Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 12, 2024

1,118 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $352.36/cwt +22.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,556/hd at 442 lb · 134 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $301.96/cwt +23.22 vs last sale · ≈ $1,430/hd at 474 lb · 110 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $244.44/cwt +3.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,413/hd at 578 lb · 46 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,118 1,094 989
Feeder cattle 1,018 914 832
Slaughter cattle 74 137 130
Replacement cattle 26 43 27

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers weighing up to 500 lbs. sharply higher, with 5-weights 4.00 to 5.00 higher, and no comparisons available for those weighing over 600 lbs. due to limited comparable receipts from non-preconditioned offerings. Feeder heifers weighing up to 550 lbs. sharply higher with those weighing over 550 lbs. 1.00 to 4.00 higher, and feeder bulls sharply higher overall. Today's head sale offerings included a small herd dispersal of purebred Wagyu cow/calf pairs and bred cows. Today's offerings also included the following load lot: 1 load ML 1-2 preconditioned Steers, 445 lbs., $358.00, 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
285–295 290 2 335.00–340.00 $337.46 $979 +4.96
305–340 331 8 335.00–345.00 $341.96 $1,132 -9.02
355–380 366 6 320.00–340.00 $327.63 $1,199 +4.19
397 value added 397 2 345.00 $345.00 $1,370 —
400–446 426 18 310.00–345.00 $335.99 $1,431 +16.18
428–430 429 6 298.00–300.00 $298.67 $1,281 -21.14
410–445 value added 445 110 355.00–358.00 $357.97 $1,593 +21.14
450–487 value added 470 15 335.00–346.00 $340.76 $1,602 +7.21
460–495 482 24 305.00–332.50 $323.79 $1,561 +13.85
502–510 value added 505 3 330.00–335.00 $331.68 $1,675 +16.45
500–545 524 18 292.50–322.50 $308.55 $1,617 +4.44
560–590 value added 575 15 305.00–322.50 $310.47 $1,785 +4.49
565–590 581 19 285.00–300.00 $292.38 $1,699 +5.25
600–640 611 8 270.00–285.00 $277.08 $1,693 +7.08
630–649 value added 638 12 289.50–298.00 $292.42 $1,866 -0.23
673–697 686 11 250.00–265.00 $260.34 $1,786 —
711 711 4 251.00 $251.00 $1,785 —
773–781 value added 778 7 243.00–245.00 $243.85 $1,897 +6.85
802 value added 802 2 239.00 $239.00 $1,917 +19.00
875 value added 875 4 217.00 $217.00 $1,899 —
942 942 2 196.00 $196.00 $1,846 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 3 335.00 $335.00 $804 +33.62
285–295 290 3 317.50–342.50 $331.62 $962 +45.66
305–348 332 27 295.00–332.50 $317.91 $1,055 +36.74
350–390 373 26 297.50–327.50 $316.12 $1,179 +27.36
400–446 422 34 287.50–312.00 $299.12 $1,262 +26.66
430–445 value added 438 2 322.50–327.50 $325.04 $1,424 +29.50
450–495 473 36 277.50–302.50 $289.11 $1,367 +17.37
450–477 value added 474 74 307.50–312.50 $308.21 $1,461 +10.96
500–535 value added 513 13 277.00–300.00 $281.77 $1,445 +11.36
500–547 528 21 242.50–270.00 $258.14 $1,363 +12.68
550–591 577 44 232.50–255.00 $242.26 $1,398 +2.89
597 value added 597 2 292.50 $292.50 $1,746 —
600–645 620 4 220.00–230.00 $223.68 $1,387 -1.94
621–640 value added 629 7 233.00–235.00 $234.13 $1,473 -8.86
625–635 630 4 210.00–212.50 $211.26 $1,331 -14.36
655–690 672 6 220.00–225.00 $220.86 $1,484 -0.30
700–730 716 7 200.00–225.00 $206.39 $1,478 —
756–796 778 10 202.50–205.00 $204.30 $1,589 —
911 911 3 194.00 $194.00 $1,767 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272–290 277 5 335.00–360.00 $344.03 $953 +16.50
310–340 321 8 330.00–350.00 $336.20 $1,079 +25.27
356 fancy 356 4 345.00 $345.00 $1,228 +1.16
355–393 377 17 310.00–335.00 $327.19 $1,234 +16.93
400–448 431 20 300.00–335.00 $322.34 $1,389 +16.63
435–440 437 3 280.00–290.00 $286.64 $1,253 -19.07
450–497 475 22 292.50–317.50 $306.10 $1,454 +10.29
472–477 475 4 283.00–284.00 $283.50 $1,347 -12.31
500–517 fancy 506 7 310.00–315.00 $313.54 $1,587 —
510–545 529 14 273.00–300.00 $296.26 $1,567 +20.54
550–590 580 11 266.00–287.50 $278.91 $1,618 +9.58
610–645 621 14 245.00–268.00 $256.44 $1,592 +25.77
655–670 661 6 246.00–259.00 $253.17 $1,673 +23.17
670–685 675 3 225.00–230.00 $226.69 $1,530 -3.31
710 710 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,704 +21.91
755 755 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,699 +19.37

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–1405 1159 80-85% 14 108.00–124.00 $115.91 $1,343 —
1015–1440 1278 80-85% 16 127.00–144.00 $131.42 $1,680 +6.63
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1535 1413 75-80% 10 122.00–132.00 $127.37 $1,800 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955 955 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $879 —
840–1250 1004 85-90% 8 100.00–111.00 $105.49 $1,059 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1480 1480 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,850 —
1360–2125 1669 7 129.00–139.00 $135.37 $2,259 +3.76
1500–2085 1884 4 144.00–150.00 $146.78 $2,765 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860–1105 983 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,450.00–1,725.00 $1,604.64
940–1115 1028 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,480.00 $1,374.79
960–1100 1030 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,375.00–1,675.00 $1,535.19
1055 1055 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,170.00 $1,170.00
1235 1235 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,575.00 $1,575.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
965 965 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
770 770 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,275.00 $1,275.00
855 855 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
740 740 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,025.00 $1,025.00
765 765 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00

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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 1,870.00 $1,870.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,875.00 $1,875.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,275.00 $2,275.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —

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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.