Name: Stanford Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-18
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-18

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls steady on a light test.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $421.88/cwt on 33 head, up $48.94 from the prior sale (only 12 head in that comparison). That ranks 7 of 10 comparable sales and sits +16.30 against this barn's trailing median of $405.59.

Average price

$421.88

▲ 48.94 vs prior sale

33 head · 541 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,282

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$462

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

$72.48/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+10.80

vs KY average

+3.62 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	544	432.48	2,352	24
Medium and Large 2	526	405.43	2,134	6thin
Medium and Large 2-3	558	375.00	2,091	2thin
Large 2	525	360.00	1,890	1thin

One grade step is worth $72.48/cwt here — about $462 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.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

10 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $435.33, low $360.50, median $405.59 across 10 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale33 hd

421.88

—

KY average30 barns · 1,724 hd

411.08

+10.80

National average175 barns · 12,602 hd

418.26

+3.62

This barn, trailing median10 sales

405.59

+16.30

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

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	—	High	1,830	229.00	4,191	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,319	187.12	2,467	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,467	170.21	2,497	7thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,169	154.46	1,806	11

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,105	$3,400	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,060	$2,450	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,120	$1,850	1thin

Every lot, as filed

67 lots · USDA AMS · Blue Grass South Stockyards (Monday) - Stanford, KY

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	650–700	680	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,023	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	305	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,495	1
Bulls	Large 2	400–450	405	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,701	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	720	327.34/cwt	320.00–335.00	2,357	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	910	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	2,480	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	511	423.95/cwt	420.00–435.00	2,166	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	564	426.50/cwt	420.00–430.00	2,405	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	563	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	2,505	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	275	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	1,389	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	507	400.67/cwt	390.00–407.50	2,031	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	235	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	1,387	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	375	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,650	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	620	390.02/cwt	385.00–392.50	2,418	3
Heifers	Large 1-2	350–400	375	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,706	1
Heifers	Large 1-2	450–500	465	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,790	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	710	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,467	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	416	423.22/cwt	420.00–430.00	1,761	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	565	414.96/cwt	412.50–417.50	2,345	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	437.42/cwt	430.00–445.00	2,143	2
Heifers	Large 1-2	300–350	330	462.50/cwt	462.50–462.50	1,526	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	342	462.52/cwt	460.00–467.50	1,582	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	440	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,200	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	600	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	2,595	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	345	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	1,846	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	655	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,620	1
Heifers	Large 2	500–550	525	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,890	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	630	412.25/cwt	412.25–412.25	2,597	80
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	440	452.50/cwt	452.50–452.50	1,991	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	650–700	678	329.82/cwt	320.00–340.00	2,236	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	950–1000	985	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	2,389	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	568	406.85/cwt	400.00–415.00	2,311	3
Bulls	Large 2	600–650	625	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,172	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	540	412.50/cwt	412.50–412.50	2,228	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,269	179.94/cwt	171.00–185.00	2,283	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,050	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	1,155	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,215	141.51/cwt	141.00–142.00	1,719	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,212	166.10/cwt	163.00–171.00	2,013	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,360	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	2,067	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,515	181.54/cwt	180.00–183.00	2,750	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,470	169.09/cwt	166.00–176.00	2,486	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,368	194.29/cwt	188.00–201.00	2,658	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,107	158.52/cwt	157.50–160.00	1,755	3
Bulls	—	—	1,830	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	4,191	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,060	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,105	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,120	1,850.00/head	1,850.00–1,850.00	1,850	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	600–650	620	363.71/cwt	362.50–365.00	2,255	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	569	444.49/cwt	437.50–457.50	2,529	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	323	546.83/cwt	545.00–547.50	1,766	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	615	412.47/cwt	395.00–420.00	2,537	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	425	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,125	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	550–600	580	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,204	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	516	450.41/cwt	440.00–457.50	2,324	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	480	461.65/cwt	460.00–465.00	2,216	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,085	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,984	1
Bulls	Large 2	450–500	485	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,086	1
Bulls	Medium 1-2	500–550	505	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	1,932	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	450–500	485	447.50/cwt	447.50–447.50	2,170	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	570	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,109	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	400–450	445	472.50/cwt	472.50–472.50	2,103	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	368	503.42/cwt	500.00–505.00	1,853	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	325	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,690	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	650–700	673	366.25/cwt	365.00–367.50	2,465	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	920	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,668	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	682	351.70/cwt	350.00–352.50	2,399	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	545	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,071	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	680	373.30/cwt	365.00–385.00	2,538	3

How this sale compares

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 South Stockyards (Monday) - Stanford, KY

Mon May 18, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 218Last week 68Year ago 84

Slaughter CattleReceipts 35Last week 23Year ago 43

Replacement CattleReceipts 3Last week 1Year ago 0

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers sold steady. Slaughter cows sold 1.00 to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls steady on a light test.

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	545	380.00	380.00
1	550–600	570	370.00	370.00
1	650–700	680	297.50	297.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	235	590.00	590.00
1	300–350	305	490.00	490.00
9	500–550	511	420.00–435.00	423.95
6	550–600	564	420.00–430.00	426.50
3	600–650	620	385.00–392.50	390.02
3	650–700	680	365.00–385.00	373.30
2	700–750	720	320.00–335.00	327.34
1	900–950	910	272.50	272.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
9	550–600	563	445.00	445.00
80	600–650	630	412.25	412.25
1	700–750	710	347.50	347.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	275	505.00	505.00
3	300–350	342	460.00–467.50	462.52
1	350–400	375	440.00	440.00
6	400–450	416	420.00–430.00	423.22
2	450–500	490	430.00–445.00	437.42
4	500–550	507	390.00–407.50	400.67
2	550–600	565	412.50–417.50	414.96
3	650–700	682	350.00–352.50	351.70
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	330	462.50	462.50
1	350–400	375	455.00	455.00
1	450–500	465	385.00	385.00
Heifers — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	525	360.00	360.00
Bulls — Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	405	420.00	420.00
1	450–500	485	430.00	430.00
1	600–650	625	347.50	347.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	325	520.00	520.00
3	350–400	368	500.00–505.00	503.42
1	400–450	440	452.50	452.50
3	450–500	480	460.00–465.00	461.65
2	650–700	673	365.00–367.50	366.25
1	950–1000	985	242.50	242.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	540	412.50	412.50
3	550–600	568	400.00–415.00	406.85
2	650–700	678	320.00–340.00	329.82
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	445	472.50	472.50
1	450–500	485	447.50	447.50
1	550–600	580	380.00	380.00
2	600–650	620	362.50–365.00	363.71
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	323	545.00–547.50	546.83
1	400–450	425	500.00	500.00
4	500–550	516	440.00–457.50	450.41
5	550–600	569	437.50–457.50	444.49
5	600–650	615	395.00–420.00	412.47
1	900–950	920	290.00	290.00
1	1050–1100	1,085	275.00	275.00
Bulls — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	505	382.50	382.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	345	535.00	535.00
1	400–450	440	500.00	500.00
1	600–650	600	432.50	432.50
1	650–700	655	400.00	400.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,269	171.00–185.00	179.94
4	—	1,368	188.00–201.00	194.29
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,050	110.00	110.00
2	—	1,215	141.00–142.00	141.51
5	—	1,212	163.00–171.00	166.10
3	—	1,107	157.50–160.00	158.52
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,360	152.00	152.00
2	—	1,515	180.00–183.00	181.54
4	—	1,470	166.00–176.00	169.09
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,830	229.00	229.00

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
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,060	2,450.00	2,450.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,105	3,400.00	3,400.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,120	1,850.00	1,850.00

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.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Stanford Livestock Auction

Reporter comment USDA

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Blue Grass South Stockyards (Monday) - Stanford, KY

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle