Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 4, 2023

1,217 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $260.77/cwt +21.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,124/hd at 431 lb · 129 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $242.48/cwt +19.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,242/hd at 512 lb · 105 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $192.50/cwt ≈ $1,471/hd at 764 lb · 68 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,217 2,070 1,326
Feeder cattle 1,047 1,821 1,107
Slaughter cattle 133 139 184
Replacement cattle 37 110 35

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers and feeder heifers weighing up to 500 lbs. measuring 1.00 higher overall, with feeder heifers weighing over 500 lbs. 5.00 lower. Feeder bulls weighing up to 500 lbs. 5.00 lower and those weighing over 500 lbs. 4.00 higher. Slaughter cows mostly steady overall with slaughter bulls 2.00 to 5.00 higher. Today's offerings included the following load lots: 1 load ML 1 preconditioned Steers, 764 lbs., 192.50, medium flesh, mostly black; 1 load ML 1-2 preconditioned Steers, 431 lbs., 264.25, light to medium flesh, 80%+ black; 1 load ML 1-2 preconditioned Steers, 511 lbs., 244.50, light to medium flesh, 80%+ black.

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
300–340 320 2 230.00–260.00 $245.94 $787 +16.14
360–391 385 13 232.00–250.00 $237.72 $915 -9.86
400–445 430 17 225.00–250.00 $237.81 $1,023 -1.41
431 value added 431 112 264.25 $264.25 $1,139 —
456 value added 456 3 253.00 $253.00 $1,154 +5.76
460–490 482 18 230.00–250.00 $240.64 $1,160 +6.80
505 505 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,060 -3.56
511–515 value added 511 96 240.00–244.50 $244.45 $1,249 +5.02
515–547 533 7 219.00–229.00 $224.70 $1,198 +11.14
550–595 568 8 217.50–229.00 $221.14 $1,256 -2.64
595 value added 595 3 231.00 $231.00 $1,374 -8.00
595 595 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,232 -16.78
615–645 626 19 207.50–218.00 $215.33 $1,348 +0.16
671 value added 671 32 220.50 $220.50 $1,480 +6.15
715–742 733 3 186.00–186.50 $186.34 $1,366 -5.39
785 value added 785 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,421 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
764 value added 764 68 192.50 $192.50 $1,471 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 4 220.00 $220.00 $502 —
250–275 265 6 215.00 $215.00 $570 —
315 fancy 315 1 225.00 $225.00 $709 -2.50
305–346 335 9 200.00–214.00 $207.33 $695 +2.59
350 fancy 350 1 230.00 $230.00 $805 —
352–396 378 29 204.00–224.00 $216.06 $817 +2.88
407 fancy 407 2 225.00 $225.00 $916 —
405–448 433 24 197.50–217.00 $205.97 $892 -2.01
451–465 fancy 454 5 212.00–215.00 $214.39 $973 —
450–495 472 28 190.00–210.00 $202.17 $954 +0.05
500–547 524 37 182.50–199.00 $190.93 $1,000 -3.34
500–547 value added 535 8 200.00–204.00 $200.93 $1,075 -6.48
560 fancy 560 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,120 —
550–590 567 19 177.50–194.00 $184.29 $1,045 -7.17
595 595 2 165.00 $165.00 $982 -26.46
600–635 613 6 172.50–178.00 $174.36 $1,069 -8.38
653–656 value added 655 9 175.00–178.00 $177.00 $1,159 —
660–675 664 6 165.00–174.00 $171.14 $1,136 -1.01
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285–295 290 2 195.00 $195.00 $566 —
310 310 1 195.00 $195.00 $604 —
350–392 378 10 172.50–193.00 $185.71 $702 +3.83
445 445 2 180.00–190.00 $185.00 $823 -5.93
530–545 538 2 158.00–170.00 $164.08 $883 -14.92
655 655 1 139.00 $139.00 $910 -11.76
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473 473 3 178.00 $178.00 $842 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235–245 238 6 220.00–257.50 $241.16 $574 —
255–275 265 2 230.00 $230.00 $610 -11.27
300–335 319 6 220.00–247.50 $229.71 $733 -3.67
320–325 fancy 323 3 255.00–277.50 $266.66 $861 +11.66
350–395 377 15 217.50–235.00 $224.52 $846 -12.05
400–445 423 17 220.00–247.50 $228.77 $968 -0.90
450–497 472 14 220.00–241.00 $227.33 $1,073 -13.35
500–540 520 19 210.00–226.00 $219.93 $1,144 +1.89
560 fancy 560 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,246 —
550–590 568 15 200.00–217.50 $211.17 $1,199 +7.18
600–645 625 11 190.00–210.00 $202.55 $1,266 +6.06
635 fancy 635 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,365 —
650 650 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,284 +11.40
715–730 722 3 169.00–175.00 $171.66 $1,239 —
750–755 754 4 162.50–170.00 $164.63 $1,241 —
820 820 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,374 +20.03
855–865 860 2 158.00–165.00 $161.52 $1,389 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 207.50 $207.50 $519 +2.32
350 350 1 210.00 $210.00 $735 +2.50
405–440 427 3 205.00–212.50 $209.09 $893 -0.91
470–495 485 10 173.50–215.00 $187.61 $910 -26.30
530–545 540 4 176.00–205.00 $184.48 $996 -24.52
555–595 575 3 180.00–190.00 $184.08 $1,058 -8.42
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00 +272.04

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1285 1188 80-85% 4 80.50–84.00 $82.60 $981 -0.40
1010–1555 1214 80-85% 31 85.00–97.50 $91.61 $1,112 —
1160–1430 1266 80-85% 5 99.00–102.00 $100.80 $1,276 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360 1360 75-80% 1 82.00 $82.00 $1,115 —
1190–1835 1442 75-80% 21 87.50–98.00 $93.67 $1,351 —
1400–1660 1488 75-80% 3 99.50–101.00 $100.37 $1,494 -1.10
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
715–975 894 85-90% 5 69.00–72.50 $70.03 $626 —
885–1265 1068 85-90% 13 75.00–86.00 $81.14 $867 —
1045–1270 1158 85-90% 2 90.00 $90.00 $1,042 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360 1360 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,537 —
1755 1755 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,457 +18.04
1585–2230 1911 6 122.00–131.00 $127.24 $2,432 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
945 945 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1025–1030 1028 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,075.00–1,150.00 $1,112.59
1060 1060 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 820.00 $820.00
1090 1090 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 820.00 $820.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1070 1070 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1085–1300 1193 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,060.00–1,225.00 $1,149.94

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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 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 1,075.00–1,325.00 $1,225.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —

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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.