Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, March 19, 2024

1,554 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 $283.87/cwt -18.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,334/hd at 470 lb · 86 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $284.25/cwt ≈ $1,558/hd at 548 lb · 76 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $266.80/cwt -0.37 vs last sale · ≈ $1,408/hd at 528 lb · 74 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,554 1,118 1,326
Feeder cattle 1,359 1,018 1,146
Slaughter cattle 147 74 145
Replacement cattle 48 26 35

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder classes unevenly steady overall with exception of 5-weight steers and 6-weight bulls sharply lower. Regarding slaughter classes- breaker cows sharply lower, with boning and lean cows 2.00 to 4.00 lower, and bulls sharply higher. Today's offerings included the following load lot: 1 load ML 1 preconditioned heifers, 548 lbs., $284.25 per cwt, medium flesh, mostly black.

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
245 fancy 245 1 405.00 $405.00 $992 —
270–275 273 2 365.00–390.00 $377.39 $1,030 +39.93
310–330 327 26 350.00–355.00 $354.06 $1,158 +12.10
340–341 value added 341 5 370.00 $370.00 $1,262 —
350–397 364 22 320.00–345.50 $333.78 $1,215 +6.15
357–397 value added 379 13 350.00–365.00 $357.04 $1,353 +12.04
400–445 418 27 320.00–347.50 $329.78 $1,378 -6.21
465 value added 465 8 337.50 $337.50 $1,569 -3.26
455–496 468 36 319.00–332.50 $325.01 $1,521 +1.22
508 value added 508 7 326.00 $326.00 $1,656 -5.68
500–545 526 18 283.00–307.50 $294.79 $1,551 -13.76
569–572 value added 570 9 307.50–310.00 $309.44 $1,764 -1.03
550–590 572 24 270.00–295.00 $279.58 $1,599 -12.80
615 value added 615 3 288.00 $288.00 $1,771 -4.42
607–629 618 14 262.50–277.50 $270.96 $1,675 -6.12
651–665 value added 657 9 279.00–282.50 $280.93 $1,846 —
650–698 662 26 260.00–270.00 $265.72 $1,759 +5.38
718–745 value added 733 16 245.00–259.00 $250.35 $1,835 —
765–798 value added 773 20 238.50–239.00 $238.63 $1,845 -5.22
780–790 785 2 235.00–237.50 $236.24 $1,854 —
800 value added 800 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,880 -4.00
850 850 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,870 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–425 423 2 280.00–297.50 $288.80 $1,222 —
460–485 475 7 289.00–293.00 $291.17 $1,383 —
635 635 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,524 —
715 715 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,644 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–280 262 10 320.00–340.00 $327.86 $859 -3.76
302–347 324 33 306.00–340.00 $321.82 $1,043 +3.91
350–397 370 45 302.50–335.00 $317.94 $1,176 +1.82
400–445 416 36 287.50–315.00 $301.20 $1,253 +2.08
416 value added 416 9 325.00 $325.00 $1,352 -0.04
451–455 value added 451 12 310.00–315.00 $310.42 $1,400 +2.21
450–496 473 74 260.00–298.00 $279.56 $1,322 -9.55
505–515 value added 510 5 280.00–296.00 $284.78 $1,452 +3.01
500–545 529 69 252.50–276.00 $265.50 $1,404 +7.36
556–585 value added 572 27 260.00–275.50 $267.42 $1,530 -25.08
550–598 574 29 235.00–258.00 $245.64 $1,410 +3.38
609–625 value added 613 20 240.00–251.50 $247.42 $1,517 +13.29
615–635 625 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,359 -6.18
620–646 638 8 222.50–230.00 $224.55 $1,433 +13.29
697 value added 697 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,533 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
548 value added 548 76 284.25 $284.25 $1,558 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 6 243.00 $243.00 $1,179 —
595 595 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,354 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252–295 271 5 340.00–370.00 $358.68 $972 +14.65
330 fancy 330 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,122 —
320–346 335 12 300.00–330.00 $311.58 $1,044 -24.62
365–395 382 9 315.00–337.50 $323.70 $1,237 -3.49
400–445 427 20 300.00–335.00 $322.83 $1,378 +0.49
450–492 465 32 298.00–330.00 $316.52 $1,472 +10.42
477 fancy 477 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,598 —
500 fancy 500 6 311.00 $311.00 $1,555 -2.54
500–548 534 16 274.00–292.50 $280.23 $1,496 -16.03
551–588 571 28 262.50–287.50 $271.51 $1,550 -7.40
610–646 636 7 230.00–247.50 $236.65 $1,505 -19.79
655–695 676 7 232.50–244.00 $239.61 $1,620 +12.92
705–745 728 4 215.00–225.00 $218.19 $1,588 -21.81
752–790 765 3 205.00–216.00 $212.21 $1,623 -12.79
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
785 785 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —
895 895 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–1425 1150 80-85% 33 104.00–122.50 $112.71 $1,296 -3.20
995–1435 1282 80-85% 8 124.00–137.00 $129.84 $1,665 -1.58
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
775–1095 881 85-90% 6 82.00–90.00 $87.23 $768 —
910–1065 983 85-90% 4 115.00–120.50 $118.21 $1,162 +26.21
820–1225 1016 85-90% 19 93.50–110.50 $103.29 $1,049 -2.20
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 75-80% 1 102.00 $102.00 $1,198 —
1145–1695 1370 75-80% 21 106.50–122.00 $114.49 $1,569 —
1305–1615 1497 75-80% 3 126.50–132.50 $128.89 $1,929 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1460 1460 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,971 +10.00
1260–2175 1744 16 138.00–151.00 $145.78 $2,542 —
1780–2215 1983 3 155.00–167.00 $159.47 $3,162 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
995 995 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1030 1030 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00
1035–1075 1055 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,725.00–1,900.00 $1,810.84
985–1180 1083 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,170.00–1,350.00 $1,268.11
1055–1105 1090 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,275.00–1,525.00 $1,430.02
965–1265 1135 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 975.00–1,400.00 $1,278.36
1090–1265 1178 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,125.00–1,725.00 $1,447.29
1355 1355 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,025.00 $2,025.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
845 845 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
855–950 903 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,175.00–1,250.00 $1,210.53
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
730–785 758 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,025.00–1,300.00 $1,167.49
760 760 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
760 760 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
960 960 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,190.00 $1,190.00
960 960 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1015–1095 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,350.00–1,725.00 $1,544.61

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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 2,050.00 $2,050.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,775.00 $1,775.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 1,825.00–2,075.00 $1,950.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —

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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.