Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 5, 2024

1,094 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $292.36/cwt +7.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,852/hd at 634 lb · 78 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $278.74/cwt +4.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,303/hd at 468 lb · 51 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $281.25/cwt +12.23 vs last sale · ≈ $1,199/hd at 426 lb · 42 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,094 1,400 1,325
Feeder cattle 914 1,288 1,125
Slaughter cattle 137 96 156
Replacement cattle 43 16 44

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers measuring 9.00 to 10.00 higher with feeder heifers 2.00 lower overall. Feeder bulls weighing up to 450 lbs. sharply higher with those weighing over 450 lbs. unevenly steady. Slaughter cows gauging 3.00 higher overall with slaughter bulls 2.00 higher.

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
267 267 4 330.00–335.00 $332.50 $888 -15.00
300–345 325 4 330.00–365.00 $350.98 $1,141 +12.17
376–385 379 5 310.00–327.50 $323.44 $1,226 +0.85
405–442 421 16 305.00–325.00 $319.81 $1,346 +37.74
420–436 value added 426 22 334.00–339.00 $336.83 $1,435 +10.57
455–477 value added 473 15 327.50–335.00 $333.55 $1,578 +10.32
455–490 473 12 300.00–324.00 $309.94 $1,466 +28.67
505–546 value added 526 22 312.00–318.00 $315.23 $1,658 +2.70
500–545 527 6 292.50–307.50 $304.11 $1,603 +34.67
550–585 value added 575 32 303.00–313.00 $305.98 $1,759 +10.66
550–598 585 10 280.00–294.00 $287.13 $1,680 +12.62
605 605 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,634 +6.00
615–635 value added 634 77 287.50–301.00 $292.65 $1,855 +1.07
660 value added 660 7 282.50–289.00 $286.21 $1,889 +21.21
700–736 value added 733 12 247.50–257.00 $248.26 $1,820 +3.26
755 value added 755 2 237.00 $237.00 $1,789 +0.10
820 value added 820 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,804 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351 351 4 275.00 $275.00 $965 —
441 441 15 252.50 $252.50 $1,114 —
520 value added 520 2 262.50 $262.50 $1,365 —
555 555 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,346 —
662 value added 662 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,721 —
665 665 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,646 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–225 fancy 218 2 330.00–335.00 $332.59 $725 —
230–240 235 7 290.00–320.00 $301.38 $708 —
260–270 fancy 265 2 315.00–320.00 $317.55 $842 —
250–295 270 6 270.00–300.00 $285.96 $772 -10.76
300–340 324 6 270.00–305.00 $281.17 $911 -11.83
305–340 value added 326 5 320.00–327.50 $325.63 $1,062 —
355–385 fancy 368 4 310.00–320.00 $315.09 $1,160 —
365–397 386 15 270.00–305.00 $288.76 $1,115 +18.76
407–445 value added 412 16 288.00–297.50 $295.54 $1,218 —
400–447 435 26 265.00–277.50 $272.46 $1,185 +27.12
453–470 value added 456 14 287.50–300.00 $297.25 $1,355 +18.19
457–495 472 37 252.50–280.00 $271.74 $1,283 +8.17
510 510 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,160 -18.67
505–545 value added 518 23 260.00–286.00 $270.41 $1,401 -2.13
505–540 522 10 236.00–255.00 $245.46 $1,281 -0.71
557 value added 557 4 258.00 $258.00 $1,437 -7.28
565 565 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,215 -25.40
550–599 580 29 230.00–252.00 $239.37 $1,388 +18.70
607–610 value added 608 3 239.00–245.00 $242.99 $1,477 -9.14
600–645 627 9 212.50–230.00 $225.62 $1,415 +15.62
650–685 669 8 210.00–229.00 $221.16 $1,480 +24.48
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353–370 357 4 242.50–255.00 $245.74 $877 —
410 410 7 235.00 $235.00 $964 —
510–518 517 6 220.00–228.00 $226.68 $1,172 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–240 235 3 320.00–345.00 $333.09 $783 -0.34
250–290 277 3 320.00–345.00 $327.53 $907 +5.90
315–345 334 11 300.00–325.00 $310.93 $1,039 +13.99
360–380 fancy 373 4 335.00–355.00 $343.84 $1,283 —
360–395 380 12 300.00–325.00 $310.26 $1,179 +13.09
400–445 418 24 290.00–325.00 $305.71 $1,278 +12.23
420–435 fancy 425 3 340.00–345.00 $341.71 $1,452 +31.71
458–465 fancy 459 5 323.00–330.00 $324.42 $1,489 +11.08
450–495 484 9 285.00–312.50 $295.81 $1,432 +32.06
500–545 518 6 262.00–292.50 $275.72 $1,428 -8.43
550 fancy 550 2 295.00 $295.00 $1,622 —
550–590 577 21 260.00–282.50 $269.33 $1,554 +9.72
630–640 634 4 225.00–240.00 $230.67 $1,462 -8.96
646 646 3 217.00 $217.00 $1,402 -22.63
680 680 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,564 -5.97
700–740 715 4 209.00–225.00 $218.09 $1,559 +8.09
760–785 775 3 203.00–209.00 $205.63 $1,594 +0.63
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
810 810 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00 —
1045–1370 1208 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 2 1,375.00–1,750.00 $1,587.73 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1010 988 80-85% 2 98.00–98.50 $98.24 $971 —
1020–1500 1202 80-85% 34 106.00–119.00 $113.87 $1,369 —
895–1515 1261 80-85% 11 120.00–135.00 $124.79 $1,574 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
715–840 778 85-90% 2 110.00–114.00 $112.16 $873 —
805–1195 1040 85-90% 18 93.00–110.00 $100.58 $1,046 —
815–1170 1045 85-90% 5 112.00–122.00 $116.99 $1,223 —
1080 1080 85-90% 1 89.00 $89.00 $961 -10.63
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1785 1533 75-80% 8 114.00–120.50 $117.15 $1,796 -10.31
1645 1645 75-80% 1 124.00 $124.00 $2,040 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–2225 1662 14 124.00–137.00 $131.61 $2,187 —
1595–2160 1849 4 138.00–145.00 $140.36 $2,595 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
1120–1345 1233 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,925.00–2,100.00 $2,020.49
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,480.00 $1,480.00
1090–1630 1303 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 10 1,400.00–2,100.00 $1,849.89
1340 1340 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,725.00 $1,725.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
815 815 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 870.00 $870.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
885–985 935 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,350.00–1,400.00 $1,373.66
935 935 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,375.00 $1,375.00

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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)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,250.00 $2,250.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,950.00–1,975.00 $1,962.50 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,800.00–1,820.00 $1,810.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,350.00–1,600.00 $1,483.33 —

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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.