Kentucky-Tennessee Livestock Market, Inc., opened their doors to farmers in the early 1960’s. The current owners begin operations over thirty years ago in the fall of 1978. The business started by serving friends and family in the livestock industry and have grown to currently selling around 98,000 head of cattle a year at both our Guthrie, Ky and Cross Plains, TN locations.
Our business has always been based on two major principals, treating our customers and buyers as we would want to be treated and the practice of grading cattle. Mark Barnett, one of the owners, has always said when telling the employees how to deal with the customers is to put yourself in the customers shoes. We have always strived to treat all of our customers and buyers fairly. The next major principal is grading cattle, the process of comingling and selling different sellers cattle as single lot groups based on weight, color and class. We were told from the start that this would not be practical for a livestock market because of all the extra time and labor that grading cattle involves. However, the market believed strongly that this was the best way to give the smaller farmers a way to market their cattle in larger groups and to receive the best prices for their cattle. Despite all the extra labor cost, grading cattle is now the corner stone of our market. We strive to sell our graded pens in as many load lots as possible, as that is the most attractive way to market cattle to the order buyers.
We strive to be on the front edge of livestock marketing practices as to better serve our customers. We have worked on a consist basis with extension service in both Kentucky and Tennessee to provide the latest marketing programs such as electronic identification and PVP programs. The owners of the markets also continue to work with livestock marketing and auction associations at the local, state and federal level to insure that the issues and concerns facing our industry are addressed.
The Cross Plains, TN location was added to the KY-TN livestock program in 2006, to provide better service to the farmers in a wider area.
Kentucky-Tennessee Livestock Market
Selling graded cattle in co-mingled lots offers several advantages for both sellers and buyers. At Kentucky-Tennessee Livestock Market, we grade cattle into pens that can hold up to 50,000 pounds or enough to fill a semi-trailer. Each lot is carefully sorted to ensure the cattle have the same weight, quality, and color.
This method benefits sellers by allowing their cattle to be priced higher, as buyers are often willing to pay a premium for graded lots. For buyers, purchasing cattle in co-mingled lots is more efficient and preferable to buying individually. Graded lots provide consistency and predictability, which enhances buyer anticipation and satisfaction. By grading cattle into uniform lots, we streamline the process, making it more beneficial and straightforward for all parties involved.
About Grading Cattle
Our Auctioneer of 45 years: Kent Korte
Learn More about our Sales
Our Partnership with lma
As a member of the Livestock Marketing Association (LMA), our auction house is committed to providing the highest level of service to cattle producers. Founded in 1947, LMA is a national, member-led organization that advocates for the livestock marketing industry and represents over 80 percent of regular-selling livestock markets in the United States. This partnership gives us access to a wide range of resources, including legal assistance, public policy representation, industry information, credit reporting, business services, and various insurance products.By selling through us, producers benefit from LMA's strong voice in state and federal legislative matters, ensuring that the interests of the livestock industry are protected. Additionally, LMA hosts the prestigious World Livestock Auctioneer Championship, further highlighting the expertise and professionalism within our network. Our association with LMA underscores our commitment to excellence and ensures that our producers have the support and advocacy they need to succeed.
