Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 12, 2023

1,362 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 $234.00/cwt -14.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,112/hd at 475 lb · 54 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $236.87/cwt -4.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,239/hd at 523 lb · 40 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $237.93/cwt -9.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,019/hd at 428 lb · 36 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,362 852 0
Feeder cattle 1,131 723 0
Slaughter cattle 204 99 0
Replacement cattle 27 30 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers 1.00 to 2.00 lower, with exception of those weighing less than 400 lbs. sharply lower. Feeder heifers and bulls measuring 3.00 lower overall. Slaughter cows and bulls gauging 2.00 to 3.00 higher overall, with exception of lean cows holding 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
305–345 327 3 265.00–280.00 $271.96 $889 -26.40
355–387 373 5 255.00–270.00 $259.33 $967 -24.91
385 fancy 385 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,107 —
400–445 428 12 255.00–275.00 $263.77 $1,129 -1.12
450–492 468 11 255.00–265.00 $259.45 $1,214 +0.68
507–512 value added 511 9 265.00–275.00 $270.29 $1,381 —
500–536 520 22 250.00–260.00 $254.55 $1,324 -13.47
557 value added 557 7 264.00 $264.00 $1,470 -5.89
555–588 574 19 233.00–250.00 $242.13 $1,390 -6.62
605–645 621 23 230.00–248.00 $242.80 $1,508 +0.51
640–647 value added 645 7 253.00–260.00 $254.71 $1,643 -8.29
660–696 686 12 227.00–241.00 $236.38 $1,622 +1.40
700 value added 700 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,732 -1.50
720–735 725 6 230.00–238.00 $233.33 $1,692 +10.32
780 780 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,833 -2.00
872 872 2 219.00 $219.00 $1,910 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,188 —
523 523 4 248.00 $248.00 $1,297 —
697 697 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,568 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 2 232.50 $232.50 $953 —
480 480 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,152 —
505–527 516 4 220.00–241.00 $230.28 $1,188 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451 value added 451 4 242.50 $242.50 $1,094 —
485 485 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,091 —
530 530 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,206 —
715 715 1 226.00 $226.00 $1,616 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 324 8 235.00–247.50 $242.81 $787 -5.42
330 value added 330 1 260.00 $260.00 $858 —
350–395 374 28 232.50–255.00 $244.21 $913 -0.64
415–420 value added 418 2 252.50–257.50 $254.99 $1,066 -0.01
400–448 429 34 225.00–250.00 $236.93 $1,016 -9.24
455–497 475 54 224.00–245.00 $234.00 $1,112 -14.31
506 value added 506 4 247.00 $247.00 $1,250 —
500–549 525 36 229.00–243.00 $235.74 $1,238 -5.20
550–587 566 31 226.00–242.50 $234.61 $1,328 -1.21
600–645 616 27 221.00–236.00 $230.47 $1,420 +1.64
648 value added 648 4 238.00 $238.00 $1,542 +0.50
650 value added 650 3 236.00 $236.00 $1,534 +6.66
655–687 671 18 215.00–230.00 $224.51 $1,506 +6.98
705–745 723 9 215.00–222.00 $218.13 $1,577 —
725 725 2 204.00 $204.00 $1,479 —
765–772 770 4 209.00–219.00 $214.01 $1,648 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
401 401 3 221.00 $221.00 $886 —
505–530 518 4 210.00–220.00 $215.12 $1,114 —
570 570 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,240 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
542 542 2 222.50 $222.50 $1,206 -9.47
557 557 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,225 -2.50
640 640 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,338 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 316 8 265.00–282.50 $273.24 $863 -10.76
355 fancy 355 2 287.50 $287.50 $1,021 —
360–395 383 16 255.00–277.50 $265.58 $1,017 -12.70
415 fancy 415 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,120 —
400–444 422 18 250.00–260.00 $254.60 $1,074 -7.66
450–490 463 17 243.00–252.50 $246.98 $1,144 -1.67
480 fancy 480 2 265.00–267.50 $266.25 $1,278 +1.74
500 fancy 500 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,250 -10.00
500–540 520 19 227.50–242.00 $236.21 $1,228 -9.48
550–595 575 24 222.00–237.00 $226.84 $1,304 -9.18
615 fancy 615 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,445 -16.00
600–647 622 28 215.00–227.50 $221.91 $1,380 -3.94
655–690 674 11 222.50–228.00 $226.42 $1,526 +16.05
716–735 725 6 217.00–222.00 $220.14 $1,596 +6.24
790–795 793 2 182.00–187.00 $184.51 $1,463 -12.99
822–825 823 3 182.00–186.00 $183.34 $1,509 -5.01
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 2 242.50 $242.50 $1,043 -7.50
472 472 2 227.50 $227.50 $1,074 -10.00
505 505 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,060 -22.50
590 590 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,298 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325 325 1 250.00 $250.00 $812 —
465–487 481 4 226.00–235.00 $231.82 $1,115 +1.82
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465–485 475 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,021 —
510 510 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,122 —
555 555 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,152 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935–1485 1174 80-85% 33 99.00–114.00 $105.99 $1,244 —
1200–1425 1282 80-85% 6 117.00–125.00 $119.32 $1,530 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 75-80% 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,075 —
1295–1570 1433 75-80% 2 120.00–124.00 $121.81 $1,746 —
1155–1925 1497 75-80% 27 105.00–118.00 $110.08 $1,648 +14.08
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1020 972 85-90% 3 83.50–90.00 $86.63 $842 —
805–1240 1064 85-90% 10 92.00–104.00 $98.36 $1,047 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,247 —
1105–2315 1691 13 125.00–135.00 $130.36 $2,204 —
1895–1970 1937 3 137.00–138.00 $137.66 $2,666 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,160.00 $1,160.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
— — Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,270.00 $1,270.00

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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 2,090.00 $2,090.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —

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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.