Name: Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky livestock auction prices — 2026-08-17
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-17

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Monday both the feeder and slaughter markets were lower with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers were sharply lower across all weight classes with a moderate supply and moderate demand. Continued negative pressure from the futures market coupled with locally heavy rains and high humidity has limited cattle movement and the premiums buyers are willing to pay. Slaughter cows and bulls were 6.00 to 10.00 lower with a good supply and moderate demand.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $349.69/cwt on 25 head, down $59.64 from the prior sale. That ranks 2 of 32 comparable sales and sits −54.33 against this barn's trailing median of $404.01.

Average price

$349.69

▼ 59.64 vs prior sale

25 head · 535 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,869

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

−21.77

vs KY average

−1.23 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	535	349.69	1,869	25

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

32 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $445.63, low $321.52, median $404.01 across 32 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 sale25 hd

349.69

—

KY average29 barns · 826 hd

371.46

−21.77

National average160 barns · 5,295 hd

350.92

−1.23

This barn, trailing median32 sales

404.01

−54.33

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	1,836	209.82	3,852	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,203	169.47	2,038	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,545	169.40	2,616	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,095	141.82	1,553	13

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)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,518	$2,874	2thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,310	$2,375	1thin
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	990	$2,600	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,154	$3,257	4thin

Every lot, as filed

69 lots · USDA AMS · Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) - 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 2	600–650	635	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,810	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	655	313.55/cwt	300.00–335.00	2,054	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	328.89/cwt	325.00–337.50	1,852	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	555	429.34/cwt	425.00–440.00	2,383	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	320	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,440	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	458	423.18/cwt	415.00–427.50	1,938	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	467	341.31/cwt	325.00–355.00	1,594	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	624	329.74/cwt	322.50–340.00	2,058	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	466	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,794	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	270	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,202	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	250–300	282	439.88/cwt	430.00–450.00	1,240	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	553	321.29/cwt	312.50–330.00	1,777	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	620	400.50/cwt	400.50–400.50	2,483	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	510	388.42/cwt	380.00–395.00	1,981	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	465	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	2,116	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	411	474.41/cwt	457.50–487.50	1,950	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	745	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	2,198	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	475	445.98/cwt	445.00–450.00	2,118	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	723	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,350	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	710	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,308	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	755	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,265	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	337.38/cwt	327.50–347.50	2,119	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	960	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,112	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,503	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	521	340.55/cwt	330.00–352.50	1,774	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	836	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	2,291	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	330	486.60/cwt	470.00–502.50	1,606	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	422	457.50/cwt	457.50–457.50	1,931	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,315	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	2,091	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,245	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,303	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,187	168.96/cwt	164.00–180.00	2,006	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,178	148.44/cwt	142.00–156.00	1,749	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,625	158.00/cwt	158.00–158.00	2,568	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,533	171.03/cwt	164.00–178.00	2,622	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	670	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,759	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	505	351.25/cwt	340.00–362.50	1,774	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	595	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	2,335	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	750	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,325	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	870	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,697	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	460	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,380	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	250–300	276	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	925	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	327	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,177	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	526	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,973	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,005	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	2,764	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	605	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	2,375	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	530	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,723	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	383	439.96/cwt	425.00–447.50	1,685	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	250–300	280	405.52/cwt	400.00–407.50	1,135	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	380	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	1,710	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	630	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,331	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	570	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	2,180	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,230	3,508.76/head	3,450.00–3,600.00	3,509	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,518	2,873.64/head	2,800.00–2,950.00	2,874	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	336	412.50/cwt	412.50–412.50	1,386	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	420	412.50/cwt	412.50–412.50	1,733	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	200–250	200	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	800	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	325	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,316	1
Dairy Steers	Large 3	900–950	905	144.79/cwt	140.00–148.00	1,310	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 1-2	—	925	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	990	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,104	188.81/cwt	173.00–207.00	2,084	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,310	2,375.00/head	2,375.00–2,375.00	2,375	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	673	336.32/cwt	335.00–337.00	2,263	3
Bulls	—	—	1,733	204.59/cwt	198.00–209.00	3,546	5
Bulls	—	—	2,093	222.89/cwt	221.00–225.00	4,665	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	164.51/cwt	164.00–165.00	1,777	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	980	130.49/cwt	125.00–136.00	1,279	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,090	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,112	1
Dairy Steers	Large 3	550–600	575	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,121	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 →

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) - Lexington, KY

Mon Aug 17, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 208Last week 877Year ago 574

Slaughter CattleReceipts 53Last week 46Year ago 48

Replacement CattleReceipts 14Last week 4Year ago 10

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	400.00	400.00
1	300–350	325	405.00	405.00
5	450–500	467	325.00–355.00	341.31
1	600–650	635	285.00	285.00
1	650–700	670	262.50	262.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	250–300	270	445.00	445.00
3	450–500	466	385.00	385.00
9	500–550	521	330.00–352.50	340.55
7	550–600	563	325.00–337.50	328.89
29	600–650	624	322.50–340.00	329.74
7	650–700	655	300.00–335.00	313.55
1	700–750	745	295.00	295.00
4	800–850	836	274.00	274.00
1	950–1000	960	220.00	220.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	276	335.00	335.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
9	500–550	526	375.00	375.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
4	550–600	555	425.00–440.00	429.34
22	600–650	620	400.50	400.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	422	457.50	457.50
5	450–500	475	445.00–450.00	445.98
1	550–600	595	392.50	392.50
1	600–650	605	392.50	392.50
1	650–700	650	385.00	385.00
3	700–750	723	325.00	325.00
1	750–800	750	310.00	310.00
1	850–900	870	310.00	310.00
1	1000–1050	1,005	275.00	275.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	327	360.00	360.00
1	450–500	460	300.00	300.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	380	450.00	450.00
1	550–600	570	382.50	382.50
1	600–650	630	370.00	370.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	250–300	282	430.00–450.00	439.88
1	300–350	320	450.00	450.00
3	350–400	383	425.00–447.50	439.96
1	400–450	420	412.50	412.50
3	450–500	458	415.00–427.50	423.18
2	500–550	505	340.00–362.50	351.25
2	550–600	553	312.50–330.00	321.29
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	330	470.00–502.50	486.60
5	400–450	411	457.50–487.50	474.41
2	450–500	465	455.00	455.00
5	500–550	510	380.00–395.00	388.42
2	600–650	628	327.50–347.50	337.38
3	650–700	673	335.00–337.00	336.32
1	700–750	710	325.00	325.00
1	750–800	755	300.00	300.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	280	400.00–407.50	405.52
3	300–350	336	412.50	412.50
1	500–550	530	325.00	325.00
Dairy Steers — Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	550–600	575	195.00	195.00
5	900–950	905	140.00–148.00	144.79

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,315	159.00	159.00
1	—	1,245	185.00	185.00
10	—	1,187	164.00–180.00	168.96
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,178	142.00–156.00	148.44
2	—	1,080	164.00–165.00	164.51
4	—	980	125.00–136.00	130.49
1	—	1,090	102.00	102.00
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,625	158.00	158.00
7	—	1,533	164.00–178.00	171.03
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,733	198.00–209.00	204.59
2	—	2,093	221.00–225.00	222.89

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,230	3,450.00–3,600.00	3,508.76
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	1	—	925	2,500.00	2,500.00
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,518	2,800.00–2,950.00	2,873.64
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	1,310	2,375.00	2,375.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	1	—	990	2,600.00	2,600.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	5	—	1,104	173.00–207.00	188.81

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

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

Blue Grass Stockyards (Monday) - Lexington, KY

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle