Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 17, 2023

1,227 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $169.74/cwt -1.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,144/hd at 674 lb · 50 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $169.05/cwt -21.58 vs last sale · ≈ $741/hd at 439 lb · 43 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $156.31/cwt -3.11 vs last sale · ≈ $813/hd at 520 lb · 42 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,227 1,539 392
Feeder cattle 1,054 1,370 328
Slaughter cattle 121 141 40
Replacement cattle 52 28 24

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers measuring 1.00 lower, with feeder heifers weighing up to 500 lbs. 4.00 higher and those weighing over 500 lbs. 5.00 lower, and feeder bulls unevenly steady. A large offering of high-quality preconditioned feeder cattle was noted. Slaughter cows gauging 1.00 lower overall with slaughter bulls holding steady.

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
290 290 1 220.00 $220.00 $638 —
315–340 328 2 210.00–217.50 $213.89 $702 +3.89
370 value added 370 1 210.00 $210.00 $777 —
375–385 380 2 197.50–199.00 $198.26 $753 -15.09
410–435 value added 415 8 215.00–237.50 $223.40 $927 +15.90
415–444 437 13 185.00–200.00 $195.48 $854 +3.62
450–480 466 12 185.00–197.50 $191.81 $894 +2.10
500–540 514 17 170.00–186.00 $179.22 $921 +3.75
511–527 value added 516 14 192.50–208.00 $202.34 $1,044 -10.75
560–563 value added 563 10 188.00–195.00 $188.70 $1,062 +6.70
555–590 573 18 164.00–176.00 $170.60 $978 -1.34
600–625 613 2 171.00 $171.00 $1,048 -1.54
617–623 value added 622 8 174.00–175.00 $174.75 $1,087 -3.82
650–695 662 10 159.00–169.00 $162.17 $1,074 -4.94
655–688 value added 677 40 170.50–176.00 $171.63 $1,162 -0.73
713–723 value added 720 10 164.00 $164.00 $1,181 -4.50
720–722 721 4 157.50–159.00 $158.00 $1,139 -2.30
753–762 value added 759 8 156.00–165.00 $159.35 $1,209 -5.14
815 value added 815 14 164.50 $164.50 $1,341 +5.30
875 875 2 145.00–148.00 $146.50 $1,282 —
916–918 value added 917 12 149.00–150.00 $149.67 $1,372 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 375 3 160.00–175.00 $169.73 $636 —
515 515 1 150.00 $150.00 $772 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 1 170.00 $170.00 $544 —
560–565 563 2 145.00–152.50 $148.73 $837 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–345 323 15 167.50–177.50 $171.73 $555 +2.88
333–345 value added 336 4 182.50–183.00 $182.87 $614 —
360–385 373 8 170.00–176.00 $173.98 $649 +12.20
350–396 387 6 162.50 $162.50 $629 +0.72
367–398 value added 393 21 179.00–187.50 $185.43 $729 +6.03
410–445 value added 435 12 172.50–181.00 $179.31 $780 -14.23
415–448 440 31 156.00–170.00 $165.08 $726 +3.66
455 value added 455 6 176.00 $176.00 $801 +3.17
452–488 471 29 156.00–166.00 $162.14 $764 +1.26
500–547 519 37 150.00–162.00 $155.27 $806 -3.21
525–530 value added 528 5 164.00 $164.00 $866 -4.00
565–579 value added 576 18 157.00–163.00 $161.18 $928 +0.44
557–597 580 22 140.00–150.00 $144.45 $838 -8.64
610–615 value added 612 7 149.00–155.00 $151.58 $928 +0.99
600–635 623 10 132.50–140.00 $137.89 $859 -3.74
655–675 665 5 137.00–140.00 $137.89 $917 -3.84
652–694 value added 678 18 144.00–152.00 $149.41 $1,013 -4.24
710–730 720 2 125.00–129.00 $126.97 $914 -17.28
737 value added 737 4 142.00 $142.00 $1,047 -5.16
758–786 value added 772 16 132.50–138.00 $135.88 $1,049 -14.95
836 value added 836 4 135.00 $135.00 $1,129 —
885 value added 885 2 125.00 $125.00 $1,106 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317–330 321 3 162.50–164.00 $163.49 $525 +23.49
357–390 375 6 155.00–159.00 $157.76 $592 —
505–530 513 5 127.50–145.00 $136.61 $701 -3.39
557 557 2 130.00 $130.00 $724 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 222.50 $222.50 $578 —
315–345 328 5 195.00–220.00 $211.33 $693 -1.51
350 fancy 350 1 225.00 $225.00 $788 -2.50
350–390 372 20 195.00–220.00 $208.98 $777 +8.98
400–435 416 10 187.50–205.00 $198.69 $827 +2.28
452 fancy 452 2 200.00 $200.00 $904 +1.24
461–495 477 18 167.00–185.00 $175.48 $837 -7.12
500–545 521 18 162.50–177.50 $172.91 $901 +3.89
555–595 576 13 153.00–170.00 $162.94 $939 +2.32
600–640 624 16 145.00–160.00 $154.52 $964 -0.21
676–697 682 9 144.00–158.00 $151.50 $1,033 +5.16
700–712 704 9 136.00–146.00 $141.97 $999 +2.41
777 777 2 133.00 $133.00 $1,033 +5.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303–330 317 6 160.00–177.50 $168.38 $534 —
414–440 418 7 142.50–150.00 $143.63 $600 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–430 427 3 155.00–174.00 $164.26 $701 -10.74
620 620 1 140.00 $140.00 $868 —
680 680 2 135.00–136.50 $135.75 $923 -1.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1720 1720 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1235 1170 80-85% 3 80.50–83.00 $82.04 $960 —
1055–1430 1222 80-85% 16 69.00–78.50 $73.98 $904 +10.06
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100–1615 1410 75-80% 16 69.00–79.00 $74.22 $1,047 —
1555–1585 1570 75-80% 2 83.00–83.50 $83.25 $1,307 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
925–1405 1100 85-90% 13 63.00–74.50 $70.15 $772 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–2130 1701 10 94.00–105.00 $98.62 $1,678 —
2150 2150 1 107.00 $107.00 $2,300 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1140 1140 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 760.00 $760.00
1145 1145 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1145 1145 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1155–1300 1228 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 930.00–1,050.00 $993.54
1095–1425 1273 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 960.00–1,300.00 $1,149.29
1080–1425 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 940.00–1,040.00 $983.69
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1010 1010 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 740.00 $740.00
1100 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
1140 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
830 830 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 820.00 $820.00
860–920 878 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 775.00–875.00 $811.16
1240 1240 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835–841 839 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 775.00 $775.00

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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)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 925.00 $925.00 —

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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.