Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 26, 2026

955 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $469.30/cwt +1.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,967/hd at 419 lb · 31 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $419.67/cwt +16.12 vs last sale · ≈ $2,381/hd at 567 lb · 26 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $467.75/cwt -3.33 vs last sale · ≈ $1,774/hd at 379 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 955 1,030 928
Feeder cattle 594 668 678
Slaughter cattle 143 102 123
Replacement cattle 218 260 127

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, Feeder Steers and Heifers unevenly steady to 15.00 lower. Feeder Bulls 15.00 to 20.00 lower. Slaughter Cows mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter Bulls mostly steady. Feeder quality fair to good, with very good slaughter cows. Demand good to very good, with added buyer presence.

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
255–281 thin fleshed 270 7 620.00–630.00 $624.05 $1,685 +24.05
260–290 281 6 570.00–590.00 $579.82 $1,629 +36.68
300–345 325 14 535.00–580.00 $555.22 $1,804 +24.15
350–355 351 5 490.00–525.00 $510.94 $1,793 -41.76
360–385 value added 377 3 560.00–565.00 $561.59 $2,117 —
405–420 414 5 505.00–520.00 $515.04 $2,132 +2.81
450–490 470 18 467.50–490.00 $476.49 $2,240 -28.28
513–543 524 12 440.00–465.00 $446.62 $2,340 -32.91
550–575 565 10 420.00–440.00 $432.03 $2,441 -16.46
567 value added 567 3 480.00 $480.00 $2,722 +2.32
605–613 value added 611 4 420.00–435.00 $423.71 $2,589 -3.29
600–642 628 10 380.00–405.00 $390.84 $2,454 -16.66
658 value added 658 3 415.00 $415.00 $2,731 —
656–690 663 5 370.00–390.00 $385.84 $2,558 -10.44
715–720 718 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,585 -18.00
775 775 2 325.00–340.00 $332.50 $2,577 -37.50
907 907 3 326.00 $326.00 $2,957 —
950 950 1 330.00 $330.00 $3,135 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 295 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,239 —
310–345 327 9 390.00–510.00 $462.07 $1,511 -42.93
350 350 1 440.00 $440.00 $1,540 -49.78
405–448 435 6 375.00–465.00 $412.27 $1,793 -50.01
450–495 477 12 390.00–455.00 $423.21 $2,019 -26.71
525–545 535 2 400.00–420.00 $409.81 $2,192 -27.62
573–590 578 5 405.00–415.00 $410.61 $2,373 +7.27
610–615 613 2 365.00–375.00 $369.98 $2,268 —
665–675 670 2 310.00–365.00 $337.29 $2,260 +2.29
830 830 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,739 —
875 875 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,756 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
460 460 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,840 ±0.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
253 thin fleshed 253 3 600.00 $600.00 $1,518 —
250–275 261 7 530.00–560.00 $536.99 $1,402 +26.99
315–332 thin fleshed 325 5 535.00 $535.00 $1,739 —
330 330 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,436 -65.00
310–338 333 7 495.00–510.00 $503.53 $1,677 +3.53
355–395 379 24 450.00–490.00 $469.11 $1,778 +32.19
385 385 1 435.00 $435.00 $1,675 -41.77
416 value added 416 13 485.00 $485.00 $2,018 -15.87
400–440 420 15 445.00–475.00 $462.90 $1,944 +4.26
400–445 428 3 430.00–435.00 $433.27 $1,854 -25.37
455–493 471 11 440.00–470.00 $458.28 $2,158 +4.50
460–495 483 3 425.00–435.00 $430.12 $2,077 +0.12
487 value added 487 3 480.00 $480.00 $2,338 —
505–543 521 23 420.00–445.00 $430.03 $2,240 -7.60
564 value added 564 11 442.00 $442.00 $2,493 —
550–585 566 12 395.00–430.00 $410.39 $2,323 +44.16
580–588 585 3 370.00–385.00 $374.95 $2,193 +8.72
610–623 618 5 355.00–370.00 $360.99 $2,231 -22.34
655–673 668 6 350.00–365.00 $353.32 $2,360 -11.53
720–740 732 4 320.00–330.00 $327.47 $2,397 -27.53
755 755 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,492 +5.00
815 815 1 315.00 $315.00 $2,567 -5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–280 276 5 470.00–520.00 $501.99 $1,385 +45.37
320–345 335 4 380.00–470.00 $432.85 $1,450 -19.70
373–395 380 6 350.00–400.00 $369.57 $1,404 -7.32
400–445 426 11 300.00–440.00 $405.16 $1,726 -11.26
460–490 473 7 330.00–405.00 $384.51 $1,819 -26.00
500–540 519 8 320.00–405.00 $355.58 $1,845 -41.47
570–590 583 3 280.00–365.00 $329.60 $1,922 -20.40
600–640 620 4 325.00–345.00 $331.25 $2,054 +6.15
655–695 680 3 335.00–340.00 $336.61 $2,289 +1.61

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–388 376 9 550.00–565.00 $554.34 $2,084 +1.55
405–445 418 15 465.00–520.00 $497.17 $2,078 -10.31
450–490 467 9 440.00–480.00 $456.44 $2,132 -40.43
500–545 521 9 410.00–440.00 $419.57 $2,186 -29.74
550 fancy 550 1 435.00 $435.00 $2,392 -12.51
557–575 564 9 385.00–405.00 $392.72 $2,215 -21.41
600–610 605 2 335.00–365.00 $349.88 $2,117 -20.12
614 fancy 614 5 400.00 $400.00 $2,456 ±0.00
650–685 671 4 320.00–350.00 $337.31 $2,263 +8.99
720–740 729 4 315.00–325.00 $319.99 $2,333 -19.99
760 760 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,470 -4.97
1085 1085 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,387 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–398 386 14 360.00–510.00 $463.99 $1,791 -6.55
405–445 429 8 285.00–450.00 $422.96 $1,814 -18.83
455–490 473 6 335.00–430.00 $397.64 $1,881 -14.74
505–548 530 8 300.00–400.00 $369.37 $1,958 -2.14
555–595 578 3 340.00–370.00 $359.71 $2,079 -16.35
600 600 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,950 -24.88
790–795 793 2 240.00–275.00 $257.56 $2,042 -2.44
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,405 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1810 1245 80-85% 21 190.00–207.00 $196.31 $2,444 +2.78
900–1930 1446 80-85% 37 170.00–189.00 $180.23 $2,606 —
1010–2065 1512 80-85% 11 148.00–170.00 $164.21 $2,483 —
1570 1570 80-85% 1 132.00 $132.00 $2,072 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1250 1033 85-90% 5 130.00–142.00 $136.68 $1,412 -18.03
1105 1105 85-90% 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,326 —
915–1405 1156 85-90% 17 145.00–167.00 $156.72 $1,812 —
1330 1330 85-90% 1 172.00 $172.00 $2,288 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1885 1463 75-80% 12 176.00–187.00 $183.09 $2,679 —
1545–1550 1548 75-80% 2 188.00–197.00 $192.49 $2,980 —
1620 1620 75-80% 1 159.00 $159.00 $2,576 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125–1465 1326 4 197.00–223.00 $207.15 $2,747 —
1370–1950 1668 3 179.00–201.00 $187.77 $3,132 —
1615–2075 1776 9 217.00–233.00 $225.84 $4,011 -5.38

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1050–1200 1125 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,800.00–2,950.00 $2,880.00
1075–1285 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1275–1430 1353 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,750.00–3,150.00 $2,961.46

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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.