Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 16, 2025

831 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Athens Regional Stockyard report →

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $469.00/cwt ≈ $2,392/hd at 510 lb · 60 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $401.02/cwt +25.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,881/hd at 469 lb · 20 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 steers $522.12/cwt +59.96 vs last sale · ≈ $1,950/hd at 373 lb · 20 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 831 1,125 796
Feeder cattle 488 872 524
Slaughter cattle 159 149 138
Replacement cattle 184 104 134

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Feeder Steers 250lb to 450lb 15.00 to 25.00 higher. Feeder Heifers unevenly steady 300lb to 500lb, over 500lb 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Feeder Bulls 350lb to 500lb, 10.00 to 15.00 higher, over 500ld 10.00 lower. Slaughter Cows 2.00 to 7.00 higher, Slaughter Bulls 2.00 lower. Quality good, demand Moderate.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–295 273 5 500.00–550.00 $534.47 $1,459 +53.48
300–330 316 4 470.00–555.00 $514.25 $1,625 +36.66
373 value added 373 16 535.00 $535.00 $1,996 —
350–395 375 4 440.00–485.00 $470.58 $1,765 +16.54
402 value added 402 3 490.00 $490.00 $1,970 —
400–440 430 4 435.00–485.00 $460.81 $1,981 +15.80
460–495 479 4 420.00–445.00 $428.51 $2,053 +5.44
500–525 521 8 380.00–405.00 $397.59 $2,071 -6.42
550–580 560 4 365.00–400.00 $386.14 $2,162 +7.13
605–644 632 12 322.00–340.00 $327.98 $2,073 -44.45
665–668 value added 668 7 358.00–370.00 $359.71 $2,403 -6.12
715 715 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,431 +6.26
755–770 763 2 305.00–320.00 $312.57 $2,385 -13.34
830–840 835 2 317.00 $317.00 $2,647 -8.00
930 930 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,325 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 value added 510 60 469.00 $469.00 $2,392 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–285 277 3 400.00–450.00 $430.18 $1,192 +69.36
310–345 331 4 275.00–400.00 $352.75 $1,168 -31.31
350–390 370 3 350.00–400.00 $365.77 $1,353 —
405–425 415 2 300.00–365.00 $333.28 $1,383 -50.14
469–495 477 14 257.00–385.00 $297.95 $1,421 -58.53
490 value added 490 2 400.00 $400.00 $1,960 —
583–595 587 3 315.00–325.00 $318.38 $1,869 -25.34
620–640 632 3 295.00–310.00 $301.60 $1,906 -0.05
683–695 687 3 270.00–305.00 $281.80 $1,936 -5.70
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900 900 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,115 —
990 990 1 237.00 $237.00 $2,346 —
1020 1020 1 217.00 $217.00 $2,213 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–295 293 3 400.00–415.00 $410.06 $1,201 —
295 thin fleshed 295 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,328 —
305–315 thin fleshed 310 2 440.00–450.00 $444.92 $1,379 -60.08
320–345 337 9 400.00–435.00 $422.81 $1,425 +2.83
370–397 385 9 400.00–435.00 $412.09 $1,587 +23.91
405–435 419 7 395.00–420.00 $413.51 $1,733 +17.36
440 440 2 370.00–380.00 $375.00 $1,650 -21.15
450–485 469 20 380.00–405.00 $401.02 $1,881 +56.07
505 thin fleshed 505 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,894 +7.50
500–540 517 6 340.00–360.00 $349.18 $1,805 +16.69
550–590 573 4 320.00–340.00 $332.53 $1,905 -5.94
590–595 592 5 295.00–300.00 $296.01 $1,752 -42.46
610–640 628 3 280.00–285.00 $281.62 $1,769 -36.06
625–645 635 8 295.00–310.00 $303.23 $1,926 +23.23
655–695 680 4 270.00–295.00 $282.38 $1,920 -26.51
730 730 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,044 -15.56
860 860 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,064 —
925 925 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,174 ±0.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–285 270 2 340.00–380.00 $358.89 $969 —
320–345 337 3 335.00–370.00 $347.80 $1,172 +0.40
350–395 375 4 225.00–360.00 $313.70 $1,176 -14.92
420–445 434 4 220.00–380.00 $320.12 $1,389 +17.45
455–495 477 3 285.00–340.00 $319.81 $1,525 +9.93
525–540 534 5 305.00–335.00 $325.06 $1,736 +20.81
600–630 617 3 230.00–260.00 $244.84 $1,511 -36.72
730 730 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,862 —
780 780 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,755 -35.00
820 820 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,533 -58.00
1000 1000 1 187.00 $187.00 $1,870 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 fancy 375 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,856 +18.24
360–395 380 8 450.00–470.00 $458.78 $1,743 +8.93
403–440 415 11 440.00–465.00 $454.74 $1,887 +39.01
455–485 465 3 410.00–445.00 $423.15 $1,968 +9.30
505–535 521 8 375.00–395.00 $383.81 $2,000 +7.03
575–595 589 5 340.00–345.00 $344.02 $2,026 -15.69
645 645 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,161 -6.45
655–675 662 3 325.00–335.00 $331.60 $2,195 +10.82
713–735 720 3 300.00–305.00 $303.30 $2,184 -2.94
750 750 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,025 -13.27
825–845 835 2 250.00–260.00 $254.94 $2,129 -7.54
850–875 863 2 235.00–240.00 $237.54 $2,050 -42.46
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–387 384 9 325.00–410.00 $340.58 $1,308 -36.80
405–430 418 5 250.00–410.00 $352.57 $1,474 +15.34
450–490 469 5 325.00–390.00 $348.58 $1,635 -0.09
505–540 524 6 300.00–355.00 $334.89 $1,755 -8.80

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1465 1221 80-85% 7 169.00–177.00 $172.28 $2,104 —
1055–1785 1307 80-85% 6 133.00–143.00 $140.10 $1,831 —
865–2085 1381 80-85% 43 147.00–168.00 $158.72 $2,192 +3.81
1415–1685 1550 80-85% 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,860 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1420 1097 85-90% 15 134.00–148.00 $138.24 $1,516 —
920–1540 1101 85-90% 15 117.00–133.00 $126.19 $1,389 +2.85
975–1240 1113 85-90% 6 100.00–115.00 $107.37 $1,195 -15.97
950–1590 1217 85-90% 3 153.00–155.00 $154.48 $1,880 +17.63
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1685 1446 75-80% 7 173.00–182.00 $176.15 $2,547 —
1215–1875 1482 75-80% 11 162.00–172.00 $167.35 $2,480 -3.94

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1985 1661 9 182.00–199.00 $189.33 $3,145 —
1530–1875 1691 6 158.00–178.00 $165.85 $2,805 —
1585–2025 1845 5 201.00–207.00 $202.61 $3,738 +0.43

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
907–1018 963 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 2,150.00–2,400.00 $2,267.79
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1188 1188 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,700.00 $2,700.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1175 1175 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,050.00 $4,050.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,581 —
573–590 578 5 215.00–310.00 $240.38 $1,389 —
633 633 5 250.00 $250.00 $1,582 —

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.