Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, July 21, 2026

1,039 head sold ·Official USDA report

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $396.64/cwt -25.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,892/hd at 477 lb · 31 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $410.41/cwt +25.14 vs last sale · ≈ $2,346/hd at 572 lb · 29 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $390.27/cwt -16.83 vs last sale · ≈ $2,036/hd at 522 lb · 24 head
Athens, TN 5-weight heifers brought $375/cwt, in line with the state average—$2/cwt below the TN average ($377) and $11/cwt under Athens Regional Stockyard Preconditioned Sale ($386). Tennessee 5-weight heifers are down $28 from their late June peak of $399/cwt. What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,039 1,156 1,216
Feeder cattle 673 863 725
Slaughter cattle 162 161 215
Replacement cattle 204 132 276

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, all classes of Feeder Cattle 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Heavy flesh, excessively haired, and new crop calves receiving most of discounts. Average quality and good demand. Slaughter Cows steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter Bulls 5.00 to 10.00 lower.

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
255–285 272 3 460.00–480.00 $471.99 $1,284 -21.53
295 thin fleshed 295 1 590.00 $590.00 $1,740 +4.67
315–340 thin fleshed 330 6 525.00–550.00 $539.27 $1,780 —
345 345 1 465.00 $465.00 $1,604 -48.77
350 350 3 455.00–470.00 $465.00 $1,628 —
361 thin fleshed 361 4 495.00 $495.00 $1,787 -40.13
400–435 418 2 440.00–485.00 $463.44 $1,937 -15.44
420 value added 420 3 505.00 $505.00 $2,121 —
435–440 438 2 400.00–405.00 $402.51 $1,763 -76.37
452–453 thin fleshed 453 10 495.00–505.00 $498.00 $2,256 —
455–480 467 5 470.00–480.00 $474.09 $2,214 +11.79
498 498 4 410.00 $410.00 $2,042 -52.30
515–540 525 3 375.00–425.00 $393.14 $2,064 -50.69
520–527 fancy 525 4 435.00 $435.00 $2,284 —
515–544 540 8 360.00–365.00 $360.60 $1,947 -83.23
555–595 value added 582 6 430.00–440.00 $431.59 $2,512 —
560–593 582 12 375.00–415.00 $391.84 $2,281 -42.91
600–645 626 22 365.00–390.00 $375.73 $2,352 -23.70
650–698 676 13 350.00–385.00 $366.71 $2,479 +11.69
715–745 728 6 335.00–355.00 $343.29 $2,499 -0.08
768–790 774 4 329.00–337.50 $331.17 $2,563 -13.83
838 value added 838 2 332.00 $332.00 $2,782 —
865 865 1 327.50 $327.50 $2,833 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 350.00 $350.00 $945 -64.20
330–345 338 2 350.00–390.00 $370.44 $1,252 -47.49
395 395 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,600 -5.82
435 435 2 350.00–360.00 $355.00 $1,544 -25.96
480–495 487 3 330.00–370.00 $351.76 $1,713 -45.53
545 545 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,635 -51.21
550–595 578 3 310.00–355.00 $339.02 $1,960 -16.02
600–610 605 2 330.00–345.00 $337.56 $2,042 -27.44
700–720 710 2 310.00–315.00 $312.46 $2,218 —
855 855 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,565 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 590 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,593 —

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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 3 540.00 $540.00 $1,366 —
290 290 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,450 -11.88
310 thin fleshed 310 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,628 —
320–340 333 3 475.00–495.00 $488.60 $1,627 +1.32
375–395 388 9 470.00–480.00 $473.78 $1,838 +24.84
400–433 422 3 380.00–400.00 $393.68 $1,661 -38.39
405–445 425 10 420.00–440.00 $429.56 $1,826 -2.51
450–495 474 24 380.00–430.00 $409.21 $1,940 -15.17
465–495 487 7 350.00–365.00 $353.54 $1,722 -70.84
500–530 513 3 340.00–350.00 $346.69 $1,779 -55.52
504–545 523 21 370.00–415.00 $396.49 $2,074 -5.72
550–587 566 15 360.00–380.00 $370.83 $2,099 -22.27
560–595 578 6 325.00–335.00 $327.48 $1,893 -65.62
610–645 623 13 325.00–345.00 $332.24 $2,070 -3.35
650–680 658 16 325.00–335.00 $326.55 $2,149 -10.79
710–720 715 2 290.00–315.00 $302.41 $2,162 -25.61
775–785 780 2 285.00–310.00 $297.58 $2,321 —
805–820 815 3 295.00–310.00 $303.29 $2,472 +5.37
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,092 +27.66
315–335 327 5 420.00 $420.00 $1,373 +5.74
350–390 368 3 325.00–425.00 $384.05 $1,413 -17.56
400–443 424 6 310.00–370.00 $341.96 $1,450 -51.31
455–485 473 3 305.00–350.00 $335.58 $1,587 -2.65
510–525 516 4 325.00–350.00 $338.66 $1,747 -16.33
555–590 578 4 260.00–320.00 $292.95 $1,693 -33.44
600–645 618 5 285.00–315.00 $299.10 $1,848 -5.90
650–695 664 5 275.00–315.00 $297.05 $1,972 -2.69
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 535 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,525 -75.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
368 fancy 368 2 490.00 $490.00 $1,803 -35.00
365–390 375 3 430.00–475.00 $452.09 $1,695 -23.28
408–435 thin fleshed 414 5 500.00–505.00 $503.95 $2,086 —
410–445 423 6 430.00–480.00 $458.77 $1,941 -18.83
460–495 fancy 478 2 450.00–475.00 $462.04 $2,209 -12.96
485–498 491 5 405.00–435.00 $421.06 $2,067 -24.26
500–530 fancy 515 2 430.00–440.00 $434.85 $2,239 -15.15
500–540 520 11 370.00–415.00 $400.54 $2,083 -14.30
555–566 fancy 563 10 430.00–445.00 $434.44 $2,446 -5.59
558–595 576 19 370.00–410.00 $397.76 $2,291 +42.76
600–645 618 11 335.00–360.00 $350.33 $2,165 +11.39
655–684 672 13 300.00–335.00 $320.42 $2,153 -9.50
700–725 713 2 305.00–315.00 $310.09 $2,211 -0.10
728 thin fleshed 728 5 321.00 $321.00 $2,337 —
803–830 810 5 285.00–310.00 $296.10 $2,398 +4.96
890 890 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,403 —
918 918 2 275.00 $275.00 $2,524 +5.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–380 368 4 330.00–425.00 $372.76 $1,372 -40.68
405–445 421 4 330.00–400.00 $365.55 $1,539 -25.68
455–475 464 4 350.00–380.00 $368.85 $1,711 -24.51
520–540 530 5 300.00–360.00 $332.25 $1,761 -25.99
550–595 571 6 310.00–355.00 $335.76 $1,917 +2.16
605–613 610 3 320.00–325.00 $323.35 $1,972 +13.35
670–680 673 3 275.00–290.00 $281.66 $1,896 -25.00
738 738 2 280.00 $280.00 $2,066 —
773 773 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,319 —
825–845 835 2 270.00 $270.00 $2,254 —
930 930 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,325 —
960 960 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,208 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1940 1283 80-85% 14 190.00–208.00 $198.15 $2,542 +2.07
975–1775 1310 80-85% 35 170.00–189.00 $180.76 $2,368 —
1755–2185 1900 80-85% 3 150.00–169.00 $162.00 $3,078 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1145 1043 85-90% 2 160.00–161.00 $160.55 $1,675 —
1050 1050 85-90% 2 134.00–138.00 $136.00 $1,428 —
945–1380 1108 85-90% 12 141.00–155.00 $147.89 $1,639 -5.65
1090–1590 1308 85-90% 3 120.00–122.50 $120.69 $1,579 -9.75
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1545 1373 75-80% 18 175.00–188.00 $181.62 $2,494 —
1405 1405 75-80% 1 192.00 $192.00 $2,698 +24.50

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1440 1199 12 187.50–219.00 $209.20 $2,508 —
1310–1965 1630 6 224.00–235.00 $228.98 $3,732 —
1430–2265 1758 12 203.00–223.00 $213.77 $3,758 -11.22
2560 2560 1 180.00 $180.00 $4,608 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
890 890 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00
1000 1000 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1130 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,450.00–2,600.00 $2,525.00
1195–1210 1203 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,600.00–3,800.00 $3,700.62
1050–1385 1271 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 2,600.00–3,500.00 $3,179.40
1455 1455 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00
1130 1130 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,150.00 $2,150.00
1035–1280 1155 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,000.00–2,400.00 $2,180.95

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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.