Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2025-08-19

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Tue, Aug 19
● Final76 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2128
Feeder Cattle receipts
716 head
▲ 17 vs last sale 699▼ 174 vs year ago 890 · −19.6%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
30 head
▼ 25 vs last sale 55▼ 44 vs year ago 74 · −59.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
4 head
▼ 6 vs last sale 10▲ 4 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was stronger with a good quality offering of mostly load lot groups. Feeder steers under 500 lbs appeared sharply higher with a limited supply, while the 500-700 lbs steers were mostly steady, and the yearling steers were sharply higher with strong demand. Feeder heifers followed a similar path with the light weight heifers under 400 lbs were sharply higher, and the 400-500 lbs heifers were mostly steady, and the yearling heifers appeared sharply higher and with good demand. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for weaned packages and groups. Slaughter cows were 2.00 to 3.00 lower with a limited supply and slaughter bulls were steady with good demand.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $383.54/cwt on 102 head. That ranks 17 of 34 comparable sales and sits −4.73 against this barn's trailing median of $388.26.
Average price
$383.54
102 head · 561 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,153
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$437
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$82.68/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+26.82
vs KY average
+23.74 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2561385.972,16699
Medium and Large 2570303.291,7293thin
One grade step is worth $82.68/cwt here — about $437 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale102 hd
383.54
—
KY average25 barns · 1,049 hd
356.71
+26.82
National average158 barns · 7,895 hd
359.80
+23.74
This barn, trailing median34 sales
388.26
−4.73
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

34 sales
463409355301median 388.2603/0305/0507/1409/0811/03
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $449.23, low $315.42, median $388.26 across 34 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—High1,774204.233,6227thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,282169.012,1675thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,571167.962,6395thin
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low996151.051,50511
SteersSelect and ChoiceLow1,225252.503,0932thin

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,190$2,8001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,255$2,4751thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,075$3,4001thin

Every lot

76 lots · USDA AMS · Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) - 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 · Steers25 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2300392.50/cwt392.50–392.501,1781
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy340500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,7001
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy360503.75/cwt500.00–507.501,8142
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2370447.43/cwt445.00–450.001,6552
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2383416.24/cwt415.00–417.501,5942
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2440380.23/cwt360.00–390.001,6733
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2455437.58/cwt430.00–445.001,9912
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Value Added463494.59/cwt492.50–505.002,2906
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy477465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,2182
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2485382.50/cwt382.50–382.501,8552
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added508408.81/cwt397.50–412.502,0774
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2510345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,7601
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2540371.35/cwt360.00–382.502,0052
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added556398.76/cwt395.00–400.002,2174
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2564368.69/cwt360.00–377.502,0794
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added639370.79/cwt370.00–375.002,3696
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2645347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,2411
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added687362.50/cwt362.50–362.502,4908
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2700342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,3981
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2735290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,1321
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2755280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,1141
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2Value Added803357.50/cwt357.50–357.502,87152
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2826337.50/cwt337.50–337.502,7884
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,040288.00/cwt288.00–288.002,9952
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,050270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,8351
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy371440.60/cwt430.00–445.001,6355
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2376411.38/cwt400.00–417.501,5473
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2-3385302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,1651
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Full395260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,0271
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy419420.91/cwt412.50–425.001,7646
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2432395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,7062
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2462369.00/cwt369.00–369.001,7052
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy473388.26/cwt382.50–392.501,8367
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2480325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,5601
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2525336.09/cwt325.00–347.501,7644
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added540355.54/cwt352.50–360.001,9205
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open561350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,9643
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added564391.25/cwt391.25–391.252,20787
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2570303.29/cwt300.00–305.001,7293
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2627315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,9752
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open670320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,1441
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added738344.50/cwt344.50–344.502,542136
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open760317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,4131
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added768349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,680204
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2805288.00/cwt288.00–288.002,3183
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2805260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,0931
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2Value Added812335.75/cwt335.75–335.752,72667
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2902249.00/cwt249.00–249.002,2464
Feeder Cattle · Bulls12 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2-3335390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,3071
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy365500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,8251
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2385470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,8101
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2400455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,8201
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy435488.35/cwt477.50–500.002,12411
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy465484.58/cwt463.00–495.002,2535
Bulls450–500Medium 1-2485295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,4311
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2497435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,1622
Bulls500–550Large 1-2515300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,5451
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2534362.54/cwt360.00–365.001,9364
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fancy552384.24/cwt376.00–387.002,1214
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2615321.50/cwt321.00–322.001,9772
Slaughter Cattle · Steers2 lots · lightest first
Steers—Select and Choice1,195275.00/cwt275.00–275.003,2861
Steers—Select and Choice1,255230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,8871
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,630203.76/cwt202.00–205.003,3212
Bulls——1,813221.10/cwt219.00–223.004,0092
Bulls——1,843193.29/cwt190.00–195.003,5623
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%780117.00/cwt117.00–117.009131
Cows—Lean 85-90%825138.00/cwt138.00–138.001,1391
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,035170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,7601
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,040154.57/cwt146.00–161.001,6088
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,238167.26/cwt162.00–170.002,0714
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,460176.00/cwt176.00–176.002,5701
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,571167.96/cwt161.00–174.002,6395
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,060221.00/cwt221.00–221.002,3431
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows2 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1902,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2552,475.00/head2,475.00–2,475.002,4751
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0753,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,4001

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.