Sale reports / Kentucky / Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky / 2026-08-18

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

Name: Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky livestock auction prices — 2026-08-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-18

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Lexington, Kentucky · Tue, Aug 18

● Final59 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2128

← Aug 11Aug 18Aug 25 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

897 head

▼ 499 vs last sale 1,396▲ 181 vs year ago 716 · +25.3%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

22 head

▼ 16 vs last sale 38▼ 8 vs year ago 30 · −26.7%

Replacement Cattle receipts

9 head

▲ 7 vs last sale 2▲ 5 vs year ago 4 · +125.0%

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday: No trend on feeder calves due to low comparable receipts. Yearling steers and heifers sold 6.00 to 10.00 lower. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $422.60/cwt on 11 head, up $11.38 from the prior sale (only 14 head in that comparison). That ranks 12 of 34 comparable sales and sits −24.42 against this barn's trailing median of $447.02.

Average price

$422.60

▲ 11.38 vs prior sale

11 head · 559 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,363

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$326

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2

$27.61/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.54

vs KY average

+25.82 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	563	425.11	2,393	10thin
Medium and Large 2	520	397.50	2,067	1thin

One grade step is worth $27.61/cwt here — about $326 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 800–900 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 sale11 hd

422.60

—

KY average24 barns · 561 hd

423.14

−0.54

National average147 barns · 5,729 hd

396.78

+25.82

This barn, trailing median34 sales

447.02

−24.42

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

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.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,562	200.43	3,130	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,241	166.12	2,062	4thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,516	163.31	2,476	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,126	139.03	1,566	4thin

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,165	$3,200	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	945	$2,450	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,205	$2,400	1thin

Every lot

59 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.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers19 lots · lightest first
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	445	447.00/cwt	447.00–447.00	1,989	1
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	477	454.92/cwt	447.50–462.50	2,170	4
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2	486	427.50/cwt	427.50–427.50	2,078	3
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	515	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,266	2
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	520	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	2,067	1
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	575	421.39/cwt	418.00–422.50	2,423	8
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	634	398.38/cwt	397.00–410.00	2,526	9
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	680	371.17/cwt	367.50–375.00	2,524	2
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	685	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,706	22
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	705	361.21/cwt	347.50–365.00	2,547	6
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	779	342.54/cwt	330.00–344.00	2,668	22
Steers	750–800	Medium and Large 2	780	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	2,512	1
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	803	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,851	124
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	825	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	2,648	3
Steers	800–850	Large 1-2	830	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,366	1
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	893	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,840	22
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	897	329.50/cwt	329.50–329.50	2,956	56
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	909	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,818	15
Steers	950–1000	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	963	312.34/cwt	309.75–314.25	3,008	284
Feeder Cattle · Heifers21 lots · lightest first
Heifers	200–250	Medium and Large 2	205	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	841	1
Heifers	250–300	Medium and Large 2-3	265	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	954	1
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 2	380	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,311	1
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	425	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,488	1
Heifers	450–500	Large 1-2	462	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,478	2
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	468	387.54/cwt	385.00–390.00	1,814	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium 1-2	505	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,263	1
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	509	361.61/cwt	355.00–365.00	1,841	6
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	518	341.29/cwt	340.00–342.50	1,768	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 2-3	528	306.16/cwt	300.00–312.50	1,617	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 2-3	580	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,624	1
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 2	600	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,860	1
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	615	383.00/cwt	383.00–383.00	2,355	83
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	615	335.88/cwt	322.50–340.00	2,066	20
Heifers	650–700	Large 1-2	650	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,820	1
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	691	346.47/cwt	342.50–348.00	2,394	25
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	697	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,161	2
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	706	312.72/cwt	307.50–321.00	2,208	4
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	763	319.86/cwt	307.50–329.25	2,441	124
Heifers	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	797	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	2,335	2
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	865	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	2,534	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 2	300	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,260	1
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1-2	330	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,485	1
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 2	378	420.03/cwt	415.00–425.00	1,588	2
Bulls	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	385	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,694	2
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	420	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,785	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	513	391.41/cwt	380.00–402.50	2,008	2
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 2	545	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,908	1
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2	665	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	2,178	1
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 2	790	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,995	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—	1,275	191.50/cwt	191.00–192.00	2,442	2
Bulls	—	—	1,753	206.39/cwt	202.00–211.00	3,618	3
Slaughter Cattle · Cows5 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	910	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,483	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,115	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,171	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,240	144.06/cwt	143.00–145.00	1,786	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,241	166.12/cwt	163.00–168.00	2,062	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,516	163.31/cwt	157.00–167.00	2,476	7
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,165	3,200.00/head	3,200.00–3,200.00	3,200	1
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Medium 1-2	945	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	—	Large 2-3	1,205	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	1

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 →

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) - Lexington, KY

Tue Aug 18, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Frankfort, KY (LS-LG)

Feeder CattleReceipts 897Last week 1,396Year ago 716

Slaughter CattleReceipts 22Last week 38Year ago 30

Replacement CattleReceipts 9Last week 2Year ago 4

Compared to last Tuesday: No trend on feeder calves due to low comparable receipts. Yearling steers and heifers sold 6.00 to 10.00 lower. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 5.00 to 8.00 lower.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
22	650–700	685	395.00	395.00
124	800–850	803	355.00	355.00
56	850–900	897	329.50	329.50
15	900–950	909	310.00	310.00
284	950–1000	963	309.75–314.25	312.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	486	427.50	427.50
1	500–550	520	397.50	397.50
1	750–800	780	322.00	322.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	445	447.00	447.00
4	450–500	477	447.50–462.50	454.92
2	500–550	515	440.00	440.00
8	550–600	575	418.00–422.50	421.39
9	600–650	634	397.00–410.00	398.38
2	650–700	680	367.50–375.00	371.17
6	700–750	705	347.50–365.00	361.21
22	750–800	779	330.00–344.00	342.54
3	800–850	825	321.00	321.00
22	850–900	893	318.00	318.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	800–850	830	285.00	285.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	205	410.00	410.00
1	350–400	380	345.00	345.00
1	400–450	425	350.00	350.00
2	500–550	518	340.00–342.50	341.29
1	600–650	600	310.00	310.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
83	600–650	615	383.00	383.00
25	650–700	691	342.50–348.00	346.47
124	750–800	763	307.50–329.25	319.86

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	468	385.00–390.00	387.54
6	500–550	509	355.00–365.00	361.61
20	600–650	615	322.50–340.00	335.88
2	650–700	697	310.00	310.00
4	700–750	706	307.50–321.00	312.72
2	750–800	797	293.00	293.00
1	850–900	865	293.00	293.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	265	360.00	360.00
2	500–550	528	300.00–312.50	306.16
1	550–600	580	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	505	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	462	320.00	320.00
1	650–700	650	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	330	450.00	450.00
2	350–400	385	440.00	440.00
1	400–450	420	425.00	425.00
2	500–550	513	380.00–402.50	391.41
1	650–700	665	327.50	327.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	300	420.00	420.00
2	350–400	378	415.00–425.00	420.03
1	500–550	545	350.00	350.00
1	750–800	790	252.50	252.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,516	157.00–167.00	163.31

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	910	163.00	163.00
2	—	1,240	143.00–145.00	144.06
1	—	1,115	105.00	105.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,241	163.00–168.00	166.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,275	191.00–192.00	191.50
3	—	1,753	202.00–211.00	206.39

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,165	3,200.00	3,200.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Large 2-3$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,205	2,400.00	2,400.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	945	2,450.00	2,450.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.