Cattle Market Pulse

Tennessee Weekly Cattle Auction Summary

Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, May 3, 2021

5,078 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $128.57/cwt +1.34 vs last sale · ≈ $674/hd at 524 lb · 222 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $130.84/cwt -2.04 vs last sale · ≈ $613/hd at 469 lb · 214 head
light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $134.97/cwt -0.67 vs last sale · ≈ $574/hd at 425 lb · 163 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,078 5,637 6,891
Feeder cattle 3,866 4,445 5,445
Slaughter cattle 772 750 998
Replacement cattle 440 442 448

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder steers and heifers were mostly 1.00 to 4.00 lower with light to moderate demand. Higher corn futures hampered demand for feeder cattle this week, with buyers continuing to show the most demand for long-weaned (45+ days), preconditioned feeder cattle. Slaughter cows and bulls were mostly steady to 2.00 higher with moderate demand.

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
215–220 218 2 177.50–190.00 $183.82 $401 +5.65
285–295 290 3 170.00–177.50 $172.50 $500 -8.06
305–345 328 23 132.50–180.00 $164.09 $538 -7.85
360 fancy 360 2 180.00 $180.00 $648 —
350–395 379 52 150.00–175.00 $163.71 $620 -4.07
400–447 430 71 144.50–165.00 $157.91 $679 -2.88
463 value added 463 3 168.00 $168.00 $778 —
455–496 471 84 141.00–164.00 $155.45 $732 +0.08
508–520 value added 512 5 150.00–159.00 $153.04 $784 -13.75
500–545 531 96 137.00–156.00 $144.81 $769 -2.77
555–578 value added 562 20 148.00–161.00 $153.35 $862 +1.35
550–598 572 82 130.00–153.00 $142.12 $813 -0.20
571–585 574 5 122.50–132.00 $130.06 $747 -12.26
600–648 624 89 123.00–143.00 $134.77 $841 -0.86
614–635 value added 629 19 140.00–142.00 $140.42 $883 —
650 value added 650 3 140.00 $140.00 $910 —
650–698 678 63 121.00–138.00 $127.92 $867 -5.78
700–746 729 36 113.00–128.50 $124.32 $906 -2.40
751–795 758 10 115.00–124.00 $121.27 $919 -1.40
760 value added 760 4 126.00 $126.00 $958 —
820–845 834 12 100.00–117.00 $113.98 $951 -2.47
865–885 871 8 111.00–113.00 $111.63 $972 -1.37
925 value added 925 60 116.50 $116.50 $1,078 —
995 995 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,045 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240 240 1 142.50 $142.50 $342 —
285 285 2 152.00 $152.00 $433 -10.38
310–340 323 11 145.00–163.00 $154.34 $499 +2.48
355–395 383 27 136.00–165.00 $153.60 $588 +3.62
403–445 422 26 130.00–157.00 $145.67 $615 -3.84
450–495 478 31 130.00–152.00 $138.82 $664 -4.05
505–548 527 16 112.50–145.00 $133.00 $701 -1.64
555–590 573 16 127.00–140.00 $133.00 $762 -1.35
620–628 624 7 120.00–130.00 $126.01 $786 -2.56
665–680 673 2 119.00–121.00 $120.01 $808 -4.43
705 705 1 110.00 $110.00 $776 -0.20
980 980 1 100.00 $100.00 $980 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 160.00 $160.00 $456 —
305 305 1 152.50 $152.50 $465 —
360–390 379 4 132.50–137.50 $135.02 $512 -10.12
420–445 435 3 131.00–155.00 $141.79 $617 +1.89
450–455 453 2 132.50–138.00 $135.27 $613 +4.27
535 535 1 130.00 $130.00 $696 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315 315 1 153.00 $153.00 $482 —
370 370 1 145.00 $145.00 $536 +7.50
480 480 1 143.00 $143.00 $686 +11.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310 1310 1 82.00 $82.00 $1,074 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 fancy 220 1 170.00 $170.00 $374 —
220–248 241 5 142.50–157.50 $148.64 $358 +1.71
253–295 275 19 130.00–165.00 $145.79 $401 -5.41
294 thin fleshed 294 10 166.00 $166.00 $488 —
300–348 326 33 127.00–157.00 $139.50 $455 -3.79
355 fancy 355 1 140.00 $140.00 $497 -5.44
350–396 376 100 124.00–150.00 $136.49 $513 -2.38
410–419 thin fleshed 414 20 147.00–151.00 $149.18 $618 +2.18
425 425 1 110.00 $110.00 $468 -25.60
400–448 427 131 116.00–143.00 $132.06 $564 -3.54
424–428 value added 427 11 145.00–148.00 $146.08 $624 —
460 fancy 460 1 136.00 $136.00 $626 -4.00
455–462 value added 461 13 129.00–138.50 $137.78 $635 -2.54
450–499 469 197 118.00–142.00 $130.58 $612 -1.95
470–485 477 3 115.00–117.50 $115.82 $552 -13.58
512–543 value added 521 30 135.50–138.00 $137.27 $715 —
500–545 523 2 110.00–112.50 $111.30 $582 -16.03
500–548 525 190 115.00–136.00 $127.38 $669 +0.05
550–575 562 3 102.50–105.00 $104.15 $585 -16.53
565–570 value added 565 12 129.00–132.00 $131.75 $744 +2.77
550–597 575 135 114.00–135.00 $123.35 $709 -2.20
600–645 625 64 107.00–131.00 $117.14 $732 -2.43
600–643 value added 639 19 119.50–129.00 $123.41 $789 -9.09
650–690 670 27 106.00–128.00 $115.24 $772 +0.13
700–748 724 25 98.00–110.00 $106.10 $768 +0.10
740 740 1 102.50 $102.50 $758 -3.50
741 value added 741 32 115.00 $115.00 $852 +1.00
752–796 769 39 95.00–108.50 $104.02 $800 -0.51
800–830 814 10 95.00–105.00 $102.12 $831 +4.79
825 value added 825 2 110.00 $110.00 $908 —
870–880 875 2 89.00–100.00 $94.47 $827 +0.65
880 880 1 87.00 $87.00 $766 -6.82
935 935 4 105.00 $105.00 $982 —
938 value added 938 4 102.00 $102.00 $957 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 151.00 $151.00 $332 +7.76
250–283 272 5 131.00–151.00 $136.33 $371 +6.70
300–343 318 12 125.00–147.00 $132.32 $421 -0.63
355–395 374 9 120.00–140.00 $128.98 $482 -2.92
400–445 420 23 120.00–138.00 $128.37 $539 -1.84
450–495 476 17 117.50–130.00 $122.32 $582 -3.55
500–540 523 9 110.00–126.00 $117.39 $614 -1.99
555–585 575 21 109.00–130.00 $118.79 $683 +0.25
600–640 620 8 107.50–122.00 $113.27 $702 +3.41
655–670 665 7 103.00–117.00 $108.13 $719 -0.26
750–770 760 2 94.00–100.00 $97.04 $738 +5.04
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 134.00 $134.00 $382 —
310 310 1 125.00 $125.00 $388 -7.50
365 365 1 120.00 $120.00 $438 —
350–395 367 3 122.50–129.00 $125.63 $461 —
440 440 1 123.00 $123.00 $541 —
465 465 1 112.50 $112.50 $523 ±0.00
580–595 587 3 117.00–124.00 $119.37 $701 -0.63
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–315 308 2 114.00–125.00 $119.63 $368 —
435 435 1 123.00 $123.00 $535 +2.90
480 480 2 116.00 $116.00 $557 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 81.00 $81.00 $952 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225–230 228 2 172.50–185.00 $178.82 $408 +17.94
250 fancy 250 1 175.00 $175.00 $438 +5.00
255–285 266 4 155.00–167.50 $161.35 $429 -2.46
310–340 fancy 325 2 171.00–175.00 $172.91 $562 -1.52
315–345 329 7 150.00–167.50 $159.71 $525 -1.87
350–398 375 31 150.00–170.00 $156.16 $586 +0.70
400–447 428 73 138.00–162.50 $151.44 $648 -3.06
450–498 475 78 133.00–156.00 $145.15 $689 +9.15
475–485 fancy 480 3 153.00–157.00 $154.32 $741 -0.93
495 thin fleshed 495 1 130.00 $130.00 $644 —
505–520 fancy 513 2 150.00–151.00 $150.49 $772 —
500–545 524 85 125.00–150.00 $138.26 $724 -0.98
550–595 569 63 120.00–143.00 $133.78 $761 +2.08
598 598 8 122.00 $122.00 $730 -9.70
600 fancy 600 1 134.00 $134.00 $804 -1.25
600–645 621 49 107.50–132.00 $123.00 $764 +3.00
650–695 665 37 105.00–125.00 $117.82 $784 -4.36
700–740 726 26 107.25–116.00 $109.82 $797 -7.74
750–770 757 11 100.00–112.00 $105.71 $800 -7.89
800–830 814 10 88.00–104.00 $96.26 $784 -8.74
855–890 873 4 84.00–100.00 $93.69 $818 -2.22
900–905 903 2 81.00–82.00 $81.50 $736 -7.09
970 970 1 85.00 $85.00 $824 —
1170 1170 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,100 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 365 1 147.50 $147.50 $538 +10.42
400–445 424 23 129.00–150.00 $140.74 $597 +1.34
450–495 478 24 127.00–146.00 $134.62 $643 -2.36
510–545 533 12 122.50–137.00 $129.20 $689 +0.02
563–595 580 12 115.00–131.00 $122.08 $708 -2.23
615–635 624 4 119.00–122.00 $121.25 $757 +4.69
665–695 675 3 102.50–120.00 $111.63 $754 +4.78
705–737 721 9 96.00–110.00 $101.02 $728 -7.63
770–790 780 2 94.00–100.00 $96.96 $756 -0.98
825 825 1 85.00 $85.00 $701 -5.00
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 255 1 130.00 $130.00 $332 -9.98
355–385 370 2 140.00–146.00 $143.12 $530 +10.62
405–445 421 5 120.00–135.00 $128.12 $539 -15.62
465–480 473 2 130.00–135.00 $132.46 $627 -1.32
465–495 476 4 117.50–145.00 $130.78 $623 -3.00
500–535 513 3 111.00–126.00 $118.82 $610 —
515 515 2 125.00 $125.00 $644 —
580 580 1 117.50 $117.50 $682 +6.35
615–620 618 2 111.00–119.00 $115.02 $711 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 148.00 $148.00 $592 —
530 530 1 128.00 $128.00 $678 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1200 1200 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985–995 990 80-85% 2 74.00–85.00 $79.53 $787 —
1005–1315 1136 80-85% 8 46.00–60.00 $54.69 $621 -8.88
840–1800 1186 80-85% 195 57.00–75.00 $66.17 $785 —
1015–1715 1274 80-85% 47 67.00–82.00 $74.52 $949 +2.23
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810 810 85-90% 1 62.50 $62.50 $506 +16.58
815–905 866 85-90% 4 70.00–81.00 $75.58 $655 +11.03
805–1055 910 85-90% 13 37.00–49.00 $43.83 $399 —
780–1490 1017 85-90% 141 46.00–67.00 $56.57 $575 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940–1840 1420 75-80% 118 58.00–75.00 $65.93 $936 +1.81
1150–1735 1445 75-80% 11 67.00–76.00 $72.15 $1,043 +8.03
1260–1845 1508 75-80% 4 56.00–59.00 $57.64 $869 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060–1910 1418 9 74.00–86.00 $80.14 $1,136 —
1470 1470 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,558 —
1170–2560 1639 47 81.00–98.00 $90.06 $1,476 —
1290–2185 1772 9 90.00–111.00 $99.96 $1,771 +0.24

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
955 955 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
850–1150 967 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 900.00–1,060.00 $978.33
985 985 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
900–1150 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 900.00–1,050.00 $975.00
1050–1100 1083 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 700.00–800.00 $750.00
1050–1150 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 775.00–860.00 $815.00
930–1260 1149 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 700.00–1,000.00 $904.09
900–1350 1150 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 700.00–870.00 $767.14
1150 1150 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1155 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,000.00 $1,000.00
1000–1450 1242 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 825.00–980.00 $875.00
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
1050–1600 1270 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 695.00–1,020.00 $855.00
1300 1300 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 925.00 $925.00
1100–1600 1413 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 985.00–1,200.00 $1,068.75
1500 1500 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 900.00 $900.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900 900 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 800.00 $800.00
950 950 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 825.00 $825.00
970–1093 1036 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 625.00–910.00 $787.43
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 640.00 $640.00
800 800 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 640.00 $640.00
850 850 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00
850 850 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
800 800 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 875.00 $875.00
800–850 825 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 850.00–875.00 $862.50
850 850 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 875.00 $875.00
875–975 925 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 900.00–1,000.00 $952.70
945 945 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 980.00 $980.00
990 990 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 975.00 $975.00
1100 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 835.00 $835.00
1120 1120 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
700–750 725 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 625.00–725.00 $675.00
750 750 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 700.00 $700.00
750 750 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 750.00 $750.00
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 775.00 $775.00

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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
700 700 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00 —
980–1055 1018 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,100.00–1,175.00 $1,136.12 -138.88
1050–1150 1079 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 900.00–1,125.00 $973.38 —
905–1225 1094 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 1,040.00–1,125.00 $1,074.99 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,300.00–1,325.00 $1,316.67 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 3 875.00–1,025.00 $925.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,100.00 $1,100.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
725 725 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 1 100.00 $100.00 $425 —
555–585 575 3 98.00–115.00 $109.53 $630 —
625 625 1 85.00 $85.00 $531 -14.00
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555 1555 1 79.00 $79.00 $1,228 —

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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 2 900.00 $900.00 —

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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.