Name: Lexington Livestock Auction - Kentucky livestock auction prices — 2026-04-21
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-04-21

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Tuesday the feeder market was mostly steady with an average quality offering. Feeder steers and heifers 600 lbs and under were mostly steady to 4.00 lower in spots with a good supply and good demand for weaned and harder conditioned calves. Yearling steers and heifers appeared 2.00 to 4.00 lower with a good supply but limited head to head comparisons. Buyers were active today and willing to pay premiums for quality cattle, however negative pressure from the futures market, coupled with an increasing supply of fatter bawling calves on the market has limited some buyers interest and increased the price spread in most weight classes. Slaughter cows and bulls were steady to 2.00 lower 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 $454.99/cwt on 63 head, down $17.94 from the prior sale (only 12 head in that comparison). That ranks 14 of 31 comparable sales and sits −6.55 against this barn's trailing median of $461.54.

Average price

$454.99

▼ 17.94 vs prior sale

63 head · 555 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,526

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$384

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

$52.38/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−24.41

vs KY average

−24.04 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	465.38	2,552	49
Medium and Large 2	584	419.04	2,446	13thin
Large 1-2	525	413.00	2,168	1thin

One grade step is worth $52.38/cwt here — about $384 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale63 hd

454.99

—

KY average24 barns · 1,435 hd

479.40

−24.41

National average158 barns · 12,009 hd

479.03

−24.04

This barn, trailing median31 sales

461.54

−6.55

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	1,487	206.55	3,072	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,245	176.49	2,198	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,440	172.10	2,478	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,120	155.75	1,744	11
Steers	Select and Choice	Average	1,445	222.50	3,215	1thin

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)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,145	$3,950	1thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	758	$1,792	3thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	795	$1,350	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	685	$1,900	1thin

Every lot, as filed

105 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	295	610.00/cwt	610.00–610.00	1,800	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	595	409.78/cwt	407.50–410.00	2,438	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	912	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	3,073	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	650–700	690	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,174	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	470	487.50/cwt	487.50–487.50	2,291	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	700–750	746	353.50/cwt	353.50–353.50	2,637	40
Steers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	265	555.00/cwt	555.00–555.00	1,471	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	785	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	2,598	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	725	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,683	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	800–850	801	376.90/cwt	376.90–376.90	3,019	67
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	550–600	561	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	2,342	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	388.86/cwt	381.00–395.00	2,248	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	671	364.13/cwt	362.50–369.00	2,443	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	450–500	496	477.00/cwt	477.00–477.00	2,366	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,065	308.00/cwt	308.00–308.00	3,280	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	564	415.51/cwt	411.00–419.00	2,343	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	500–550	537	428.86/cwt	425.00–432.50	2,303	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	510	371.00/cwt	371.00–371.00	1,892	1
Heifers	Large 1-2	500–550	520	377.00/cwt	377.00–377.00	1,960	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	450–500	460	557.50/cwt	557.50–557.50	2,565	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	400–450	425	574.49/cwt	565.00–595.00	2,442	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	750–800	757	390.78/cwt	390.50–392.00	2,958	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	521	409.37/cwt	395.00–417.50	2,133	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	597	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	1,964	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	335	471.44/cwt	465.00–477.50	1,579	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	758	346.33/cwt	343.00–347.00	2,625	6
Steers	Large 1-2	500–550	525	413.00/cwt	413.00–413.00	2,168	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,148	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	3,329	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	445	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,225	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	587	438.58/cwt	422.50–441.00	2,574	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	547.00/cwt	540.00–561.00	1,997	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	894	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	3,031	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	700	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,765	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	522	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,453	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	615	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,583	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	550–600	565	478.75/cwt	470.00–485.00	2,705	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	600–650	642	443.09/cwt	441.00–452.50	2,845	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	463	505.43/cwt	493.00–525.00	2,340	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	418	529.61/cwt	520.00–539.00	2,214	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	950–1000	981	325.58/cwt	324.25–327.00	3,194	111
Dairy Steers	Large 3Value Added	1000–1050	1,026	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	2,863	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	681	392.31/cwt	387.50–397.00	2,672	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	650–700	678	414.70/cwt	411.25–426.50	2,812	78
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	400–450	420	625.00/cwt	625.00–625.00	2,625	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	822	339.66/cwt	339.00–340.00	2,792	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	518	485.19/cwt	480.00–502.50	2,513	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	265	560.00/cwt	560.00–560.00	1,484	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	570	419.00/cwt	419.00–419.00	2,388	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	650–700	652	422.50/cwt	422.50–422.50	2,755	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	850–900	870	312.00/cwt	312.00–312.00	2,714	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	550–600	575	467.50/cwt	467.50–467.50	2,688	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	500–550	530	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,624	1
Steers	Select and Choice	—	1,445	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	3,215	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,440	172.10/cwt	166.00–176.00	2,478	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,069	164.11/cwt	155.00–172.00	1,754	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,329	189.75/cwt	185.00–196.00	2,522	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,209	141.11/cwt	139.00–144.00	1,706	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,215	171.67/cwt	164.00–179.00	2,086	11
Bulls	—	—	1,308	200.81/cwt	187.00–206.00	2,627	5
Bulls	—	—	1,935	220.90/cwt	218.00–224.00	4,274	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium 1-2	—	685	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,008	249.46/cwt	235.00–275.00	2,515	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,099	206.96/cwt	187.00–227.50	2,274	4
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	795	1,350.00/head	1,350.00–1,350.00	1,350	1
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	758	1,792.31/head	1,300.00–2,000.00	1,792	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,145	3,950.00/head	3,950.00–3,950.00	3,950	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	500–550	525	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,877	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	580	403.69/cwt	400.00–407.50	2,341	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	335	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,441	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	505	412.06/cwt	400.00–430.00	2,081	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	475	449.00/cwt	449.00–449.00	2,133	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	602	403.00/cwt	403.00–403.00	2,426	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	395	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,955	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	541	458.18/cwt	447.50–470.00	2,479	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	340	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,734	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	491	500.41/cwt	500.00–505.00	2,457	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	410	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,948	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	615	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,106	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	473	457.20/cwt	441.00–468.00	2,163	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	585	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,135	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	735	324.70/cwt	314.00–330.00	2,387	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	650–700	675	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,396	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Value Added	950–1000	978	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	2,993	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fancy	350–400	390	522.50/cwt	522.50–522.50	2,038	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Guaranteed Open	600–650	610	401.35/cwt	395.00–403.00	2,448	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	300–350	305	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,281	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	200–250	235	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	952	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	450–500	490	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	1,671	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	500–550	527	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	2,016	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	940	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	2,453	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2-3	550–600	550	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,760	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	800	310.50/cwt	300.00–321.00	2,484	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	363	508.49/cwt	500.00–512.50	1,846	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	485	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,916	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	955	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,579	1
Heifers	Medium 1-2	350–400	390	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,112	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	419.81/cwt	415.00–421.00	1,784	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	1000–1050	1,002	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	2,275	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	855	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	2,727	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	743	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,526	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	365	470.00/cwt	465.00–480.00	1,716	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	641	358.51/cwt	357.50–359.00	2,298	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	622	373.91/cwt	365.00–390.00	2,326	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	310	522.50/cwt	522.50–522.50	1,620	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	425	470.22/cwt	455.00–485.00	1,998	18

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 Apr 21, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 849Last week 302Year ago 974

Slaughter CattleReceipts 65Last week 28Year ago 137

Replacement CattleReceipts 7Last week 1Year ago 23

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	610.00	610.00
3	350–400	365	540.00–561.00	547.00
6	400–450	418	520.00–539.00	529.61
16	450–500	463	493.00–525.00	505.43
21	500–550	518	480.00–502.50	485.19
9	550–600	587	422.50–441.00	438.58
2	600–650	615	420.00	420.00
4	650–700	681	387.50–397.00	392.31
2	700–750	700	395.00	395.00
1	750–800	785	331.00	331.00
3	800–850	822	339.00–340.00	339.66
5	850–900	894	339.00	339.00
2	900–950	912	337.00	337.00
1	1050–1100	1,065	308.00	308.00
3	1100–1150	1,148	290.00	290.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	265	555.00	555.00
2	400–450	445	500.00	500.00
1	450–500	470	487.50	487.50
2	500–550	522	470.00	470.00
11	550–600	595	407.50–410.00	409.78
1	700–750	725	370.00	370.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	690	315.00	315.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
12	550–600	565	470.00–485.00	478.75
29	600–650	642	441.00–452.50	443.09
78	650–700	678	411.25–426.50	414.70
22	750–800	757	390.50–392.00	390.78
67	800–850	801	376.90	376.90
111	950–1000	981	324.25–327.00	325.58
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	450–500	496	477.00	477.00
7	550–600	561	417.50	417.50
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
8	400–450	425	565.00–595.00	574.49
1	450–500	460	557.50	557.50
Steers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	525	413.00	413.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	420	625.00	625.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
8	500–550	537	425.00–432.50	428.86
7	550–600	564	411.00–419.00	415.51
40	700–750	746	353.50	353.50
55	950–1000	978	306.00	306.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	310	522.50	522.50
3	350–400	363	500.00–512.50	508.49
18	400–450	425	455.00–485.00	470.22
22	450–500	473	441.00–468.00	457.20
12	500–550	521	395.00–417.50	409.37
14	550–600	578	381.00–395.00	388.86
14	600–650	622	365.00–390.00	373.91
4	650–700	671	362.50–369.00	364.13
3	700–750	743	340.00	340.00
6	750–800	758	343.00–347.00	346.33
2	800–850	800	300.00–321.00	310.50
1	850–900	855	319.00	319.00
2	900–950	940	261.00	261.00
1	950–1000	955	270.00	270.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	335	465.00–477.50	471.44
3	350–400	365	465.00–480.00	470.00
5	400–450	425	415.00–421.00	419.81
1	450–500	485	395.00	395.00
1	500–550	510	371.00	371.00
4	550–600	597	329.00	329.00
3	600–650	641	357.50–359.00	358.51
2	1000–1050	1,002	227.00	227.00
Heifers — Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	520	377.00	377.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	390	522.50	522.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Guaranteed Open$ per cwt · actual wt
19	600–650	610	395.00–403.00	401.35
Heifers — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	235	405.00	405.00
1	300–350	305	420.00	420.00
2	450–500	490	341.00	341.00
1	550–600	550	320.00	320.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	527	382.50	382.50
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	390	285.00	285.00
Dairy Steers — Large 3 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
52	1000–1050	1,026	279.00	279.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	265	560.00	560.00
12	450–500	491	500.00–505.00	500.41
6	500–550	541	447.50–470.00	458.18
1	550–600	570	419.00	419.00
4	600–650	602	403.00	403.00
3	700–750	735	314.00–330.00	324.70
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	650–700	652	422.50	422.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fancy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	530	495.00	495.00
1	550–600	575	467.50	467.50
2	850–900	870	312.00	312.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2-3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	335	430.00	430.00
1	500–550	525	357.50	357.50
1	550–600	585	365.00	365.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	340	510.00	510.00
1	350–400	395	495.00	495.00
1	400–450	410	475.00	475.00
3	450–500	475	449.00	449.00
5	500–550	505	400.00–430.00	412.06
2	550–600	580	400.00–407.50	403.69
1	600–650	615	342.50	342.50
2	650–700	675	355.00	355.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Select and Choice$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,445	222.50	222.50
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,440	166.00–176.00	172.10
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,069	155.00–172.00	164.11
4	—	1,209	139.00–144.00	141.11
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,329	185.00–196.00	189.75
11	—	1,215	164.00–179.00	171.67
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,308	187.00–206.00	200.81
2	—	1,935	218.00–224.00	220.90

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	685	1,900.00	1,900.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	3	—	1,008	235.00–275.00	249.46
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	Open	4	—	1,099	187.00–227.50	206.96
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	795	1,350.00	1,350.00
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	758	1,300.00–2,000.00	1,792.31
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,145	3,950.00	3,950.00

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

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

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle