Cattle Market Pulse

Athens Regional Stockyard Market Report

Athens, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, August 18, 2026

732 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $365.50/cwt -22.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,888/hd at 517 lb · 38 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $404.57/cwt -37.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,920/hd at 475 lb · 25 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $351.08/cwt -27.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,968/hd at 561 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 732 1,203 0
Feeder cattle 528 966 0
Slaughter cattle 117 120 0
Replacement cattle 87 117 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, all classes of Feeder Cattle 15.00 to 20.00 lower. Calves under 450lbs receiving most discounts, with instances of 40.00 lower. Slaughter Cows mostly steady to 4.00 lower. Slaughter Bulls 10.00 lower. Quality fair to good, with moderate demand on a lighter test of market.

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
263–295 278 4 505.00–540.00 $520.77 $1,448 -24.23
305–345 322 3 440.00–500.00 $470.31 $1,514 -41.65
325 thin fleshed 325 1 530.00 $530.00 $1,722 -13.40
350–395 374 6 435.00–475.00 $458.53 $1,715 -46.58
380 fancy 380 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,900 —
420–444 439 6 440.00–475.00 $445.59 $1,956 -16.12
460–475 thin fleshed 468 2 420.00–425.00 $422.46 $1,977 —
477 value added 477 3 440.00 $440.00 $2,099 —
480–490 486 4 360.00–395.00 $375.04 $1,823 -75.94
510–545 532 20 360.00–380.00 $374.73 $1,994 -28.69
559–580 564 12 365.00–385.00 $378.68 $2,136 -19.95
600–620 611 13 355.00–375.00 $367.28 $2,244 +27.28
650 650 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,242 -13.58
653–668 663 7 360.00–370.00 $366.05 $2,427 +7.47
814–842 822 11 295.00–307.50 $302.88 $2,490 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–290 270 2 320.00–350.00 $336.11 $907 -120.26
310–345 334 6 370.00–425.00 $396.46 $1,324 -21.53
350–395 369 8 365.00–415.00 $391.15 $1,443 -40.34
405 405 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,256 -59.33
535–540 538 2 260.00–340.00 $300.19 $1,615 -23.19
575 575 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,012 -14.94
620 620 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,139 —
730 730 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,409 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–315 308 4 405.00–410.00 $408.72 $1,259 -34.82
305–330 fancy 318 2 440.00–450.00 $445.20 $1,416 —
350–365 fancy 363 6 435.00–440.00 $435.80 $1,582 —
350–395 378 16 375.00–410.00 $399.12 $1,509 -30.59
418–430 thin fleshed 425 5 407.50–410.00 $408.48 $1,736 -37.83
415–448 431 8 370.00–395.00 $388.19 $1,673 -35.28
435–445 440 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,540 -73.47
450 thin fleshed 450 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,800 —
450–488 475 21 360.00–390.00 $373.86 $1,776 -33.74
475 475 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,662 -57.60
500–545 515 34 350.00–385.00 $368.49 $1,898 -14.01
510–545 530 4 335.00–345.00 $340.12 $1,803 -42.38
550 value added 550 8 372.00 $372.00 $2,046 —
550–585 563 14 330.00–365.00 $345.79 $1,947 -35.42
568–595 577 3 320.00 $320.00 $1,846 -31.62
600–649 625 16 325.00–350.00 $330.42 $2,065 -10.75
675 675 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,025 -10.00
655–693 677 15 310.00–325.00 $317.98 $2,153 -11.39
678 value added 678 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,339 —
700–735 719 7 295.00–315.00 $310.65 $2,234 -1.83
775 775 3 302.00 $302.00 $2,340 -25.50
800–845 823 2 270.00–290.00 $280.27 $2,307 —
880 880 2 260.00–270.00 $265.00 $2,332 -5.09
905 905 2 255.00–270.00 $262.50 $2,376 -7.50
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–295 285 4 380.00–400.00 $394.91 $1,125 -32.52
335 335 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,089 ±0.00
350–390 367 3 330.00–370.00 $357.27 $1,311 +12.00
485 485 2 320.00–325.00 $322.50 $1,564 -28.42
530–535 532 3 280.00–325.00 $303.34 $1,614 -23.26
550–575 562 3 290.00–310.00 $301.65 $1,695 -19.78
655–660 658 2 280.00 $280.00 $1,842 —
790 790 1 270.00 $270.00 $2,133 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 thin fleshed 370 4 505.00 $505.00 $1,868 —
360–395 376 9 415.00–440.00 $430.02 $1,617 -61.73
400–420 fancy 410 2 460.00–470.00 $465.12 $1,907 —
430–448 440 5 380.00–440.00 $424.17 $1,866 -27.32
465–475 fancy 470 2 455.00–460.00 $457.47 $2,150 -12.53
450–495 475 23 370.00–435.00 $399.97 $1,900 -36.75
500–545 525 21 360.00–385.00 $375.16 $1,970 -22.92
560 fancy 560 1 380.00 $380.00 $2,128 -10.00
560–588 578 9 345.00–370.00 $357.75 $2,068 +2.00
600–640 617 16 320.00–350.00 $339.91 $2,097 -5.81
660 660 1 325.00 $325.00 $2,145 -11.86
700–740 730 12 305.00–320.00 $313.31 $2,287 -1.70
770–780 777 3 280.00–300.00 $290.00 $2,253 +3.80
800–820 813 4 260.00–275.00 $270.05 $2,196 -3.25
850–865 858 2 255.00–265.00 $260.04 $2,231 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–385 373 4 320.00–385.00 $353.14 $1,317 -20.36
405–430 418 3 340.00–360.00 $349.88 $1,462 -49.22
480–485 483 2 355.00 $355.00 $1,715 -14.48
500–540 518 9 325.00–355.00 $338.19 $1,752 -9.01
578–593 588 7 322.00–340.00 $326.81 $1,922 +16.94
635–640 638 3 315.00–320.00 $316.66 $2,020 +11.67
670–685 678 3 210.00–320.00 $279.88 $1,898 -35.12
705–740 720 4 270.00–295.00 $282.35 $2,033 -12.65
795 795 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,988 +7.56
840 840 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,100 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1515 1299 80-85% 5 178.00–184.00 $179.74 $2,335 +8.37
1035–2045 1457 80-85% 22 162.00–176.00 $167.32 $2,438 +11.05
1050–1705 1509 80-85% 11 150.00–160.00 $156.18 $2,357 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–1055 975 85-90% 3 100.00–102.00 $101.36 $988 —
1020–1440 1191 85-90% 9 122.00–134.00 $127.59 $1,520 —
1070–1420 1230 85-90% 3 158.00–162.00 $159.88 $1,967 —
985–1590 1252 85-90% 19 140.00–152.00 $144.27 $1,806 -15.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1595 1402 75-80% 3 158.00–162.00 $160.48 $2,250 —
1410 1410 75-80% 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,538 —
1235–1590 1433 75-80% 10 168.00–174.00 $169.83 $2,434 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1890 1890 1 199.00 $199.00 $3,761 —
1720–2090 1926 5 200.00–210.00 $206.38 $3,975 —
2025 2025 1 220.00 $220.00 $4,455 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1800 1800 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,650.00 $3,650.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
795 795 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

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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.