Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 12, 2026

1,027 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $481.58/cwt -19.85 vs last sale · ≈ $2,495/hd at 518 lb · 37 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $500.37/cwt -28.99 vs last sale · ≈ $2,371/hd at 474 lb · 35 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $501.33/cwt -29.68 vs last sale · ≈ $2,135/hd at 426 lb · 31 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,027 1,191 823
Feeder cattle 719 864 538
Slaughter cattle 144 142 132
Replacement cattle 164 185 153

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Feeder Steers 15.00 to 20.00 lower, with 600lbs to 650lbs being 12.00 to15.00 higher. Feeder Heifer and Bulls 10.00 to 15.00 lower with instances of 30.00 lower. Slaughter Cows 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Slaughter Bulls 4.00 higher. Quality fair and 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
240 240 1 650.00 $650.00 $1,560 ±0.00
250–265 thin fleshed 258 3 670.00–680.00 $673.23 $1,737 —
280–290 288 5 580.00–640.00 $595.69 $1,716 -30.64
310–340 327 5 550.00–580.00 $564.50 $1,846 -47.83
350–363 thin fleshed 360 4 575.00–580.00 $578.78 $2,084 -26.22
350–380 367 12 550.00–570.00 $556.37 $2,042 +2.47
410 thin fleshed 410 1 545.00 $545.00 $2,234 —
405–445 419 11 515.00–535.00 $523.06 $2,192 +24.61
405–435 420 3 500.00–505.00 $503.39 $2,114 +4.94
465 465 1 435.00 $435.00 $2,023 -102.11
463–474 value added 473 29 509.00–515.00 $509.40 $2,409 —
455–495 481 5 450.00–475.00 $461.07 $2,218 -23.72
512 value added 512 9 509.00 $509.00 $2,606 —
500–542 520 28 450.00–485.00 $472.77 $2,458 -34.21
555–567 value added 560 9 475.00–480.00 $477.75 $2,675 —
550–585 564 17 440.00–460.00 $447.97 $2,527 -1.08
585 585 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,516 -19.05
601 value added 601 7 457.00 $457.00 $2,747 +12.00
600–641 622 17 425.00–435.00 $432.10 $2,688 +15.96
665 thin fleshed 665 1 425.00 $425.00 $2,826 —
650–685 670 6 395.00–410.00 $399.96 $2,680 -18.27
680–685 683 2 370.00 $370.00 $2,527 -48.23
698 value added 698 2 395.00 $395.00 $2,757 -50.00
705 705 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,679 -20.00
705–740 717 3 365.00–380.00 $374.84 $2,688 -25.16
780–795 788 2 350.00–360.00 $354.95 $2,797 —
800–820 810 2 355.00 $355.00 $2,876 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 550.00 $550.00 $1,348 +9.90
280–290 285 2 540.00 $540.00 $1,539 -5.89
310–345 322 3 350.00–535.00 $452.80 $1,458 -16.25
350–390 367 7 440.00–535.00 $488.20 $1,792 +57.54
400–435 417 3 440.00–505.00 $472.42 $1,970 +21.40
490 490 1 410.00 $410.00 $2,009 -13.27
505–530 520 3 405.00–435.00 $424.81 $2,209 -7.01
595 595 1 405.00 $405.00 $2,410 -15.00
610–640 620 3 390.00–415.00 $406.40 $2,520 —
825 825 1 340.00 $340.00 $2,805 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 1 430.00 $430.00 $2,430 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–290 276 4 570.00–600.00 $581.99 $1,606 -13.93
315–330 320 6 560.00–590.00 $577.51 $1,848 -1.39
350–385 366 10 490.00–530.00 $510.99 $1,870 -29.46
360–390 375 2 475.00–480.00 $477.40 $1,790 -31.12
400–415 thin fleshed 405 6 500.00–510.00 $501.71 $2,032 -38.29
400–440 418 6 440.00–450.00 $445.09 $1,860 -54.37
400–448 432 17 460.00–490.00 $477.76 $2,064 +37.59
455 thin fleshed 455 4 485.00–490.00 $487.50 $2,218 —
455–495 478 11 440.00–475.00 $459.46 $2,196 -15.81
475–490 484 4 415.00–425.00 $421.24 $2,039 +4.42
500–525 thin fleshed 513 2 440.00–445.00 $442.44 $2,270 —
500–548 528 15 405.00–420.00 $411.26 $2,171 +12.91
553–595 565 23 395.00–415.00 $409.01 $2,311 -10.44
603 thin fleshed 603 2 390.00 $390.00 $2,352 —
605–645 620 10 360.00–385.00 $372.44 $2,309 -21.24
630 630 2 350.00–355.00 $352.50 $2,221 -41.18
650–655 653 2 335.00–360.00 $347.45 $2,269 -22.46
720–735 728 2 325.00–345.00 $335.10 $2,440 -14.59
820 820 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,460 -27.48
930 930 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,790 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 2 495.00–560.00 $527.50 $1,266 -7.50
270 270 2 560.00 $560.00 $1,512 +98.17
300–335 319 10 420.00–540.00 $487.37 $1,555 +31.80
350–395 376 8 380.00–485.00 $441.57 $1,660 +6.42
415–445 433 7 335.00–430.00 $396.06 $1,715 -7.66
450–490 474 8 355.00–405.00 $386.68 $1,833 -1.71
520–540 530 3 335.00–380.00 $365.28 $1,936 -7.42
565–590 578 5 300.00–390.00 $362.16 $2,093 -16.53
610 610 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,525 -89.78
665 665 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,128 -2.47
710 710 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,272 —
780 780 1 260.00 $260.00 $2,028 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–385 378 4 520.00–550.00 $541.58 $2,047 +16.56
390 fancy 390 1 565.00 $565.00 $2,204 -5.00
410–423 fancy 418 4 525.00–535.00 $527.48 $2,205 —
400–445 427 27 480.00–520.00 $497.46 $2,124 -33.55
460 fancy 460 1 515.00 $515.00 $2,369 —
450–495 467 17 470.00–500.00 $485.46 $2,267 -33.61
500–547 531 17 435.00–470.00 $450.79 $2,394 -21.81
550–580 564 6 430.00–445.00 $436.74 $2,463 +23.66
570–595 586 4 390.00–395.00 $393.78 $2,308 -19.30
600–610 602 5 370.00–385.00 $381.96 $2,299 -18.37
668–680 fancy 672 3 380.00–385.00 $381.69 $2,565 —
660–690 674 13 345.00–370.00 $361.17 $2,434 -26.06
710–740 724 5 350.00–360.00 $354.00 $2,563 +6.54
760–785 771 5 320.00–335.00 $330.06 $2,545 +10.06
825 825 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,722 —
850–865 857 3 325.00–345.00 $334.96 $2,871 —
920–925 923 2 260.00–285.00 $272.47 $2,515 -7.56
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–395 380 4 480.00–510.00 $490.76 $1,865 +3.89
410–445 432 6 360.00–470.00 $429.05 $1,853 -11.13
455–490 466 11 355.00–450.00 $422.74 $1,970 +11.76
500–535 517 3 340.00–410.00 $372.94 $1,928 -23.31
595 595 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,380 +25.18
600–645 624 5 320.00–360.00 $345.28 $2,155 +12.82
708 708 2 330.00 $330.00 $2,336 —
750–770 760 3 285.00–310.00 $298.27 $2,267 —
830 830 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,324 ±0.00
870 870 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,566 —
970 970 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,182 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
502 502 3 430.00 $430.00 $2,159 +75.44

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1610 1289 80-85% 19 185.00–205.00 $191.46 $2,468 +18.36
1015–1950 1351 80-85% 28 165.00–182.00 $175.26 $2,368 +16.79
1035–2055 1510 80-85% 3 147.00–160.00 $150.92 $2,279 —
2165 2165 80-85% 1 117.00 $117.00 $2,533 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1170 1060 85-90% 2 87.00–102.00 $95.28 $1,010 +5.28
865–1430 1098 85-90% 15 150.00–160.00 $156.09 $1,714 —
915–1565 1177 85-90% 12 122.00–145.00 $137.06 $1,613 -15.23
990–1405 1201 85-90% 5 162.00–172.00 $167.16 $2,008 +36.80
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1540 1437 75-80% 10 172.00–182.00 $177.29 $2,548 +4.01
1180–1690 1480 75-80% 10 185.00–200.00 $189.06 $2,798 +39.06
1475–1490 1483 75-80% 2 152.00–167.00 $159.54 $2,366 +9.54

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1365 1248 2 172.00–187.00 $180.21 $2,249 —
1425–2200 1712 10 206.00–221.00 $210.94 $3,611 -9.63
1530–1965 1827 6 222.00–234.00 $225.03 $4,111 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020 1020 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00
1155 1155 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00
1230 1230 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,800.00 $3,800.00
1080–1400 1239 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 2,900.00–4,000.00 $3,475.61
1050–1477 1301 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 2,600.00–3,000.00 $2,883.05
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025 1025 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1090 1090 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,400.00 $2,400.00
1108 1108 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,050.00 $2,050.00
915–1250 1114 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,900.00–2,900.00 $2,488.37
1100–1135 1118 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,300.00–2,750.00 $2,528.52
1075–1160 1127 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,900.00–2,600.00 $2,222.63

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1050 1050 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,550.00 $3,550.00 —

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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.