Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2026-04-28

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Tue, Apr 28
● Final74 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2128
Feeder Cattle receipts
684 head
▼ 165 vs last sale 849▲ 121 vs year ago 563 · +21.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
46 head
▼ 19 vs last sale 65▼ 43 vs year ago 89 · −48.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
4 head
▼ 3 vs last sale 7▼ 12 vs year ago 16 · −75.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was spotty with an average quality offering. Feeder steers 300 lbs and under appeared steady, while the 400-650 lbs steers were steady to 6.00 lower or greater in spots with a good supply and moderate demand. Yearling steers appeared stronger with a good supply but limited head to head comparisons. Feeder heifers 300-400 lbs were 4.00 to 6.00 lower, while the 500-600 lbs heifers were mostly steady with a good supply. Buyers were active today, however the increasing supply of heavier conditioned in the market is limiting some buyers interest and increasing the price spreads in most weight classes. Slaughter cows were steady with a good supply and good demand and no trends on slaughter bulls due to a limited supply.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $464.88/cwt on 166 head, up $9.89 from the prior sale. That ranks 24 of 34 comparable sales and sits +17.86 against this barn's trailing median of $447.02.
Average price
$464.88
▲ 9.89 vs prior sale
166 head · 568 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,641
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$380
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$45.60/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−1.32
vs KY average
−16.14 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2569465.602,648163
Large 1-2530429.002,2742thin
Medium and Large 2540420.002,2681thin
One grade step is worth $45.60/cwt here — about $380 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 200–300 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 sale166 hd
464.88
—
KY average25 barns · 1,379 hd
466.20
−1.32
National average169 barns · 10,621 hd
481.02
−16.14
This barn, trailing median34 sales
447.02
+17.86
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—Average1,580214.003,3811thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,501178.212,67510
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,237168.032,07813
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,016151.661,54113

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
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,435$4,0501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)820$2,5501thin

Every lot

74 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
Steers200–250Medium and Large 2210510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,0711
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2278597.61/cwt595.00–610.001,6616
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2321553.28/cwt540.00–580.001,7763
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2415521.12/cwt510.00–527.502,1636
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy419550.72/cwt541.00–557.502,30816
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy453521.00/cwt521.00–521.002,3604
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2488490.59/cwt490.00–492.502,39412
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added506500.70/cwt498.00–502.502,53415
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2520460.09/cwt452.50–475.002,39211
Steers500–550Large 1-2530429.00/cwt429.00–429.002,2742
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2540420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,2681
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Value Added579463.44/cwt453.00–464.002,683131
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2592435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,5756
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2-3610375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,2886
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Value Added618443.56/cwt443.00–445.002,7417
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Value Added681407.23/cwt402.50–412.502,77350
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2707394.21/cwt390.00–400.002,7876
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2772365.94/cwt361.00–373.002,8255
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2829360.61/cwt340.00–369.002,98917
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2873347.01/cwt345.00–350.003,0295
Steers900–950Medium and Large 2902293.00/cwt293.00–293.002,6432
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2913341.01/cwt337.00–345.003,1132
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2Value Added923357.00/cwt357.00–357.003,29557
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2956334.45/cwt327.00–340.003,1977
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,000301.00/cwt301.00–301.003,0101
Feeder Cattle · Heifers28 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 2-3215400.00/cwt400.00–400.008601
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2250500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,2502
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2340500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,7001
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2376496.88/cwt492.50–505.001,8686
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2417460.02/cwt440.00–465.001,9185
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy428473.74/cwt472.50–480.002,02821
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3445370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,6471
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy456445.70/cwt445.00–447.502,0327
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3483385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,8603
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2491426.31/cwt418.00–432.502,09319
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2521412.24/cwt397.50–420.002,14832
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2535385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,0601
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added538427.20/cwt425.00–428.002,29873
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2578385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,2253
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2578366.88/cwt362.50–371.002,1212
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open607395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,3982
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2622372.29/cwt360.00–383.002,3168
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open655374.58/cwt372.50–375.002,4536
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2677355.43/cwt345.00–367.502,40611
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2-3686280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,9214
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2706357.00/cwt357.00–357.002,5203
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open768369.00/cwt369.00–369.002,8346
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2793330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,6173
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2857312.50/cwt312.50–312.502,6782
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2990281.00/cwt281.00–281.002,7821
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 21,045245.00/cwt245.00–245.002,5601
Heifers1050–1100Medium and Large 1-21,075291.00/cwt291.00–291.003,1281
Heifers1100–1150Medium and Large 1-21,145239.00/cwt239.00–239.002,7371
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2275550.00/cwt550.00–550.001,5131
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2327550.00/cwt550.00–550.001,7992
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2415502.47/cwt495.00–505.002,0854
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2470442.50/cwt442.50–442.502,0802
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2479501.14/cwt500.00–502.502,4009
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2530397.50/cwt397.50–397.502,1072
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2697351.00/cwt351.00–351.002,4462
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2700367.50/cwt367.50–367.502,5731
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 2895215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,9241
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls——1,580214.00/cwt214.00–214.003,3811
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%780127.00/cwt127.00–127.009911
Cows—Lean 85-90%957141.05/cwt132.00–152.001,3506
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,115166.37/cwt154.00–183.001,8556
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,235169.28/cwt160.00–178.002,09112
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,255153.00/cwt153.00–153.001,9201
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,464176.03/cwt173.00–179.002,5777
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,587183.31/cwt182.00–184.002,9093
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2970182.80/cwt182.50–183.001,7732
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,058208.14/cwt201.00–225.002,2023
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium 28202,550.00/head2,550.00–2,550.002,5501
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,4354,050.00/head4,050.00–4,050.004,0501

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.