Sale reports / Kentucky / Ledbetter Livestock Auction / 2026-05-12

Ledbetter Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Ledbetter, Kentucky · Tue, May 12
● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2196
Feeder Cattle receipts
353 head
▼ 15 vs last sale 368▼ 74 vs year ago 427 · −17.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
66 head
▲ 8 vs last sale 58▼ 42 vs year ago 108 · −38.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
38 head
▲ 1 vs last sale 37▼ 13 vs year ago 51 · −25.5%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week feeder steers and heifers sold mostly steady. Good demand for feeder classes. Slaughter cows and bulls sold steady with the exception of some high dressing slaughter cows and bulls selling sharply higher. Strong demand for slaughter classes.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $401.01/cwt on 45 head, up $2.02 from the prior sale (only 15 head in that comparison). That ranks 27 of 33 comparable sales and sits +19.12 against this barn's trailing median of $381.89.
Average price
$401.01
▲ 2.02 vs prior sale
45 head · 550 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,206
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$266
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2
$30.87/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−8.78
vs KY average
−16.10 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2552403.752,23141
Medium and Large 2527372.881,9654thin
One grade step is worth $30.87/cwt here — about $266 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 sale45 hd
401.01
—
KY average26 barns · 1,086 hd
409.79
−8.78
National average171 barns · 11,385 hd
417.11
−16.10
This barn, trailing median33 sales
381.89
+19.12
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

33 sales
431391351310median 381.8903/0304/2807/0709/0811/03
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $417.26, low $324.43, median $381.89 across 33 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—Low1,670207.763,47015
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,830188.893,4573thin
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,223170.352,08325
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low934142.641,33318
HeifersSelect and ChoiceAverage1,200200.002,4001thin

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)Young (2-4 yrs)1,170$3,5732thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,315$3,4501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,329$2,8756
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,262$2,6473thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,433$2,5732thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,275$2,4501thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)945$1,9501thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)995$3,1001thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,790$4,0001thin
BullsN/AYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,620$3,5001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,210$2,9001thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,208$2,8232thin
Heifer PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)805$2,9501thin

Every lot

90 lots · USDA AMS · Livingston Co. Livestock Market - Ledbetter, 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 · Steers15 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2260700.00/cwt700.00–700.001,8201
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2340600.00/cwt600.00–600.002,0401
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2350600.00/cwt600.00–600.002,1001
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2400477.50/cwt470.00–485.001,9102
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2432534.73/cwt510.00–550.002,3103
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2455475.00/cwt465.00–485.002,1612
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2471518.18/cwt505.00–525.002,4416
Steers500–550Large 1-2525410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,1531
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2530474.70/cwt465.00–480.002,51615
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2560420.00/cwt420.00–420.002,3521
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2569450.46/cwt440.00–465.002,5638
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2610430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,6231
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2710350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,4851
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2730375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,7383
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2818330.02/cwt320.00–335.002,7003
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1-2247580.00/cwt580.00–580.001,4332
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2265598.19/cwt580.00–610.001,5855
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2-3295450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,3281
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2321557.19/cwt520.00–565.001,7898
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2345460.00/cwt455.00–465.001,5872
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2355470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,6691
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2381496.15/cwt475.00–505.001,89016
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2419464.02/cwt440.00–475.001,9447
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2435425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,8491
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2-3445405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,8021
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2458400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,8323
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2479435.79/cwt425.00–455.002,08738
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Value Added500430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,1503
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2527372.88/cwt350.00–380.001,9654
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2530414.69/cwt390.00–420.002,19815
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2574393.20/cwt385.00–405.002,25723
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2624365.35/cwt350.00–380.002,2808
Heifers600–650Large 1-2641315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,0194
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2675338.12/cwt325.00–350.002,2823
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2705320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,2561
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2775310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,4031
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2820295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,4191
Feeder Cattle · Bulls25 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1-2215610.00/cwt610.00–610.001,3121
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2Fancy280700.00/cwt700.00–700.001,9602
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1-2295640.00/cwt640.00–640.001,8881
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Fancy315640.00/cwt640.00–640.002,0161
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 2320480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,5361
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2345556.86/cwt530.00–565.001,9216
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2369545.93/cwt535.00–555.002,0146
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Fancy410541.89/cwt540.00–550.002,22216
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 2-3418399.82/cwt390.00–410.001,6712
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2421524.25/cwt510.00–530.002,2077
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Fancy455529.44/cwt525.00–530.002,4099
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2483499.52/cwt460.00–510.002,41322
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2-3515395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,0341
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fancy530470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,4911
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2533435.03/cwt425.00–440.002,3193
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2584417.43/cwt405.00–425.002,43810
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Fancy624400.60/cwt400.00–405.002,5008
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2635370.00/cwt365.00–375.002,3502
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 2-3635330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,0961
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2675356.41/cwt345.00–380.002,4066
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2-3685305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,0891
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2724333.21/cwt315.00–350.002,4126
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 2-3780225.00/cwt225.00–225.001,7551
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2845300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,5351
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 2990240.00/cwt240.00–240.002,3761
Slaughter Cattle · Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Heifers—Select and Choice1,200200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,4001
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,370170.72/cwt161.00–184.002,3393
Bulls——1,548205.49/cwt190.00–215.003,1816
Bulls——1,943228.54/cwt221.00–251.004,4416
Slaughter Cattle · Cows9 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%72593.00/cwt93.00–93.006741
Cows—Lean 85-90%748119.03/cwt110.00–128.008902
Cows—Lean 85-90%939164.04/cwt160.00–171.001,5406
Cows—Lean 85-90%996139.13/cwt130.00–153.001,3869
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,110130.00/cwt130.00–130.001,4431
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,153140.65/cwt140.00–142.001,6223
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,207168.60/cwt160.00–177.002,03511
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,272185.22/cwt179.00–205.002,35610
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,830188.89/cwt186.00–191.003,4573
Replacement Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,6203,500.00/head3,500.00–3,500.003,5001
Bulls—Medium and Large 1-21,7904,000.00/head4,000.00–4,000.004,0001
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29451,950.00/head1,950.00–1,950.001,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1703,573.08/head3,400.00–3,700.003,5732
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2622,646.80/head2,325.00–3,025.002,6473
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2752,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3153,450.00/head3,450.00–3,450.003,4501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3292,875.30/head2,325.00–3,300.002,8756
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4332,572.51/head2,450.00–2,675.002,5732
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows2 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2820268.46/cwt235.00–290.002,2013
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2975213.34/cwt200.00–240.002,0806
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-29953,100.00/head3,100.00–3,100.003,1001
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 1-28052,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,2082,823.19/head2,650.00–3,000.002,8232
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,2102,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9001

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.