Name: Stanford Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-04-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-04-30

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 600 lbs sharply higher, over 600 lbs 5.00-8.00 higher, Feeder and yearling heifers 5.00-10.00 higher, Good to very good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls 3.00-5.00 higher, Good demand for slaughter classes.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $486.48/cwt on 60 head, up $34.12 from the prior sale. That ranks 24 of 30 comparable sales and sits +32.90 against this barn's trailing median of $453.59.

Average price

$486.48

▲ 34.12 vs prior sale

60 head · 547 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,661

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$200

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3

$63.76/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+16.23

vs KY average

+5.46 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	545	489.67	2,670	57
Medium and Large 2-3	580	425.91	2,470	3thin

One grade step is worth $63.76/cwt here — about $200 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

30 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $514.05, low $359.98, median $453.59 across 30 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 sale60 hd

486.48

—

KY average25 barns · 1,161 hd

470.25

+16.23

National average169 barns · 10,621 hd

481.02

+5.46

This barn, trailing median30 sales

453.59

+32.90

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	—	Average	1,522	214.79	3,268	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,326	173.86	2,306	38
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,567	171.62	2,690	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,053	161.29	1,699	15

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
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,330	$4,100	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,095	$2,850	1thin

Every lot, as filed

81 lots · USDA AMS · Blue Grass South Stockyards (Thursday) - 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	340	614.79/cwt	600.00–645.00	2,090	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	728	349.00/cwt	349.00–349.00	2,541	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	750–800	794	355.75/cwt	355.75–355.75	2,825	129
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	623	391.01/cwt	382.50–408.00	2,436	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	265	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,590	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	577	460.87/cwt	450.00–469.00	2,659	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	481	487.87/cwt	480.00–495.00	2,347	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	726	395.04/cwt	377.50–402.50	2,868	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	565	477.36/cwt	475.00–485.00	2,697	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	750–800	757	386.67/cwt	382.00–389.00	2,927	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	416	469.85/cwt	460.00–475.00	1,955	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	668	389.99/cwt	387.50–392.50	2,605	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	638	376.27/cwt	370.00–382.50	2,401	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	677	431.60/cwt	430.00–432.50	2,922	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	950–1000	954	345.32/cwt	340.00–346.85	3,294	72
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	528	506.30/cwt	481.00–515.00	2,673	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	425	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,061	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	385	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	2,118	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	800–850	821	343.00/cwt	343.00–343.00	2,816	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	488	415.99/cwt	340.00–440.00	2,030	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	523	407.95/cwt	367.50–425.00	2,134	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	570	363.99/cwt	350.00–377.50	2,075	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	583	386.75/cwt	370.00–397.50	2,255	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	680	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,312	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	686	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,538	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	485	447.26/cwt	407.50–465.00	2,169	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	580	425.91/cwt	412.50–445.00	2,470	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	425	398.82/cwt	371.00–420.00	1,695	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	850–900	870	366.50/cwt	366.50–366.50	3,189	60
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	633	445.03/cwt	400.00–450.00	2,817	50
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	531	462.08/cwt	452.50–470.00	2,454	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	900–950	924	355.75/cwt	349.00–359.25	3,287	121
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	591	415.31/cwt	400.00–426.00	2,454	95
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	518	438.12/cwt	420.00–450.00	2,269	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,076	150.96/cwt	144.00–162.50	1,624	6
Bulls	—	—	1,225	202.75/cwt	202.50–203.00	2,484	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,640	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	2,640	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,549	174.28/cwt	168.00–182.00	2,700	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,301	157.41/cwt	143.00–165.00	2,048	7
Bulls	—	—	1,818	226.82/cwt	215.00–239.00	4,124	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	465	426.60/cwt	410.00–442.50	1,984	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	625	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,125	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	435	451.00/cwt	451.00–451.00	1,962	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,332	177.57/cwt	168.00–200.00	2,365	31
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	978	136.47/cwt	136.00–137.00	1,335	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,055	177.24/cwt	167.00–207.50	1,870	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	450	482.50/cwt	482.50–482.50	2,171	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	461	530.76/cwt	510.00–542.50	2,447	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	418	537.22/cwt	515.00–547.50	2,246	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	375	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,688	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	850–900	890	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,537	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	583	359.31/cwt	353.00–365.00	2,095	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	415	503.56/cwt	482.50–520.00	2,090	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	270	770.00/cwt	770.00–770.00	2,079	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	375	517.50/cwt	517.50–517.50	1,941	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	700–750	705	379.77/cwt	375.00–383.00	2,677	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	392	565.00/cwt	565.00–565.00	2,215	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	600–650	638	385.97/cwt	380.00–389.00	2,462	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	541	394.50/cwt	392.50–395.00	2,134	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	373	476.34/cwt	462.50–490.00	1,777	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	805	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	2,359	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	333	602.90/cwt	592.50–625.00	2,008	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	465	513.63/cwt	510.00–517.50	2,388	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	520	504.48/cwt	477.50–517.50	2,623	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	480	464.50/cwt	457.50–475.00	2,230	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	790	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,765	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	469.94/cwt	467.50–472.50	2,444	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,330	4,100.00/head	4,100.00–4,100.00	4,100	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,095	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	353	587.00/cwt	587.00–587.00	2,072	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	884	339.94/cwt	339.00–340.00	3,005	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	377	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,866	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	740	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,535	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	600–650	606	462.50/cwt	462.50–462.50	2,803	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	330	547.67/cwt	520.00–590.00	1,807	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	200	660.00/cwt	660.00–660.00	1,320	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	485	500.70/cwt	497.50–507.50	2,428	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	457.50/cwt	457.50–457.50	2,576	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	762	339.17/cwt	327.50–340.00	2,584	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	650–700	668	389.67/cwt	383.00–392.50	2,603	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	270	641.84/cwt	635.00–660.00	1,733	4

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 (Thursday) - Stanford, KY

Thu Apr 30, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,012Last week 1,075Year ago 960

Slaughter CattleReceipts 90Last week 67Year ago 120

Replacement CattleReceipts 2Last week 16Year ago 5

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	270	770.00	770.00
3	300–350	340	600.00–645.00	614.79
3	350–400	353	587.00	587.00
15	400–450	418	515.00–547.50	537.22
8	450–500	461	510.00–542.50	530.76
7	600–650	606	462.50	462.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	385	550.00	550.00
1	400–450	425	485.00	485.00
6	450–500	481	480.00–495.00	487.87
3	500–550	520	467.50–472.50	469.94
7	550–600	577	450.00–469.00	460.87
2	600–650	638	370.00–382.50	376.27
2	650–700	668	387.50–392.50	389.99
1	700–750	740	342.50	342.50
1	750–800	790	350.00	350.00
18	850–900	884	339.00–340.00	339.94
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
29	500–550	528	481.00–515.00	506.30
18	550–600	565	475.00–485.00	477.36
50	600–650	633	400.00–450.00	445.03
8	650–700	677	430.00–432.50	431.60
31	700–750	726	377.50–402.50	395.04
27	750–800	757	382.00–389.00	386.67
60	850–900	870	366.50	366.50
121	900–950	924	349.00–359.25	355.75
72	950–1000	954	340.00–346.85	345.32
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	485	407.50–465.00	447.26
3	550–600	580	412.50–445.00	425.91
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
29	500–550	518	420.00–450.00	438.12
95	550–600	591	400.00–426.00	415.31
28	600–650	623	382.50–408.00	391.01
4	650–700	686	370.00	370.00
3	700–750	728	349.00	349.00
129	750–800	794	355.75	355.75
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	200–250	200	660.00	660.00
1	250–300	265	600.00	600.00
4	300–350	330	520.00–590.00	547.67
2	350–400	375	517.50	517.50
14	400–450	415	482.50–520.00	503.56
4	450–500	450	482.50	482.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	377	495.00	495.00
4	400–450	416	460.00–475.00	469.85
22	450–500	480	457.50–475.00	464.50
5	500–550	541	392.50–395.00	394.50
10	550–600	583	370.00–397.50	386.75
2	650–700	680	340.00	340.00
15	750–800	762	327.50–340.00	339.17
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Replacement$ per cwt · actual wt
22	800–850	821	343.00	343.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	375	450.00	450.00
3	400–450	425	371.00–420.00	398.82
5	450–500	488	340.00–440.00	415.99
3	550–600	583	353.00–365.00	359.31
4	850–900	890	285.00	285.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	435	451.00	451.00
2	450–500	465	410.00–442.50	426.60
4	500–550	523	367.50–425.00	407.95
2	550–600	570	350.00–377.50	363.99
1	600–650	625	340.00	340.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	373	462.50–490.00	476.34
3	450–500	485	497.50–507.50	500.70
4	500–550	531	452.50–470.00	462.08
2	550–600	563	457.50	457.50
1	800–850	805	293.00	293.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	270	635.00–660.00	641.84
3	300–350	333	592.50–625.00	602.90
4	350–400	392	565.00	565.00
2	450–500	465	510.00–517.50	513.63
6	500–550	520	477.50–517.50	504.48
3	600–650	638	380.00–389.00	385.97
7	650–700	668	383.00–392.50	389.67
5	700–750	705	375.00–383.00	379.77

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,076	144.00–162.50	150.96
2	—	978	136.00–137.00	136.47
7	—	1,055	167.00–207.50	177.24
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,640	161.00	161.00
4	—	1,549	168.00–182.00	174.28
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,301	143.00–165.00	157.41
31	—	1,332	168.00–200.00	177.57
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,225	202.50–203.00	202.75
2	—	1,818	215.00–239.00	226.82

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,330	4,100.00	4,100.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,095	2,850.00	2,850.00

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

Steers · 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 (Thursday) - Stanford, KY

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle