Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, August 20, 2024

715 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $298.25/cwt +6.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,588/hd at 533 lb · 27 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $233.09/cwt +4.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,657/hd at 711 lb · 20 head
light 5-weight M&L 2 heifers $239.61/cwt -3.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,275/hd at 532 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 715 1,025 1,013
Feeder cattle 598 834 826
Slaughter cattle 92 149 109
Replacement cattle 25 42 78

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to this same sale last week on lighter test run, feeder steers 500lbs to 700lbs 7.00 to 15.00 lower, heifers/bulls remain unevenly steady. Slaughter cows/bulls 3.00 to 10.00 lower.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–346 345 4 315.00–322.50 $320.65 $1,106 +8.85
400–435 410 5 292.50–317.50 $308.40 $1,264 +24.07
450–485 value added 474 6 301.00–315.00 $305.29 $1,447 +4.87
465–492 479 12 285.00–309.00 $296.13 $1,418 +14.70
510–547 532 11 285.00–297.50 $291.85 $1,553 -0.06
502–537 value added 533 16 300.00–303.00 $302.65 $1,613 —
555–595 573 10 270.00–285.00 $276.92 $1,587 +11.03
606–635 617 17 257.50–262.50 $258.98 $1,598 -7.73
632 value added 632 2 272.50 $272.50 $1,722 -15.00
660–695 676 7 240.00–255.00 $248.83 $1,682 -11.15
703–730 value added 710 15 240.00–244.00 $242.64 $1,723 —
700–740 714 5 200.00–217.50 $204.44 $1,460 -24.52
750–795 768 6 220.00–235.00 $229.97 $1,766 -1.51
875 875 1 213.00 $213.00 $1,864 -20.00
940 940 1 204.00 $204.00 $1,918 -12.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–347 335 3 270.00–290.00 $283.82 $951 -1.25
360–395 374 5 290.00–300.00 $295.09 $1,104 -9.98
420–440 427 3 270.00–275.00 $271.72 $1,160 -4.32
440 value added 440 2 295.00 $295.00 $1,298 —
465 465 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,232 +4.04
472–495 value added 480 3 298.00–307.50 $301.27 $1,446 —
500–510 505 5 270.00–275.00 $272.50 $1,376 +9.80
540 value added 540 1 297.50 $297.50 $1,606 +17.50
555–595 578 6 222.50–265.00 $248.12 $1,434 -4.54
600–630 613 8 220.00–240.00 $230.41 $1,412 -7.63
730 730 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,460 —
825 825 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,650 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,174 —
445 445 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,224 —
485 485 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,176 —
535 535 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,230 —
558 558 4 248.00 $248.00 $1,384 —
707 707 2 224.00 $224.00 $1,584 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,205 —
420 420 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,092 —
610 610 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,525 +12.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–295 293 2 245.00–275.00 $260.13 $762 +11.82
350–385 367 5 262.50–285.00 $272.52 $1,000 -0.76
405–440 417 9 255.00–267.50 $263.03 $1,097 -8.59
410–447 value added 442 9 269.00–272.50 $269.49 $1,191 —
455 value added 455 2 272.50 $272.50 $1,240 —
457–476 468 8 257.50–287.50 $269.69 $1,262 +5.27
490 490 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,176 -24.42
500–543 516 17 252.50–267.50 $259.49 $1,339 +3.81
550–575 563 2 232.50–240.00 $236.17 $1,330 -10.25
593 593 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,453 +7.00
600–626 618 13 233.00–237.00 $235.81 $1,457 +33.31
650–685 671 5 215.00–230.00 $219.03 $1,470 +2.43
711 711 6 220.00 $220.00 $1,564 +19.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–375 365 2 240.00 $240.00 $876 -30.97
415 value added 415 1 277.50 $277.50 $1,152 —
405–445 433 6 240.00–252.50 $247.03 $1,070 -19.79
450–485 461 7 240.00–252.50 $246.13 $1,135 +0.82
481 value added 481 3 272.50 $272.50 $1,311 +16.39
515–545 532 19 227.50–247.50 $239.61 $1,275 -3.18
555–590 576 18 230.00–249.00 $241.15 $1,389 +6.08
602–644 631 12 210.00–230.00 $224.51 $1,417 +22.00
675–690 688 9 200.00–210.00 $205.35 $1,413 +7.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,152 —
525–535 530 2 217.50–235.00 $226.17 $1,199 —
611–630 616 10 220.00–227.50 $223.88 $1,379 —
665 665 1 208.00 $208.00 $1,383 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,072 -39.58
401–445 415 11 291.00–315.00 $306.85 $1,273 +3.08
455–495 474 7 292.50–302.50 $298.52 $1,415 +2.05
500–540 525 5 250.00–275.00 $260.59 $1,368 -7.69
550–570 561 13 250.00–275.00 $263.30 $1,477 +2.07
600 600 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,380 -4.60
615–620 616 6 255.00–270.00 $257.52 $1,586 +22.92
665–695 674 5 215.00–220.00 $219.01 $1,476 -11.31
715–725 720 2 200.00–210.00 $205.03 $1,476 -6.57
815–845 828 4 180.00–187.50 $185.03 $1,532 -2.10
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440–445 443 2 250.00–270.00 $259.94 $1,152 -14.88
465–490 473 3 260.00–285.00 $275.18 $1,302 +11.33
525–530 527 5 230.00–245.00 $235.00 $1,238 -20.02
580–596 590 8 227.50–247.50 $242.19 $1,429 +8.37
600–645 611 8 200.00–240.00 $225.31 $1,377 —
695 695 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,425 —
705 705 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,410 +4.50
795 795 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,431 -5.00
950–955 953 2 146.00–161.00 $153.48 $1,463 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 5 267.50 $267.50 $1,054 —
428 428 4 262.50 $262.50 $1,124 —
455 455 2 245.00–290.00 $267.50 $1,217 —
730 730 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,424 —
830 830 1 272.50 $272.50 $2,262 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,176 —
515 515 1 175.00 $175.00 $901 -64.90
605 605 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,346 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1280 1280 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 2,350.00 $2,350.00 —
1505 1505 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,350.00 $3,350.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1360 1198 80-85% 6 134.00–137.50 $135.93 $1,628 —
1055–1605 1275 80-85% 11 139.00–150.00 $143.89 $1,835 -5.75
1160–1450 1318 80-85% 8 151.50–161.50 $154.92 $2,042 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1500 1304 75-80% 4 152.00–159.00 $154.11 $2,010 —
1315 1315 75-80% 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,723 —
1200–1720 1450 75-80% 19 138.00–149.50 $143.89 $2,086 -5.80
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1325 1091 85-90% 19 126.00–138.50 $132.68 $1,448 +2.82
1365 1365 85-90% 1 119.00 $119.00 $1,624 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020 1020 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,612 —
1380–1715 1601 4 175.00–179.50 $176.35 $2,823 —
1450–2105 1762 7 166.50–174.00 $171.30 $3,018 —
2145 2145 1 163.50 $163.50 $3,507 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1260 1260 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,750.00 $1,750.00
1305 1305 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00
1540 1540 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
895 895 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,850.00 $1,850.00

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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
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 1,850.00–1,975.00 $1,912.50 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,225.00 $2,225.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —

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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 1 2,475.00 $2,475.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 2,000.00–2,550.00 $2,275.00 —

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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.