Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, October 17, 2023

1,193 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $261.38/cwt +20.91 vs last sale · ≈ $1,486/hd at 568 lb · 58 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $218.34/cwt -7.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,040/hd at 476 lb · 51 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $215.43/cwt +12.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,329/hd at 617 lb · 48 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,193 1,358 1,143
Feeder cattle 998 1,194 928
Slaughter cattle 173 143 177
Replacement cattle 22 21 38

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers unevenly steady with exception of 5-weights sharply higher with high demand noted. Feeder heifers and bulls measuring 4.00 to 5.00 higher overall. Higher-quality feeder offerings and high demand for preconditioned calves was also noted. Slaughter cows gauging 1.00 to 4.00 higher with slaughter bulls 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
375–386 383 4 260.00–267.50 $265.67 $1,018 +3.63
412–435 value added 420 3 265.00–270.00 $266.73 $1,120 —
430 430 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,064 +4.50
450–490 467 3 232.50–260.00 $250.38 $1,169 +10.38
486 value added 486 9 292.00 $292.00 $1,419 —
500–525 518 14 257.50–268.00 $262.19 $1,358 +28.93
555–587 566 24 237.50–252.50 $247.40 $1,400 +13.34
560–583 value added 570 34 256.00–273.00 $271.25 $1,546 +26.08
602 value added 602 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,550 +14.50
610 610 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,220 -25.00
610–630 616 9 220.00–237.50 $223.90 $1,379 -1.10
663 value added 663 4 229.00 $229.00 $1,518 -11.78
655–695 688 10 222.50 $222.50 $1,531 -1.23
704–713 707 20 217.50–234.00 $228.46 $1,615 —
720 720 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,440 —
770–793 783 7 200.00–210.00 $205.16 $1,606 —
845 845 2 201.00 $201.00 $1,698 —
856–882 value added 861 10 217.00–225.00 $218.64 $1,882 —
940 940 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,983 —
955–985 972 3 195.00–197.00 $195.66 $1,902 —
993 value added 993 4 204.50 $204.50 $2,031 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 215.00 $215.00 $903 —
505–530 520 5 223.00–225.00 $223.78 $1,164 +1.28
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 1 224.00 $224.00 $1,277 —
645 645 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,403 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
307–345 331 8 220.00–235.00 $227.65 $754 +13.12
350–395 374 18 210.00–227.50 $221.14 $827 +2.75
405–447 425 24 207.50–227.00 $215.16 $914 +1.94
420–447 value added 436 5 235.00–240.00 $237.05 $1,034 -1.28
469 value added 469 5 238.00 $238.00 $1,116 -4.82
453–497 477 46 209.00–227.50 $216.20 $1,031 +3.66
500 value added 500 2 222.50 $222.50 $1,112 —
500–540 526 29 207.50–217.50 $211.08 $1,110 -4.12
563–590 value added 569 20 220.00–230.00 $227.41 $1,294 +2.41
550–595 582 19 206.00–218.50 $214.53 $1,249 +0.68
613 value added 613 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,373 +5.98
600–647 617 45 203.00–220.50 $214.86 $1,326 +37.36
650–672 663 6 202.50–212.50 $207.49 $1,376 +14.36
718–740 723 5 200.00–208.00 $206.30 $1,492 +31.29
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 195.00 $195.00 $770 —
472 472 2 185.00 $185.00 $873 —
539 539 6 201.00 $201.00 $1,083 +4.00
571–575 573 5 195.00–200.00 $197.01 $1,129 —
625 625 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,125 +7.50
660 660 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,254 +4.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–335 329 4 240.00–260.00 $249.49 $821 +4.01
320–340 fancy 330 2 270.00 $270.00 $891 -7.50
365 fancy 365 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,013 +7.50
360–398 389 9 235.00–257.50 $243.50 $947 -3.39
415–420 fancy 418 2 267.50–270.00 $268.76 $1,123 —
400–445 422 8 230.00–257.50 $236.21 $997 -0.21
461–495 475 16 235.00–247.50 $242.18 $1,150 +12.21
477 value added 477 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,240 —
510–520 fancy 515 2 250.00–257.50 $253.79 $1,307 +17.15
500–545 531 35 215.00–242.50 $232.25 $1,233 +9.12
557 557 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,198 +3.45
555–587 566 10 219.00–232.50 $224.88 $1,273 +13.33
570 fancy 570 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,382 +21.50
600–615 604 9 205.00–215.00 $208.92 $1,262 +9.86
660–695 671 13 180.00–197.50 $185.85 $1,247 -3.46
692 692 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,142 -24.31
715–716 716 6 184.00–189.00 $187.33 $1,341 -2.67
750–785 766 5 181.00–190.00 $184.56 $1,414 +12.55
805–810 808 2 163.00–165.00 $164.00 $1,325 —
850–880 860 4 142.50–147.50 $144.48 $1,243 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 2 207.50 $207.50 $840 —
530 530 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,086 +25.00
607 607 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,093 -8.00
670 670 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,172 —
770 770 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,270 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 235.00 $235.00 $787 —
440 440 1 212.50 $212.50 $935 -3.66
575–592 586 3 200.00–212.50 $204.09 $1,196 +19.09

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110 1110 80-85% 1 83.00 $83.00 $921 —
940–1475 1220 80-85% 28 87.00–102.50 $95.03 $1,159 +13.29
1230–1255 1242 80-85% 3 104.00–112.00 $107.99 $1,341 +16.88
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1390–1420 1405 75-80% 2 82.00–85.00 $83.52 $1,173 -11.66
1190–1615 1423 75-80% 26 89.00–104.00 $96.33 $1,371 +1.15
1395–1745 1542 75-80% 3 107.00–111.00 $108.81 $1,678 +4.30
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075 1075 85-90% 1 92.50 $92.50 $994 +9.04
930–1160 1078 85-90% 4 70.00–75.00 $73.06 $788 -10.40
895–1240 1098 85-90% 13 78.00–90.00 $84.01 $922 +0.55

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1435 1355 2 114.00–116.00 $114.94 $1,557 —
1675–2000 1796 5 107.00–115.00 $110.43 $1,983 -5.57
1425–2210 1802 21 118.00–130.00 $124.82 $2,249 —
2330–2415 2373 2 109.00–112.00 $110.53 $2,623 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
820 820 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 760.00 $760.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–1035 962 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,000.00–1,200.00 $1,092.76
890–1035 976 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 950.00–1,250.00 $1,088.57
1055 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1360 1360 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 880.00 $880.00

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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) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00 —

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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.