Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, December 3, 2024

942 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $268.57/cwt +15.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,780/hd at 663 lb · 52 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $238.82/cwt -2.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,489/hd at 623 lb · 37 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $277.50/cwt +10.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,609/hd at 580 lb · 31 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 942 1,640 1,287
Feeder cattle 796 1,461 1,120
Slaughter cattle 132 100 135
Replacement cattle 14 79 32

Market comments — USDA reporter

**No comparisons available due to no sale last week in observance of the Thanksgiving holiday. Strong demand for all classes of cattle was noted for today's sale.

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
270 270 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,107 +15.00
350–395 369 4 345.00–387.50 $367.37 $1,356 +43.72
402–445 431 10 320.00–342.00 $332.74 $1,434 +23.82
459 value added 459 11 346.00 $346.00 $1,588 +33.70
452–490 461 8 315.00–330.00 $325.80 $1,502 +30.00
515 value added 515 3 303.00 $303.00 $1,560 +6.69
500–540 520 9 280.00–300.00 $284.78 $1,481 +23.13
570 570 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,368 -26.73
550–597 576 7 254.00–272.50 $263.31 $1,517 -3.42
561–592 value added 582 22 280.00–295.00 $285.42 $1,661 —
600–635 value added 619 11 268.00–270.00 $268.88 $1,664 -4.99
611–645 622 7 252.50–265.00 $259.25 $1,613 +1.34
660 660 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,584 -3.74
659–666 value added 662 45 269.50–274.00 $271.79 $1,799 +16.12
663–675 668 6 245.00–255.00 $249.15 $1,664 +5.41
700–745 725 18 230.00–247.50 $241.22 $1,749 +7.22
760–781 value added 773 5 235.00–237.50 $236.52 $1,828 -8.48
785 785 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,766 —
821 value added 821 13 238.00 $238.00 $1,954 -6.75
870 870 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,958 —
911 911 3 227.00 $227.00 $2,068 —
1045 1045 1 197.50 $197.50 $2,064 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
301 301 3 350.00 $350.00 $1,054 —
630 630 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,449 -5.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,428 —
630 630 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,449 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–345 336 19 275.00–310.00 $295.38 $992 +4.05
350–360 fancy 355 2 325.00 $325.00 $1,154 —
350–395 367 22 275.00–317.50 $298.78 $1,097 +24.61
400–407 value added 404 4 285.00–290.00 $287.52 $1,162 +7.93
400–443 426 22 255.00–277.50 $267.78 $1,141 +8.16
465 fancy 465 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,348 —
450–497 478 27 250.00–279.00 $262.33 $1,254 +12.85
505–547 532 19 232.50–256.00 $243.64 $1,296 +9.53
550–595 572 15 227.50–241.00 $235.04 $1,344 -1.05
600–645 617 11 220.00–230.00 $224.07 $1,383 +8.05
614–629 value added 626 26 235.00–248.00 $245.06 $1,534 -2.61
655–695 670 8 210.00–220.00 $213.42 $1,430 -7.64
690 value added 690 7 233.00 $233.00 $1,608 -15.09
705 value added 705 2 222.50 $222.50 $1,569 —
715–745 735 5 198.00–215.00 $204.17 $1,501 +4.17
750–762 758 5 200.00 $200.00 $1,516 +0.84
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 3 246.00 $246.00 $1,073 —
475 475 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,045 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–342 326 10 350.00–395.00 $383.16 $1,249 +38.41
352–395 369 15 340.00–380.00 $361.10 $1,332 +73.34
405–445 426 14 310.00–345.00 $328.91 $1,401 +15.51
440 440 1 295.00 $295.00 $1,298 +20.00
450–498 472 21 292.50–327.00 $316.42 $1,494 +34.00
495 495 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,386 -2.42
505–535 516 20 265.00–281.00 $271.97 $1,403 +7.08
542 542 2 248.00 $248.00 $1,344 -16.89
550–593 574 17 247.50–272.50 $258.96 $1,486 +8.05
601–640 614 17 229.00–255.00 $232.60 $1,428 -8.16
655–692 682 16 220.00–235.00 $227.41 $1,551 -7.00
700–740 727 7 200.00–210.00 $204.28 $1,485 -8.22
770–778 775 6 200.00 $200.00 $1,550 —
800–835 825 12 184.00–194.00 $190.03 $1,568 +2.53
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,166 +45.00
425 425 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,148 +10.00
475 475 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,069 -15.00
515 515 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,223 —
695 695 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,390 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035–1585 1277 80-85% 16 121.00–131.00 $126.03 $1,609 —
910–1650 1317 80-85% 18 114.00–124.50 $119.84 $1,578 -8.18
1305–1355 1328 80-85% 3 129.00–131.00 $130.01 $1,727 +1.99
1210–1575 1344 80-85% 6 133.00–140.00 $135.42 $1,820 +7.40
1380–1405 1393 80-85% 2 109.00–110.00 $109.50 $1,525 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1475 1475 75-80% 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,608 —
1315–1635 1499 75-80% 7 123.00–140.00 $129.14 $1,936 —
1320–1815 1550 75-80% 16 118.00–134.50 $125.10 $1,939 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970 970 85-90% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,183 —
980–1220 1102 85-90% 6 96.00–110.00 $101.74 $1,121 —
1035–1205 1124 85-90% 4 108.00–115.00 $109.81 $1,234 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095–1155 1125 2 143.00–144.00 $143.49 $1,614 —
1370 1370 1 133.50 $133.50 $1,829 +15.50
1215–1900 1496 8 138.00–152.00 $146.03 $2,185 —
1675 1675 1 164.00 $164.00 $2,747 —
1970–1975 1973 2 152.00–155.00 $153.50 $3,029 —
2335 2335 1 145.00 $145.00 $3,386 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1285–1390 1338 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,500.00–1,975.00 $1,746.82
1415 1415 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,825.00 $1,825.00
1565–1600 1583 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,500.00–1,825.00 $1,664.30
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1180 1180 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
860 860 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
760 760 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00
830 830 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,200.00 $1,200.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1490 1490 85-90% 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,564 —
1635–1660 1648 80-85% 2 120.00–122.00 $121.01 $1,994 —

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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.