Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2026-02-23

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Mon, Feb 23
● Final125 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2127
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,285 head
▲ 450 vs last sale 835▲ 532 vs year ago 753 · +70.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
88 head
▼ 32 vs last sale 120▼ 65 vs year ago 153 · −42.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
7 head
▲ 0 vs last sale 7▼ 13 vs year ago 20 · −65.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 300 lbs and under appeared sharply higher with a light test, while the 350-600 lbs steers were unevenly steady with a good supply and good demand. Yearling steers were 3.00 to 5.00 lower with a good supply and moderate demand. Feeder heifers 600 lbs and under were 5.00 to 10.00 higher or greater in spots with a good supply and strong demand. Slaughter cows were steady to 3.00 higher with a good supply and increasing interest in cows returning to the farm. Slaughter bulls were steady to 3.00 higher with a good supply and strong demand for higher dressing bulls.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $481.27/cwt on 84 head. That ranks 26 of 32 comparable sales and sits +38.45 against this barn's trailing median of $442.82.
Average price
$481.27
84 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,628
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$390
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$92.37/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+8.19
vs KY average
−5.75 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2546482.372,63283
Medium and Large 2575390.002,2431thin
One grade step is worth $92.37/cwt here — about $390 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale84 hd
481.27
—
KY average24 barns · 1,405 hd
473.08
+8.19
National average172 barns · 11,832 hd
487.02
−5.75
This barn, trailing median32 sales
442.82
+38.45
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
521457394330median 442.8203/0204/2707/0609/1411/02
Steers 500–600 lb: high $507.01, low $344.18, median $442.82 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—Low1,781204.993,65117
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,238172.342,13417
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,558170.792,6609thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,075151.361,62720
HeifersChoiceAverage1,490236.003,5161thin
SteersChoiceAverage1,550255.003,9531thin

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,050$2,6001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,039$1,8523thin

Every lot

125 lots · USDA AMS · Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) - Lexington, 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 · Steers36 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Fancy218671.21/cwt655.00–680.001,4633
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy273655.00/cwt655.00–655.001,7883
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy320617.50/cwt617.50–617.501,9763
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy393562.50/cwt562.50–562.502,2114
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2395500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,9751
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy424526.22/cwt512.50–532.502,23116
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2430489.49/cwt480.00–496.002,1053
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2445437.50/cwt437.50–437.501,9471
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2470435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,0452
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy473520.05/cwt512.50–532.502,46011
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2483494.27/cwt470.00–507.502,3874
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed520517.57/cwt512.50–522.502,69123
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added539498.62/cwt495.00–507.002,68813
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2540472.72/cwt470.00–473.002,55320
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2562421.33/cwt412.50–430.002,3686
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2575390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,2431
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added578464.91/cwt442.50–469.002,68720
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy595370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,2021
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2609393.73/cwt381.00–400.002,3985
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added631446.76/cwt437.50–454.002,81919
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added669413.58/cwt405.00–415.002,76736
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2673389.81/cwt379.00–395.002,6239
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2690365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,5191
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2720330.80/cwt324.00–337.502,3822
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added738380.85/cwt368.00–381.502,81154
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2738313.00/cwt313.00–313.002,3103
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added780374.19/cwt362.50–375.502,919146
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2785348.50/cwt347.00–350.002,7366
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2818336.65/cwt322.50–342.002,7549
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2822307.00/cwt307.00–307.002,5242
Steers850–900Medium and Large 2855310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,6511
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2865341.71/cwt335.00–347.502,95631
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2Value Added905337.10/cwt337.10–337.103,051118
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2942324.00/cwt324.00–324.003,0526
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,014302.76/cwt300.00–303.003,07026
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,067298.00/cwt298.00–298.003,1802
Feeder Cattle · Heifers43 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy280512.54/cwt510.00–515.001,4352
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2295485.00/cwt485.00–485.001,4311
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2328504.59/cwt495.00–507.501,6554
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy332525.72/cwt525.00–527.501,7457
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2-3375412.50/cwt412.50–412.501,5471
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy378527.17/cwt515.00–537.501,9937
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2380490.46/cwt462.50–505.001,8643
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy411517.45/cwt507.50–525.002,12711
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3413372.00/cwt372.00–372.001,5363
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2428487.87/cwt477.50–497.502,0888
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2435433.84/cwt430.00–437.501,8872
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2469449.94/cwt440.00–460.002,11019
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy474480.54/cwt477.50–487.502,2784
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3485370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,7951
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2493425.80/cwt420.00–432.502,0996
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy507445.07/cwt441.00–457.502,2577
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2518371.26/cwt362.50–377.501,92314
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2521400.90/cwt387.50–410.002,08910
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added539430.76/cwt415.00–438.002,32217
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2564388.59/cwt382.50–397.502,1925
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2571364.93/cwt355.00–370.002,0845
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added573404.70/cwt400.00–420.002,319114
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3585312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,8282
Heifers600–650Large 1-2605350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,1181
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added610435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,65415
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open610401.27/cwt387.50–406.002,44818
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2625371.14/cwt354.00–382.502,32022
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added659373.80/cwt371.00–375.002,46316
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2667352.27/cwt340.00–355.002,35017
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2710331.32/cwt330.00–332.002,3523
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open732351.00/cwt351.00–351.002,5695
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2735302.50/cwt302.50–302.502,2232
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open763337.22/cwt332.00–341.002,57329
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2780307.50/cwt307.50–307.502,3991
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2806287.79/cwt279.00–290.002,3205
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2828326.34/cwt321.00–327.502,70211
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open873309.50/cwt309.50–309.502,70218
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy880291.00/cwt291.00–291.002,5611
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2880230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,0241
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 2905237.50/cwt237.50–237.502,1492
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2915293.00/cwt293.00–293.002,6811
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2950268.25/cwt266.00–275.002,5484
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,005281.00/cwt281.00–281.002,8241
Feeder Cattle · Bulls27 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1-2207540.00/cwt540.00–540.001,1182
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy313594.81/cwt585.00–600.001,8623
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2330544.70/cwt535.00–555.001,7982
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2360535.00/cwt535.00–535.001,9261
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy367568.33/cwt562.50–577.502,08611
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2395455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,7971
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy423541.17/cwt530.00–552.502,2896
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2433488.55/cwt477.50–500.002,1152
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2456486.27/cwt485.00–490.002,2174
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy480517.50/cwt517.50–517.502,4843
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2515400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,0602
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy528476.43/cwt467.50–492.502,5165
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fancy568449.82/cwt432.50–462.502,5558
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2573413.04/cwt400.00–425.002,3674
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2-3578307.50/cwt307.50–307.501,7773
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2605391.25/cwt385.00–397.502,3672
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2640362.50/cwt362.50–362.502,3201
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2Fancy668388.76/cwt382.50–402.502,5976
Bulls650–700Large 1-2675340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,2951
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2680368.01/cwt365.00–375.002,5025
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2690342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,3631
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2728347.96/cwt340.00–352.502,5336
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 2755302.00/cwt302.00–302.002,2801
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2767332.48/cwt322.50–337.502,5503
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2830336.23/cwt335.00–337.502,7912
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1-2895222.50/cwt222.50–222.501,9911
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,012217.50/cwt217.50–217.502,2012
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Steers900–950Large 3930217.50/cwt217.50–217.502,0231
Slaughter Cattle · Steers1 lot · lightest first
Steers—Choice1,550255.00/cwt255.00–255.003,9531
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Heifers—Choice1,490236.00/cwt236.00–236.003,5161
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,365181.47/cwt181.00–182.002,4772
Bulls——1,708197.48/cwt186.00–202.003,3735
Bulls——1,892208.22/cwt205.00–215.003,9407
Bulls——1,922225.63/cwt223.00–228.004,3373
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%985167.60/cwt158.00–173.001,6516
Cows—Lean 85-90%985125.36/cwt120.00–130.001,2352
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,135147.58/cwt140.00–155.001,67512
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,160184.99/cwt179.00–191.002,1464
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,262168.45/cwt160.00–175.002,12613
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,410182.00/cwt182.00–182.002,5661
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,576169.39/cwt160.00–174.002,6708
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Small and Medium 1-28631,290.22/head1,225.00–1,350.001,2902
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,0502,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3902,975.00/head2,975.00–2,975.002,9751
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2885225.61/cwt210.00–250.001,9975
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 21,042188.82/cwt180.00–196.001,9685

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.