Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 30, 2024

1,052 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $299.76/cwt +12.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,260/hd at 420 lb · 53 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $283.51/cwt -2.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,327/hd at 468 lb · 52 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $273.07/cwt +10.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,559/hd at 571 lb · 48 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,052 1,024 1,000
Feeder cattle 862 845 819
Slaughter cattle 121 142 147
Replacement cattle 69 37 34

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder heifers and bulls measuring 5.00 to 6.00 higher overall, with feeder steers sharply higher, and high-quality feeder offerings noted. Slaughter cows steady to 1.00 higher with slaughter bulls 5.00 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
262 value added 262 2 420.00 $420.00 $1,100 —
295 295 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,195 —
315–322 value added 316 10 387.50–400.00 $391.52 $1,237 —
367–375 value added 370 3 385.00–405.00 $398.24 $1,473 —
362–398 377 9 350.00–380.00 $366.51 $1,382 +8.01
405–425 value added 416 13 345.00–370.00 $350.33 $1,457 -6.98
405–447 426 26 310.00–340.00 $329.72 $1,405 +2.75
481–492 value added 487 8 330.00–333.00 $331.48 $1,614 +4.51
475–497 488 9 317.50–327.50 $322.85 $1,576 +19.84
505–547 523 33 300.00–327.50 $318.73 $1,667 +14.75
557–572 value added 566 5 312.00–320.00 $316.85 $1,793 +1.16
555–596 587 14 285.00–305.00 $300.19 $1,762 +18.60
600–625 613 2 253.00–260.00 $256.57 $1,573 -20.93
610–626 value added 621 7 298.00–300.00 $298.56 $1,854 +16.06
610–642 624 12 270.00–291.00 $281.18 $1,755 +3.68
655 value added 655 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,850 +13.80
660–665 662 3 250.00–277.50 $259.21 $1,716 +11.61
707–740 722 5 241.00–255.00 $247.30 $1,786 -1.12
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
547 547 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,313 —
597 597 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,642 +35.00
810 value added 810 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,843 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 value added 242 2 365.00 $365.00 $883 —
245 245 1 330.00 $330.00 $808 -15.50
255–275 265 2 315.00–320.00 $317.41 $841 -24.78
250–285 value added 268 2 350.00–370.00 $359.35 $963 —
300–322 value added 315 3 322.50–332.50 $325.68 $1,026 —
305–345 321 11 290.00–315.00 $300.79 $966 -24.10
351–362 value added 353 9 327.50–337.50 $335.22 $1,183 —
350–397 375 19 295.00–325.00 $305.01 $1,144 +2.68
400–405 value added 401 17 311.00–317.50 $314.00 $1,259 —
400–435 419 5 277.50–280.00 $278.53 $1,167 -9.22
405–448 431 31 287.50–307.50 $295.38 $1,273 +7.63
461 value added 461 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,383 —
450–498 467 44 274.00–292.50 $284.82 $1,330 -1.57
470–485 481 5 260.00–268.00 $262.09 $1,261 -24.30
525 value added 525 2 287.50 $287.50 $1,509 -5.00
500–545 528 38 267.50–283.00 $274.28 $1,448 +1.61
540 540 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,390 -15.17
555–560 value added 559 23 275.00–280.00 $279.35 $1,562 —
565–597 582 25 260.00–272.50 $267.30 $1,556 +5.04
600–622 614 11 235.00–257.50 $245.83 $1,509 +9.84
660 660 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,436 -1.86
670 value added 670 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,642 +2.50
670–675 673 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,582 +15.64
710–740 731 5 202.50–212.50 $210.42 $1,538 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 2 237.50 $237.50 $1,140 —
525 525 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,194 —
579 value added 579 7 240.00 $240.00 $1,390 —
580 580 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,320 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–435 432 4 280.00–285.00 $283.76 $1,226 —
450–490 470 3 267.50–270.00 $269.17 $1,265 —
500–525 513 2 247.50–260.00 $253.60 $1,301 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–245 235 2 385.00–410.00 $396.97 $933 —
255–295 277 6 385.00–400.00 $393.24 $1,089 +3.21
305–340 326 7 360.00–395.00 $368.63 $1,202 -6.20
360–395 374 5 340.00–370.00 $355.86 $1,331 +4.74
400–433 414 19 327.00–367.50 $348.51 $1,443 +25.26
458–460 fancy 458 7 337.50–340.00 $338.07 $1,548 +13.07
450–498 477 30 295.00–327.50 $318.26 $1,518 +12.61
500–525 517 4 270.00–277.50 $273.07 $1,412 -18.11
500–545 522 23 290.00–312.50 $305.15 $1,593 +13.97
550–597 569 19 280.00–310.00 $295.10 $1,679 +3.48
565–585 575 2 257.50–258.00 $257.75 $1,482 -10.37
600–640 611 5 257.50–275.00 $266.50 $1,628 +17.76
660–685 670 3 245.00–265.00 $253.22 $1,697 +12.81
725 725 1 227.00 $227.00 $1,646 +2.55
795 795 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,709 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,268 —
580 580 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,334 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–447 439 4 307.50–317.50 $312.50 $1,372 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1295 1295 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,200.00 $2,200.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1165 1165 80-85% 1 108.50 $108.50 $1,264 -8.06
800–1430 1199 80-85% 30 110.00–124.50 $119.37 $1,431 -12.25
1035–1545 1288 80-85% 10 125.00–129.50 $127.15 $1,638 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160–1245 1203 75-80% 2 107.00–110.50 $108.81 $1,309 —
1065–1715 1384 75-80% 19 115.00–127.00 $122.36 $1,693 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1030 985 85-90% 3 116.50–119.00 $117.54 $1,158 —
835–1355 1042 85-90% 16 99.00–115.00 $107.33 $1,118 +12.57
1270 1270 85-90% 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,219 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1175 1118 2 133.50–142.00 $137.97 $1,543 —
1235–2245 1663 13 146.00–158.00 $152.85 $2,542 +5.28
1690–2310 2018 3 162.00–166.00 $163.46 $3,299 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1025–1070 1048 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,225.00–1,275.00 $1,249.46
1040–1095 1068 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,200.00–1,325.00 $1,264.11
1070 1070 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00
905–1395 1075 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 1,425.00–1,925.00 $1,650.52
1055–1105 1080 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,625.00–1,800.00 $1,714.53
1060–1210 1144 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,575.00–1,950.00 $1,731.72
1070–1325 1201 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,475.00–1,750.00 $1,599.53
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750 750 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
750 750 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
905 905 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
880–975 928 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,350.00 $1,297.44
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00

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Bred Heifers

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
720–775 748 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,225.00–1,300.00 $1,263.88
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00

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Beef Dairy Heifers

Medium and Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 value added 465 1 238.00 $238.00 $1,107 —
480 480 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,224 —
538 value added 538 8 213.00 $213.00 $1,146 —

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Beef Dairy Steers

Medium and Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 value added 265 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,034 —
440 value added 440 4 232.00 $232.00 $1,021 —
518 value added 518 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,140 —
681 value added 681 6 175.00 $175.00 $1,192 —

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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)Open 1 1,625.00 $1,625.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,100.00 $2,100.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 1,850.00–2,025.00 $1,955.00 —

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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.