
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added613340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,0842
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2625319.32/cwt312.50–325.001,9963
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2-3640300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,9201
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2-3665260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,7291
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2730289.00/cwt289.00–289.002,1102
Feeder Cattle · Bulls22 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy347430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,4922
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy360442.60/cwt432.50–460.001,5933
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy415432.18/cwt419.00–450.001,7944
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2425386.50/cwt380.00–393.001,6432
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy470450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,1151
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2-3475340.00/cwt320.00–360.001,6152
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2490388.30/cwt383.00–391.001,9033
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy510434.88/cwt420.00–440.002,2185
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2535362.50/cwt362.50–362.501,9391
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fancy553410.01/cwt407.50–412.502,2672
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2-3575331.76/cwt320.00–343.001,9086
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2593372.53/cwt367.50–375.002,2093
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Fancy629354.52/cwt347.50–357.502,23010
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2630330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0791
Bulls650–700Small 1-2660250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,6501
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2665307.50/cwt307.50–307.502,0451
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2-3678291.49/cwt285.00–300.001,9767
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2730295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,1541
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2770302.50/cwt302.50–302.502,3292
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 2-3790280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,2122
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 2-3820240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,9681
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2840300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,5202
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Heifers—Select and Choice1,275195.00/cwt195.00–195.002,4861
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,805188.33/cwt186.00–191.003,3992
Bulls——1,840178.00/cwt178.00–178.003,2751
Bulls——1,888197.49/cwt197.00–198.003,7292
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%927110.06/cwt100.00–118.001,0205
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,020125.98/cwt125.00–127.001,2852
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,105144.61/cwt137.00–150.001,5987
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,243162.14/cwt155.00–167.002,0154
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,250114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,4251
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,326143.70/cwt135.00–154.001,9058
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,360125.93/cwt120.00–133.001,7135
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,581146.01/cwt137.50–154.002,3084
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,692166.90/cwt156.00–184.002,8247

This sale against other markets

Kentucky weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Kentucky auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.