Sale reports / Kentucky / Stanford Livestock Auction / 2026-05-21

Stanford Livestock Auction

Name: Stanford Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-21

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Stanford, Kentucky · Thu, May 21

● Final96 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2191

← May 14May 21May 28 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

1,271 head

▼ 729 vs last sale 2,000▲ 343 vs year ago 928 · +37.0%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

66 head

▼ 40 vs last sale 106▲ 10 vs year ago 56 · +17.9%

Replacement Cattle receipts

11 head

▼ 4 vs last sale 15▲ 9 vs year ago 2 · +450.0%

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 800 lbs steady, over 800 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, Feeder and yearling heifers mostly steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls 4.00-6.00 higher, Good demand for slaughter classes.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $480.12/cwt on 43 head, up $4.61 from the prior sale. That ranks 25 of 32 comparable sales and sits +38.34 against this barn's trailing median of $441.78.

Average price

$480.12

▲ 4.61 vs prior sale

43 head · 583 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,801

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$256

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3

$48.75/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.40

vs KY average

+5.64 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	583	481.25	2,807	42
Medium and Large 2-3	590	432.50	2,552	1thin

One grade step is worth $48.75/cwt here — about $256 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale43 hd

480.12

—

KY average27 barns · 1,305 hd

476.72

+3.40

National average171 barns · 13,387 hd

474.48

+5.64

This barn, trailing median32 sales

441.78

+38.34

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

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	High	1,846	223.83	4,131	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,855	186.75	3,464	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,284	173.18	2,223	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,014	153.58	1,558	21

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,060	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,285	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,335	$2,575	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,055	$2,050	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,265	$3,600	1thin

Every lot

96 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers26 lots · lightest first
Steers	250–300	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	281	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,686	3
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	330	579.85/cwt	535.00–610.00	1,914	3
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	367	586.55/cwt	560.00–600.00	2,153	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	415	516.36/cwt	500.00–525.00	2,143	3
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	484	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,420	5
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2-3	485	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	1,952	1
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	495	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,401	14
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	518	441.28/cwt	440.00–442.50	2,286	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	529	504.37/cwt	500.00–512.50	2,668	4
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	582	454.12/cwt	450.00–462.50	2,643	3
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 2-3	590	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	2,552	1
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	594	483.34/cwt	475.00–484.50	2,871	33
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	617	468.49/cwt	460.00–480.00	2,891	7
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	618	412.62/cwt	405.50–420.00	2,550	3
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	672	402.80/cwt	395.00–407.50	2,707	11
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	685	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,654	2
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	720	390.44/cwt	385.00–405.00	2,811	19
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	779	354.24/cwt	352.00–355.00	2,760	8
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	798	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,953	55
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	821	356.50/cwt	356.50–356.50	2,927	21
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	842	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	2,930	4
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	869	336.13/cwt	336.00–337.00	2,921	8
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	892	358.93/cwt	354.95–361.00	3,202	296
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	946	344.90/cwt	344.90–344.90	3,263	58
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	962	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	3,319	57
Steers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1-2	1,080	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	3,337	1
Feeder Cattle · Heifers29 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	310	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,550	1
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	345	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,656	1
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	372	488.80/cwt	487.50–500.00	1,818	10
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	381	473.96/cwt	472.50–480.00	1,806	7
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2-3	415	411.33/cwt	350.00–437.50	1,707	6
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	419	463.33/cwt	440.00–469.00	1,941	18
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	433	480.28/cwt	472.50–515.00	2,080	7
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	469	448.47/cwt	440.00–455.00	2,103	21
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2-3	487	414.38/cwt	350.00–425.00	2,018	12
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2-3	535	357.52/cwt	355.00–360.00	1,913	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	539	418.74/cwt	413.00–442.50	2,257	40
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	540	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,160	1
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2-3	550	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,980	1
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	562	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,360	4
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	590	383.62/cwt	380.00–400.00	2,263	17
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2-3	605	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,906	1
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	628	378.89/cwt	370.00–397.50	2,379	41
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	632	341.84/cwt	330.00–350.00	2,160	5
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	662	369.52/cwt	369.00–375.00	2,446	12
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	671	340.04/cwt	330.00–345.00	2,282	6
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	725	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,501	1
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	735	365.15/cwt	364.50–365.75	2,684	143
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	762	368.60/cwt	368.60–368.60	2,809	134
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	778	345.04/cwt	335.00–347.50	2,684	5
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 2-3	787	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,558	2
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	806	329.99/cwt	326.00–340.00	2,660	7
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	895	328.00/cwt	328.00–328.00	2,936	1
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	905	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,996	12
Heifers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	910	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	2,757	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls25 lots · lightest first
Bulls	200–250	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200	690.00/cwt	690.00–690.00	1,380	1
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	325	601.95/cwt	585.00–630.00	1,956	3
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 2-3	370	349.80/cwt	310.00–387.50	1,294	2
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	382	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,719	4
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	384	543.22/cwt	520.00–565.00	2,086	7
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	410	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,050	1
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	433	477.01/cwt	475.00–479.00	2,065	2
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 2-3	445	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,780	1
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	471	478.34/cwt	470.00–480.00	2,253	6
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 2-3	475	410.67/cwt	397.50–425.00	1,951	2
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	495	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,487	4
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	520	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,496	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 2-3	520	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	2,093	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	528	443.98/cwt	437.50–455.00	2,344	8
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	570	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,565	2
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 2-3	575	401.53/cwt	375.00–429.00	2,309	2
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 2-3	630	351.25/cwt	337.50–365.00	2,213	2
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	640	405.75/cwt	395.00–427.50	2,597	3
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	645	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,306	1
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	675	411.98/cwt	397.50–420.00	2,781	7
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	685	374.25/cwt	371.00–377.50	2,564	2
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	705	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,432	1
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	750	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,550	1
Bulls	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	855	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,544	1
Bulls	950–1000	Medium and Large 2-3	965	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,750	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,070	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	1,953	1
Bulls	—	—	1,385	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	2,950	1
Bulls	—	—	2,000	230.35/cwt	220.00–242.00	4,607	8
Slaughter Cattle · Cows8 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	978	138.96/cwt	133.00–149.00	1,359	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	983	112.04/cwt	100.00–127.50	1,101	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,002	158.11/cwt	150.00–166.00	1,584	7
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,076	176.77/cwt	171.00–186.00	1,902	6
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,200	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,092	1
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,233	162.10/cwt	159.00–165.00	1,999	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,298	181.21/cwt	167.00–196.00	2,352	13
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,855	186.75/cwt	174.00–200.00	3,464	3
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,055	2,049.76/head	2,000.00–2,100.00	2,050	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,060	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,285	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,335	2,575.03/head	2,250.00–3,000.00	2,575	3
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,265	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	1

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.

Kentucky feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) - Stanford, KY

Thu May 21, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Frankfort, KY (LS-LG)

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,271Last week 2,000Year ago 928

Slaughter CattleReceipts 66Last week 106Year ago 56

Replacement CattleReceipts 11Last week 15Year ago 2

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	281	600.00	600.00
3	300–350	330	535.00–610.00	579.85
3	350–400	367	560.00–600.00	586.55
3	400–450	415	500.00–525.00	516.36
5	450–500	484	500.00	500.00
7	600–650	617	460.00–480.00	468.49

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	450–500	495	485.00	485.00
2	500–550	518	440.00–442.50	441.28
3	550–600	582	450.00–462.50	454.12
2	650–700	685	387.50	387.50
8	750–800	779	352.00–355.00	354.24
4	800–850	842	348.00	348.00
8	850–900	869	336.00–337.00	336.13
1	1050–1100	1,080	309.00	309.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	529	500.00–512.50	504.37
33	550–600	594	475.00–484.50	483.34
3	600–650	618	405.50–420.00	412.62
11	650–700	672	395.00–407.50	402.80
19	700–750	720	385.00–405.00	390.44
55	750–800	798	370.00	370.00
21	800–850	821	356.50	356.50
296	850–900	892	354.95–361.00	358.93
58	900–950	946	344.90	344.90
57	950–1000	962	345.00	345.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	485	402.50	402.50
1	550–600	590	432.50	432.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
40	500–550	539	413.00–442.50	418.74
4	550–600	562	420.00	420.00
41	600–650	628	370.00–397.50	378.89
12	650–700	662	369.00–375.00	369.52
143	700–750	735	364.50–365.75	365.15
134	750–800	762	368.60	368.60
12	900–950	905	331.00	331.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	345	480.00	480.00
7	350–400	381	472.50–480.00	473.96
18	400–450	419	440.00–469.00	463.33
21	450–500	469	440.00–455.00	448.47
1	500–550	540	400.00	400.00
17	550–600	590	380.00–400.00	383.62
5	600–650	632	330.00–350.00	341.84
6	650–700	671	330.00–345.00	340.04
1	700–750	725	345.00	345.00
5	750–800	778	335.00–347.50	345.04
7	800–850	806	326.00–340.00	329.99
1	850–900	895	328.00	328.00
1	900–950	910	303.00	303.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	415	350.00–437.50	411.33
12	450–500	487	350.00–425.00	414.38
2	500–550	535	355.00–360.00	357.52
1	550–600	550	360.00	360.00
1	600–650	605	315.00	315.00
2	750–800	787	325.00	325.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	310	500.00	500.00
10	350–400	372	487.50–500.00	488.80
7	400–450	433	472.50–515.00	480.28

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	370	310.00–387.50	349.80
1	400–450	445	400.00	400.00
2	450–500	475	397.50–425.00	410.67
1	500–550	520	402.50	402.50
2	550–600	575	375.00–429.00	401.53
2	600–650	630	337.50–365.00	351.25
1	950–1000	965	285.00	285.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	690.00	690.00
3	300–350	325	585.00–630.00	601.95
7	350–400	384	520.00–565.00	543.22
1	400–450	410	500.00	500.00
4	450–500	495	502.50	502.50
1	500–550	520	480.00	480.00
3	600–650	640	395.00–427.50	405.75
7	650–700	675	397.50–420.00	411.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	382	450.00	450.00
2	400–450	433	475.00–479.00	477.01
6	450–500	471	470.00–480.00	478.34
8	500–550	528	437.50–455.00	443.98
2	550–600	570	450.00	450.00
1	600–650	645	357.50	357.50
2	650–700	685	371.00–377.50	374.25
1	700–750	705	345.00	345.00
1	750–800	750	340.00	340.00
1	850–900	855	297.50	297.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	978	133.00–149.00	138.96
7	—	1,002	150.00–166.00	158.11
2	—	983	100.00–127.50	112.04
6	—	1,076	171.00–186.00	176.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,855	174.00–200.00	186.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,233	159.00–165.00	162.10
13	—	1,298	167.00–196.00	181.21
1	—	1,200	91.00	91.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	2,000	220.00–242.00	230.35
1	—	1,385	213.00	213.00
1	—	1,070	182.50	182.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,060	2,900.00	2,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,335	2,250.00–3,000.00	2,575.03
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,285	2,900.00	2,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,055	2,000.00–2,100.00	2,049.76

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,265	3,600.00	3,600.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.