Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, May 23, 2023

1,028 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $227.20/cwt +18.59 vs last sale · ≈ $1,093/hd at 481 lb · 135 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $222.51/cwt +26.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,250/hd at 562 lb · 127 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $209.95/cwt +5.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,106/hd at 527 lb · 29 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,028 1,004 799
Feeder cattle 846 827 529
Slaughter cattle 155 135 224
Replacement cattle 27 42 46

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder heifers 4.00 higher overall, with feeder bulls mostly steady, and no comparisons available for feeder steers due to limited comparable receipts, but a higher undertone noted. Slaughter cows sharply higher overall with slaughter bulls 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Today's offerings included the following load lot: 1 load ML 1-2 Heifers, 559 lbs., $232.10, medium flesh, mixed colors.

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
240 240 1 265.00 $265.00 $636 +20.00
255 255 1 270.00 $270.00 $688 +34.53
265 value added 265 1 285.00 $285.00 $755 —
305 fancy 305 1 285.00 $285.00 $869 +20.00
315 315 1 247.50 $247.50 $780 +7.62
365–395 380 2 240.00 $240.00 $912 -5.74
385 value added 385 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,040 —
405–440 414 5 232.50–248.00 $238.25 $986 -4.98
430–445 value added 438 2 255.00–260.00 $257.46 $1,128 -5.04
471–486 479 6 222.50–247.50 $235.20 $1,127 -1.65
504 value added 504 6 250.00 $250.00 $1,260 +3.39
517–545 530 15 222.50–242.00 $230.43 $1,221 -0.54
558 value added 558 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,384 +3.50
575–594 585 13 233.00–242.00 $236.74 $1,385 +6.96
601–648 616 17 227.50–244.00 $239.06 $1,473 +37.45
662 662 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,556 +7.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 2 220.00 $220.00 $858 +2.50
427 value added 427 2 227.50 $227.50 $971 —
428–430 428 6 203.00–230.00 $225.48 $965 —
442 442 2 227.00 $227.00 $1,003 —
500–515 508 2 190.00–192.00 $190.99 $970 —
615 615 9 210.00 $210.00 $1,292 -4.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 fancy 310 1 242.50 $242.50 $752 —
300–330 318 5 220.00–235.00 $227.07 $722 +0.82
350–395 378 8 207.00–227.50 $218.59 $826 +2.29
380 fancy 380 1 235.00 $235.00 $893 —
400 value added 400 2 227.50 $227.50 $910 —
400–445 428 22 205.00–222.50 $214.01 $916 +3.12
455–495 471 51 203.00–222.50 $211.89 $998 +3.28
487 value added 487 84 236.50 $236.50 $1,152 —
500–545 527 29 200.00–216.00 $209.95 $1,106 +9.36
559 value added 559 90 232.10 $232.10 $1,297 —
550–590 564 31 193.00–209.00 $201.77 $1,138 +5.99
560–599 593 6 185.50–187.00 $185.74 $1,101 -10.04
600–640 620 8 187.50–197.00 $192.80 $1,195 +3.60
650–680 666 5 183.00–199.00 $191.39 $1,275 +14.88
740–745 743 2 179.00–181.00 $180.00 $1,337 +10.00
750 750 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,312 +20.00
760 value added 760 2 185.00 $185.00 $1,406 —
825 value added 825 5 174.00 $174.00 $1,436 —
840 840 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,411 +23.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 272.50 $272.50 $749 —
315–335 324 4 240.00–257.50 $246.96 $800 —
320–330 fancy 325 2 267.50–287.50 $277.65 $902 —
370–395 383 2 235.00–242.50 $238.63 $914 +4.64
405–445 421 14 227.50–249.00 $237.68 $1,001 +2.68
415–440 fancy 432 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,102 —
481 fancy 481 3 244.00 $244.00 $1,174 +1.50
460–497 486 8 215.00–235.00 $229.91 $1,117 +3.24
511 value added 511 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,201 —
505–545 534 13 205.00–212.50 $209.28 $1,118 -11.47
535–545 fancy 542 3 235.00–239.00 $237.68 $1,288 —
555–590 572 5 219.00–227.50 $222.31 $1,272 +2.70
600–645 628 7 182.50–193.00 $188.99 $1,187 -3.52
623–645 fancy 628 6 207.50–212.50 $209.33 $1,315 -5.67
680–685 683 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,298 —
705 705 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,234 —
750–770 758 6 155.00–174.00 $162.52 $1,232 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–1445 1152 80-85% 41 102.00–118.00 $108.76 $1,253 —
1170–1430 1312 80-85% 11 121.00–135.00 $126.65 $1,662 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–1110 992 85-90% 15 74.00–85.00 $77.91 $773 —
880–1310 1030 85-90% 12 91.50–103.00 $96.68 $996 -1.32
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1800 1348 75-80% 16 109.50–120.00 $115.47 $1,557 —
1325–1475 1403 75-80% 4 123.00–129.00 $126.02 $1,768 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,140 —
1220–2065 1492 13 122.00–133.00 $126.74 $1,891 —
1480–1740 1660 4 135.00–139.00 $136.67 $2,269 —

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Bred Cows

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
860 860 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 890.00 $890.00
880 880 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 980.00 $980.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1140 1140 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
1140 1140 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,040.00 $1,040.00
1215 1215 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905 905 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 890.00 $890.00

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Bred Heifers

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
670 670 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 810.00 $810.00
700 700 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 910.00 $910.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
890 890 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 990.00 $990.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 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 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–345 333 2 127.50–137.00 $132.43 $441 —

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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.