Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 3, 2023

1,205 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.07/cwt -12.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,216/hd at 568 lb · 63 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.93/cwt -23.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,122/hd at 522 lb · 61 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $219.01/cwt -13.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,035/hd at 472 lb · 58 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,205 1,738 1,250
Feeder cattle 1,039 1,553 1,017
Slaughter cattle 146 162 206
Replacement cattle 20 23 27

Compared to a heavier test last week, feeder classes sharply lower overall and lower-quality offerings were noted for this week. Regarding slaughter classes- breaker and boning cows 1.00 to 3.00 lower, with lean cows 6.00 lower, and bulls mostly steady.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395–396 396 5 260.00–265.00 $262.00 $1,038 -7.36
412–436 432 14 246.00–265.00 $255.92 $1,106 -10.62
456–495 475 16 250.00–253.00 $250.91 $1,192 -11.20
500–547 531 28 230.00–252.50 $243.23 $1,292 -8.59
576–598 585 19 225.00–248.00 $238.32 $1,394 -9.80
615–645 626 13 235.00–245.00 $240.74 $1,507 -5.26
663–668 666 6 217.00–232.00 $224.53 $1,495 -18.69
700–705 703 3 195.00–204.00 $197.99 $1,392 -36.09
711 value added 711 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,493 -46.22
805 805 2 205.00–210.00 $207.50 $1,670 +1.40
842 value added 842 2 201.50 $201.50 $1,697
855–890 873 2 189.00–205.00 $196.84 $1,718 -5.43
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525–535 530 2 190.00–200.00 $194.95 $1,033 -45.05
562 562 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,180
610 610 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,281
646 value added 646 4 227.50 $227.50 $1,470
750 750 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,500
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423–425 value added 424 5 217.50–220.00 $219.00 $929
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–370 368 2 210.00–230.00 $219.93 $809
415 415 2 200.00 $200.00 $830
485 485 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,140

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 fancy 300 1 262.50 $262.50 $788
305–335 324 4 225.00–242.50 $232.00 $752 -4.63
350–370 fancy 360 3 245.00–255.00 $248.24 $894
355–390 369 16 217.00–232.50 $221.34 $817 -12.09
378 378 3 200.00 $200.00 $756 -33.43
400 fancy 400 1 242.50 $242.50 $970
400–447 430 27 218.00–238.00 $227.80 $980 +0.38
450–460 fancy 455 2 236.00–240.00 $237.98 $1,083
450–497 473 56 210.00–231.00 $218.33 $1,033 -8.82
500–547 522 59 207.50–225.00 $214.42 $1,119 -8.05
520–525 fancy 523 2 229.00–231.00 $230.00 $1,203
554–558 value added 555 11 222.50–226.00 $223.45 $1,240 -13.62
550–595 571 52 203.00–220.00 $212.08 $1,211 -10.07
600–645 619 23 197.00–218.00 $208.07 $1,288 -8.63
620–633 629 6 187.50–194.00 $190.24 $1,197 -26.46
650–666 654 16 194.00–210.00 $206.85 $1,353 -8.72
710–742 734 6 177.50–200.00 $190.87 $1,401 -15.21
750–755 753 2 171.00–185.00 $178.02 $1,340 -3.97
773 value added 773 3 204.00 $204.00 $1,577
803 value added 803 3 185.50 $185.50 $1,490

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
257–295 270 5 222.50–250.00 $233.20 $630
300–345 329 9 225.00–257.50 $240.17 $790 -20.38
355–387 370 20 232.50–252.50 $238.97 $884 -14.36
380–395 fancy 385 3 257.50–260.00 $259.15 $998 -23.35
410 fancy 410 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,066 -9.84
400–445 417 21 230.00–250.00 $240.95 $1,005 -8.66
450–497 473 34 215.00–240.00 $221.28 $1,047 -21.95
473 value added 473 3 243.00 $243.00 $1,149
500–547 522 32 200.00–224.00 $214.78 $1,121 -18.44
515–545 fancy 535 3 230.00–242.50 $234.01 $1,252 -13.93
550–585 565 17 200.00–220.00 $208.60 $1,179 -18.10
600–635 622 20 185.00–205.00 $192.91 $1,200 -28.29
655–692 672 28 177.00–193.00 $183.66 $1,234 -18.59
700–740 728 6 172.50–187.00 $180.35 $1,313 -3.16
765–785 775 3 160.00–167.50 $165.00 $1,279
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 398 3 220.00 $220.00 $876
405–440 425 4 215.00–222.50 $219.91 $935 -15.09
570–580 577 5 185.00–193.00 $190.42 $1,099 -19.58
615 615 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,095 -22.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 227.50 $227.50 $660
421–435 425 4 212.50–222.50 $219.94 $935
465 465 1 210.00 $210.00 $976
510 510 1 180.00 $180.00 $918
570 570 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,083
575 value added 575 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,121
610 610 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,113
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 192.50 $192.50 $703
430 430 1 207.50 $207.50 $892 -25.00
450 450 2 210.00 $210.00 $945
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1130–1240 1185 (<2 yrs)N/A 2 1,325.00–1,450.00 $1,390.40

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1155 1115 80-85% 2 75.50–77.50 $76.46 $853 -4.73
1015–1490 1231 80-85% 37 80.00–94.00 $87.89 $1,082
1125–1485 1270 80-85% 6 96.00–106.00 $100.89 $1,281
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1790 1454 75-80% 23 86.00–100.00 $94.17 $1,369
1530–1995 1673 75-80% 4 102.00–106.00 $103.46 $1,731
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1225 990 85-90% 12 69.00–83.00 $73.92 $732
995–1130 1080 85-90% 3 64.00–66.50 $65.01 $702
1095 1095 85-90% 1 91.00 $91.00 $996

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YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1235 1188 2 105.00–111.00 $108.12 $1,284
1385–2015 1651 10 118.00–131.00 $125.27 $2,068
1840–2270 2055 2 133.00–139.00 $136.31 $2,801

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820–830 825 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 750.00–760.00 $754.97
895 895 (<2 yrs)Open 1 790.00 $790.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955–1095 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,075.00–1,200.00 $1,141.77
1110 1110 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,130.00 $1,130.00
900–1230 1114 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 970.00–1,225.00 $1,105.70
1230 1230 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835 835 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 830.00 $830.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,320.00 $1,320.00
Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00

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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.