Name: Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky livestock auction prices — 2026-05-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week the feeder market was stronger in spots with a good quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 600 lbs and under were mostly steady to 5.00 higher in spots with a good supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Yearling steers and heifers appeared steady with a good supply but limited head to head comparisons. Slaughter cows were 1.00 to 3.00 higher with a moderate supply and good demand and no trends on slaughter bulls due to last weeks lite test.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $500.70/cwt on 77 head, up $7.24 from the prior sale (only 18 head in that comparison). That ranks 31 of 31 comparable sales and sits +39.16 against this barn's trailing median of $461.54.

Average price

$500.70

▲ 7.24 vs prior sale

77 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,745

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$428

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

$105.06/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+22.57

vs KY average

+27.00 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	548	502.06	2,751	76
Medium and Large 2	585	397.00	2,322	1thin

One grade step is worth $105.06/cwt here — about $428 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 $500.70, low $384.59, median $461.54 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 sale77 hd

500.70

—

KY average25 barns · 949 hd

478.13

+22.57

National average167 barns · 12,191 hd

473.70

+27.00

This barn, trailing median31 sales

461.54

+39.16

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	1,958	226.50	4,436	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,245	182.49	2,273	6thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,478	181.41	2,681	9thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,062	155.21	1,649	7thin

Every lot, as filed

92 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	388	459.03/cwt	452.50–472.50	1,781	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	432	461.39/cwt	461.00–462.50	1,993	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	776	332.98/cwt	320.00–338.00	2,584	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	360	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,602	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	528	403.96/cwt	390.00–411.00	2,133	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	479	453.91/cwt	450.00–455.00	2,174	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	566	348.11/cwt	332.00–360.00	1,970	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	616	384.89/cwt	370.00–392.50	2,371	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	669	362.11/cwt	351.00–377.00	2,423	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	471	403.82/cwt	400.00–416.00	1,902	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	317	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	1,260	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	445	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,914	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	525	370.24/cwt	361.00–375.00	1,944	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	728	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	2,395	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	677	332.16/cwt	320.00–336.00	2,249	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	409	492.98/cwt	481.00–499.00	2,016	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	484	464.12/cwt	461.00–480.00	2,246	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	539	422.21/cwt	419.00–439.00	2,276	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	650–700	667	390.91/cwt	382.00–394.00	2,607	20
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	215	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,290	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	852	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	2,522	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	638	393.47/cwt	387.50–394.00	2,510	33
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	509	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,392	7
Heifers	Large 1-2	400–450	420	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	1,754	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	750–800	770	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,540	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	757	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,407	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	679	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	2,563	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	390	452.50/cwt	452.50–452.50	1,765	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	540	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,214	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	650–700	690	327.00/cwt	327.00–327.00	2,256	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	710	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	2,265	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	400–450	415	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,951	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,053	169.76/cwt	167.00–173.00	1,788	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,066	149.39/cwt	143.00–155.00	1,592	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,458	186.59/cwt	185.00–189.00	2,720	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,488	178.82/cwt	176.00–182.00	2,661	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,310	191.49/cwt	190.00–193.00	2,509	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,213	177.99/cwt	174.00–180.00	2,159	4
Bulls	—	—	2,110	231.43/cwt	225.00–239.00	4,883	10
Bulls	—	—	1,200	201.86/cwt	198.00–205.00	2,422	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,307	187.52/cwt	185.00–191.00	2,451	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	645	361.00/cwt	361.00–361.00	2,328	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	480	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,476	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	285	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,354	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	150–200	185	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	981	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	437	532.29/cwt	515.00–537.50	2,326	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	100–150	135	825.00/cwt	825.00–825.00	1,114	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	530	505.00/cwt	505.00–505.00	2,677	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	600–650	643	419.00/cwt	419.00–419.00	2,694	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	458	510.72/cwt	502.50–515.00	2,339	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	328	552.60/cwt	540.00–565.00	1,813	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	360	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,836	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	713	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	2,781	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	514	497.61/cwt	492.50–503.00	2,558	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	477	510.53/cwt	501.00–520.00	2,435	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	566	494.67/cwt	486.00–497.00	2,800	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	617	457.37/cwt	453.25–468.50	2,822	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	900–950	929	350.58/cwt	350.50–350.75	3,257	75
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	657	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	2,874	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	325	542.50/cwt	542.50–542.50	1,763	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	630	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	2,501	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	415	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,013	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	290	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,508	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	791	343.05/cwt	335.00–355.00	2,714	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	433	513.09/cwt	503.00–535.00	2,222	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	629	428.96/cwt	415.00–442.50	2,698	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	2,322	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	450	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,980	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	734	355.79/cwt	353.00–359.00	2,611	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	658	410.87/cwt	410.00–413.00	2,704	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,015	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	3,278	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	285	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	1,696	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	312	610.00/cwt	610.00–610.00	1,903	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	412	565.00/cwt	565.00–565.00	2,328	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	463	548.33/cwt	547.50–550.00	2,539	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	828	336.10/cwt	325.00–345.00	2,783	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	917	327.41/cwt	320.00–337.00	3,002	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	582	426.58/cwt	409.00–434.00	2,483	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	340	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	1,632	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	528	517.85/cwt	512.00–525.00	2,734	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	1100–1150	1,106	322.25/cwt	322.25–322.25	3,564	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	850–900	884	354.00/cwt	354.00–354.00	3,129	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	597	459.29/cwt	447.00–467.50	2,742	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	855	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,736	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	450–500	483	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,427	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	400–450	436	517.00/cwt	517.00–517.00	2,254	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	640	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,688	80
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	808	318.00/cwt	318.00–318.00	2,569	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	579	396.74/cwt	385.00–402.50	2,297	15
Heifers	Large 1-2	700–750	735	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,433	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	705	353.17/cwt	340.00–361.00	2,490	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	245	492.50/cwt	492.50–492.50	1,207	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 Stockyards (Tuesday) - Lexington, KY

Tue May 12, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 897Last week 407Year ago 1,021

Slaughter CattleReceipts 44Last week 35Year ago 107

Replacement CattleReceipts 0Last week 4Year ago 13

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	245	492.50	492.50
1	300–350	340	480.00	480.00
3	350–400	388	452.50–472.50	459.03
4	400–450	432	461.00–462.50	461.39
9	450–500	479	450.00–455.00	453.91
7	500–550	528	390.00–411.00	403.96
15	550–600	579	385.00–402.50	396.74
3	600–650	616	370.00–392.50	384.89
8	650–700	669	351.00–377.00	362.11
5	700–750	705	340.00–361.00	353.17
17	750–800	776	320.00–338.00	332.98
14	800–850	808	318.00	318.00
1	850–900	855	320.00	320.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	360	445.00	445.00
1	400–450	445	430.00	430.00
4	450–500	471	400.00–416.00	403.82
3	500–550	525	361.00–375.00	370.24
4	550–600	566	332.00–360.00	348.11
4	650–700	677	320.00–336.00	332.16
3	700–750	728	329.00	329.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	317	397.50	397.50
1	750–800	770	200.00	200.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
13	400–450	409	481.00–499.00	492.98
24	450–500	484	461.00–480.00	464.12
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
19	500–550	539	419.00–439.00	422.21
58	550–600	582	409.00–434.00	426.58
80	600–650	640	420.00	420.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
20	650–700	667	382.00–394.00	390.91
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	420	417.50	417.50
1	700–750	735	331.00	331.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	436	517.00	517.00
3	450–500	483	502.50	502.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	215	600.00	600.00
2	300–350	328	540.00–565.00	552.60
1	350–400	360	510.00	510.00
7	500–550	509	470.00	470.00
33	600–650	638	387.50–394.00	393.47
8	650–700	679	377.50	377.50
7	750–800	757	318.00	318.00
2	850–900	852	296.00	296.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	150–200	185	530.00	530.00
1	250–300	285	475.00	475.00
1	350–400	390	452.50	452.50
1	500–550	540	410.00	410.00
1	600–650	645	361.00	361.00
1	650–700	690	327.00	327.00
1	700–750	710	319.00	319.00
Bulls — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	415	470.00	470.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	480	307.50	307.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	100–150	135	825.00	825.00
4	400–450	437	515.00–537.50	532.29
3	450–500	458	502.50–515.00	510.72
1	500–550	530	505.00	505.00
3	600–650	643	419.00	419.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	520.00	520.00
1	300–350	325	542.50	542.50
3	400–450	433	503.00–535.00	513.09
13	450–500	477	501.00–520.00	510.53
4	500–550	514	492.50–503.00	497.61
10	550–600	597	447.00–467.50	459.29
9	600–650	629	415.00–442.50	428.96
7	650–700	658	410.00–413.00	410.87
6	700–750	713	390.00	390.00
12	750–800	791	335.00–355.00	343.05
9	800–850	828	325.00–345.00	336.10
3	900–950	917	320.00–337.00	327.41
6	1000–1050	1,015	323.00	323.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
39	500–550	528	512.00–525.00	517.85
23	550–600	566	486.00–497.00	494.67
55	600–650	617	453.25–468.50	457.37
7	650–700	657	437.50	437.50
26	850–900	884	354.00	354.00
75	900–950	929	350.50–350.75	350.58
51	1100–1150	1,106	322.25	322.25
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	415	485.00	485.00
1	550–600	585	397.00	397.00
2	600–650	630	397.00	397.00
5	700–750	734	353.00–359.00	355.79
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	450	440.00	440.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	285	595.00	595.00
2	300–350	312	610.00	610.00
2	400–450	412	565.00	565.00
3	450–500	463	547.50–550.00	548.33

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,053	167.00–173.00	169.76
5	—	1,066	143.00–155.00	149.39
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,458	185.00–189.00	186.59
6	—	1,488	176.00–182.00	178.82
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,310	190.00–193.00	191.49
4	—	1,213	174.00–180.00	177.99
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	2,110	225.00–239.00	231.43
2	—	1,200	198.00–205.00	201.86

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,307	185.00–191.00	187.52

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

Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky

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

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) - Lexington, KY

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle