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Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 31, 2022

358 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Powell Livestock Market report →

heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $142.48/cwt +1.57 vs last sale · ≈ $673/hd at 472 lb · 18 head
light 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $136.72/cwt -5.55 vs last sale · ≈ $703/hd at 514 lb · 18 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 bulls $133.88/cwt +8.88 vs last sale · ≈ $774/hd at 578 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 358 248 444
Feeder cattle 272 188 371
Slaughter cattle 76 56 66
Replacement cattle 10 4 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, breaking type slaughter cows were 2.00 to 3.00 higher, while boning type slaughter cows were 6.00 to 7.00 lower and slaughter bulls were 4.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder steers were mostly 13.00 to 14.00 lower on a very light test; heifers were mixed, 3.00 lower to 2.00 higher; and feeder bulls were also mixed, 3.00 lower to 7.00 higher. Demand, market activity, and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were fairly light due to inclement weather ("slight risk" for severe weather, including isolated tornados). Cattle quality was average. "By the head" calves brought 100.00 per head.

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
306 306 1 136.00 $136.00 $416 —
314–348 331 4 144.00–149.00 $145.74 $482 —
372–380 376 2 136.00–137.00 $136.51 $513 -9.49
380–398 393 5 140.00–145.00 $143.04 $562 -2.96
402–434 fancy 421 5 151.00–159.00 $155.60 $655 —
418–438 431 3 137.00–140.00 $138.99 $599 -15.01
454 454 1 149.00 $149.00 $676 -4.00
455 value added 455 1 160.00 $160.00 $728 —
522–545 540 5 141.00–143.00 $142.61 $770 -13.39
564 value added 564 1 160.00 $160.00 $902 -4.00
605–628 value added 617 6 160.00–168.00 $163.93 $1,011 +3.30
634 634 1 136.00 $136.00 $862 +3.51
828 828 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,043 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
216–246 231 2 136.00–137.00 $136.47 $315 —
266–294 285 4 130.00–136.00 $132.72 $378 —
294 fancy 294 1 142.50 $142.50 $419 —
302–314 308 2 127.00–132.00 $129.55 $399 —
350–378 368 8 121.00–132.00 $127.27 $468 —
408–418 414 3 120.00–125.00 $121.67 $504 -3.23
406–446 fancy 426 2 131.00–134.00 $132.43 $564 -7.57
450 450 1 125.00 $125.00 $562 —
900 900 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,044 —
1118 1118 1 107.00 $107.00 $1,196 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386–398 392 2 111.00–115.00 $112.97 $443 —
422 422 1 95.00 $95.00 $401 -1.00
586 586 1 100.00 $100.00 $586 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226–238 232 2 127.00–132.00 $129.44 $300 —
272–282 fancy 278 3 135.00–147.00 $141.67 $394 —
316–342 327 4 129.00–132.00 $130.23 $426 -8.26
378–386 383 3 132.00–137.00 $135.32 $518 +1.54
406–442 426 9 129.00–140.00 $135.35 $577 -2.76
434 thin fleshed 434 1 126.00 $126.00 $547 +1.00
460–492 467 7 127.00–137.00 $132.66 $620 +1.57
500–532 521 4 121.00–132.00 $126.86 $661 +5.37
555 fancy 555 3 134.00 $134.00 $744 —
566–582 574 3 115.00–119.00 $116.65 $670 -4.84
558–594 575 4 120.00–127.00 $122.02 $702 +0.53
706 706 1 99.00 $99.00 $699 —
794 794 1 90.00 $90.00 $715 —
1044 fancy 1044 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,128 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
174 174 1 117.50 $117.50 $204 —
342 342 1 118.00 $118.00 $404 —
358–362 360 2 113.00–114.00 $113.50 $409 —
428–446 439 3 113.00–117.00 $115.00 $505 —
450–476 462 4 112.00–119.00 $115.71 $535 -1.79
552 552 1 113.00 $113.00 $624 -1.00
638 638 1 112.00 $112.00 $715 -4.00
695 695 7 114.00 $114.00 $792 —
846 846 1 104.00 $104.00 $880 —
860–890 875 3 100.00–111.00 $103.66 $907 —
922 922 1 104.00 $104.00 $959 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252–294 265 4 120.00–126.00 $123.62 $328 —
332 332 1 122.00 $122.00 $405 —
350–388 371 4 120.00–125.00 $121.48 $451 +1.48
470 470 1 121.00 $121.00 $569 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
190 190 1 106.00 $106.00 $201 —
260 260 1 112.00 $112.00 $291 —
352 352 1 90.00 $90.00 $317 —
426 426 1 104.00 $104.00 $443 —
558 558 1 100.00 $100.00 $558 —
560 thin fleshed 560 1 75.00 $75.00 $420 —
684 thin fleshed 684 1 78.00 $78.00 $534 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451–498 472 18 137.00–147.00 $142.48 $673 -2.89
500–534 514 17 131.00–141.00 $137.29 $706 +2.93
514 thin fleshed 514 1 127.00 $127.00 $653 —
562–588 575 2 125.00–127.00 $125.98 $724 -3.02
552–598 579 8 133.00–138.00 $135.86 $787 +6.86
614–644 629 6 129.00–137.00 $134.00 $843 +6.37
626–640 632 3 118.00–124.00 $120.65 $763 -6.98
678 678 1 135.00 $135.00 $915 +10.37
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
452–492 469 3 120.00–129.00 $124.01 $582 +1.96
526–542 thin fleshed 534 2 110.00–112.00 $111.01 $593 —
570 570 1 123.00 $123.00 $701 —
738–740 739 2 120.00–121.00 $120.50 $890 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
748 748 1 118.00 $118.00 $883 +2.00
768 768 1 118.00 $118.00 $906 +2.00
898 898 1 107.00 $107.00 $961 —
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
802 802 1 100.00 $100.00 $802 —
866 866 1 96.00 $96.00 $831 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
762–792 777 85-90% 2 34.00–40.00 $36.94 $287 +10.47
790–1122 956 85-90% 8 71.00–74.00 $72.16 $690 +21.26
792–1058 967 85-90% 3 52.00–58.00 $55.27 $534 +4.37
814–1080 970 85-90% 5 65.00–68.00 $65.82 $638 +14.92
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1072–1426 1249 80-85% 2 73.00–74.00 $73.43 $917 -27.76
968–1574 1254 80-85% 7 75.00–81.00 $77.89 $977 —
1140–1516 1275 80-85% 7 85.00–91.00 $88.38 $1,127 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1202–1532 1367 75-80% 2 70.00–75.00 $72.20 $987 —
1376 1376 75-80% 1 89.00 $89.00 $1,225 —
1276–1950 1515 75-80% 7 82.00–88.00 $84.58 $1,281 -17.47

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1024–1346 1171 7 98.00–105.00 $100.70 $1,179 —
1568–2164 1866 2 120.00 $120.00 $2,239 —
2230 2230 1 66.00 $66.00 $1,472 —

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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
822–1032 890 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,075.00–1,250.00 $1,137.41 —
876–1149 1013 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 975.00–1,025.00 $996.63 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
734 734 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 850.00 $850.00 —
742 742 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00 —
858–884 871 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 975.00–1,025.00 $999.63 +49.63

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Dairy Heifers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 2 86.00 $86.00 $509 —
608 608 1 70.00 $70.00 $426 —
652 652 1 79.00 $79.00 $515 —
752–778 769 3 76.00 $76.00 $584 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
528 528 1 105.00 $105.00 $554 —

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Dairy Steers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
160 160 1 92.50 $92.50 $148 —
302 302 1 87.00 $87.00 $263 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 398 1 88.00 $88.00 $350 —

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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.