Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 16, 2023

1,004 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 $204.73/cwt +3.42 vs last sale · ≈ $1,074/hd at 525 lb · 57 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $191.82/cwt ≈ $1,689/hd at 880 lb · 48 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $208.61/cwt -3.00 vs last sale · ≈ $999/hd at 479 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,004 940 768
Feeder cattle 827 754 589
Slaughter cattle 135 157 159
Replacement cattle 42 29 20

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder classes holding mostly steady overall, with slaughter cows 2.00 to 10.00 higher, and slaughter bulls 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
210 210 1 245.00 $245.00 $514 —
261–295 270 4 230.00–250.00 $235.47 $636 —
270 fancy 270 1 275.00 $275.00 $742 —
305–320 313 2 235.00–245.00 $239.88 $751 -10.12
335–345 fancy 338 3 260.00–270.00 $265.00 $896 —
375–380 378 2 244.00–247.50 $245.74 $929 —
417 value added 417 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,095 —
403–440 419 15 235.00–252.50 $243.23 $1,019 +9.23
455–495 483 27 228.00–245.00 $236.85 $1,144 -1.54
500–545 514 10 220.00–240.00 $230.97 $1,187 -5.77
500–527 value added 518 3 245.00–250.00 $246.61 $1,277 —
559 value added 559 6 244.50 $244.50 $1,367 -2.50
550–596 571 21 223.00–243.00 $229.78 $1,312 +2.32
600–632 621 3 200.00–205.00 $201.61 $1,252 -28.28
626 value added 626 3 243.00 $243.00 $1,521 —
625–642 640 16 223.00–238.00 $228.00 $1,459 +14.00
680 680 1 228.00 $228.00 $1,550 +16.38
855–890 867 8 172.50–186.50 $180.93 $1,569 —
883 value added 883 40 194.00 $194.00 $1,713 —
1057 1057 11 158.00 $158.00 $1,670 —
1140 1140 2 126.00 $126.00 $1,436 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 3 217.50 $217.50 $855 —
460 460 1 200.00 $200.00 $920 —
572–587 580 5 200.00–210.00 $205.45 $1,192 —
605 605 1 214.00 $214.00 $1,295 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 217.50 $217.50 $761 -16.23
425 425 1 215.00 $215.00 $914 +25.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
241 241 3 227.50 $227.50 $548 —
255–285 280 7 215.00–234.00 $230.60 $646 —
323 value added 323 3 232.50 $232.50 $751 —
335 335 2 222.50–230.00 $226.25 $758 +6.03
350–395 379 16 207.50–226.00 $216.30 $820 -1.05
400–445 421 19 200.00–224.00 $210.89 $888 +2.14
450–495 479 32 202.50–216.00 $208.61 $999 -2.68
501–547 value added 523 24 207.00–215.00 $210.42 $1,100 -3.58
500–548 526 33 192.50–205.00 $200.59 $1,055 +0.26
560 fancy 560 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,162 —
550–590 566 29 187.50–202.50 $195.78 $1,108 -5.35
600–648 619 16 184.00–196.00 $189.20 $1,171 +1.91
665–670 668 2 175.00–178.00 $176.51 $1,179 -4.55
745 745 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,266 -3.27
780 780 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,209 —
805 805 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,167 —
875–883 881 5 147.00–154.00 $152.61 $1,344 —
1045 1045 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,317 —
1105 1105 5 120.00 $120.00 $1,326 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 235 3 200.00 $200.00 $470 —
320–347 338 3 185.00–202.50 $190.52 $644 —
398 398 3 192.50 $192.50 $766 —
400–432 424 4 180.00–191.00 $188.41 $799 —
470 470 1 185.00 $185.00 $870 —
545 545 1 170.00 $170.00 $926 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 4 177.50 $177.50 $774 —
458 458 3 190.00 $190.00 $870 —
542 542 2 173.00 $173.00 $938 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 373 5 230.00–235.00 $233.99 $873 -4.30
400–445 422 16 225.00–242.50 $235.00 $992 +4.97
450–496 474 12 212.50–237.50 $226.67 $1,074 +2.11
475 fancy 475 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,152 —
502 fancy 502 2 237.50 $237.50 $1,192 —
500–545 515 17 210.00–227.50 $220.75 $1,137 -2.97
555–585 568 6 210.00–227.50 $219.61 $1,247 +3.09
610 fancy 610 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,312 -6.00
605–635 623 3 180.00–202.00 $192.51 $1,199 +9.39
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–360 359 4 220.00 $220.00 $790 —
432 432 2 213.00 $213.00 $920 —
495 495 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,015 —
520–525 522 3 192.50–195.00 $194.16 $1,014 -5.84
557–585 570 4 191.00–200.00 $194.78 $1,110 —
670 670 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,055 —
735 735 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,231 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 3 169.50 $169.50 $898 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1335 1335 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 210.00 $210.00 $903 -8.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1425 1194 80-85% 25 93.50–108.00 $102.22 $1,221 —
1110–1600 1254 80-85% 8 109.00–117.00 $111.38 $1,397 +7.19
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245–1705 1463 75-80% 14 94.00–111.00 $105.38 $1,542 —
1325–1650 1484 75-80% 4 113.00–114.00 $113.24 $1,680 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1170 1049 85-90% 4 95.00–101.00 $98.00 $1,028 —
955–1375 1093 85-90% 8 82.00–92.00 $88.33 $965 +3.13

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1630 1583 3 109.00–114.00 $111.26 $1,761 —
1440–2030 1735 2 131.00–132.00 $131.59 $2,283 —
1445–2095 1807 7 120.00–129.00 $124.62 $2,252 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835 835 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 730.00 $730.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055 1055 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
990–1145 1068 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,300.00 $1,208.52
1060–1085 1073 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,040.00–1,050.00 $1,044.94
1030–1160 1095 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 950.00–1,150.00 $1,055.94
1065–1150 1108 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 900.00–975.00 $938.94
1145 1145 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1190 1190 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
1290 1290 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,225.00 $1,225.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1025 1025 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00

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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
— — Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,470.00 $1,470.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,630.00 $1,630.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 950.00 $950.00 —

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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.