Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2026-05-18

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Mon, May 18
● Final124 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2127
← May 11May 18Jun 1 →
Feeder Cattle receipts
1,047 head
▲ 539 vs last sale 508▲ 321 vs year ago 726 · +44.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
105 head
▲ 11 vs last sale 94▼ 13 vs year ago 118 · −11.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
32 head
▲ 10 vs last sale 22▲ 14 vs year ago 18 · +77.8%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Monday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 300-600 lbs were steady to 5.00 higher in spots with a good supply, while the 600-700 lbs steers were 6.00 to 8.00 higher with a good demand for weaned packages and groups. Feeder heifers 500 lbs and under were 3.00 to 6.00 lower with a good supply and spotty demand, while the yearling heifers appeared stronger with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were 3.00 to 6.00 higher with strong demand and slaughter bulls were steady with a good supply.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $496.95/cwt on 111 head, up $39.13 from the prior sale. That ranks 31 of 32 comparable sales and sits +54.13 against this barn's trailing median of $442.82.
Average price
$496.95
▲ 39.13 vs prior sale
111 head · 531 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,641
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$637
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$117.52/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+15.25
vs KY average
+22.47 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2531500.062,657107
Medium and Large 2542445.002,4122thin
Medium and Large 2-3528382.542,0202thin
One grade step is worth $117.52/cwt here — about $637 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 sale111 hd
496.95
—
KY average27 barns · 1,584 hd
481.70
+15.25
National average171 barns · 13,387 hd
474.48
+22.47
This barn, trailing median32 sales
442.82
+54.13
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—Average1,808218.503,95012
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,550187.242,90130
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,277184.142,35123
CowsLean 85-90%High1,014152.921,55118
SteersSelect and ChoiceLow1,310203.002,6591thin

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,270$3,09510
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,370$2,9501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,130$1,8001thin
Cow-Calf Pairs1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,735$5,4001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,125$4,7001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,211$3,5004thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,365$3,4501thin

Every lot

124 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 · Steers27 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed237695.00/cwt695.00–695.001,6472
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2270593.89/cwt580.00–610.001,6042
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2335560.00/cwt560.00–560.001,8761
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2360522.50/cwt522.50–522.501,8811
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2415489.00/cwt489.00–489.002,0292
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2425460.00/cwt460.00–460.001,9551
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy461540.00/cwt540.00–540.002,4893
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2490505.00/cwt505.00–505.002,4751
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2490452.50/cwt452.50–452.502,2171
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added513508.48/cwt500.00–516.002,60973
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2-3528382.54/cwt380.00–385.002,0202
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2540465.45/cwt460.00–471.002,5132
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2542445.00/cwt445.00–445.002,4122
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added572487.22/cwt472.50–494.002,78730
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2577420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,4232
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2614428.63/cwt420.00–440.002,63210
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added631466.65/cwt452.50–467.002,94581
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2637405.00/cwt405.00–405.002,5802
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2660413.98/cwt411.00–417.002,7322
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added677435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,94526
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2728372.00/cwt372.00–372.002,7083
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2750347.00/cwt347.00–347.002,6032
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2Value Added823367.75/cwt364.75–371.003,027128
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2845351.00/cwt351.00–351.002,9662
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2865330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,8551
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2Value Added923358.90/cwt358.90–358.903,31357
Steers1100–1150Medium and Large 1-21,100250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,7501
Feeder Cattle · Heifers41 lots · lightest first
Heifers150–200Medium and Large 2-3190415.00/cwt415.00–415.007891
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2277467.50/cwt467.50–467.501,2952
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2283512.48/cwt510.00–515.001,4502
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2-3305405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,2351
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy310540.00/cwt540.00–540.001,6741
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2328439.89/cwt435.00–445.001,4432
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2338490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,6564
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed345560.00/cwt560.00–560.001,9321
Heifers350–400Large 2370387.50/cwt387.50–387.501,4342
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2376468.36/cwt455.00–482.501,7618
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy384505.91/cwt497.50–512.501,94321
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2415469.01/cwt455.00–477.501,9465
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2430410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,7631
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy435489.18/cwt481.00–494.002,12811
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3446385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,7174
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy468469.57/cwt460.00–487.502,1989
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2479408.69/cwt402.50–412.501,9584
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3483381.24/cwt380.00–382.501,8412
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2485431.80/cwt415.00–440.002,09467
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added503419.38/cwt419.00–420.002,1098
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2515402.51/cwt390.00–410.002,0737
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2-3541351.00/cwt351.00–351.001,8993
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2566367.48/cwt355.00–370.002,0806
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added568409.73/cwt407.00–412.002,32730
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3575340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,9551
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2584391.61/cwt388.00–400.002,2878
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2615380.75/cwt379.00–397.502,34221
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2621345.22/cwt339.00–350.002,1445
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2-3665267.50/cwt267.50–267.501,7791
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added677395.55/cwt395.50–396.002,67885
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2685368.42/cwt365.00–379.002,5244
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2695350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,4331
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open709360.43/cwt357.00–372.502,5559
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2720335.96/cwt327.50–346.002,4195
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added730360.50/cwt360.50–360.502,63266
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2750333.00/cwt333.00–333.002,4981
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2780302.00/cwt302.00–302.002,3561
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open790349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,7576
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2828318.15/cwt307.50–329.002,6342
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 2940203.00/cwt203.00–203.001,9081
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 21,040200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,0801
Feeder Cattle · Bulls33 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 2-3220425.00/cwt425.00–425.009351
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2290600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,7401
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2326538.99/cwt530.00–560.001,7576
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2374520.31/cwt510.00–530.001,9464
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2-3385400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,5401
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2392499.16/cwt497.50–500.001,9573
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy415552.00/cwt550.00–552.502,2915
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2428466.78/cwt462.50–475.001,9983
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy450525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,3631
Bulls450–500Medium 1-2452407.50/cwt407.50–407.501,8422
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2455450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,0482
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2-3465361.06/cwt352.50–370.001,6792
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2468498.43/cwt479.00–509.002,3333
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy508498.41/cwt490.00–517.502,53212
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2535451.26/cwt439.00–460.002,4145
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2541419.00/cwt419.00–419.002,2673
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2-3575360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,0701
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2577413.80/cwt399.00–417.002,3888
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2584434.25/cwt420.00–450.002,5367
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2615363.00/cwt363.00–363.002,2321
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2620394.35/cwt388.00–405.002,4456
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2Fancy651393.54/cwt387.00–395.002,56211
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2669351.00/cwt351.00–351.002,3486
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2Fancy718376.43/cwt369.00–380.002,7033
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2725348.21/cwt340.00–355.002,5254
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2770332.00/cwt332.00–332.002,5561
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2813301.22/cwt297.50–302.002,4496
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2Fancy825325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,6812
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 2835264.00/cwt264.00–264.002,2041
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1-2870270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,3491
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1-2905266.00/cwt266.00–266.002,4072
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,045240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,5081
Bulls1100–1150Medium and Large 1-21,130219.00/cwt219.00–219.002,4751
Slaughter Cattle · Steers1 lot · lightest first
Steers—Select and Choice1,310203.00/cwt203.00–203.002,6591
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,522209.03/cwt207.00–210.003,1813
Bulls——1,903221.65/cwt217.00–239.004,2189
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%885125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,1062
Cows—Lean 85-90%971150.58/cwt140.00–156.001,4628
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,090162.25/cwt159.00–174.001,7698
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,267178.11/cwt170.00–185.002,25715
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,295195.46/cwt190.00–205.002,5318
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,511196.14/cwt188.00–210.002,96413
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,579180.44/cwt170.00–186.002,84917
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1301,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,1901,975.00/head1,975.00–1,975.001,9751
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2793,219.31/head2,850.00–3,500.003,2199
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3702,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs7 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 29053,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 21,0402,850.00/head2,850.00–2,850.002,8501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,1254,700.00/head4,700.00–4,700.004,7001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3653,450.00/head3,450.00–3,450.003,4501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4253,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4754,350.00/head4,350.00–4,350.004,3501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,7355,400.00/head5,400.00–5,400.005,4001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2994235.52/cwt232.00–237.502,3414
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,330212.50/cwt212.50–212.502,8261

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 →