Cattle Market Pulse

Tennessee Daily Cattle Auction Summary

Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 18, 2022

1,519 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Tennessee Daily Cattle Auction Summary report →

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $150.04/cwt +2.42 vs last sale · ≈ $786/hd at 524 lb · 82 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $148.05/cwt +7.68 vs last sale · ≈ $851/hd at 575 lb · 72 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $157.72/cwt +2.39 vs last sale · ≈ $736/hd at 466 lb · 48 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,519 1,131 1,885
Feeder cattle 1,135 889 1,422
Slaughter cattle 295 205 263
Replacement cattle 89 37 200

Market comments — USDA reporter

LaFayette - Compared to the last sale, Feeder Steers 3.00-8.00 lower; Feeder Bulls 2.00-5.00 higher; Feeder Heifers steady to 5.00 higher. Savannah - Compared to same sale last week, Slaughter cows 1.00 to 4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls 3.00 higher. Steers under 500 lbs were sharply lower, over 500 lbs 6.00 to 8.00 lower. Heifers 5.00 to 8.00 lower. Bull calves 12.00 to 15.00 lower. Quality was lacking in all classes of feeders. Sweetwater - Compared to last week, slaughter cows gauging 3.00 to 5.00 higher overall with slaughter bulls remaining mostly steady. No comparisons available for feeder classes due to limited comparable receipts.

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
290 290 1 177.50 $177.50 $515 -5.09
305–310 308 2 167.50–172.50 $169.98 $524 -10.02
350–385 368 4 167.50–185.00 $177.07 $652 -8.25
410–445 429 8 155.00–180.00 $172.18 $739 -12.34
430 value added 430 13 185.00 $185.00 $796 —
450–486 476 9 165.00–171.00 $169.25 $806 -11.11
529–533 value added 530 18 167.50–168.00 $167.89 $890 —
535 fancy 535 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,006 —
505–543 538 18 163.50–172.00 $167.58 $902 -1.55
555–595 576 29 150.00–172.50 $160.46 $924 -3.54
599 value added 599 14 167.00 $167.00 $1,000 —
604–628 value added 610 13 163.00–166.00 $163.71 $999 -10.32
600–648 623 11 149.00–157.00 $152.42 $950 -3.29
658–690 675 15 135.00–170.00 $152.46 $1,029 -0.54
702–730 713 12 130.00–139.00 $134.73 $961 +2.33
728 value added 728 3 142.00 $142.00 $1,034 -8.50
750–785 767 3 130.00–141.00 $135.02 $1,036 -4.13
807 value added 807 6 146.00 $146.00 $1,178 —
830–845 833 5 135.00–137.00 $135.41 $1,128 +1.41
855 value added 855 10 130.00 $130.00 $1,112 —
871–886 879 10 130.00–134.50 $132.27 $1,163 —
939 939 1 123.00 $123.00 $1,155 —
950–963 955 5 117.00–126.50 $122.67 $1,171 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 160.00 $160.00 $432 -7.50
365–395 383 6 147.50–165.00 $156.75 $600 -12.75
435 435 1 165.00 $165.00 $718 -5.46
465 465 1 155.00 $155.00 $721 -2.50
595 595 1 145.00 $145.00 $863 -1.00
620 620 1 140.00 $140.00 $868 +13.00
695 695 1 133.00 $133.00 $924 —
850 850 1 127.50 $127.50 $1,084 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 142.50 $142.50 $506 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–240 232 3 142.50–170.00 $155.43 $361 -24.57
250–270 258 3 145.00–155.00 $151.52 $391 -3.48
310–345 322 3 157.50–170.00 $165.53 $533 +9.22
350–395 376 10 138.00–158.00 $147.50 $555 -13.39
400–445 420 16 139.00–158.00 $151.68 $637 -10.97
428 value added 428 5 165.00 $165.00 $706 —
464 value added 464 18 167.50 $167.50 $777 —
455–490 468 30 140.00–154.00 $151.85 $711 -3.48
500–545 524 75 127.50–154.00 $148.97 $781 +1.95
526 value added 526 7 161.50 $161.50 $849 —
550–595 573 55 127.50–152.50 $145.28 $832 +4.91
580 value added 580 17 157.00 $157.00 $911 —
602 value added 602 9 144.00 $144.00 $867 —
600–645 618 32 120.00–139.00 $135.03 $834 -0.40
650–683 667 21 127.00–137.00 $135.51 $904 +3.00
673–674 value added 674 11 139.00–139.50 $139.41 $940 —
700–745 729 10 111.00–128.00 $121.51 $886 -12.49
752 752 3 126.00 $126.00 $948 -8.00
753 value added 753 2 132.00 $132.00 $994 —
812–835 821 5 121.50–124.00 $122.98 $1,010 +0.98
850–856 856 16 115.00–119.00 $115.25 $987 —
913 913 2 116.00 $116.00 $1,059 —
1092 1092 5 105.50 $105.50 $1,152 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
245 245 1 135.00 $135.00 $331 —
280–295 286 4 127.50–135.00 $130.62 $374 -16.88
350–390 370 5 120.00–147.50 $133.21 $493 -9.51
405–445 419 4 125.00–142.50 $137.23 $575 -7.77
485–495 490 5 120.00–142.50 $131.49 $644 +5.17
500–540 523 10 117.00–142.50 $129.62 $678 +4.28
555–595 566 8 120.00–145.00 $136.29 $771 +17.38
605–635 618 4 115.00–130.00 $123.25 $762 +13.25
660–692 679 7 117.50–130.00 $121.42 $824 +5.96
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 1 110.00 $110.00 $434 —
470 470 1 110.00 $110.00 $517 —
520 520 1 112.50 $112.50 $585 —
693 693 2 110.00 $110.00 $762 —
710 710 1 100.00 $100.00 $710 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 1 95.00 $95.00 $627 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–385 372 3 160.00–180.00 $169.87 $632 -3.10
400–445 427 12 150.00–182.00 $164.93 $704 -7.83
451–495 461 28 140.00–172.50 $165.05 $761 -0.34
505–535 525 20 145.00–166.00 $162.26 $852 +3.88
555–595 571 29 122.50–159.50 $154.60 $883 +1.31
600–649 638 28 135.00–145.00 $144.15 $920 +2.74
673–695 680 7 120.00–139.00 $134.83 $917 +2.09
705–745 734 8 122.50–132.50 $128.72 $945 +4.35
752 752 3 121.00 $121.00 $910 -2.23
810–820 815 2 104.00–114.00 $109.03 $889 -7.73
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430–440 435 2 150.00–152.50 $151.24 $658 -11.29
460–475 467 3 147.50–156.00 $152.85 $714 +2.28
515–543 530 5 122.50–150.00 $142.53 $755 +8.77
570 570 1 145.00 $145.00 $826 +10.90
600–610 605 2 130.00–133.00 $131.51 $796 +6.54
675–690 682 3 115.00–130.00 $124.11 $846 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 130.00 $130.00 $552 -12.50
445 445 1 132.50 $132.50 $590 -10.00
455 455 2 115.00–130.00 $122.50 $557 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 130.00 $130.00 $468 —
415 415 1 120.00 $120.00 $498 —
450 450 1 115.00 $115.00 $518 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
990–1410 1185 80-85% 7 69.00–73.00 $70.54 $836 -17.27
785–1645 1208 80-85% 31 74.00–91.00 $81.90 $989 —
1290–1445 1385 80-85% 4 86.00–90.00 $88.31 $1,223 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
825–990 910 85-90% 6 45.00–60.00 $52.93 $482 —
825–1260 996 85-90% 18 56.00–78.00 $66.73 $665 -9.00
1065 1065 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $852 —
1255 1255 85-90% 1 89.50 $89.50 $1,123 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1110–1885 1452 75-80% 22 74.00–91.50 $81.67 $1,186 —
1350–1590 1465 75-80% 3 93.50–95.00 $94.00 $1,377 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1735 1490 5 74.00–98.00 $88.12 $1,313 —
1240–1745 1583 8 101.00–115.00 $108.41 $1,716 —
1825 1825 2 110.00–122.00 $116.00 $2,117 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750 750 (<2 yrs)Open 2 700.00 $700.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1000 1000 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00
1100 1100 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 720.00 $720.00
1200–1300 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 910.00–980.00 $945.00
1450 1450 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
930 930 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 4 950.00 $950.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
850–950 900 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 4 750.00–1,025.00 $879.86 —
1050 1050 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 2 1,200.00 $1,200.00 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 1 112.00 $112.00 $571 —

↑ Back to top

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.