Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, January 28, 2025

2,121 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $302.59/cwt -1.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,587/hd at 524 lb · 186 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $304.69/cwt +19.69 vs last sale · ≈ $1,890/hd at 620 lb · 104 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $277.25/cwt -11.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,590/hd at 573 lb · 76 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,121 908 1,320
Feeder cattle 1,961 841 1,136
Slaughter cattle 136 55 168
Replacement cattle 24 12 16

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, based on a much heavier test this week, feeder steers and bulls weighing up to 400 lbs. and feeder heifers weighing up to 450 lbs. sharply lower overall. Feeder steers weighing over 400 lbs. 8.00 higher, with feeder heifers weighing over 450 lbs. 3.00 to 4.00 higher, and feeder bulls over 400 lbs. 2.00 higher. Slaughter cows gauging 1.00 to 2.00 higher overall with slaughter bulls 2.00 lower. Today's offerings included the following load lot: 1 load ML 1 preconditioned Heifers, 523 lbs., $318.00 per cwt., medium flesh, mixed colors.

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
317–345 327 5 400.00–410.00 $405.96 $1,327 -29.04
353–382 367 12 380.00–401.00 $394.37 $1,447 -20.00
400–445 429 9 370.00–377.50 $374.74 $1,608 -2.00
465–481 value added 479 9 377.00–377.50 $377.05 $1,806 -12.95
450–498 481 40 330.00–372.50 $354.90 $1,707 +18.54
500–520 value added 509 17 344.00–370.00 $354.82 $1,806 +16.22
500–547 524 16 316.00–340.00 $326.29 $1,710 +10.48
559–586 value added 578 19 330.00–356.00 $338.21 $1,955 +6.94
552–598 580 28 304.00–328.00 $317.09 $1,839 +6.41
600–647 value added 617 71 304.00–319.00 $313.57 $1,935 +9.74
602–641 626 30 275.00–300.00 $287.91 $1,802 +15.14
641 641 3 262.50 $262.50 $1,683 -10.27
650–693 value added 661 26 287.50–307.00 $300.02 $1,983 +11.02
650–675 672 9 272.50–275.00 $274.73 $1,846 -2.77
705–742 value added 717 47 268.50–280.00 $277.12 $1,987 -5.07
738 738 3 258.00 $258.00 $1,904 —
752–783 value added 769 27 267.00–270.50 $268.25 $2,063 +2.99
750–793 775 10 251.00–259.00 $255.39 $1,979 —
805–845 value added 809 59 252.00–269.50 $266.60 $2,157 —
805–840 826 8 244.00–250.00 $246.46 $2,036 -1.04
850 850 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,976 —
871–881 value added 874 11 247.00–254.50 $252.44 $2,206 +4.44
947 value added 947 2 242.50 $242.50 $2,296 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,254 —
355 355 2 375.00 $375.00 $1,331 —
431 value added 431 3 357.50 $357.50 $1,541 —
506 value added 506 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,518 —
566 value added 566 3 290.00 $290.00 $1,641 —
920 920 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,955 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327 327 2 370.00 $370.00 $1,210 —
350 value added 350 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,312 —
395 395 3 340.00 $340.00 $1,343 —
470 value added 470 3 325.00 $325.00 $1,528 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275–293 284 7 335.00–350.00 $344.31 $978 -42.73
300–345 319 11 315.00–350.00 $329.91 $1,052 -32.05
348 fancy 348 3 365.00 $365.00 $1,270 —
350–397 371 26 305.00–335.00 $323.84 $1,201 -33.95
351–398 value added 387 24 340.00–375.00 $346.19 $1,340 -29.16
400–435 value added 423 12 327.50–331.00 $330.23 $1,397 -31.35
400–447 428 57 295.00–320.00 $307.12 $1,314 -24.14
450–495 469 38 290.00–308.00 $298.27 $1,399 -10.43
460–492 value added 479 22 314.00–330.00 $318.36 $1,525 -6.64
480–490 485 2 270.00–275.00 $272.47 $1,321 -36.23
501–547 value added 524 109 295.00–318.00 $315.33 $1,652 +7.65
502–547 525 77 270.00–292.50 $284.55 $1,494 +4.66
550–595 value added 568 35 280.00–293.00 $285.97 $1,624 -5.71
555–596 578 41 254.00–278.00 $269.81 $1,560 +6.71
608–640 value added 617 31 269.00–277.50 $274.40 $1,693 +2.17
600–640 621 15 240.00–266.00 $251.78 $1,564 -4.85
615–625 622 3 230.00–232.50 $231.68 $1,441 -24.95
650–695 664 19 230.00–247.50 $238.63 $1,585 —
660–676 value added 671 29 252.50–270.00 $261.22 $1,753 +3.22
700–725 714 4 234.00–245.00 $241.30 $1,723 +12.53
702–740 value added 728 70 247.00–254.00 $251.44 $1,830 -2.56
757–783 value added 772 7 221.00–235.00 $229.65 $1,773 -47.85
780 780 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,677 -10.06
820–847 value added 838 3 227.00–230.00 $229.02 $1,919 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–335 330 2 300.00–310.00 $305.08 $1,007 —
360–380 365 4 290.00 $290.00 $1,058 —
440 440 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,232 —
460–495 479 4 277.50–280.00 $279.35 $1,338 —
530 530 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,391 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–295 278 5 420.00–445.00 $426.10 $1,185 —
306–315 fancy 309 5 410.00–425.00 $415.06 $1,283 —
305–345 325 15 360.00–395.00 $378.46 $1,230 -31.21
350 fancy 350 1 410.00 $410.00 $1,435 -11.28
350–395 373 40 350.00–400.00 $379.17 $1,414 -11.72
400–446 422 48 335.00–380.00 $362.16 $1,528 -7.30
405–445 426 4 320.00–330.00 $324.67 $1,383 -44.79
450 fancy 450 3 355.00–360.00 $358.33 $1,612 —
450–497 482 40 320.00–350.00 $340.50 $1,641 +30.04
467–497 482 4 315.00–317.50 $316.21 $1,524 +5.75
495 495 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,497 -7.96
505 fancy 505 2 347.50–352.50 $350.00 $1,768 —
505–545 523 45 310.00–342.50 $330.85 $1,730 +14.57
515–535 525 7 290.00–300.00 $294.20 $1,545 -22.08
550–585 559 21 300.00–325.00 $317.75 $1,776 +9.16
580–590 584 9 270.00–280.00 $275.33 $1,608 +2.33
591 591 4 267.50 $267.50 $1,581 -5.50
600–640 613 35 267.50–292.50 $279.25 $1,712 +1.83
600–630 615 5 252.50–262.50 $258.01 $1,587 -19.41
655 fancy 655 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,834 —
655–695 674 21 252.50–274.00 $263.14 $1,774 +4.89
681–687 683 5 240.00–246.00 $242.41 $1,656 -15.84
705–745 720 13 245.00–257.00 $252.21 $1,816 +2.11
750–785 763 10 227.50–247.50 $238.23 $1,818 —
805–845 816 4 222.50–230.00 $226.20 $1,846 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 330.00 $330.00 $842 —
305–340 318 6 310.00–335.00 $328.23 $1,044 -26.77
390–395 393 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,218 -51.70
560–575 568 2 240.00–268.00 $254.19 $1,444 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 320 3 345.00–350.00 $348.28 $1,114 —
385–395 393 5 337.00–340.00 $338.19 $1,329 -15.61
565 565 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,511 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1480 1480 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 2,575.00 $2,575.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1490 1206 80-85% 34 127.00–145.00 $136.94 $1,651 -14.42
1240 1240 80-85% 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,550 -26.36
1050–1545 1295 80-85% 13 146.00–167.00 $151.45 $1,961 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1415 1415 75-80% 1 124.50 $124.50 $1,762 —
1415 1415 75-80% 1 152.00 $152.00 $2,151 —
1215–1865 1512 75-80% 31 129.50–145.00 $137.07 $2,072 +1.65
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1205 1057 85-90% 15 116.00–129.00 $123.09 $1,301 —
1135 1135 85-90% 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,226 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525–1620 1573 2 141.00–143.00 $141.97 $2,233 —
1555–1685 1620 2 171.00–175.00 $173.08 $2,804 +16.09
1000–2095 1786 10 146.00–161.00 $154.67 $2,762 —

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Stock Cows

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
785 785 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,525.00 $1,525.00

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1035–1175 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 2,250.00–2,450.00 $2,343.67
940–1445 1130 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,750.00–2,075.00 $1,900.26
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1230 1230 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,700.00 $1,700.00
1250 1250 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00
1330 1330 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,930.00 $1,930.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
761 value added 761 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,560 —
885 value added 885 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,770 —
987 value added 987 4 189.00 $189.00 $1,865 —

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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.