Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, August 15, 2023

1,312 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 $243.51/cwt +7.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,278/hd at 525 lb · 129 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $247.60/cwt ≈ $1,379/hd at 557 lb · 85 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $223.05/cwt -3.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,382/hd at 620 lb · 41 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,312 1,283 1,032
Feeder cattle 1,086 1,001 792
Slaughter cattle 192 217 216
Replacement cattle 34 65 24

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers, along with bulls weighing up to 500 lbs., measuring 3.00 to 4.00 lower. Feeder bulls weighing over 500 lbs. sharply lower overall, with feeder heifers unevenly steady. Regarding slaughter classes- breaker and boning cows 3.00 to 5.00 lower with lean cows and slaughter bulls mostly steady. Today's offerings included the following load lots: 1 load ML 1-2 preconditioned Heifers, 525 lbs., $250.00, medium to light flesh, mostly black and 1 load ML 1 preconditioned Heifers, 557 lbs., $247.60, medium flesh, mostly 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
350–397 379 4 262.50–277.50 $269.06 $1,020 -2.86
405–445 422 12 260.00–280.00 $271.00 $1,144 -1.11
450–488 472 15 252.50–276.00 $264.77 $1,250 -0.40
491 value added 491 3 278.00 $278.00 $1,365 +1.76
508–515 value added 511 10 270.00–274.00 $271.19 $1,386 -2.81
510–538 529 17 243.00–259.00 $250.76 $1,327 -11.06
562–572 value added 567 4 265.00–266.00 $265.50 $1,505 +1.50
555–599 583 23 240.00–257.00 $247.38 $1,442 -4.46
602–608 value added 606 5 250.00–257.50 $254.52 $1,542 —
600–645 622 22 230.00–245.00 $239.38 $1,489 -8.23
650–683 670 10 230.00–240.00 $236.78 $1,586 -0.73
695 value added 695 3 256.00 $256.00 $1,779 —
720–748 741 6 232.50–236.00 $235.27 $1,743 -3.52
756–775 value added 762 6 230.00 $230.00 $1,753 -10.00
775 775 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,705 +1.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 242.50 $242.50 $970 —
455 455 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,126 —
538 value added 538 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,254 —
552–590 562 5 214.00–230.00 $223.71 $1,257 —
625 625 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,281 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1397 1348 3 164.00–170.00 $165.85 $2,236 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–310 fancy 305 2 242.50–247.50 $244.96 $747 —
310–345 330 11 217.50–237.50 $226.84 $749 -9.60
350–398 369 17 230.00–243.00 $237.81 $878 +4.49
383 value added 383 3 252.50 $252.50 $967 ±0.00
412 value added 412 2 243.00 $243.00 $1,001 -3.00
410–446 434 24 230.00–238.00 $235.02 $1,020 +1.60
450–495 474 34 225.00–240.00 $233.14 $1,105 -0.78
500–545 525 36 217.00–238.00 $227.56 $1,195 -5.20
525–535 value added 525 93 240.00–250.00 $249.69 $1,311 +2.73
550 value added 550 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,320 —
550–595 570 26 222.00–235.50 $231.31 $1,318 -2.69
600–645 619 33 211.00–228.00 $220.94 $1,368 +0.52
607–632 value added 622 8 231.00–234.00 $231.73 $1,441 -2.86
658–690 668 9 212.00–222.00 $216.32 $1,445 -1.86
707 707 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,485 +9.53
845 845 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,690 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
557 value added 557 85 247.60 $247.60 $1,379 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385–392 390 3 220.00 $220.00 $858 —
425–440 438 7 215.00–222.50 $220.00 $964 —
450–480 463 3 217.50–218.00 $217.67 $1,008 —
585 585 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,243 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840 value added 840 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,470 —
883 value added 883 3 175.00 $175.00 $1,545 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165 1165 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,980 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 265.00 $265.00 $583 —
260–295 280 3 260.00–290.00 $276.07 $773 —
305–345 332 6 260.00–270.00 $267.67 $889 —
350–385 366 12 260.00–290.00 $272.60 $998 -4.36
410–446 427 12 250.00–270.00 $258.76 $1,105 -1.24
450–490 475 12 240.00–265.00 $254.32 $1,208 -3.84
500–540 525 13 235.00–250.00 $240.30 $1,262 -12.44
550–595 574 16 227.50–248.00 $238.87 $1,371 -2.21
600–635 615 9 200.00–220.00 $206.70 $1,271 -14.94
655–690 670 4 195.00–210.00 $201.20 $1,348 -22.75
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307 307 2 240.00 $240.00 $737 -20.00
360 360 1 240.00 $240.00 $864 —
415–420 419 4 240.00 $240.00 $1,006 +7.50
462–485 474 5 222.50–230.00 $226.40 $1,073 -7.38
510–530 520 3 217.00–225.00 $222.28 $1,156 -4.03
570 570 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,226 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386 386 3 237.50 $237.50 $917 —
425–445 435 2 224.00–226.00 $225.02 $979 —
580–587 584 7 200.00 $200.00 $1,168 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
870–975 933 85-90% 4 90.00–92.00 $91.27 $852 —
825–1320 1047 85-90% 47 93.00–109.00 $101.14 $1,059 -13.13
1075 1075 85-90% 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,215 +11.38
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1290 1175 80-85% 2 100.00–102.00 $100.90 $1,186 +0.36
970–1440 1190 80-85% 29 105.00–115.00 $108.87 $1,296 +8.33
1065–1375 1236 80-85% 6 116.00–133.00 $123.01 $1,520 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1365 1365 75-80% 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,283 —
1180–1800 1414 75-80% 28 104.00–117.00 $111.59 $1,578 -12.12
1590–1835 1742 75-80% 3 123.00–130.00 $125.48 $2,186 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1225 1163 3 119.00–122.00 $119.91 $1,395 +4.91
1505 1505 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,836 —
1295–1930 1606 14 129.00–139.50 $133.02 $2,136 —
2200 2200 1 142.00 $142.00 $3,124 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925 925 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
990 thin fleshed 990 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,160.00 $1,160.00
990 thin fleshed 990 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 940.00 $940.00
960–1150 1073 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 975.00–1,150.00 $1,097.83
1045–1225 1153 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,050.00–1,310.00 $1,219.08
1155 thin fleshed 1155 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,500.00 $1,500.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
855 855 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00

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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)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,650.00–2,025.00 $1,837.50 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,375.00–1,720.00 $1,547.50 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,480.00 $1,480.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,975.00–2,150.00 $2,062.50 —

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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 1,310.00 $1,310.00 —

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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.