Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, September 26, 2023

1,738 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 $283.44/cwt +25.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,459/hd at 515 lb · 124 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $238.58/cwt +4.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,285/hd at 539 lb · 94 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $226.71/cwt -7.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,305/hd at 575 lb · 85 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,738 1,699 1,297
Feeder cattle 1,553 1,496 1,051
Slaughter cattle 162 191 196
Replacement cattle 23 12 50

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers measuring 2.00 to 3.00 higher, with feeder heifers and bulls 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Slaughter cows sharply lower overall, with slaughter bulls 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Today's offerings included the following load lot: 1 load preconditioned ML 1-2 Steers, 514 lbs., $290.50, light to 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
285 285 1 280.00 $280.00 $798 +2.50
328 fancy 328 1 302.50 $302.50 $992 —
335–347 344 4 260.00–277.50 $265.61 $914 —
350–385 value added 368 2 280.00–282.50 $281.19 $1,035 —
350–398 378 9 260.00–276.00 $269.36 $1,018 +1.63
405–445 420 16 260.00–280.00 $266.54 $1,119 -3.21
435 fancy 435 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,262 —
450–495 477 17 252.50–277.50 $262.11 $1,250 +2.53
485 fancy 485 1 281.00 $281.00 $1,363 —
500–545 512 15 242.50–258.00 $251.82 $1,289 -0.46
505–528 value added 515 109 267.50–290.50 $287.79 $1,482 +19.67
555–590 574 15 237.50–257.50 $248.12 $1,424 -1.12
600–645 615 15 235.00–249.00 $246.00 $1,513 +0.18
600–642 value added 618 39 256.00–269.50 $264.58 $1,635 +0.58
655–695 666 8 239.00–247.50 $243.22 $1,620 +7.79
655–672 value added 669 5 250.00–262.50 $252.45 $1,689 +1.84
702–730 719 8 232.50–235.00 $234.08 $1,683 +5.27
720–735 value added 723 29 253.50–269.00 $256.22 $1,852 +12.98
772–791 786 7 214.00–219.00 $215.40 $1,693 -13.60
815–845 828 5 203.00–212.50 $206.10 $1,707 -11.90
850–860 853 4 200.00–209.00 $202.27 $1,725 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 252.50 $252.50 $694 —
470 470 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,104 —
570 570 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,254 —
600–645 630 4 220.00–230.00 $226.48 $1,427 —
726–740 731 7 215.00–220.00 $216.29 $1,581 —
1007 1007 2 194.00 $194.00 $1,954 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427 427 4 230.00 $230.00 $982 —
520 520 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,248 +22.29

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–335 318 6 230.00–247.50 $236.63 $752 -5.02
340–345 fancy 343 2 254.00–255.00 $254.50 $873 —
355–390 376 36 220.00–250.00 $233.43 $878 -1.81
405–447 429 29 217.00–237.50 $227.42 $976 -3.71
415–446 value added 429 12 242.00–252.50 $244.97 $1,051 +0.74
450–499 473 55 218.00–242.00 $227.15 $1,074 -2.02
470–482 value added 476 20 244.00–251.00 $248.63 $1,183 -6.29
500–548 529 40 216.00–232.00 $222.47 $1,177 -3.28
510–547 value added 546 54 237.50–250.75 $250.52 $1,368 +3.16
550–595 573 59 212.00–230.00 $222.15 $1,273 -7.10
567–584 value added 581 26 232.00–238.50 $237.07 $1,377 -8.93
600–633 613 29 210.00–227.50 $216.70 $1,328 -2.32
653–695 value added 661 36 230.50–235.00 $230.96 $1,527 —
650–698 679 32 205.00–225.00 $215.57 $1,464 +2.43
720 value added 720 2 217.00 $217.00 $1,562 —
700–731 721 8 195.00–209.00 $206.08 $1,486 -11.46
777–780 778 3 176.00–185.00 $181.99 $1,416 -34.69
805–840 821 4 175.00–187.00 $178.56 $1,466 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 313 4 255.00–270.00 $260.55 $816 -11.37
375 fancy 375 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,059 —
350–398 386 22 246.00–267.50 $253.33 $978 -1.17
405–445 fancy 423 3 265.00–275.00 $269.84 $1,141 -5.16
407–445 429 10 240.00–260.00 $249.61 $1,071 +1.34
453–490 469 19 235.00–255.00 $243.23 $1,141 -0.79
470 fancy 470 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,222 -0.04
510–540 522 14 225.00–240.00 $233.22 $1,217 -6.43
515–545 fancy 530 2 246.00–250.00 $247.94 $1,314 -12.06
550–595 574 22 220.00–237.00 $226.70 $1,301 +1.04
600–640 613 19 207.50–228.00 $221.20 $1,356 +0.47
675 fancy 675 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,519 —
680 680 4 197.00–218.00 $202.25 $1,375 -4.88
720–740 727 3 175.50–190.00 $183.51 $1,334 -22.95
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–437 425 3 235.00 $235.00 $999 —
565 565 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,186 —
602–640 620 4 200.00 $200.00 $1,240 -3.33
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415 415 2 232.50 $232.50 $965 —
500–510 505 2 207.50–212.50 $210.02 $1,061 —
585 585 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,170 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1205 1135 80-85% 3 80.50–82.00 $81.19 $922 —
860–1405 1168 80-85% 30 84.00–97.00 $90.75 $1,060 -11.61
1125–1495 1307 80-85% 7 99.00–105.00 $101.85 $1,331 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170–1620 1372 75-80% 28 87.00–100.00 $95.03 $1,304 -18.97
1340–1530 1435 75-80% 2 102.00–104.00 $102.93 $1,477 +8.43
1465–1715 1560 75-80% 3 79.00–85.00 $82.48 $1,287 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–1220 1029 85-90% 10 75.00–83.50 $80.15 $825 -14.84
1125–1160 1143 85-90% 2 93.50–95.00 $94.26 $1,077 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1265 1223 4 108.00–115.00 $111.31 $1,361 —
1495 1495 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,659 —
1355–1980 1632 11 118.00–130.00 $124.72 $2,035 —
1810 1810 1 136.00 $136.00 $2,462 —
2280 2280 1 116.00 $116.00 $2,645 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
980 980 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,290.00 $1,290.00
995 995 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
990–1055 1028 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,175.00 $1,133.67
1105 1105 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
970–1330 1163 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,150.00 $1,126.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
875 875 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925 925 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00
955–1025 990 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,050.00–1,225.00 $1,140.59
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,240.00 $1,240.00

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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 1,775.00 $1,775.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,950.00 $1,950.00 —

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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.