Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2026-03-03

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Tue, Mar 3
● Final67 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2128
Feeder Cattle receipts
286 head
▼ 470 vs last sale 756▼ 714 vs year ago 1,000 · −71.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
18 head
▼ 45 vs last sale 63▼ 43 vs year ago 61 · −70.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
11 head
▲ 9 vs last sale 2▲ 8 vs year ago 3 · +266.7%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was mixed with an average quality offering. Light weight steers 350 lbs and under appeared firm with a light test, while the 400-600 lbs steers were steady to 6.00 lower with a moderate supply and moderate demand. Yearling steers were steady to 2.00 lower with a good supply and good demand. Feeder heifers 400 lbs and under were sharply lower, while the 450-600 lbs heifers were steady to 6.00 lower with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were steady to 2.00 lower and slaughter bulls appeared steady with a light test.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $451.88/cwt on 27 head. That ranks 19 of 34 comparable sales and sits +4.86 against this barn's trailing median of $447.02.
Average price
$451.88
27 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,466
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$346
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$54.70/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−10.47
vs KY average
−23.68 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2547455.932,49225
Medium and Large 2535401.232,1472thin
One grade step is worth $54.70/cwt here — about $346 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 sale27 hd
451.88
—
KY average25 barns · 1,228 hd
462.35
−10.47
National average177 barns · 11,580 hd
475.56
−23.68
This barn, trailing median34 sales
447.02
+4.86
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
515456398339median 447.0203/0304/2807/1409/0811/03
Steers 500–600 lb: high $500.70, low $353.17, median $447.02 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—High1,667192.953,2173thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,193169.692,0253thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,453166.172,4144thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,157137.051,5865thin

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)1,205$4,9501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,259$2,6474thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,563$3,7003thin

Every lot

67 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 · Steers23 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Fancy235635.00/cwt635.00–635.001,4921
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2320555.00/cwt555.00–555.001,7761
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy328597.37/cwt595.00–600.001,9592
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy420512.38/cwt507.50–517.502,1522
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2428465.72/cwt457.50–470.001,9933
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2435493.98/cwt482.50–500.002,14910
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2455460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,0931
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2481482.90/cwt470.00–490.002,3235
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2535401.23/cwt400.00–402.502,1472
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2536465.00/cwt452.50–472.502,49215
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added555457.50/cwt457.50–457.502,5393
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2566435.81/cwt417.50–447.502,4677
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2618371.24/cwt370.00–372.502,2942
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2640412.16/cwt402.50–422.502,6387
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2657374.49/cwt370.00–387.502,4604
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added689400.65/cwt399.00–405.002,76033
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2741371.18/cwt370.00–377.502,7506
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2772357.52/cwt355.00–362.502,7606
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added779364.50/cwt364.50–364.502,83937
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2825337.50/cwt337.50–337.502,7841
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2881327.66/cwt323.00–337.502,8873
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,045297.00/cwt297.00–297.003,1041
Steers1100–1150Medium and Large 1-21,106265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,9315
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2345485.00/cwt485.00–485.001,6731
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2373451.68/cwt450.00–452.501,6853
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2382461.56/cwt457.50–467.501,7633
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy384504.93/cwt502.50–510.001,9399
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2425440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,8701
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3430380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,6341
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2437465.57/cwt460.00–477.502,03513
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3470380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,7861
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2484449.98/cwt435.00–462.502,17815
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2495401.93/cwt385.00–407.501,9904
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open505417.50/cwt417.50–417.502,1081
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2526386.57/cwt380.00–405.002,0335
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2542360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,9518
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2560383.90/cwt367.50–400.002,1502
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added567407.50/cwt407.50–407.502,3118
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open605392.50/cwt392.50–392.502,3754
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2630327.50/cwt327.50–327.502,0631
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2672362.05/cwt357.50–365.002,4335
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2734325.11/cwt315.00–327.502,3865
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2755317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,3971
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2830325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,6981
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 2865277.50/cwt277.50–277.502,4001
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2973270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,6272
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy295635.00/cwt635.00–635.001,8731
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2300525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,5751
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2560440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,4641
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2652387.50/cwt387.50–387.502,5272
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2758341.22/cwt335.00–342.502,5866
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Heifers800–850Large 3820160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,3121
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,533185.43/cwt183.00–188.002,8432
Bulls——1,935208.00/cwt208.00–208.004,0251
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,050107.00/cwt107.00–107.001,1241
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,135167.04/cwt163.00–171.001,8962
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,184144.56/cwt143.00–146.001,7124
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,310175.00/cwt175.00–175.002,2931
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,453166.17/cwt164.00–169.002,4144
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2870275.00/cwt275.00–275.002,3931
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,215219.00/cwt219.00–219.002,6611
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 2Thin Fleshed9702,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Fancy1,2054,950.00/head4,950.00–4,950.004,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3552,779.52/head2,650.00–2,900.002,7803
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs3 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 21,5153,350.00/head3,350.00–3,350.003,3501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,5303,750.00/head3,750.00–3,750.003,7501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,6454,000.00/head4,000.00–4,000.004,0001

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.