Cattle Market Pulse

Tennessee Daily Cattle Auction Summary

Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 31, 2023

1,523 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1-2 steers $209.25/cwt ≈ $1,822/hd at 871 lb · 130 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $198.39/cwt -1.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,231/hd at 620 lb · 96 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $229.84/cwt +3.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,595/hd at 694 lb · 76 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,523 937 1,668
Feeder cattle 1,292 700 1,369
Slaughter cattle 198 206 240
Replacement cattle 33 31 59

Market comments — USDA reporter

LaFayette - Compared to the last sale, Feeder Steers/Bulls 8.00-15.00 higher; Feeder Heifers 6.00-12.00 higher. Offerings also included 339 head sold on video. The video sale report can be seen at the following link: https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_3467.pdf Savannah - Compared to the same sale last week, Slaughter cows 4.00 higher. Slaughter bulls not well established. Feeders mostly steady. Quality fair to fancy. Demand moderate to good. Sweetwater - Compared to last week, slaughter cows gauging 4.00 lower overall with slaughter bulls 4.00 to 8.00 lower. 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
227 227 2 275.00 $275.00 $624 —
260–290 280 3 240.00–295.00 $270.83 $758 —
315–345 332 5 270.00–295.00 $286.13 $950 —
375 value added 375 1 255.00 $255.00 $956 -2.50
365–388 382 5 254.00–275.00 $265.52 $1,014 -9.08
405–445 428 16 225.00–265.00 $251.88 $1,078 +10.24
435 value added 435 5 265.00 $265.00 $1,153 +11.00
469–475 value added 470 8 259.50–280.00 $277.41 $1,304 —
452–495 472 10 230.00–257.50 $240.95 $1,137 +2.65
516–531 value added 524 9 239.00–255.00 $248.00 $1,300 —
502–545 529 33 230.00–255.00 $235.88 $1,248 +0.63
580–590 585 8 224.00–231.00 $229.76 $1,344 +0.02
588 value added 588 4 246.00 $246.00 $1,446 —
606–649 635 23 209.00–227.00 $217.02 $1,378 -12.88
608–646 value added 638 24 242.00–245.00 $243.15 $1,551 -6.48
680 680 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,482 -3.00
694 value added 694 75 230.00 $230.00 $1,596 +0.50
713–742 727 9 185.00–200.00 $196.89 $1,431 -21.84
755 755 11 186.00–190.00 $189.27 $1,429 -16.97
838 value added 838 67 213.00 $213.00 $1,785 —
863 863 3 188.00 $188.00 $1,622 —
871 value added 871 127 209.75 $209.75 $1,827 —
968 968 5 178.50 $178.50 $1,728 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–285 278 4 230.00–255.00 $249.26 $693 +9.26
331–335 332 7 219.00–245.00 $226.49 $752 -18.51
373 373 2 212.50 $212.50 $793 -37.50
425–430 428 2 200.00–210.00 $205.03 $878 —
455–480 468 2 199.00–210.00 $204.65 $958 -17.10
524–540 527 5 207.00–215.00 $213.36 $1,124 -5.64
570–590 577 3 195.00–201.00 $198.95 $1,148 —
615–645 627 3 170.00–210.00 $193.01 $1,210 —
955 955 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,456 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 235.00 $235.00 $564 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–295 273 2 255.00 $255.00 $696 +45.00
328–337 330 8 236.00–255.00 $240.85 $795 -1.51
357–394 372 32 219.00–235.00 $226.91 $844 -2.18
407–422 value added 413 7 190.00–230.00 $212.50 $878 —
400–443 426 25 215.00–230.00 $222.41 $947 -0.61
455–460 fancy 458 2 205.00–209.00 $207.01 $948 —
450–495 474 34 182.50–220.00 $211.37 $1,002 -8.18
485–495 value added 492 6 200.00–216.00 $203.13 $999 —
506–524 value added 517 27 211.00–218.00 $214.40 $1,108 -8.10
508–545 526 33 194.00–217.50 $206.36 $1,085 -3.83
535 fancy 535 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,166 —
555–587 576 39 187.00–218.00 $205.72 $1,185 +13.72
585 value added 585 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,199 —
600–647 615 74 185.00–207.50 $199.39 $1,226 +2.88
618–648 value added 639 22 160.00–206.00 $195.02 $1,246 -11.98
654 value added 654 7 197.00 $197.00 $1,288 +2.00
658–697 674 26 170.00–185.00 $180.94 $1,220 -7.32
705–710 value added 708 2 165.00–167.00 $166.00 $1,175 -14.00
710–745 727 7 145.00–181.00 $171.83 $1,249 -4.65
755–765 760 6 161.00–170.00 $165.59 $1,258 +3.09
843 843 2 156.50 $156.50 $1,319 —
850 850 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,352 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265–280 273 2 215.00–225.00 $219.86 $600 +29.86
315–345 334 9 205.00–235.00 $226.27 $756 +36.50
370–387 382 4 192.50–222.50 $211.92 $810 +24.42
405–448 424 12 180.00–217.50 $203.46 $863 -8.96
460–495 473 4 180.00–205.00 $186.81 $884 —
505–535 520 2 190.00 $190.00 $988 -0.35
575 value added 575 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,121 —
565–590 580 6 165.00–190.00 $178.66 $1,036 +16.16
615–628 624 4 160.00–181.00 $175.58 $1,096 —
660–690 673 5 162.00–167.50 $165.40 $1,113 —
765 value added 765 12 162.50 $162.50 $1,243 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 190.00 $190.00 $741 —
498 498 4 182.50 $182.50 $909 —
600 600 1 130.00 $130.00 $780 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 1 225.00 $225.00 $765 +65.00
365 365 1 210.00 $210.00 $766 —
530 530 1 187.50 $187.50 $994 —
545 545 1 180.00 $180.00 $981 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 387 5 257.00 $257.00 $995 +34.48
400–445 421 13 215.00–265.00 $238.06 $1,002 -7.41
470–487 475 20 225.00–250.00 $237.47 $1,128 +5.76
485 485 1 199.00 $199.00 $965 -32.71
510–543 541 34 208.00–230.00 $224.66 $1,215 +2.75
550–582 566 14 205.00–221.00 $215.27 $1,218 -1.88
600–642 631 19 200.00–216.00 $210.30 $1,327 -2.21
658–695 675 12 167.50–199.00 $183.63 $1,240 -23.65
690 690 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,173 -37.28
705–746 738 18 170.00–190.00 $187.04 $1,380 -7.96
792 792 8 186.00 $186.00 $1,473 +13.50
810–820 815 2 167.50–175.00 $171.27 $1,396 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 230.00 $230.00 $978 +10.16
460–481 472 8 180.00–220.00 $191.24 $903 -19.39
500–545 517 8 195.00–210.00 $206.29 $1,067 -7.65
555–560 556 4 163.00–190.00 $169.80 $944 —
620 620 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,209 +5.00
660 660 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,221 —
730 730 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,204 —
825 825 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,196 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,008 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965–1265 1101 80-85% 8 86.50–93.00 $89.52 $986 —
915–1335 1126 80-85% 29 92.00–106.50 $98.94 $1,114 —
970–1445 1217 80-85% 11 106.00–113.00 $109.20 $1,329 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 75-80% 1 92.50 $92.50 $1,092 +4.50
1185–1765 1450 75-80% 16 95.00–105.00 $100.72 $1,460 -15.51
1215–1860 1470 75-80% 9 107.00–128.00 $114.27 $1,680 -1.96
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
755–895 836 85-90% 6 68.00–79.00 $73.42 $614 —
860 860 85-90% 1 98.00 $98.00 $843 —
800–1160 1005 85-90% 16 80.00–92.50 $87.07 $875 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1120 1045 3 104.50–107.50 $106.15 $1,109 —
1235–1350 1277 3 108.00–114.00 $111.24 $1,421 —
1315–1750 1516 8 108.00–131.00 $122.12 $1,851 —
1790 1790 1 135.00 $135.00 $2,416 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1050 1050 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
1210 1210 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,175.00 $1,175.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1160 1160 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00

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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
950–1200 1085 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,300.00–1,700.00 $1,472.66 —
1150 1150 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,290.00 $1,290.00 —

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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.