Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2026-04-21

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Tue, Apr 21
● Final105 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2128
Feeder Cattle receipts
849 head
▲ 547 vs last sale 302▼ 125 vs year ago 974 · −12.8%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
65 head
▲ 37 vs last sale 28▼ 72 vs year ago 137 · −52.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
7 head
▲ 6 vs last sale 1▼ 16 vs year ago 23 · −69.6%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was mostly steady with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 600 lbs and under were mostly steady to 4.00 lower in spots with a good supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Yearling steers and heifers appeared 2.00 to 4.00 lower with a good supply but limited head to head comparisons. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality cattle, however negative pressure from the futures market, coupled with an increasing supply of fatter bawling calves on the market has limited some buyers interest and increased the price spread in most weight classes. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 lower with a good supply and good demand.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $454.99/cwt on 63 head, down $17.94 from the prior sale (only 12 head in that comparison). That ranks 21 of 34 comparable sales and sits +7.97 against this barn's trailing median of $447.02.
Average price
$454.99
▼ 17.94 vs prior sale
63 head · 555 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,526
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$384
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Large 1-2
$52.38/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−24.41
vs KY average
−24.04 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2548465.382,55249
Medium and Large 2584419.042,44613thin
Large 1-2525413.002,1681thin
One grade step is worth $52.38/cwt here — about $384 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale63 hd
454.99
—
KY average24 barns · 1,435 hd
479.40
−24.41
National average158 barns · 12,009 hd
479.03
−24.04
This barn, trailing median34 sales
447.02
+7.97
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—Average1,487206.553,0727thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,245176.492,19815
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,440172.102,47810
CowsLean 85-90%High1,120155.751,74411
SteersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,445222.503,2151thin

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,145$3,9501thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)758$1,7923thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)795$1,3501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)685$1,9001thin

Every lot

105 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 · Steers34 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 2265555.00/cwt555.00–555.001,4711
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2295610.00/cwt610.00–610.001,8001
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2365547.00/cwt540.00–561.001,9973
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2418529.61/cwt520.00–539.002,2146
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed420625.00/cwt625.00–625.002,6252
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy425574.49/cwt565.00–595.002,4428
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2445500.00/cwt500.00–500.002,2252
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy460557.50/cwt557.50–557.502,5651
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2463505.43/cwt493.00–525.002,34016
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2470487.50/cwt487.50–487.502,2911
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy496477.00/cwt477.00–477.002,3665
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2518485.19/cwt480.00–502.502,51321
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2522470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,4532
Steers500–550Large 1-2525413.00/cwt413.00–413.002,1681
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy561417.50/cwt417.50–417.502,3427
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added565478.75/cwt470.00–485.002,70512
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2587438.58/cwt422.50–441.002,5749
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2595409.78/cwt407.50–410.002,43811
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2615420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,5832
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added642443.09/cwt441.00–452.502,84529
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added678414.70/cwt411.25–426.502,81278
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2681392.31/cwt387.50–397.002,6724
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2-3690315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,1741
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2700395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,7652
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2725370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,6831
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Value Added757390.78/cwt390.50–392.002,95822
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2785331.00/cwt331.00–331.002,5981
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2Value Added801376.90/cwt376.90–376.903,01967
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2822339.66/cwt339.00–340.002,7923
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2894339.00/cwt339.00–339.003,0315
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2912337.00/cwt337.00–337.003,0732
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2Value Added981325.58/cwt324.25–327.003,194111
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,065308.00/cwt308.00–308.003,2801
Steers1100–1150Medium and Large 1-21,148290.00/cwt290.00–290.003,3293
Feeder Cattle · Heifers35 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 2-3235405.00/cwt405.00–405.009521
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2-3305420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,2811
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2310522.50/cwt522.50–522.501,6202
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2335471.44/cwt465.00–477.501,5792
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2363508.49/cwt500.00–512.501,8463
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2365470.00/cwt465.00–480.001,7163
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Fancy390522.50/cwt522.50–522.502,0385
Heifers350–400Medium 1-2390285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,1121
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2425470.22/cwt455.00–485.001,99818
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2425419.81/cwt415.00–421.001,7845
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2473457.20/cwt441.00–468.002,16322
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2485395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,9161
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3490341.00/cwt341.00–341.001,6712
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2510371.00/cwt371.00–371.001,8921
Heifers500–550Large 1-2520377.00/cwt377.00–377.001,9601
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2521409.37/cwt395.00–417.502,13312
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy527382.50/cwt382.50–382.502,0162
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added537428.86/cwt425.00–432.502,3038
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2-3550320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,7601
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added564415.51/cwt411.00–419.002,3437
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2578388.86/cwt381.00–395.002,24814
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2597329.00/cwt329.00–329.001,9644
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open610401.35/cwt395.00–403.002,44819
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2622373.91/cwt365.00–390.002,32614
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2641358.51/cwt357.50–359.002,2983
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2671364.13/cwt362.50–369.002,4434
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2743340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,5263
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Value Added746353.50/cwt353.50–353.502,63740
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2758346.33/cwt343.00–347.002,6256
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2800310.50/cwt300.00–321.002,4842
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2855319.00/cwt319.00–319.002,7271
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2940261.00/cwt261.00–261.002,4532
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2955270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,5791
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2Value Added978306.00/cwt306.00–306.002,99355
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 21,002227.00/cwt227.00–227.002,2752
Feeder Cattle · Bulls21 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2265560.00/cwt560.00–560.001,4841
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2-3335430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,4411
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2340510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,7341
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2395495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,9551
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2410475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,9481
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2475449.00/cwt449.00–449.002,1333
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2491500.41/cwt500.00–505.002,45712
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2505412.06/cwt400.00–430.002,0815
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2-3525357.50/cwt357.50–357.501,8771
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy530495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,6241
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2541458.18/cwt447.50–470.002,4796
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2570419.00/cwt419.00–419.002,3881
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Fancy575467.50/cwt467.50–467.502,6881
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2580403.69/cwt400.00–407.502,3412
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2-3585365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,1351
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2602403.00/cwt403.00–403.002,4264
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2615342.50/cwt342.50–342.502,1061
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed652422.50/cwt422.50–422.502,7552
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2675355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,3962
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2735324.70/cwt314.00–330.002,3873
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1-2Fancy870312.00/cwt312.00–312.002,7142
Feeder Cattle · Dairy Steers1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Steers1000–1050Large 3Value Added1,026279.00/cwt279.00–279.002,86352
Slaughter Cattle · Steers1 lot · lightest first
Steers—Select and Choice1,445222.50/cwt222.50–222.503,2151
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,308200.81/cwt187.00–206.002,6275
Bulls——1,935220.90/cwt218.00–224.004,2742
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,069164.11/cwt155.00–172.001,7547
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,209141.11/cwt139.00–144.001,7064
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,215171.67/cwt164.00–179.002,08611
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,329189.75/cwt185.00–196.002,5224
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,440172.10/cwt166.00–176.002,47810
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium 1-26851,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,008249.46/cwt235.00–275.002,5153
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,099206.96/cwt187.00–227.502,2744
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-27581,792.31/head1,300.00–2,000.001,7923
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 27951,350.00/head1,350.00–1,350.001,3501
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1453,950.00/head3,950.00–3,950.003,9501

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.