Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 2, 2023

1,000 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $210.93/cwt +13.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,118/hd at 530 lb · 138 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $209.37/cwt +4.01 vs last sale · ≈ $984/hd at 470 lb · 41 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $213.61/cwt +5.80 vs last sale · ≈ $914/hd at 428 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,000 1,335 1,197
Feeder cattle 819 1,065 1,050
Slaughter cattle 147 193 126
Replacement cattle 34 77 21

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers weighing up to 550 lbs. sharply higher, with those weighing over 550 lbs. mostly steady. Feeder heifers weighing up to 350 lbs. sharply higher, with those weighing over 350 lbs. 3.00 higher, and feeder bulls sharply higher overall. Regarding slaughter classes- breaker and boning cows 1.00 to 2.00 lower overall, with lean cows 5.00 to 8.00 higher, and bulls 2.00 to 4.00 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
275 275 2 265.00 $265.00 $729 —
315 315 1 280.00 $280.00 $882 +29.36
350 fancy 350 1 262.50 $262.50 $919 —
368–395 379 5 235.00–253.00 $248.10 $940 +9.64
410–437 420 15 245.00–257.50 $253.98 $1,067 +36.49
455–495 476 20 240.00–254.00 $248.96 $1,185 +46.80
510–547 533 13 223.00–250.00 $237.64 $1,267 +8.37
565–595 581 9 210.00–232.50 $221.52 $1,287 -6.24
630–635 633 2 222.50–227.50 $225.01 $1,424 +16.41
665 value added 665 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,463 —
666–670 667 4 208.00–218.00 $210.51 $1,404 -5.18
740 740 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,413 —
765 765 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,423 -14.00
805 805 2 191.00 $191.00 $1,538 —
860 860 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,462 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 230.00 $230.00 $656 —
330 330 1 247.50 $247.50 $817 —
510–530 520 2 215.00–217.50 $216.23 $1,124 +37.41
591 591 4 186.00 $186.00 $1,099 +16.00
607–615 610 3 172.50–197.50 $180.91 $1,104 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
233–235 234 4 237.50–240.00 $238.13 $557 +27.73
255–295 275 6 225.00–237.50 $232.02 $638 +27.74
305–345 320 6 222.50–235.00 $228.82 $732 +14.09
357 value added 357 4 234.00 $234.00 $835 —
350–395 378 5 210.00–222.50 $214.78 $812 +22.83
402–445 428 25 200.00–222.50 $213.61 $914 +21.37
460 fancy 460 1 223.00 $223.00 $1,026 +6.18
450–497 470 40 197.50–217.50 $209.03 $982 +5.64
500–542 523 38 191.00–210.00 $205.73 $1,076 +5.65
517–534 value added 533 100 212.50–218.00 $212.91 $1,135 —
550–595 569 21 190.00–205.00 $198.33 $1,128 +3.67
592 value added 592 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,397 —
605–645 618 14 175.00–189.00 $183.91 $1,137 +2.00
665 value added 665 2 189.00 $189.00 $1,257 —
650–690 667 9 170.00–187.00 $178.01 $1,187 +15.51
700–715 707 5 162.50–165.00 $164.50 $1,163 +3.56
755–780 772 4 159.00–161.00 $159.74 $1,233 —
820 820 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,292 +1.67
863 863 3 158.00 $158.00 $1,364 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–340 323 3 200.00–205.00 $201.62 $651 —
370–390 380 2 180.00–185.00 $182.43 $693 —
445 445 1 187.50 $187.50 $834 —
467 467 2 191.00 $191.00 $892 —
550 550 2 178.00 $178.00 $979 —
607 607 2 171.00 $171.00 $1,038 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 fancy 255 1 270.00 $270.00 $688 —
250–280 264 7 240.00–265.00 $252.88 $668 +10.55
321 value added 321 6 266.00 $266.00 $854 —
300–345 328 9 240.00–262.50 $249.81 $819 +17.19
360 fancy 360 1 272.50 $272.50 $981 +12.50
360–397 385 5 245.00–267.50 $255.00 $982 +18.79
425–435 429 5 215.00–235.00 $225.49 $967 +10.07
451–480 fancy 459 5 245.00–247.50 $245.52 $1,127 —
450–495 479 12 220.00–240.00 $230.75 $1,105 +19.14
505–525 fancy 515 2 242.50–245.00 $243.73 $1,255 —
505–548 536 5 229.00–237.50 $233.67 $1,252 +23.75
560–565 fancy 563 5 232.50–234.00 $233.00 $1,312 —
555–595 574 12 200.00–227.50 $218.34 $1,253 +15.07
601–610 603 4 200.00–204.00 $201.01 $1,212 +24.32
665–695 685 5 175.00–185.00 $182.46 $1,250 -6.44
705–740 719 4 173.00–185.00 $179.44 $1,290 +1.81
765 765 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,320 +5.63
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 265 1 230.00 $230.00 $610 —
382–395 386 3 208.00–219.00 $215.25 $831 —
505–535 520 2 195.00–197.50 $196.29 $1,021 +4.55

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
875–1495 1168 80-85% 36 86.00–98.00 $91.95 $1,074 —
1200–1365 1289 80-85% 4 99.00–104.50 $101.60 $1,310 —
1355 1355 80-85% 1 83.00 $83.00 $1,125 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1300 1235 75-80% 2 81.00–82.00 $81.53 $1,007 —
1215–1660 1452 75-80% 19 88.00–99.00 $92.88 $1,349 -1.85
1380–1720 1550 75-80% 2 101.00–105.00 $102.78 $1,593 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1255 1024 85-90% 11 81.50–90.50 $85.39 $874 +5.88
910–1220 1065 85-90% 2 72.00–75.00 $73.28 $780 -16.51

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,530 —
1380–1670 1588 4 105.00–110.00 $107.69 $1,710 —
1625–1975 1717 6 119.00–131.00 $124.12 $2,131 —
1880 1880 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,632 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 910.00 $910.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
910 910 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1115 1115 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
1015–1370 1193 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 830.00–1,100.00 $985.09
1440 1440 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930 930 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 980.00 $980.00
980 980 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
790 790 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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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)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,100.00 $1,100.00
880–930 905 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,175.00–1,250.00 $1,213.54
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
745 745 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 725.00 $725.00
850 850 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 870.00 $870.00

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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 2 1,275.00–1,580.00 $1,427.50 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 4 160.00 $160.00 $568 —

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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.