Cattle Market Pulse

Knoxville Livestock Center Market Report

Knoxville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Tuesday, April 28, 2026

993 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $334.57/cwt ≈ $3,240/hd at 968 lb · 58 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $460.50/cwt +1.88 vs last sale · ≈ $2,173/hd at 472 lb · 42 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $475.20/cwt +0.05 vs last sale · ≈ $2,004/hd at 422 lb · 35 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 993 1,046 1,124
Feeder cattle 833 883 983
Slaughter cattle 69 77 85
Replacement cattle 91 86 56

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers sold unevenly steady with exception of steers weighing 500-550 lbs. sharply higher, and feeder bulls also sold sharply higher. Slaughter cows and bulls sold 3.00 to 8.00 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
250–290 270 2 660.00–700.00 $681.48 $1,840 —
311 311 4 640.00 $640.00 $1,990 —
355–385 364 5 570.00–575.00 $573.94 $2,089 +33.61
422–429 426 24 520.00–580.00 $572.35 $2,438 +85.92
450–491 476 19 520.00–560.00 $539.04 $2,566 +0.67
507–536 530 12 515.00–540.00 $521.94 $2,766 +88.37
552–585 560 11 445.00–480.00 $473.03 $2,649 +21.81
610 value added 610 1 470.00 $470.00 $2,867 +15.00
640–647 645 3 417.50–435.00 $429.21 $2,768 +7.87
665 value added 665 2 430.00 $430.00 $2,860 —
678–690 680 10 380.00–395.00 $383.04 $2,605 -31.96
700 700 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,450 —
702–728 value added 714 12 391.00–400.00 $395.00 $2,820 +15.00
768 value added 768 15 380.00 $380.00 $2,918 —
791 791 11 355.00 $355.00 $2,808 —
800–845 value added 826 8 345.00–352.50 $347.65 $2,872 +6.49
850–875 860 7 323.00–341.00 $333.53 $2,868 —
925–945 935 2 320.00–335.00 $327.42 $3,061 —
968 value added 968 57 335.00 $335.00 $3,243 —
990 990 1 310.00 $310.00 $3,069 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 540.00 $540.00 $2,106 —
610 value added 610 1 417.50 $417.50 $2,547 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 530.00 $530.00 $1,749 —
485 485 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,940 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–295 280 7 550.00–590.00 $568.16 $1,591 —
305–345 328 10 510.00–580.00 $550.36 $1,805 +9.46
350–395 376 32 495.00–550.00 $521.64 $1,961 +13.29
407–412 value added 408 9 492.50–500.00 $494.18 $2,016 -20.35
406–445 426 23 450.00–485.00 $473.24 $2,016 +2.85
420–445 430 3 430.00–435.00 $433.28 $1,863 -37.11
460–475 470 3 430.00–437.50 $435.05 $2,045 +7.61
450–486 472 39 450.00–485.00 $462.46 $2,183 +35.02
500–545 523 23 405.00–445.00 $422.14 $2,208 +37.14
542 542 2 380.00 $380.00 $2,060 -42.58
558–598 575 18 400.00–430.00 $421.14 $2,422 +22.73
640–644 643 7 360.00–385.00 $363.55 $2,338 -17.62
650–695 659 8 355.00–375.00 $368.29 $2,427 +4.86
758 value added 758 6 342.00 $342.00 $2,592 —
760 760 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,546 +2.48
806–840 813 5 330.00–340.00 $332.07 $2,700 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,300 —
365 365 2 485.00 $485.00 $1,770 +65.00
420 420 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,680 -39.44
450–475 463 2 410.00–420.00 $415.14 $1,922 +2.72

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–295 266 4 640.00–710.00 $679.81 $1,808 +55.03
275–280 thin fleshed 278 2 740.00–750.00 $745.05 $2,071 —
305–315 thin fleshed 310 2 650.00–670.00 $660.16 $2,046 —
300–345 324 13 580.00–630.00 $597.63 $1,936 +14.70
320–347 336 4 525.00–540.00 $536.43 $1,802 -46.50
355–396 377 18 520.00–560.00 $538.28 $2,029 -0.47
380 thin fleshed 380 1 590.00 $590.00 $2,242 —
400–435 418 3 490.00–500.00 $496.53 $2,075 -19.08
413–440 422 9 520.00–570.00 $539.58 $2,277 +23.97
455–470 463 4 450.00–460.00 $452.54 $2,095 -15.58
455–495 477 22 470.00–525.00 $486.93 $2,323 +18.81
500 thin fleshed 500 1 530.00 $530.00 $2,650 +45.00
500–541 528 19 460.00–520.00 $491.05 $2,593 +31.66
515–537 533 5 420.00–450.00 $429.83 $2,291 -29.56
550–595 572 17 432.50–480.00 $455.86 $2,608 +20.99
613–635 622 5 415.00–440.00 $423.06 $2,631 -6.17
650 650 1 390.00 $390.00 $2,535 +20.08
733 733 4 340.00 $340.00 $2,492 -19.80
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1150 1150 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 3,200.00 $3,200.00 —
1605 1605 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 3,450.00 $3,450.00 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
405 405 1 515.00 $515.00 $2,086 +39.28
490 490 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,960 -40.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055–1285 1194 80-85% 11 173.00–189.00 $182.91 $2,184 +13.91
1060–1675 1259 80-85% 9 193.00–207.00 $199.60 $2,513 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–1180 1032 85-90% 7 160.00–174.00 $164.67 $1,699 -8.39
1070 1070 85-90% 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,926 —
1055–1190 1123 85-90% 2 155.00–156.00 $155.53 $1,747 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325 1325 75-80% 1 197.00 $197.00 $2,610 —
1255–1665 1448 75-80% 7 173.00–188.00 $181.26 $2,625 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1615–1780 1671 5 220.00–226.00 $222.19 $3,713 —
1150–2335 1718 17 202.00–218.00 $211.95 $3,641 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
915–1175 1068 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 2,350.00–2,700.00 $2,506.86
1000–1400 1146 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 2,300.00–3,100.00 $2,662.22
1170–1240 1205 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,150.00–2,300.00 $2,222.82
1095–1375 1213 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 2,450.00–2,900.00 $2,627.22
1220 1220 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 3,400.00 $3,400.00
1000–1585 1226 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 2,900.00–4,000.00 $3,382.79
1185–1530 1343 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,900.00–3,400.00 $3,264.99
1080–1620 1385 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 2,550.00–3,500.00 $3,117.33
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1020 1020 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,975.00 $1,975.00
1155 1155 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,450.00 $2,450.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
815 815 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 2,150.00 $2,150.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
870 870 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
880 880 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 2,375.00 $2,375.00

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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
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 5,300.00 $5,300.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 3,000.00 $3,000.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 3,700.00–4,200.00 $4,033.33 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 4,900.00 $4,900.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 5 3,900.00–4,750.00 $4,470.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 3,300.00 $3,300.00 —

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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.