Name: Stanford Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-05-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Thursday: Feeder steers under 800 lbs steady, over 800 lbs 3.00-5.00 lower, Feeder and yearling heifers mostly steady, Good demand for feeder and yearling classes. Slaughter cows and bulls 4.00-6.00 higher, Good demand for slaughter classes.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $480.12/cwt on 43 head, up $4.61 from the prior sale. That ranks 24 of 31 comparable sales and sits +27.76 against this barn's trailing median of $452.36.

Average price

$480.12

▲ 4.61 vs prior sale

43 head · 583 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,801

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$256

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

$48.75/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+3.40

vs KY average

+5.64 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	583	481.25	2,807	42
Medium and Large 2-3	590	432.50	2,552	1thin

One grade step is worth $48.75/cwt here — about $256 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

31 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $514.05, low $359.98, median $452.36 across 31 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 sale43 hd

480.12

—

KY average27 barns · 1,305 hd

476.72

+3.40

National average171 barns · 13,387 hd

474.48

+5.64

This barn, trailing median31 sales

452.36

+27.76

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	1,846	223.83	4,131	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,855	186.75	3,464	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,284	173.18	2,223	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,014	153.58	1,558	21

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 (2-4 yrs)	1,060	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,285	$2,900	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,335	$2,575	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,055	$2,050	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,265	$3,600	1thin

Every lot, as filed

96 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	600–650	617	468.49/cwt	460.00–480.00	2,891	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	518	441.28/cwt	440.00–442.50	2,286	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	618	412.62/cwt	405.50–420.00	2,550	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	720	390.44/cwt	385.00–405.00	2,811	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	900–950	946	344.90/cwt	344.90–344.90	3,263	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	529	504.37/cwt	500.00–512.50	2,668	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	367	586.55/cwt	560.00–600.00	2,153	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	281	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,686	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	662	369.52/cwt	369.00–375.00	2,446	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	628	378.89/cwt	370.00–397.50	2,379	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	562	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,360	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	900–950	905	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,996	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	539	418.74/cwt	413.00–442.50	2,257	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	750–800	762	368.60/cwt	368.60–368.60	2,809	134
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	806	329.99/cwt	326.00–340.00	2,660	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	725	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,501	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	750–800	787	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,558	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	910	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	2,757	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	487	414.38/cwt	350.00–425.00	2,018	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	381	473.96/cwt	472.50–480.00	1,806	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	469	448.47/cwt	440.00–455.00	2,103	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	419	463.33/cwt	440.00–469.00	1,941	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	895	328.00/cwt	328.00–328.00	2,936	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	632	341.84/cwt	330.00–350.00	2,160	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	484	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,420	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	590	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	2,552	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	415	516.36/cwt	500.00–525.00	2,143	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	330	579.85/cwt	535.00–610.00	1,914	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	779	354.24/cwt	352.00–355.00	2,760	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	685	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,654	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	842	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	2,930	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	495	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,401	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	869	336.13/cwt	336.00–337.00	2,921	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	582	454.12/cwt	450.00–462.50	2,643	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	950–1000	962	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	3,319	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	750–800	798	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,953	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	672	402.80/cwt	395.00–407.50	2,707	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	594	483.34/cwt	475.00–484.50	2,871	33
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	485	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	1,952	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,080	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	3,337	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	800–850	821	356.50/cwt	356.50–356.50	2,927	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	850–900	892	358.93/cwt	354.95–361.00	3,202	296
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	370	349.80/cwt	310.00–387.50	1,294	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	650–700	675	411.98/cwt	397.50–420.00	2,781	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	384	543.22/cwt	520.00–565.00	2,086	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	495	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,487	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	520	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,496	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	325	601.95/cwt	585.00–630.00	1,956	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	978	138.96/cwt	133.00–149.00	1,359	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,002	158.11/cwt	150.00–166.00	1,584	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,855	186.75/cwt	174.00–200.00	3,464	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,233	162.10/cwt	159.00–165.00	1,999	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,298	181.21/cwt	167.00–196.00	2,352	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,200	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,092	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	983	112.04/cwt	100.00–127.50	1,101	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,076	176.77/cwt	171.00–186.00	1,902	6
Bulls	—	—	2,000	230.35/cwt	220.00–242.00	4,607	8
Bulls	—	—	1,385	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	2,950	1
Bulls	—	—	1,070	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	1,953	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,060	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,335	2,575.03/head	2,250.00–3,000.00	2,575	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,285	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,055	2,049.76/head	2,000.00–2,100.00	2,050	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,265	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,565	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	645	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,306	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	410	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,050	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	200–250	200	690.00/cwt	690.00–690.00	1,380	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	600–650	640	405.75/cwt	395.00–427.50	2,597	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	630	351.25/cwt	337.50–365.00	2,213	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	382	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,719	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	705	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,432	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	778	345.04/cwt	335.00–347.50	2,684	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	671	340.04/cwt	330.00–345.00	2,282	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	550	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,980	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	605	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,906	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	415	411.33/cwt	350.00–437.50	1,707	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	540	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,160	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	345	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,656	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	590	383.62/cwt	380.00–400.00	2,263	17
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	471	478.34/cwt	470.00–480.00	2,253	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	372	488.80/cwt	487.50–500.00	1,818	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	735	365.15/cwt	364.50–365.75	2,684	143
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	535	357.52/cwt	355.00–360.00	1,913	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	310	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,550	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	433	480.28/cwt	472.50–515.00	2,080	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	855	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,544	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	445	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,780	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	950–1000	965	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,750	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	685	374.25/cwt	371.00–377.50	2,564	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	575	401.53/cwt	375.00–429.00	2,309	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	475	410.67/cwt	397.50–425.00	1,951	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	433	477.01/cwt	475.00–479.00	2,065	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	520	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	2,093	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	528	443.98/cwt	437.50–455.00	2,344	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	750	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,550	1

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 May 21, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 1,271Last week 2,000Year ago 928

Slaughter CattleReceipts 66Last week 106Year ago 56

Replacement CattleReceipts 11Last week 15Year ago 2

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	281	600.00	600.00
3	300–350	330	535.00–610.00	579.85
3	350–400	367	560.00–600.00	586.55
3	400–450	415	500.00–525.00	516.36
5	450–500	484	500.00	500.00
7	600–650	617	460.00–480.00	468.49
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
14	450–500	495	485.00	485.00
2	500–550	518	440.00–442.50	441.28
3	550–600	582	450.00–462.50	454.12
2	650–700	685	387.50	387.50
8	750–800	779	352.00–355.00	354.24
4	800–850	842	348.00	348.00
8	850–900	869	336.00–337.00	336.13
1	1050–1100	1,080	309.00	309.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	529	500.00–512.50	504.37
33	550–600	594	475.00–484.50	483.34
3	600–650	618	405.50–420.00	412.62
11	650–700	672	395.00–407.50	402.80
19	700–750	720	385.00–405.00	390.44
55	750–800	798	370.00	370.00
21	800–850	821	356.50	356.50
296	850–900	892	354.95–361.00	358.93
58	900–950	946	344.90	344.90
57	950–1000	962	345.00	345.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	485	402.50	402.50
1	550–600	590	432.50	432.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
40	500–550	539	413.00–442.50	418.74
4	550–600	562	420.00	420.00
41	600–650	628	370.00–397.50	378.89
12	650–700	662	369.00–375.00	369.52
143	700–750	735	364.50–365.75	365.15
134	750–800	762	368.60	368.60
12	900–950	905	331.00	331.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	345	480.00	480.00
7	350–400	381	472.50–480.00	473.96
18	400–450	419	440.00–469.00	463.33
21	450–500	469	440.00–455.00	448.47
1	500–550	540	400.00	400.00
17	550–600	590	380.00–400.00	383.62
5	600–650	632	330.00–350.00	341.84
6	650–700	671	330.00–345.00	340.04
1	700–750	725	345.00	345.00
5	750–800	778	335.00–347.50	345.04
7	800–850	806	326.00–340.00	329.99
1	850–900	895	328.00	328.00
1	900–950	910	303.00	303.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
6	400–450	415	350.00–437.50	411.33
12	450–500	487	350.00–425.00	414.38
2	500–550	535	355.00–360.00	357.52
1	550–600	550	360.00	360.00
1	600–650	605	315.00	315.00
2	750–800	787	325.00	325.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	310	500.00	500.00
10	350–400	372	487.50–500.00	488.80
7	400–450	433	472.50–515.00	480.28
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	370	310.00–387.50	349.80
1	400–450	445	400.00	400.00
2	450–500	475	397.50–425.00	410.67
1	500–550	520	402.50	402.50
2	550–600	575	375.00–429.00	401.53
2	600–650	630	337.50–365.00	351.25
1	950–1000	965	285.00	285.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	690.00	690.00
3	300–350	325	585.00–630.00	601.95
7	350–400	384	520.00–565.00	543.22
1	400–450	410	500.00	500.00
4	450–500	495	502.50	502.50
1	500–550	520	480.00	480.00
3	600–650	640	395.00–427.50	405.75
7	650–700	675	397.50–420.00	411.98
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	382	450.00	450.00
2	400–450	433	475.00–479.00	477.01
6	450–500	471	470.00–480.00	478.34
8	500–550	528	437.50–455.00	443.98
2	550–600	570	450.00	450.00
1	600–650	645	357.50	357.50
2	650–700	685	371.00–377.50	374.25
1	700–750	705	345.00	345.00
1	750–800	750	340.00	340.00
1	850–900	855	297.50	297.50

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	978	133.00–149.00	138.96
7	—	1,002	150.00–166.00	158.11
2	—	983	100.00–127.50	112.04
6	—	1,076	171.00–186.00	176.77
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,855	174.00–200.00	186.75
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,233	159.00–165.00	162.10
13	—	1,298	167.00–196.00	181.21
1	—	1,200	91.00	91.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	2,000	220.00–242.00	230.35
1	—	1,385	213.00	213.00
1	—	1,070	182.50	182.50

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 (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,060	2,900.00	2,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,335	2,250.00–3,000.00	2,575.03
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,285	2,900.00	2,900.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,055	2,000.00–2,100.00	2,049.76
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,265	3,600.00	3,600.00

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