Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock · usually sells Thursdays

Sale of Thursday, October 22, 2026 Corrected report

375 head sold ·Official USDA report · Price history in the app

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $353.02/cwt +1.13 vs last sale · ≈ $1,718/hd at 487 lb · 19 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $375.69/cwt -43.81 vs last sale · ≈ $1,619/hd at 431 lb · 15 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $353.23/cwt -22.98 vs last sale · ≈ $1,660/hd at 470 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 375 341 247
Feeder cattle 328 294 200
Slaughter cattle 46 45 44
Replacement cattle 1 2 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,672 -85.00
456 456 1 370.00 $370.00 $1,687 ±0.00
558–568 565 6 340.00–345.00 $343.35 $1,940 +15.26
602–646 625 10 310.00–330.00 $323.22 $2,020 -1.78
659–684 671 6 281.00–330.00 $302.10 $2,027 —
704 704 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,182 —
766–788 784 14 305.00–329.00 $325.36 $2,551 +25.36
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
578 578 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,618 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660 660 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,666 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
584 584 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,781 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310–344 336 7 365.00–400.00 $386.44 $1,298 -2.46
352–398 376 9 375.00–420.00 $389.72 $1,465 -1.81
396–398 397 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,350 -51.53
410–429 421 5 340.00–360.00 $350.03 $1,474 -17.95
452–484 467 7 320.00–357.50 $330.76 $1,545 -21.13
498 value added 498 12 366.00 $366.00 $1,823 —
502–536 516 14 280.00–320.00 $308.93 $1,594 -7.00
566–586 576 2 280.00–308.00 $294.24 $1,695 -23.70
610–642 620 6 270.00–310.00 $294.55 $1,826 -22.20
654 value added 654 3 314.00 $314.00 $2,054 -12.00
660–696 675 7 270.00–290.00 $279.61 $1,887 -39.65
704–740 726 3 265.00–297.50 $277.57 $2,015 -32.43
762 762 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,096 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226 226 1 370.00 $370.00 $836 +40.00
338–346 340 5 310.00–345.00 $322.06 $1,095 —
390 390 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,131 —
420 420 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,281 -16.48
464 464 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,438 ±0.00
522 522 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,148 —
524 524 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,362 —
576–578 577 2 255.00–285.00 $270.03 $1,558 +35.03
600 600 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,470 —
674–688 681 2 220.00–245.00 $232.37 $1,582 +12.37
744 744 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,637 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 286 1 320.00 $320.00 $915 —
303 303 6 330.00 $330.00 $1,000 +75.43
358–394 376 2 250.00–325.00 $285.70 $1,074 —
422 422 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,182 —
466 466 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,328 —
572 572 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,144 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
204–224 214 2 435.00–467.50 $452.01 $967 +4.51
252–289 275 5 410.00–450.00 $426.00 $1,172 -12.03
306–336 320 4 395.00–450.00 $428.71 $1,372 +15.08
360–394 375 8 380.00–435.00 $411.93 $1,545 +6.25
400–448 431 15 350.00–405.00 $375.69 $1,619 -43.81
450–498 470 14 320.00–370.00 $353.23 $1,660 -22.98
502–548 531 7 300.00–340.00 $314.95 $1,672 -18.04
540 540 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,512 -52.99
566–590 577 9 305.00–322.50 $312.79 $1,805 +7.79
604–648 627 11 280.00–320.00 $306.80 $1,924 -7.50
658–694 675 7 280.00–310.00 $294.13 $1,985 -8.12
708–722 715 2 290.00–300.00 $294.95 $2,109 +4.95
752–770 761 3 245.00–275.00 $263.45 $2,005 -18.63
830 830 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,805 -45.22
870 870 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,914 —
912 912 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,847 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,014 —
358–364 361 2 345.00–385.00 $365.17 $1,318 +5.48
410 410 1 362.50 $362.50 $1,486 +12.54
460 460 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,403 -16.54
452–492 472 2 300.00–320.00 $309.58 $1,461 -11.96
540–546 543 3 257.50–300.00 $277.47 $1,507 -2.53
554–588 569 3 260.00–280.00 $269.21 $1,532 -30.79
600–630 611 3 240.00–273.00 $252.48 $1,543 +12.48
662 662 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,721 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
246 246 1 350.00 $350.00 $861 —
321–348 326 9 297.50–300.00 $299.71 $977 +29.71
400 400 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,160 -19.74
466 466 2 270.00 $270.00 $1,258 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222 222 1 370.00 $370.00 $821 —
324 324 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,166 +25.00
464 464 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,392 +30.08
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,440 -30.00
542 542 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,518 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
902 902 80-85% 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,308 —
930–1586 1184 80-85% 15 120.00–130.00 $125.14 $1,482 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
728–1244 986 85-90% 5 60.00–70.00 $65.47 $646 —
906–1184 1091 85-90% 5 85.00–100.00 $91.91 $1,003 -25.85
1130–1284 1220 85-90% 5 105.00–120.00 $111.82 $1,364 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1304–1612 1414 75-80% 5 125.00–140.00 $132.36 $1,872 —
1398–1576 1487 75-80% 2 150.00 $150.00 $2,230 +29.33
1986 1986 75-80% 1 105.00 $105.00 $2,085 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1174–1794 1526 3 160.00–180.00 $170.40 $2,600 +41.51

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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
1024 1024 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 4,000.00 $4,000.00 +1,200.00

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Price trend

high 467.47 low 305.00 Oct 2025 Oct 2026

550–599 lb Medium and Large 1 steers — head-weighted average $/cwt by sale date, last 12 months.

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.

← Previous sale (Oct 15, 2026)

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