Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 5, 2026

1,191 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $390.76/cwt +9.25 vs last sale · ≈ $2,487/hd at 636 lb · 85 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $464.64/cwt -7.80 vs last sale · ≈ $2,215/hd at 477 lb · 44 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $497.02/cwt +15.36 vs last sale · ≈ $2,097/hd at 422 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,191 924 972
Feeder cattle 864 632 634
Slaughter cattle 142 123 143
Replacement cattle 185 169 195

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, all classes of Feeder Cattle, 15.00 to 20.00 higher with instances of 30.00 higher. Slaughter Cows 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Slaughter Bulls mostly steady to 4.00 higher. Quality good to very good, and 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
240 240 1 650.00 $650.00 $1,560 -2.57
275–288 284 4 600.00–640.00 $626.33 $1,779 +24.42
300–340 321 8 600.00–645.00 $612.33 $1,966 +31.68
360 thin fleshed 360 1 605.00 $605.00 $2,178 —
350–370 363 3 500.00–525.00 $510.09 $1,852 -36.20
353–390 366 9 540.00–570.00 $553.90 $2,027 +7.61
400–440 415 21 535.00–560.00 $548.76 $2,277 +30.33
405–440 419 10 480.00–520.00 $498.45 $2,089 -19.98
450–495 466 23 515.00–550.00 $537.11 $2,503 +57.80
470–495 488 4 475.00–500.00 $484.79 $2,366 +21.46
500–545 519 30 475.00–535.00 $506.98 $2,631 +88.64
500–545 523 2 400.00–435.00 $418.25 $2,187 -0.09
550 thin fleshed 550 1 510.00 $510.00 $2,805 —
560–595 582 5 440.00–455.00 $449.05 $2,613 -5.18
600–635 615 11 400.00–430.00 $416.14 $2,559 -2.76
623–631 value added 628 6 445.00 $445.00 $2,795 ±0.00
655–670 663 3 410.00–435.00 $418.23 $2,773 +21.69
668 value added 668 7 445.00 $445.00 $2,973 —
705 705 3 400.00 $400.00 $2,820 +26.67
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240–245 243 2 530.00–550.00 $540.10 $1,312 -14.90
275–298 292 4 500.00–560.00 $545.89 $1,594 +36.57
305–345 331 10 350.00–550.00 $469.05 $1,553 -10.95
350–395 366 5 370.00–490.00 $430.66 $1,576 +15.66
405–448 422 14 400.00–515.00 $451.02 $1,903 —
450–485 459 5 375.00–470.00 $423.27 $1,943 —
510–545 519 5 420.00–460.00 $431.82 $2,241 +3.58
576 576 4 420.00 $420.00 $2,419 +69.55
710–715 713 2 370.00 $370.00 $2,638 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 thin fleshed 260 1 635.00 $635.00 $1,651 +55.00
265–298 277 7 580.00–610.00 $595.92 $1,651 +74.15
300–328 319 4 570.00–585.00 $578.90 $1,847 +32.01
325 thin fleshed 325 1 635.00 $635.00 $2,064 —
365–370 thin fleshed 367 3 590.00–595.00 $593.32 $2,177 +53.32
350–390 370 19 520.00–560.00 $540.45 $2,000 +32.80
355–380 372 3 500.00–515.00 $508.52 $1,892 +0.87
400 thin fleshed 400 1 540.00 $540.00 $2,160 +15.00
400–445 422 29 465.00–525.00 $499.46 $2,108 +12.86
425–440 433 2 430.00–450.00 $440.17 $1,906 -46.43
450–496 473 36 450.00–505.00 $475.27 $2,248 +3.62
480–498 493 8 410.00–435.00 $416.82 $2,055 -54.83
500–546 524 20 430.00–465.00 $442.65 $2,319 +7.24
515–540 527 3 385.00–405.00 $398.35 $2,099 -12.93
565–598 580 20 405.00–425.00 $419.45 $2,433 +2.45
600–645 624 4 380.00–405.00 $393.68 $2,457 +19.29
637 637 80 391.25 $391.25 $2,492 +16.86
645 645 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,193 -34.39
655–680 666 4 360.00–380.00 $369.91 $2,464 +11.27
700–745 723 2 340.00–360.00 $349.69 $2,528 +9.69
735 735 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,426 -10.00
750–790 770 3 330.00–350.00 $336.49 $2,591 +13.94
800–810 805 2 325.00–330.00 $327.48 $2,636 -2.52
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 2 520.00–550.00 $535.00 $1,284 +45.00
265–290 273 5 310.00–560.00 $461.83 $1,261 -4.44
310–348 327 7 400.00–520.00 $455.57 $1,490 -20.08
350–395 374 10 300.00–510.00 $435.15 $1,627 +30.15
403–440 421 8 385.00–425.00 $403.72 $1,700 -9.39
460–490 474 4 360.00–400.00 $388.39 $1,841 +31.17
500–545 525 7 310.00–415.00 $372.70 $1,957 +15.95
560–570 565 4 360.00–400.00 $378.69 $2,140 +10.92
605–645 626 5 320.00–360.00 $339.78 $2,127 +9.42
675–690 683 2 320.00–325.00 $322.47 $2,202 -12.53
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,700 —
465 465 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,581 —

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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 1 570.00 $570.00 $2,138 -9.91
355–392 378 12 510.00–545.00 $525.02 $1,985 +1.21
400–445 433 17 500.00–545.00 $531.01 $2,299 +46.45
450–485 464 30 485.00–530.00 $519.07 $2,408 +40.56
500–518 511 11 460.00–500.00 $472.60 $2,415 +31.44
560–563 fancy 562 3 445.00–450.00 $448.34 $2,520 +3.34
555–595 575 13 400.00–425.00 $413.08 $2,375 -4.95
600–643 616 12 390.00–410.00 $400.33 $2,466 +17.72
650–670 660 2 370.00–405.00 $387.23 $2,556 +18.63
700–705 703 2 335.00–360.00 $347.46 $2,443 -3.97
765 765 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,448 -27.50
925–935 930 2 275.00–285.00 $280.03 $2,604 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–390 372 8 405.00–500.00 $486.87 $1,811 +27.56
400–448 424 18 375.00–525.00 $440.18 $1,866 +37.37
455–490 474 12 365.00–470.00 $410.98 $1,948 -2.69
500–535 517 9 360.00–435.00 $396.25 $2,049 -5.38
563–595 578 9 320.00–390.00 $374.82 $2,166 -10.24
600–635 613 3 270.00–370.00 $332.46 $2,038 -17.54
690 690 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,415 —
835 835 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,338 +30.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510–520 515 2 310.00–400.00 $354.56 $1,826 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040–1805 1219 80-85% 21 183.00–205.00 $188.92 $2,303 —
970–1600 1260 80-85% 29 164.00–181.00 $173.10 $2,181 -11.44
1130–1845 1384 80-85% 9 152.00–162.00 $158.47 $2,193 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1090 1026 85-90% 4 160.00–171.00 $164.53 $1,688 —
1060 1060 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $954 -35.61
985–1410 1178 85-90% 16 141.00–158.00 $152.29 $1,794 -6.28
955–1455 1229 85-90% 5 125.00–135.00 $130.36 $1,602 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290–1550 1425 75-80% 5 169.00–178.00 $173.28 $2,469 —
1475 1475 75-80% 1 150.00 $150.00 $2,212 —
1435–1645 1533 75-80% 3 187.00–196.00 $190.52 $2,921 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1395 1313 3 176.00–197.00 $184.69 $2,425 —
1650 1650 1 157.00 $157.00 $2,590 —
1465–1915 1745 5 218.00–225.00 $220.57 $3,849 —
1535–2240 1996 4 197.00–215.00 $207.76 $4,147 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915 915 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
950–1050 1000 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,800.00–2,000.00 $1,895.00
1015–1285 1135 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 2,450.00–3,350.00 $2,903.74
1185 1185 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,650.00 $2,650.00
995–1430 1192 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,300.00–3,000.00 $2,663.50
895–1665 1215 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 2,400.00–3,900.00 $3,124.43
1345 1345 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
710 710 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00
835–960 898 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,600.00–2,000.00 $1,786.07
950 950 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,300.00 $2,300.00
870–1160 979 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,900.00–3,250.00 $2,533.71
985–1020 1003 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,600.00 $2,600.00
1030 1030 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1035–1265 1150 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,500.00–2,300.00 $1,940.00
1285 1285 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1070–1180 1125 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 3,200.00–3,300.00 $3,247.56 —
1230 1230 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,200.00 $4,200.00 —
1120–1370 1240 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 3,700.00–4,050.00 $3,832.76 —
1300 1300 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 1 3,250.00 $3,250.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
870 870 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00 —
1100–1210 1144 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 5 3,100.00–3,300.00 $3,184.62 —
1275 1275 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 4,300.00 $4,300.00 —

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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.