Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 3, 2026

1,455 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $387.50/cwt ≈ $2,848/hd at 735 lb · 58 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $388.01/cwt -3.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,239/hd at 577 lb · 44 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $409.91/cwt -9.47 vs last sale · ≈ $2,168/hd at 529 lb · 43 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,455 1,086 1,672
Feeder cattle 1,075 691 1,297
Slaughter cattle 164 132 227
Replacement cattle 216 263 148

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week Feeder Steers and Bulls mostly steady to 8.00 higher. Feerer Heifers under 500lbs 8.00 to 10.00 lower, over 500lbs mostly steady. Slaughter Cows and Bulls mostly steady. Quality fair, demand good.

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
255–290 270 5 585.00–620.00 $604.48 $1,632 +4.81
300–340 thin fleshed 320 2 615.00–630.00 $622.97 $1,994 —
300–343 327 9 565.00–600.00 $582.85 $1,906 +6.33
360–370 thin fleshed 365 3 620.00–640.00 $628.26 $2,293 +18.26
355–395 380 3 540.00–590.00 $555.57 $2,111 -7.75
410–435 thin fleshed 418 3 550.00–565.00 $555.20 $2,321 —
410–440 430 4 500.00–535.00 $520.10 $2,236 +21.78
465–475 473 6 500.00–525.00 $505.77 $2,392 +21.01
535 thin fleshed 535 1 505.00 $505.00 $2,702 —
510–545 539 9 460.00–480.00 $462.80 $2,494 -27.17
560 thin fleshed 560 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,716 —
550–585 569 7 415.00–450.00 $434.64 $2,473 +42.59
603 value added 603 3 435.00 $435.00 $2,623 —
600–636 625 9 385.00–425.00 $398.37 $2,490 -8.33
658 thin fleshed 658 3 405.00 $405.00 $2,665 —
650–685 675 8 360.00–390.00 $372.50 $2,514 +42.48
700–720 712 7 360.00–385.00 $375.45 $2,673 +32.79
703–745 717 4 340.00–345.00 $342.55 $2,456 -0.11
755–770 763 2 352.50–355.00 $353.74 $2,699 +6.26
815 815 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,934 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 value added 520 4 495.00 $495.00 $2,574 —
579 value added 579 7 484.00 $484.00 $2,802 —
735 value added 735 58 387.50 $387.50 $2,848 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–298 279 10 370.00–560.00 $471.52 $1,316 -17.44
305–345 331 15 360.00–540.00 $487.77 $1,615 +0.18
350–370 360 5 305.00–525.00 $421.63 $1,518 -106.83
465–490 476 5 450.00–490.00 $466.73 $2,222 +70.89
510–540 525 4 405.00–440.00 $419.10 $2,200 +37.50
565–595 582 5 365.00–400.00 $380.30 $2,213 +34.32
600–645 630 3 370.00–375.00 $371.59 $2,341 +10.35
660 660 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,310 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–290 277 3 530.00–540.00 $536.81 $1,487 -27.48
315–340 327 5 500.00–540.00 $515.66 $1,686 -61.77
328 thin fleshed 328 2 575.00 $575.00 $1,886 -54.92
350–375 363 2 410.00–420.00 $415.17 $1,507 -129.50
350–395 372 10 460.00–515.00 $495.28 $1,842 -49.39
400–425 413 7 410.00–435.00 $422.88 $1,746 -59.89
403–440 thin fleshed 420 7 500.00–515.00 $507.02 $2,129 -37.89
410–445 430 19 450.00–490.00 $464.78 $1,999 -17.99
450–460 thin fleshed 455 6 470.00–485.00 $479.19 $2,180 —
450–495 478 13 410.00–455.00 $431.20 $2,061 -1.29
485–495 490 4 350.00–385.00 $371.29 $1,819 -61.20
504 504 4 365.00 $365.00 $1,840 -49.32
505–515 thin fleshed 507 5 430.00–440.00 $433.98 $2,200 -29.02
500–545 535 34 395.00–425.00 $411.65 $2,202 +34.14
550–591 575 39 382.50–410.00 $391.35 $2,250 +18.38
575–598 592 5 355.00–370.00 $362.00 $2,143 -10.97
605 605 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,027 -18.63
600–645 627 16 340.00–365.00 $354.07 $2,220 +0.44
653–695 672 9 330.00–360.00 $342.08 $2,299 +2.60
705–735 717 3 320.00–330.00 $323.28 $2,318 +9.20
795 795 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,624 +5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–295 283 7 370.00–500.00 $427.52 $1,210 +21.96
325–345 338 9 360.00–465.00 $424.85 $1,436 -36.44
350–385 370 10 300.00–410.00 $354.32 $1,311 -86.60
400–445 426 7 360.00–415.00 $390.70 $1,664 -38.95
450–485 469 10 310.00–405.00 $362.84 $1,702 -22.25
500–545 521 6 280.00–360.00 $326.97 $1,704 +5.09
575 575 2 325.00–335.00 $330.00 $1,898 -10.00
605–620 612 3 325.00–330.00 $326.69 $1,999 +28.97
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,248 —
505 505 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,515 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–390 373 19 510.00–615.00 $555.79 $2,073 +39.05
400–405 fancy 403 2 590.00–595.00 $592.52 $2,388 —
400–440 422 16 500.00–550.00 $534.75 $2,257 +38.43
450 fancy 450 1 540.00 $540.00 $2,430 +45.00
451–495 470 24 460.00–525.00 $491.45 $2,310 +36.16
500 fancy 500 1 485.00 $485.00 $2,425 +5.00
500–530 517 10 425.00–455.00 $436.52 $2,257 +4.05
555–590 566 6 415.00–455.00 $430.67 $2,438 +25.88
600–635 618 12 370.00–390.00 $377.87 $2,335 -18.78
655–695 678 20 350.00–370.00 $357.25 $2,422 -2.81
700–718 708 11 340.00–357.50 $350.00 $2,478 -10.00
770–795 783 2 325.00–345.00 $334.84 $2,622 +17.93
820–825 822 3 295.00–330.00 $314.96 $2,589 +14.96
860–895 873 4 290.00–310.00 $301.22 $2,630 +32.91
925 925 1 290.00 $290.00 $2,682 —
960–980 970 2 275.00 $275.00 $2,668 —
1030 1030 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,832 +25.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–393 381 12 270.00–460.00 $435.27 $1,658 -19.77
400–445 426 21 395.00–490.00 $455.36 $1,940 +5.05
475–495 486 11 405.00–450.00 $427.82 $2,079 +10.84
500–545 521 14 350.00–420.00 $383.97 $2,000 +9.05
555–590 571 8 330.00–370.00 $352.38 $2,012 +2.38
615–630 621 7 330.00–360.00 $344.20 $2,137 -2.87
650–695 668 3 340.00–345.00 $343.27 $2,293 +1.51
715–740 728 2 330.00–337.50 $333.81 $2,430 +48.81
925 925 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,451 —
970–990 980 2 235.00–265.00 $250.15 $2,451 —
1030 1030 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,214 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,680 —
500–530 513 3 340.00–435.00 $390.94 $2,006 —
670 670 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,044 —
890 890 1 235.00 $235.00 $2,092 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1535 1277 80-85% 8 174.00–180.00 $176.16 $2,250 —
1030–1850 1386 80-85% 14 131.00–154.00 $148.17 $2,054 —
1070–1790 1401 80-85% 37 156.00–173.00 $165.14 $2,314 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040 1040 85-90% 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,092 +5.03
935–1460 1061 85-90% 19 121.00–138.00 $130.66 $1,386 —
1075–1220 1148 85-90% 2 157.00–162.00 $159.66 $1,833 +27.61
980–1455 1207 85-90% 21 139.00–152.00 $144.57 $1,745 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185–1645 1424 75-80% 10 161.00–175.00 $168.87 $2,405 -0.47
1325–1750 1512 75-80% 6 177.00–179.00 $177.99 $2,691 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1710 1402 8 161.00–179.00 $170.80 $2,395 —
1515–2210 1716 8 184.00–204.00 $194.89 $3,344 +1.47
1775–1795 1785 3 206.00–216.00 $212.02 $3,785 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955 955 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,850.00 $2,850.00
1060–1205 1133 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,750.00–2,900.00 $2,829.80
1135 1135 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00
1160–1170 1165 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,600.00–3,200.00 $2,901.29
1285 1285 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00

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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.