Name: Cattleman's Livestock Auction - Bowling Green livestock auction prices — 2026-05-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Monday: Feeder steers sold sharply lower. Feeder heifers traded 2.00-4.00 lower. Today's smaller offering and very few weaned calves contributed to the lower prices. No test on slaughter cows and bulls due to limited comparisons.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $406.85/cwt on 11 head, up $0.97 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 23 of 24 comparable sales and sits +17.48 against this barn's trailing median of $389.37.

Average price

$406.85

▲ 0.97 vs prior sale

11 head · 528 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,149

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$148

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

$18.36/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−6.64

vs KY average

−21.05 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	533	413.53	2,203	7thin
Medium and Large 2-3	520	395.17	2,055	4thin

One grade step is worth $18.36/cwt here — about $148 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

24 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $416.48, low $335.67, median $389.37 across 24 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 sale11 hd

406.85

—

KY average26 barns · 1,247 hd

413.50

−6.64

National average182 barns · 12,459 hd

427.90

−21.05

This barn, trailing median24 sales

389.37

+17.48

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	1,900	210.00	3,990	1thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,362	164.73	2,244	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,149	160.09	1,839	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,007	151.80	1,529	5thin

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,058	$3,483	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,455	$3,092	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,237	$2,992	3thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,075	$3,500	1thin

Every lot, as filed

50 lots · USDA AMS · Cattleman's Livestock - Bowling Green, 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 1-2	400–450	400	522.50/cwt	522.50–522.50	2,090	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	605	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,269	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	735	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	2,260	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	555	401.18/cwt	390.00–405.00	2,227	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	435	452.27/cwt	442.50–462.50	1,967	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	603	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,563	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	408	476.37/cwt	470.00–482.50	1,944	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	497	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,112	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	503	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,163	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	614	348.33/cwt	335.00–350.00	2,139	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	805	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,616	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	335	584.89/cwt	577.50–592.50	1,959	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	278	632.50/cwt	632.50–632.50	1,758	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	465	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,093	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	475	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,256	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	504	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,419	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	695	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,606	1
Bred Cows	Small and Medium 1-2	—	980	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	663	337.81/cwt	335.00–340.00	2,240	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,000	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	1,390	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	908	145.00/cwt	145.00–145.00	1,317	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	1,890	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,362	164.73/cwt	157.50–169.00	2,244	5
Bulls	—	—	1,900	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	3,990	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,142	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,941	3
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,075	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	1
Bred Cows	Medium 1-2	—	1,005	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	1
Bred Cows	Medium 1-2	—	1,045	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,140	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,767	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,185	146.30/cwt	141.00–151.00	1,734	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,132	159.38/cwt	152.50–163.00	1,804	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	315	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,575	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	374	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	1,982	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,693	3,187.96/head	2,950.00–3,400.00	3,188	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,353	3,037.71/head	2,900.00–3,150.00	3,038	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,085	3,650.00/head	3,650.00–3,650.00	3,650	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	600	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,460	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	433	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,927	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	617	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,160	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	478	481.55/cwt	465.00–490.00	2,302	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	400–450	445	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,114	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	460	437.36/cwt	425.00–450.00	2,012	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	490	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,960	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	565	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,260	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	515	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,215	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	350–400	353	458.35/cwt	455.00–460.00	1,618	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	535	474.89/cwt	465.00–480.00	2,541	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	452	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	2,328	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	520	395.17/cwt	390.00–400.00	2,055	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	585	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,457	2

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 →

Cattleman's Livestock - Bowling Green, KY

Mon May 4, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 121Last week 276Year ago 138

Slaughter CattleReceipts 22Last week 14Year ago 15

Replacement CattleReceipts 14Last week 12Year ago 11

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	400	522.50	522.50
6	450–500	452	515.00	515.00
12	500–550	535	465.00–480.00	474.89
2	600–650	603	425.00	425.00
1	650–700	695	375.00	375.00
1	800–850	805	325.00	325.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	445	475.00	475.00
3	450–500	478	465.00–490.00	481.55
1	600–650	605	375.00	375.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	374	530.00	530.00
4	400–450	408	470.00–482.50	476.37
2	450–500	465	450.00	450.00
3	500–550	503	430.00	430.00
4	550–600	555	390.00–405.00	401.18
9	600–650	614	335.00–350.00	348.33
7	650–700	663	335.00–340.00	337.81
1	700–750	735	307.50	307.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
8	450–500	497	425.00	425.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	315	500.00	500.00
3	350–400	353	455.00–460.00	458.35
3	400–450	433	445.00	445.00
1	450–500	490	400.00	400.00
4	500–550	520	390.00–400.00	395.17
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	435	442.50–462.50	452.27
2	450–500	460	425.00–450.00	437.36
1	500–550	515	430.00	430.00
1	550–600	565	400.00	400.00
3	600–650	617	350.00	350.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	278	632.50	632.50
2	300–350	335	577.50–592.50	584.89
1	450–500	475	475.00	475.00
5	500–550	504	480.00	480.00
2	550–600	585	420.00	420.00
3	600–650	600	410.00	410.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Small and Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	980	2,900.00	2,900.00
Bred Cows — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,005	2,900.00	2,900.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,045	3,400.00	3,400.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,693	2,950.00–3,400.00	3,187.96
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,353	2,900.00–3,150.00	3,037.71
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,085	3,650.00	3,650.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	1,075	3,500.00	3,500.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,000	139.00	139.00
2	—	908	145.00	145.00
1	—	1,080	175.00	175.00
1	—	1,140	155.00	155.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,362	157.50–169.00	164.73
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,142	170.00	170.00
2	—	1,185	141.00–151.00	146.30
3	—	1,132	152.50–163.00	159.38
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,900	210.00	210.00

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

Cattleman's Livestock Auction - Bowling Green

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

Cattleman's Livestock - Bowling Green, KY

Feeder Cattle

Replacement Cattle

Slaughter Cattle