Cattle Market Pulse

Volunteer Stockyards Market Report

Greeneville, Tennessee · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Saturday, February 25, 2023

568 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Volunteer Stockyards report →

heavy 3-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $196.90/cwt -16.65 vs last sale · ≈ $746/hd at 379 lb · 20 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $160.26/cwt -6.94 vs last sale · ≈ $848/hd at 529 lb · 19 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $169.99/cwt -15.36 vs last sale · ≈ $795/hd at 467 lb · 17 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 568 431 306
Feeder cattle 414 272 266
Slaughter cattle 132 92 32
Replacement cattle 22 67 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, feeder heifers weighing up to 550 lb. 7.00 lower, with those weighing over 550 lb. mostly steady. Feeder bulls weighing up to 450 lbs. sharply lower, with those weighing over 450 lb. mostly steady. No comparisons available for feeder steers, however, a lower undertone was noted for lighter steers. Slaughter cows mostly steady overall, with exception of lean cows 5.00 higher, and slaughter bulls sharply higher.

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
360 360 1 200.00 $200.00 $720 -20.00
405–445 428 5 200.00–214.00 $207.79 $889 -12.03
455 value added 455 1 215.00 $215.00 $978 —
470–495 483 2 198.00–210.00 $204.16 $986 -7.84
500 value added 500 1 217.00 $217.00 $1,085 —
515–530 524 5 180.00–188.00 $186.38 $977 -3.62
555–560 value added 556 5 204.00–215.00 $206.22 $1,147 +17.46
595 595 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,041 -5.00
595 595 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,012 -10.00
620–645 633 2 178.00–191.00 $184.37 $1,167 +3.87
765–788 785 9 149.00–167.50 $163.56 $1,284 +22.56
905 905 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,285 —
1160 1160 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,357 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 1 187.50 $187.50 $666 —
440 440 1 170.00 $170.00 $748 —
475–490 483 2 175.00–185.00 $179.92 $869 —
535 535 1 167.50 $167.50 $896 —
785 785 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,146 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 value added 220 1 202.50 $202.50 $446 —
235 235 1 187.50 $187.50 $441 —
280 value added 280 1 187.50 $187.50 $525 —
285 285 1 167.50 $167.50 $477 —
325–345 334 4 175.00–192.50 $182.57 $610 +0.52
350–390 373 9 166.00–180.00 $172.86 $645 -11.32
405–438 421 12 162.50–177.00 $170.27 $717 -7.10
460–465 fancy 463 2 180.00–184.00 $181.99 $843 —
450–495 468 15 162.50–177.50 $168.39 $788 -16.96
510 510 1 150.00 $150.00 $765 -17.20
505–545 530 18 156.00–165.00 $160.83 $852 -6.37
558 558 2 144.00 $144.00 $804 -14.00
550–580 566 5 150.00–159.00 $155.39 $880 -2.61
583 value added 583 4 172.00 $172.00 $1,003 —
605–635 618 4 150.00–159.00 $156.04 $964 +3.49
665–670 668 2 140.00–143.00 $141.51 $945 -10.54
675–690 684 4 149.00–155.00 $152.25 $1,041 +0.20
710 710 1 139.00 $139.00 $987 -17.00
713 value added 713 2 161.00 $161.00 $1,148 —
715–735 727 3 144.00–146.00 $145.33 $1,057 -10.67
750–770 760 2 135.00–144.00 $139.44 $1,060 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–375 363 2 150.00–152.50 $151.21 $549 —
410–415 413 2 150.00 $150.00 $620 —
455 455 1 146.00 $146.00 $664 —
500–540 520 2 136.00–150.00 $143.27 $745 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 335 1 157.50 $157.50 $528 —
580 580 1 134.00 $134.00 $777 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
275 275 1 190.00 $190.00 $522 —
320 fancy 320 1 217.50 $217.50 $696 —
310–345 330 3 180.00–187.50 $183.41 $605 -47.83
375 value added 375 3 220.00 $220.00 $825 —
350–395 379 12 180.00–197.50 $186.76 $708 -26.79
375–388 fancy 381 5 205.00–211.00 $207.38 $790 —
405 fancy 405 1 207.00 $207.00 $838 —
400–445 424 15 180.00–202.00 $190.40 $807 -18.67
453–490 fancy 465 3 205.00 $205.00 $953 —
450–490 475 11 180.00–195.00 $187.52 $891 -7.85
500–540 513 8 180.00–199.00 $188.42 $967 -0.49
510–515 fancy 513 2 208.00–211.00 $209.51 $1,075 +2.01
520 520 1 172.50 $172.50 $897 -16.41
525 525 2 169.00 $169.00 $887 -19.91
550 fancy 550 1 193.00 $193.00 $1,062 —
565–595 579 8 170.00–187.00 $177.99 $1,031 -3.84
600–645 615 6 166.00–180.00 $175.37 $1,079 +6.41
615 615 1 155.00 $155.00 $953 -13.96
635 fancy 635 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,175 —
650–685 661 5 169.00–185.00 $176.92 $1,169 —
705–745 721 4 149.00–160.00 $155.81 $1,123 +16.83
810–830 820 2 139.00–151.00 $144.93 $1,188 —
875 875 1 127.00 $127.00 $1,111 -3.00
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365–395 380 4 170.00–177.50 $174.27 $662 —
415 415 2 165.00–170.00 $167.50 $695 —
450–485 474 4 150.00–175.00 $162.01 $768 —
500–545 524 6 150.00–173.00 $165.39 $867 —
780 780 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,014 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 1 167.50 $167.50 $477 —
315–335 325 2 140.00–145.00 $142.58 $463 -44.92
350–395 370 4 142.50–167.50 $154.69 $572 -25.31
430 430 2 171.00 $171.00 $735 -21.50
580 580 1 152.50 $152.50 $884 —

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Slaughter Cows

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1200–1605 1354 75-80% 5 75.00–79.00 $77.45 $1,049 —
1115–1830 1456 75-80% 31 83.00–95.00 $90.19 $1,313 —
1720 1720 75-80% 1 97.00 $97.00 $1,668 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1165 1106 80-85% 5 77.00–79.00 $77.82 $861 -6.72
1030–1555 1182 80-85% 20 81.00–92.00 $87.80 $1,038 —
1110–1285 1198 80-85% 2 93.00–94.00 $93.54 $1,121 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
820–955 898 85-90% 4 87.00–112.00 $100.08 $899 —
910–1270 1056 85-90% 4 86.00–88.00 $87.34 $922 —
880–1240 1081 85-90% 11 76.00–84.00 $80.77 $873 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1035 1035 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,190 —
1310–2235 1753 5 118.00–125.00 $123.04 $2,157 -4.96
1485–1910 1756 4 130.00–137.00 $133.19 $2,339 +5.19

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1100 1100 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 950.00 $950.00
1050–1200 1125 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,250.00–1,275.00 $1,262.50
1150 1150 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 1,550.00 $1,550.00
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
900–1000 950 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 800.00–850.00 $825.00

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Bred Heifers

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
750–800 775 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 650.00–950.00 $800.00

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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
— — Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 1 1,425.00 $1,425.00 —
— — Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 1,450.00 $1,450.00 —
Medium and Large 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
Small 2-3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
— — Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 975.00 $975.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3-4 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 122.50 $122.50 $557 —
545 545 1 134.00 $134.00 $730 —

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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.