Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 30, 2024

1,320 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 $271.61/cwt +39.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,276/hd at 470 lb · 148 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $229.21/cwt -5.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,191/hd at 520 lb · 51 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 steers $300.72/cwt +28.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,591/hd at 529 lb · 50 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,320 694 670
Feeder cattle 1,136 633 515
Slaughter cattle 168 52 112
Replacement cattle 16 9 43

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, based on a heavier test this week, feeder steers sharply higher overall, with feeder bulls unevenly steady. Feeder heifers weighing up to 450 lbs. sharply higher, with those weighing 450 to 600 lbs. 3.00 higher, and no comparisons available for those weighing over 600 lbs. due to limited comparable receipts. Slaughter cows gauging 1.00 to 7.00 higher overall with slaughter bulls 1.00 to 2.00 lower. Today's offerings included the following load lot: 1 load ML 1-2 preconditioned Heifers, 467 lbs., $283.50, medium flesh, mostly black/black-white-face.

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
297 value added 297 2 335.00 $335.00 $995 —
315–335 325 2 300.00–310.00 $305.15 $992 +5.38
330–346 value added 344 8 325.00–327.50 $327.20 $1,126 —
370 370 2 295.00–305.00 $300.00 $1,110 +5.00
384 value added 384 11 325.00 $325.00 $1,248 -3.00
405–445 425 13 275.00–300.00 $286.44 $1,217 +1.44
405–449 value added 437 9 315.00–320.00 $319.46 $1,396 +5.84
473–482 value added 475 11 315.00–322.00 $320.71 $1,523 +12.53
480–495 487 5 270.00–295.00 $282.02 $1,373 -2.98
506–534 value added 527 34 305.00–310.00 $307.86 $1,622 +25.36
515–545 533 16 275.00–295.00 $285.54 $1,522 +17.96
550–590 577 45 260.00–282.50 $272.18 $1,570 +37.18
600–615 605 3 232.50–244.00 $237.95 $1,440 +1.74
605–615 value added 610 2 265.00–267.50 $266.24 $1,624 +21.24
660–675 value added 665 17 240.00–255.00 $245.80 $1,635 +15.80
670–680 671 8 232.50–237.50 $233.13 $1,564 +13.13
710 value added 710 2 236.00 $236.00 $1,676 +7.30
725–735 728 6 215.00–227.50 $217.93 $1,587 +17.93
753 value added 753 5 215.00 $215.00 $1,619 -2.30
775–795 789 5 200.00–212.50 $202.52 $1,598 +8.52
805 value added 805 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,715 —
806 806 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,612 —
855–890 873 2 202.50–208.00 $205.19 $1,791 +14.19
881 value added 881 40 211.00 $211.00 $1,859 +2.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570–590 580 2 230.00–235.00 $232.46 $1,348 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305–347 336 11 250.00–270.00 $263.11 $884 —
358–390 value added 366 15 272.50–280.00 $276.81 $1,013 —
370–395 378 6 247.50–267.50 $257.48 $973 +11.88
405–420 value added 413 2 270.00–274.00 $272.04 $1,124 +18.04
402–445 425 29 242.00–260.00 $251.18 $1,068 +11.69
450–479 value added 468 120 255.00–283.50 $279.88 $1,310 —
450–498 477 28 225.00–250.00 $236.15 $1,126 +4.33
500–545 519 43 220.00–235.00 $225.87 $1,172 -0.90
520–532 value added 524 8 245.00–250.00 $247.18 $1,295 +4.39
550–555 value added 552 3 230.00–240.00 $233.35 $1,288 —
550–597 580 38 207.50–225.00 $217.85 $1,264 +10.12
600–632 value added 619 39 215.00–222.00 $220.41 $1,364 +3.41
605–647 631 7 190.00–200.00 $195.29 $1,232 -12.21
655–682 668 7 190.00–200.00 $194.27 $1,298 +4.27
680 value added 680 3 213.00 $213.00 $1,448 —
710 value added 710 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,491 +10.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–333 330 5 240.00 $240.00 $792 —
405–435 423 5 222.50–232.50 $227.55 $963 +0.05
495 495 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,077 -2.92
520–545 533 2 210.00–212.50 $211.28 $1,126 —
592 592 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,184 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
237–245 240 3 290.00–315.00 $306.48 $736 —
250–295 273 4 290.00–312.50 $298.18 $814 —
305–345 331 11 280.00–310.00 $291.14 $964 —
375 fancy 375 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,181 —
370–397 387 22 275.00–310.00 $300.54 $1,163 +5.54
400 400 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,050 -18.53
405–445 420 13 270.00–297.50 $291.51 $1,224 +10.48
420 fancy 420 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,281 —
450–485 fancy 462 3 275.00–285.00 $281.50 $1,301 —
450–495 476 15 250.00–270.00 $258.60 $1,231 -13.36
505 fancy 505 1 257.50 $257.50 $1,300 —
500–545 529 12 235.00–252.50 $243.39 $1,288 -3.01
570 fancy 570 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,382 —
557–595 573 13 225.00–237.50 $233.80 $1,340 +1.55
600–620 614 8 217.50–222.50 $219.55 $1,348 +10.29
650–670 661 7 190.00–205.00 $192.17 $1,270 -11.20
686–690 687 4 170.00–175.00 $171.26 $1,177 -32.11
700 700 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,225 —
712–725 716 8 193.00–200.00 $194.13 $1,390 —
757 757 2 179.00 $179.00 $1,355 —
825–830 828 2 170.00–182.00 $175.98 $1,457 +8.48
869–880 872 24 156.00–160.00 $158.99 $1,386 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327–345 333 3 250.00–255.00 $251.73 $838 —
460 460 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,070 —
500–545 515 3 217.50–222.50 $220.74 $1,137 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1230 1230 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015–1375 1176 80-85% 5 92.00–96.00 $93.56 $1,100 -15.69
900–1510 1216 80-85% 35 98.00–112.00 $103.88 $1,263 —
860–1460 1275 80-85% 10 113.50–126.00 $117.21 $1,494 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1575 1330 75-80% 3 122.00–123.00 $122.30 $1,627 —
1380–1545 1463 75-80% 2 98.00–100.00 $98.94 $1,447 —
1100–1865 1482 75-80% 29 103.00–119.00 $111.37 $1,651 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–1145 1024 85-90% 5 83.00–86.00 $84.48 $865 —
885–1405 1069 85-90% 21 88.00–99.00 $93.86 $1,003 +1.39

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,392 —
1280–1580 1430 2 113.00–117.00 $114.79 $1,641 —
1505–2170 1832 3 135.00–136.00 $135.39 $2,480 +5.21
1375–2200 1929 5 126.00–131.00 $128.19 $2,473 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1005–1010 1007 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 850.00–1,000.00 $916.56
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00

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Bred Heifers

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
695–855 797 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 700.00–930.00 $852.57
825–850 838 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 800.00–900.00 $849.25

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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.