Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 16, 2023

399 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $213.65/cwt ≈ $914/hd at 428 lb · 18 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $179.49/cwt ≈ $779/hd at 434 lb · 18 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $165.71/cwt ≈ $883/hd at 533 lb · 18 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 399 530 399
Feeder cattle 345 473 358
Slaughter cattle 53 57 39
Replacement cattle 1 — 2

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. 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
276–295 287 4 205.00–225.00 $215.05 $617 —
304–348 331 7 200.00–221.00 $213.96 $708 —
356–385 375 7 206.00–232.50 $220.49 $827 —
406–448 425 10 216.00–237.50 $230.94 $981 —
456–492 475 11 205.00–236.00 $226.73 $1,077 —
526–538 532 3 207.50–212.00 $209.83 $1,116 —
572–576 574 2 197.00–220.00 $208.46 $1,197 —
600–644 622 2 187.50–189.00 $188.22 $1,171 —
784 784 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,333 —
952 952 2 159.00 $159.00 $1,514 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
256 256 1 192.50 $192.50 $493 —
308–324 317 3 190.00–198.00 $195.24 $619 —
372–388 380 2 180.00 $180.00 $684 —
404–408 406 2 179.00–180.00 $179.50 $729 —
456–470 463 2 186.00–193.00 $189.45 $877 —
668 668 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,122 —
710 710 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,008 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 134.00 $134.00 $308 —
274 274 1 92.00 $92.00 $252 —
284 284 1 158.00 $158.00 $449 —
312–322 317 2 140.00–153.00 $146.40 $464 —
358–362 359 3 121.00–137.00 $129.36 $464 —
406–436 421 2 120.00–140.00 $130.36 $549 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 177.50 $177.50 $515 +21.87
348 348 1 155.00 $155.00 $539 -6.40

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232 232 1 187.50 $187.50 $435 —
260–292 275 5 165.00–202.00 $177.26 $487 —
324–348 336 4 180.00–214.00 $201.64 $678 —
350–396 364 11 180.00–201.00 $188.67 $687 —
406–448 434 18 170.00–190.00 $179.49 $779 —
450–498 481 15 161.00–180.00 $172.23 $828 —
508–548 533 18 157.00–185.00 $165.71 $883 —
558–596 579 7 147.50–165.00 $154.16 $893 —
604–642 624 7 150.00–167.50 $157.17 $981 —
668–696 685 3 140.00–158.00 $149.46 $1,024 —
706–734 725 5 130.00–158.00 $144.33 $1,046 —
848 848 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,094 —
876 876 1 94.00 $94.00 $823 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 274 1 163.00 $163.00 $447 —
340–342 341 2 155.00–161.00 $158.01 $539 —
380–390 385 3 149.00–165.00 $159.59 $614 —
400–444 421 5 150.00–165.00 $159.78 $673 —
452–486 466 4 158.00–165.00 $160.20 $747 —
524 524 1 151.00 $151.00 $791 —
572–580 576 2 147.00–149.00 $148.01 $853 —
620 620 1 90.00 $90.00 $558 —
604–640 627 3 120.00–132.50 $127.40 $799 —
656–662 659 2 120.00–122.00 $121.00 $797 —
732–738 735 2 100.00–105.00 $102.51 $753 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 1 140.00 $140.00 $479 -1.03
352–390 374 4 130.00–145.00 $138.68 $519 +5.12
442 442 1 125.00 $125.00 $552 -7.02
556–572 564 2 113.00–120.00 $116.55 $657 +6.55
612 612 1 91.00 $91.00 $557 -12.51
740 740 2 100.00 $100.00 $740 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222 222 1 121.00 $121.00 $269 —
444 444 1 120.00 $120.00 $533 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282 282 1 227.50 $227.50 $642 —
302–328 314 3 200.00–220.00 $211.43 $664 —
364–392 384 8 201.00–232.50 $220.52 $847 —
400–446 428 18 202.50–235.00 $213.65 $914 —
456–498 475 10 205.00–237.50 $221.42 $1,052 —
504–542 526 8 195.00–211.00 $205.17 $1,079 —
554–572 564 6 190.00–214.00 $200.85 $1,133 —
612 612 1 162.00 $162.00 $991 —
610–616 value added 613 2 182.50–189.00 $185.77 $1,139 —
726–732 729 2 140.00–162.50 $151.30 $1,103 —
816 816 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,183 —
860–884 873 3 125.00–142.50 $132.55 $1,157 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
224 224 1 170.00 $170.00 $381 —
330 330 1 167.50 $167.50 $553 —
386 386 1 170.00 $170.00 $656 —
404–414 409 2 140.00–186.00 $162.72 $666 —
533 533 14 181.00 $181.00 $965 +35.27
558 558 1 140.00 $140.00 $781 -4.07
612–614 613 2 114.00–118.00 $116.00 $711 -8.00
658–680 669 2 91.00–95.00 $92.97 $622 -17.03
732 732 1 100.00 $100.00 $732 +4.52
790 790 1 100.00 $100.00 $790 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 332 1 188.00 $188.00 $624 —
376 376 1 192.50 $192.50 $724 —
438 438 1 185.00 $185.00 $810 —
468–496 483 3 177.00–182.00 $179.64 $868 —
502–528 516 4 175.00–183.00 $178.72 $922 —
570–598 588 3 143.00–180.00 $168.04 $988 —
598 598 1 158.00 $158.00 $945 —
630 630 1 144.00 $144.00 $907 —
674 674 1 120.00 $120.00 $809 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–435 429 4 130.00–132.50 $130.63 $560 —
524 524 1 100.00 $100.00 $524 —
580 580 1 120.00 $120.00 $696 —
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
598 598 1 74.00 $74.00 $443 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
922–1470 1141 80-85% 13 88.00–102.00 $94.35 $1,077 +4.80
1044–1624 1325 80-85% 8 104.00–114.50 $108.09 $1,432 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
864–1088 946 85-90% 8 79.00–89.00 $85.83 $812 +29.27
884–1022 953 85-90% 2 60.00–71.00 $65.10 $620 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1350–1718 1548 75-80% 8 85.00–111.00 $93.68 $1,450 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050–1465 1217 3 91.00–117.00 $108.32 $1,318 —
1774 1774 1 76.00 $76.00 $1,348 -47.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
790 790 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 875.00 $875.00 —

↑ Back to top

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.