Name: Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky livestock auction prices — 2026-05-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was spotty and mostly lower with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 300-600 lbs were 3.00 to 6.00 lower or greater in spots with a good supply and moderate demand. Yearling steers appeared 1.00 to 3.00 higher with a good supply and good demand. Slaughter cows were 2.00 to 4.00 higher and slaughter bulls were steady with a good supply and good demand.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $476.66/cwt on 43 head, down $24.04 from the prior sale. That ranks 24 of 31 comparable sales and sits +15.12 against this barn's trailing median of $461.54.

Average price

$476.66

▼ 24.04 vs prior sale

43 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,614

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$516

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

$80.28/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.55

vs KY average

+2.18 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	549	480.28	2,636	40
Medium and Large 2	548	442.50	2,423	2thin
Medium and Large 2-3	530	400.00	2,120	1thin

One grade step is worth $80.28/cwt here — about $516 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 800–900 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 sale43 hd

476.66

—

KY average28 barns · 1,459 hd

479.21

−2.55

National average171 barns · 13,387 hd

474.48

+2.18

This barn, trailing median31 sales

461.54

+15.12

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	1,685	219.74	3,703	6thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,586	181.65	2,880	8thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,274	179.72	2,289	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,065	156.91	1,670	13
Steers	Select and Choice	Low	1,323	232.50	3,075	2thin

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)	1,489	$3,057	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,348	$2,911	5
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	920	$2,400	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,618	$4,050	3thin

Every lot, as filed

104 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	250–300	255	587.50/cwt	575.00–600.00	1,498	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	790	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	2,627	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	673	397.55/cwt	395.00–400.00	2,676	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	235	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,410	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,580	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	747	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,540	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	360	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	1,746	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	805	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,415	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	660	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,244	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	600–650	622	398.11/cwt	396.00–407.50	2,476	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	1050–1100	1,068	283.89/cwt	275.00–292.50	3,032	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	905	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	2,815	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	307	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,612	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	250–300	280	615.00/cwt	615.00–615.00	1,722	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	367	533.05/cwt	525.00–540.00	1,956	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	340	532.03/cwt	515.00–540.00	1,809	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	520	459.41/cwt	457.50–465.00	2,389	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	550–600	550	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,994	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	950–1000	965	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	2,827	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	623	390.60/cwt	390.00–392.50	2,433	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	470	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,350	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	920	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	588	441.23/cwt	440.00–442.50	2,594	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	600–650	615	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	2,322	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	405	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	1,964	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	766	327.54/cwt	322.50–330.00	2,509	3
Steers	Select and Choice	—	1,340	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	3,015	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,031	152.79/cwt	150.00–155.00	1,575	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,589	177.83/cwt	174.00–181.00	2,826	6
Bulls	—	—	1,333	205.95/cwt	197.00–213.00	2,745	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	660	80.00/cwt	80.00–80.00	528	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,132	168.58/cwt	159.00–175.00	1,908	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	327	487.50/cwt	487.50–487.50	1,594	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	658	308.35/cwt	300.00–312.50	2,029	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	395	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,323	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	485	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,819	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	441	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,117	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	370	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,610	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	750–800	765	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,276	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	850–900	880	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,112	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	495	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	1,992	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	650–700	675	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,890	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	950–1000	965	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,123	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	530	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,908	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	840	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,541	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	390	456.09/cwt	450.00–475.00	1,779	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	610	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,089	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	305	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	1,296	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	500	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,613	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	568	337.65/cwt	333.00–342.50	1,918	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	595	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	2,588	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	434	417.50/cwt	410.00–420.00	1,812	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	708	368.50/cwt	368.50–368.50	2,609	73
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	500	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,250	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	800–850	820	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,296	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	805	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,932	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	632	448.30/cwt	442.50–452.50	2,833	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	651	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	2,539	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	775	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,654	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	487	400.36/cwt	392.50–403.00	1,950	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	850–900	870	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,936	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	625	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	2,516	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	676	421.00/cwt	421.00–421.00	2,846	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	544	494.06/cwt	491.00–510.00	2,688	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	425	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,136	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	1000–1050	1,042	334.75/cwt	334.75–334.75	3,488	107
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	405	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,600	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	850–900	855	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	3,164	59
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	588	407.46/cwt	399.00–417.50	2,396	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	525	425.93/cwt	412.50–429.00	2,236	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	564	453.28/cwt	440.00–460.00	2,556	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	573	484.18/cwt	480.00–485.00	2,774	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	485	447.37/cwt	435.00–460.00	2,170	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	624	421.31/cwt	411.00–437.50	2,629	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	729	373.83/cwt	370.00–377.50	2,725	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	835	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,756	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	589	413.74/cwt	407.50–420.00	2,437	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	483	490.64/cwt	485.00–500.00	2,370	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	900–950	926	354.42/cwt	347.50–362.75	3,282	118
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	518	392.10/cwt	382.50–397.50	2,031	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	320	482.05/cwt	470.00–505.00	1,543	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	700	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,520	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	468	469.85/cwt	460.00–472.50	2,199	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	534	469.35/cwt	460.00–477.50	2,506	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	740	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,923	60
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	460.44/cwt	457.50–465.00	2,003	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	462	437.93/cwt	422.50–447.50	2,023	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	640	402.50/cwt	402.50–402.50	2,576	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	900–950	930	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	3,060	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	363	492.50/cwt	492.50–492.50	1,788	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	393	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,945	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	530	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,120	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,348	2,910.94/head	2,800.00–3,200.00	2,911	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	300–350	308	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	1,786	3
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,754	4,150.00/head	4,150.00–4,150.00	4,150	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,550	4,000.00/head	3,850.00–4,150.00	4,000	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,070	191.92/cwt	181.00–199.00	2,054	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	435	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,523	1
Steers	Select and Choice	—	1,305	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	3,132	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,257	175.80/cwt	165.00–186.00	2,210	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,340	195.39/cwt	193.00–200.00	2,618	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,575	193.09/cwt	192.00–194.00	3,041	2
Bulls	—	—	1,861	226.63/cwt	219.00–236.00	4,218	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,489	3,057.47/head	2,700.00–3,700.00	3,057	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 Stockyards (Tuesday) - Lexington, KY

Tue May 19, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 868Last week 897Year ago 692

Slaughter CattleReceipts 56Last week 44Year ago 54

Replacement CattleReceipts 23Last week 0Year ago 9

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	235	600.00	600.00
2	250–300	255	575.00–600.00	587.50
5	300–350	320	470.00–505.00	482.05
1	350–400	363	492.50	492.50
6	400–450	435	457.50–465.00	460.44
9	450–500	462	422.50–447.50	437.93
7	500–550	518	382.50–397.50	392.10
8	600–650	623	390.00–392.50	390.60
1	650–700	660	340.00	340.00
1	700–750	700	360.00	360.00
3	750–800	790	332.50	332.50
2	800–850	805	300.00	300.00
1	900–950	905	311.00	311.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
29	600–650	622	396.00–407.50	398.11
1	900–950	930	329.00	329.00
1	950–1000	965	293.00	293.00
2	1050–1100	1,068	275.00–292.50	283.89
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	340	515.00–540.00	532.03
8	350–400	367	525.00–540.00	533.05
1	400–450	405	485.00	485.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	550	362.50	362.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	305	425.00	425.00
1	350–400	370	435.00	435.00
6	400–450	434	410.00–420.00	417.50
4	450–500	487	392.50–403.00	400.36
1	500–550	530	360.00	360.00
2	550–600	568	333.00–342.50	337.65
1	600–650	610	342.50	342.50
3	650–700	658	300.00–312.50	308.35
1	800–850	805	240.00	240.00
2	950–1000	965	220.00	220.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	395	335.00	335.00
1	400–450	435	350.00	350.00
1	450–500	485	375.00	375.00
1	500–550	500	322.50	322.50
1	650–700	675	280.00	280.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
37	500–550	525	412.50–429.00	425.93
15	550–600	588	399.00–417.50	407.46
40	650–700	651	390.00	390.00
73	700–750	708	368.50	368.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	393	495.00	495.00
1	400–450	425	502.50	502.50
7	450–500	483	485.00–500.00	490.64
10	500–550	534	460.00–477.50	469.35
6	550–600	564	440.00–460.00	453.28
9	600–650	624	411.00–437.50	421.31
2	650–700	673	395.00–400.00	397.55
4	700–750	729	370.00–377.50	373.83
1	750–800	775	342.50	342.50
2	800–850	835	330.00	330.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	600–650	615	377.50	377.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	441	480.00	480.00
2	450–500	485	435.00–460.00	447.37
1	500–550	500	450.00	450.00
1	550–600	595	435.00	435.00
1	600–650	625	402.50	402.50
1	800–850	840	302.50	302.50
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	495	402.50	402.50
1	500–550	530	400.00	400.00
1	850–900	880	240.00	240.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
18	500–550	544	491.00–510.00	494.06
6	550–600	573	480.00–485.00	484.18
40	600–650	632	442.50–452.50	448.30
27	650–700	676	421.00	421.00
60	700–750	740	395.00	395.00
59	850–900	855	370.00	370.00
118	900–950	926	347.50–362.75	354.42
107	1000–1050	1,042	334.75	334.75
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	308	580.00	580.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	307	525.00	525.00
1	350–400	360	485.00	485.00
5	450–500	468	460.00–472.50	469.85
4	500–550	520	457.50–465.00	459.41
6	550–600	589	407.50–420.00	413.74
1	600–650	640	402.50	402.50
2	700–750	747	340.00	340.00
3	750–800	766	322.50–330.00	327.54
1	800–850	800	322.50	322.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	280	615.00	615.00
1	450–500	470	500.00	500.00
2	550–600	588	440.00–442.50	441.23
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	327	487.50	487.50
4	350–400	390	450.00–475.00	456.09
1	400–450	405	395.00	395.00
1	750–800	765	297.50	297.50
1	800–850	820	280.00	280.00
1	850–900	870	222.50	222.50

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	920	2,400.00	2,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,348	2,800.00–3,200.00	2,910.94
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	4	—	1,489	2,700.00–3,700.00	3,057.47
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,754	4,150.00	4,150.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,550	3,850.00–4,150.00	4,000.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,070	181.00–199.00	191.92

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,340	225.00	225.00
1	—	1,305	240.00	240.00
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,031	150.00–155.00	152.79
1	—	660	80.00	80.00
8	—	1,132	159.00–175.00	168.58
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,589	174.00–181.00	177.83
2	—	1,575	192.00–194.00	193.09
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	1,257	165.00–186.00	175.80
3	—	1,340	193.00–200.00	195.39
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,333	197.00–213.00	205.95
4	—	1,861	219.00–236.00	226.63

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

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Blue Grass Stockyards (Tuesday) - Lexington, KY

Feeder Cattle

Replacement Cattle

Slaughter Cattle