Cattle Market Pulse

East Tennessee Livestock Center Market Report

Sweetwater, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, February 24, 2021

794 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest East Tennessee Livestock Center report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $144.23/cwt +4.52 vs last sale · ≈ $677/hd at 469 lb · 25 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $132.32/cwt +12.81 vs last sale · ≈ $565/hd at 427 lb · 23 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $129.77/cwt +12.20 vs last sale · ≈ $608/hd at 469 lb · 20 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 794 474 245
Feeder cattle 508 262 169
Slaughter cattle 223 192 62
Replacement cattle 63 20 14

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to sale two weeks ago, feeder heifers weighing up to 600 lbs. sharply higher, with those over 600 lbs. 3.00 higher. Feeder bulls measuring 4.00 to 5.00 higher overall, with feeder trends based on a heavier test and higher-quality offerings noted. No comparisons available for feeder steers due to limited comparable receipts from two weeks ago. Regarding slaughter classes- breaker cows 3.00 higher, boning cows 5.00 lower, lean cows mostly steady, and slaughter bulls 8.00 to 9.00 higher.

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
350–395 368 3 150.00–160.00 $153.26 $564 +3.78
380 value added 380 1 168.00 $168.00 $638 —
405–445 424 5 139.00–154.00 $150.05 $636 +0.05
455–495 value added 468 3 158.00–160.00 $158.70 $743 —
460–495 478 3 147.00–155.00 $151.98 $726 +9.82
503–530 508 6 137.00–138.00 $137.33 $698 -1.96
520 value added 520 1 149.00 $149.00 $775 —
565 value added 565 1 149.00 $149.00 $842 —
550–585 569 5 131.00–145.00 $139.51 $794 -1.47
600–613 610 4 122.00–134.00 $124.95 $762 -1.47
630 thin fleshed 630 1 115.00 $115.00 $724 —
655–690 674 6 118.00–128.00 $122.34 $825 -9.83
705–745 730 8 113.00–122.00 $116.10 $848 —
760–785 768 3 113.00–119.00 $115.31 $886 —
795 fancy 795 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,034 —
805 value added 805 1 117.00 $117.00 $942 —
875 875 1 106.00 $106.00 $928 —
945 945 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,030 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 555 1 127.00 $127.00 $705 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218 218 3 142.00 $142.00 $310 -5.53
250–295 273 6 123.00–135.00 $128.22 $350 +0.22
315 fancy 315 1 148.00 $148.00 $466 —
325–345 334 8 127.00–137.00 $133.31 $445 +10.97
358–398 379 9 122.00–134.00 $128.67 $488 +12.99
400–445 426 22 126.00–137.00 $132.02 $562 +13.09
440 fancy 440 1 139.00 $139.00 $612 +10.46
455–460 fancy 458 2 137.00–139.00 $138.01 $632 —
450–495 470 17 124.00–134.00 $129.38 $608 +11.81
470 470 1 120.00 $120.00 $564 +2.43
500–545 524 18 110.00–121.00 $115.48 $605 +6.93
550–588 570 13 110.00–119.00 $114.91 $655 +11.34
580 580 1 106.00 $106.00 $615 +2.43
600–603 fancy 602 4 115.00–119.50 $118.38 $713 —
600–625 value added 616 6 111.00–117.00 $114.69 $706 —
600–645 628 4 102.00–109.00 $105.47 $662 +3.81
650–680 669 10 100.00–112.00 $105.07 $703 +3.85
650–695 673 2 90.00–96.00 $93.10 $627 -8.12
715 fancy 715 1 110.00 $110.00 $786 —
725 725 1 92.00 $92.00 $667 -6.34
720–735 728 3 96.00–106.00 $99.70 $726 +1.36
755–795 775 6 95.00–101.00 $97.96 $759 +8.96
810 810 2 94.00–97.00 $95.50 $774 +1.50
885–895 890 2 93.00–94.00 $93.50 $832 +5.50
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 127.00 $127.00 $343 —
330 330 1 115.00 $115.00 $380 —
395 395 1 123.00 $123.00 $486 —
405 405 1 118.00 $118.00 $478 +10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 124.00 $124.00 $372 —
380 380 1 116.00 $116.00 $441 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040 1040 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,082 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 150.00 $150.00 $330 -5.00
260–295 278 12 150.00–165.00 $157.65 $438 +0.57
335–345 342 3 147.50–151.00 $149.50 $511 -8.13
350–390 367 11 144.00–160.00 $153.88 $565 —
423 fancy 423 2 154.00 $154.00 $651 —
410–445 425 16 140.00–150.00 $146.09 $621 +2.68
450–475 fancy 455 6 152.00–154.00 $152.68 $695 —
450–495 474 19 135.00–150.00 $141.56 $671 +1.85
505–540 527 8 126.00–138.00 $131.78 $694 +2.98
520–535 fancy 528 2 141.00–142.00 $141.49 $747 —
565 fancy 565 1 141.00 $141.00 $797 —
572 572 3 120.00 $120.00 $686 +1.54
555–593 574 10 125.00–139.00 $132.66 $761 +14.20
615 thin fleshed 615 1 107.00 $107.00 $658 —
610–635 624 6 120.00–126.00 $123.31 $769 +5.82
625 value added 625 1 133.00 $133.00 $831 —
650–670 664 10 114.00–121.00 $119.59 $794 +7.35
705–745 724 7 104.00–109.00 $105.91 $767 +2.91
750–783 771 7 98.00–106.00 $103.47 $798 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
233 233 2 132.50 $132.50 $309 —
400 400 1 123.00 $123.00 $492 —
630 630 1 109.00 $109.00 $687 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 136.00 $136.00 $551 —
695 695 1 107.00 $107.00 $744 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1430 1181 80-85% 4 52.00–55.50 $54.33 $642 -13.91
990–1660 1234 80-85% 48 57.50–70.00 $63.66 $786 —
1280–1480 1381 80-85% 5 71.50–77.50 $73.39 $1,014 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120–1795 1374 75-80% 42 61.00–72.00 $66.30 $911 —
1545 1545 75-80% 1 76.50 $76.50 $1,182 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745–880 821 85-90% 4 64.00–73.00 $69.30 $569 —
850–1260 1057 85-90% 37 52.00–61.50 $55.25 $584 -0.39
1115 1115 85-90% 1 64.50 $64.50 $719 +3.41

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1985 1761 12 91.00–100.50 $95.73 $1,686 —
1720–2190 1961 5 102.00–107.00 $104.11 $2,042 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 740.00–825.00 $782.50
950–1050 1000 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 625.00–710.00 $678.75
1100 1100 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 675.00 $675.00
950–1300 1163 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 880.00–1,100.00 $968.13
1000–1400 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 790.00–840.00 $813.33
1100–1300 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 730.00–820.00 $766.67
1050–1450 1239 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 9 840.00–1,100.00 $945.00
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 850.00 $850.00
1300 1300 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
850 850 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 840.00 $840.00
800–950 875 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 790.00–860.00 $825.00
800–1100 920 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 840.00–1,000.00 $898.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750 750 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,260.00 $1,260.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
350 350 4 290.00 $290.00 —
Small 4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 70.00 $70.00 $287 —
460 460 1 76.00 $76.00 $350 —
515 515 1 79.00 $79.00 $407 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 98.00 $98.00 $392 —

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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.