Sale reports / Kentucky / Ledbetter Livestock Auction / 2026-05-26

Ledbetter Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Ledbetter, Kentucky · Tue, May 26
● Final73 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2196
Feeder Cattle receipts
262 head
102 vs last sale 364 108 vs year ago 370 · 29.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
64 head
1 vs last sale 63 5 vs year ago 69 · 7.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
35 head
74 vs last sale 109 20 vs year ago 55 · 36.4%
Also sold hereMonthly Feeder Cattle SaleFri May 15, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week feeder steers and heifers sold 10.00 lower with pressure from futures pushing the market lower. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady with good demand for slaughter classes.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $445.04/cwt on 33 head, down $10.78 from the prior sale. That ranks 12 of 29 comparable sales and sits 4.84 against this barn's trailing median of $449.88.
Average price
$445.04
10.78 vs prior sale
33 head · 551 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,452
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$302
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 2-3
$46.45/cwt at this weight
vs the market
25.62
vs KY average
15.33 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2551446.452,46232
Medium and Large 2-3540400.002,1601thin
One grade step is worth $46.45/cwt here — about $302 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

29 sales
501452403353median 449.8801/0603/0304/2806/1608/18
Steers 500–600 lb: high $487.17, low $367.34, median $449.88 across 29 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 sale33 hd
445.04
KY average17 barns · 679 hd
470.67
−25.62
National average128 barns · 4,767 hd
460.37
−15.33
This barn, trailing median29 sales
449.88
−4.84
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,533207.153,17611
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,145175.002,0042thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,453170.502,4772thin
CowsLean 85-90%High1,024133.431,36610

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,212$3,1252thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,125$2,5812thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,261$2,5748
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,057$2,3501thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)905$2,3001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,091$2,0659
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,085$3,2501thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)837$2,8502thin
BullsN/AYoung (2-4 yrs)1,350$3,5501thin

Every lot, as filed

73 lots · USDA AMS · Livingston Co. Livestock Market - Ledbetter, KY
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
BullsMedium and Large 2-3350–400365450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,6435
SteersMedium and Large 2-3600–650605300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,8151
Dairy SteersLarge 2-3600–650615260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,5991
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,420160.00/cwt160.00–160.002,2721
CowsBoner 80-85%1,240180.00/cwt180.00–180.002,2321
Bulls1,574209.77/cwt203.00–217.003,30210
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Fancy250–300281629.31/cwt600.00–650.001,7687
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Fancy300–350310635.00/cwt635.00–635.001,9691
SteersMedium and Large 2-3500–550540400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,1601
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3400–450415350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,4531
SteersMedium and Large 2-3300–350335430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,4411
BullsMedium and Large 2-3250–300270480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,2961
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-21,0853,250.00/head3,250.00–3,250.003,2501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-29052,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2500–550527380.77/cwt365.00–390.002,0076
BullsMedium and Large 1-2650–700680380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,5841
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy400–450419506.46/cwt505.00–510.002,12214
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Fancy350–400370560.00/cwt560.00–560.002,0722
SteersMedium and Large 1-2200–250235690.00/cwt690.00–690.001,6224
BullsMedium and Large 1-2750–800780290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,2621
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0912,064.85/head1,500.00–2,900.002,0659
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1252,581.11/head2,450.00–2,700.002,5812
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2123,125.00/head3,125.00–3,125.003,1252
BullsMedium and Large 1-21,3503,550.00/head3,550.00–3,550.003,5501
BullsMedium and Large 1-2250–300265527.89/cwt505.00–540.001,3993
BullsMedium and Large 1-2700–750710330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,3432
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 1-28372,850.00/head2,850.00–2,850.002,8502
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,2612,573.60/head1,800.00–2,850.002,5748
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,0572,350.00/head2,350.00–2,350.002,3501
SteersMedium and Large 1-2400–450440500.00/cwt500.00–500.002,2005
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2250–300272526.58/cwt500.00–560.001,4324
HeifersMedium and Large 1-21100–11501,132200.00/cwt200.00–200.002,2642
SteersMedium and Large 1-2350–400385545.00/cwt545.00–545.002,0981
SteersMedium and Large 1-2500–550521455.75/cwt435.00–465.002,37414
SteersMedium and Large 1-2700–750725345.00/cwt345.00–345.002,5011
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500463502.24/cwt480.00–505.002,3259
Bulls1,125181.00/cwt181.00–181.002,0361
CowsBoner 80-85%1,050170.00/cwt170.00–170.001,7851
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,485181.00/cwt181.00–181.002,6881
CowsLean 85-90%970165.00/cwt165.00–165.001,6011
CowsLean 85-90%1,008113.00/cwt113.00–113.001,1392
CowsLean 85-90%1,036134.75/cwt123.00–146.001,3967
HeifersMedium and Large 2-3Gaunt300–350300400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,2001
HeifersMedium and Large 2350–400370450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,6653
BullsMedium and Large 2400–450425420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,7851
BullsMedium and Large 2500–550545390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,1261
HeifersMedium and Large 2300–350333450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,4992
HeifersMedium and Large 2250–300279487.01/cwt470.00–490.001,3596
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450440445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,9581
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2650–700675320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,1601
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2450–500485428.93/cwt415.00–475.002,0804
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Value Added600–650601427.50/cwt427.50–427.502,56912
BullsMedium and Large 1-2350–400366519.13/cwt495.00–545.001,9008
BullsMedium and Large 2250–300297494.17/cwt490.00–495.001,4686
HeifersMedium and Large 2450–500485378.37/cwt375.00–385.001,8353
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2700–750725310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,2481
BullsMedium and Large 1-2450–500480469.25/cwt455.00–475.002,2527
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400376529.93/cwt520.00–540.001,9934
SteersMedium and Large 1-2550–600575439.22/cwt415.00–460.002,52618
BullsMedium and Large 1-2550–600565425.00/cwt425.00–425.002,4013
BullsMedium and Large 1-2300–350330562.83/cwt515.00–580.001,8577
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2200–250225550.00/cwt550.00–550.001,2381
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2550–600550355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,9531
SteersMedium and Large 1-2300–350315670.00/cwt670.00–670.002,1112
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2800–850835280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,3381
BullsMedium and Large 1-2400–450431469.67/cwt450.00–485.002,0244
BullsMedium and Large 1-2500–550521424.65/cwt405.00–445.002,2125
SteersMedium and Large 1-2600–650638402.49/cwt390.00–407.502,56814
SteersMedium and Large 1-2650–700679380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,5805
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2300–350333513.45/cwt490.00–560.001,7109
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2400–450429483.70/cwt470.00–500.002,07511
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2600–650637353.64/cwt345.00–360.002,2537
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2150–200195530.00/cwt530.00–530.001,0341

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.