Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, July 25, 2023

1,251 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $273.93/cwt +14.23 vs last sale · ≈ $1,424/hd at 520 lb · 120 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $233.69/cwt +7.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,204/hd at 515 lb · 98 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $217.14/cwt -2.71 vs last sale · ≈ $1,245/hd at 573 lb · 52 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,251 1,213 815
Feeder cattle 1,094 1,037 684
Slaughter cattle 141 158 108
Replacement cattle 16 18 23

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers measuring 6.00 lower overall, with feeder heifers 3.00 lower, and feeder bulls sharply lower overall. Lower prices on feeder classes due, in part, to decreased buyer participation. Regarding slaughter classes- breaker and lean cows mostly steady, with boning cows 6.00 higher, and bulls 1.00 higher. Today's offerings included the following load lot: 1 load ML 1-2 preconditioned Steers, 519 lb., $279.75, 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
257 value added 257 2 270.00 $270.00 $694 —
335–339 338 6 267.50–285.00 $270.39 $914 +2.83
352 value added 352 2 265.00 $265.00 $933 —
361 fancy 361 3 292.50 $292.50 $1,056 —
360–395 379 8 250.00–267.50 $260.09 $986 -2.21
410–430 420 2 237.50–247.50 $242.62 $1,019 -14.12
420 fancy 420 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,092 —
450–490 479 17 242.50–262.50 $254.13 $1,217 -3.15
495 fancy 495 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,336 -2.52
507–527 value added 519 111 252.50–279.75 $276.84 $1,437 -4.16
515–545 528 9 230.00–255.00 $238.01 $1,257 -16.85
570–595 588 5 235.00–240.00 $238.52 $1,402 -6.39
594–595 value added 594 9 255.00–257.50 $256.39 $1,523 -11.65
623–646 value added 632 10 255.00–256.50 $255.89 $1,617 -4.11
630–646 642 12 227.50–235.00 $232.69 $1,494 -7.82
651–695 value added 667 14 240.00–250.00 $245.36 $1,637 -5.64
690 690 2 220.00–230.00 $225.00 $1,552 +2.00
708–741 value added 723 9 222.50–228.00 $225.49 $1,630 —
751–790 value added 768 7 222.00–223.00 $222.56 $1,709 -9.44
763–790 769 6 218.00–220.00 $219.67 $1,689 +9.67
855 855 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,855 —
920 920 1 206.00 $206.00 $1,895 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 250.00 $250.00 $850 —
400–430 423 5 210.00–232.50 $216.26 $915 —
450 450 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,024 —
515 515 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,069 -23.35
555–575 565 2 210.00–220.00 $215.09 $1,215 -14.91
605–645 625 2 210.00–217.50 $213.87 $1,337 —
655–690 673 2 200.00–210.00 $204.87 $1,379 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 230.00 $230.00 $805 —
410 410 1 215.00 $215.00 $882 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–345 323 13 212.50–227.50 $216.56 $699 -12.63
362 value added 362 2 232.50 $232.50 $842 —
355–391 378 19 214.00–230.00 $225.77 $853 +1.54
400–445 420 28 217.50–227.50 $223.18 $937 +1.41
450–495 467 27 210.00–227.00 $220.04 $1,028 -4.16
465–473 fancy 471 4 232.00 $232.00 $1,093 —
507–522 value added 508 52 233.00–247.00 $245.89 $1,249 +7.26
500–547 523 46 210.00–228.00 $219.89 $1,150 -0.63
550–560 value added 557 10 224.00–227.00 $225.60 $1,257 -1.13
560–595 577 42 207.50–218.00 $215.13 $1,241 -1.52
617 value added 617 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,342 -10.50
610–645 630 15 200.00–210.00 $205.02 $1,292 -6.25
650–685 665 8 202.50–210.00 $206.69 $1,374 -2.99
681 value added 681 7 220.00 $220.00 $1,498 —
730 730 3 206.00 $206.00 $1,504 +21.03
925 value added 925 7 177.00 $177.00 $1,637 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 207.50 $207.50 $799 +2.67
400–440 418 5 200.00–212.50 $206.66 $864 —
455–477 470 3 197.50–205.00 $199.92 $940 —
510 510 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,046 —
595 595 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,130 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,080 —
590 590 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,195 +5.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
205 205 1 265.00 $265.00 $543 +22.57
262–267 265 4 240.00–260.00 $249.91 $662 -5.71
300–330 315 2 247.50–255.00 $251.43 $792 -31.16
325 fancy 325 1 285.00 $285.00 $926 —
350–396 377 18 245.00–270.00 $252.53 $952 -4.52
400–435 fancy 418 3 260.00–270.00 $265.70 $1,111 -15.46
405–442 426 18 225.00–252.50 $236.04 $1,006 -22.45
450–492 476 16 210.00–240.00 $216.85 $1,032 -30.08
465–490 fancy 478 2 247.50–267.50 $257.24 $1,230 —
500–545 fancy 523 2 240.00–242.50 $241.30 $1,262 —
505–545 525 10 210.00–230.00 $217.66 $1,143 -16.83
550–595 579 16 200.00–220.00 $209.50 $1,213 -21.08
580 fancy 580 1 234.00 $234.00 $1,357 -8.50
605–637 624 4 200.00–212.50 $206.39 $1,288 -18.69
650–660 652 9 205.00–212.50 $211.10 $1,376 -5.38
705–725 710 17 191.00–205.00 $199.50 $1,416 -2.05
755–785 770 2 177.50 $177.50 $1,367 -11.18
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 230.00 $230.00 $621 —
420–440 428 3 210.00–220.00 $216.58 $927 -15.78
505–545 526 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,052 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 345 1 220.00 $220.00 $759 —
375–390 381 4 230.00–237.50 $233.09 $888 —
450 450 1 200.00 $200.00 $900 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,064 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1005–1040 1023 (<2 yrs)N/A 2 1,450.00–1,500.00 $1,475.43 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1285 1164 80-85% 4 94.00–101.00 $98.10 $1,142 +6.10
920–1550 1167 80-85% 30 105.00–116.00 $109.96 $1,283 +17.96
1125–1465 1276 80-85% 8 119.00–129.00 $122.93 $1,569 +6.22
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1445 1377 75-80% 3 119.00–126.00 $121.17 $1,669 +11.86
1285–1695 1444 75-80% 18 102.00–115.00 $109.43 $1,580 -10.78
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820 820 85-90% 1 109.00 $109.00 $894 —
885–985 938 85-90% 3 80.00–86.00 $83.04 $779 —
880–1225 1074 85-90% 12 88.00–102.00 $94.76 $1,018 —
1275 1275 85-90% 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,326 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090–1215 1170 3 107.00–113.00 $110.01 $1,287 —
1325–2405 1708 12 120.00–129.00 $124.61 $2,128 —
2010 2010 1 132.00 $132.00 $2,653 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035 1035 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
1040 1040 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,180.00 $1,180.00
1060 1060 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1190 1190 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00

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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
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,360.00 $1,360.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,480.00 $1,480.00 —

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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.