Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 13, 2023

397 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $198.36/cwt -1.49 vs last sale · ≈ $926/hd at 467 lb · 14 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $175.05/cwt -8.95 vs last sale · ≈ $921/hd at 526 lb · 14 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $181.34/cwt +3.26 vs last sale · ≈ $776/hd at 428 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 397 178 415
Feeder cattle 337 143 316
Slaughter cattle 55 35 93
Replacement cattle 5 — 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were steady to 2.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 1.00 to 3.00 lower. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offering 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
304–324 314 3 215.00–222.50 $217.58 $683 —
406–438 431 5 210.00–222.50 $216.60 $934 +4.60
474–486 480 2 190.00–212.00 $201.14 $965 -18.86
526–548 537 2 187.50–208.00 $197.54 $1,061 —
570–578 574 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,205 +4.25
638–642 640 2 178.00–182.00 $180.01 $1,152 —
756–770 763 2 156.00–158.00 $156.99 $1,198 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222 222 1 170.00 $170.00 $377 —
282 282 1 175.00 $175.00 $494 —
328–332 330 2 180.00–195.00 $187.55 $619 -14.95
362–398 382 4 180.00–182.50 $180.62 $690 —
466–472 469 2 180.00–184.00 $181.99 $854 —
506–516 509 3 150.00–165.00 $154.97 $789 —
604–636 620 2 145.00–150.00 $147.44 $914 -6.56
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226–246 237 3 150.00–177.50 $159.27 $377 -10.56
256–288 271 3 165.00–170.00 $167.44 $454 —
312–330 321 2 155.00–170.00 $162.71 $522 —
360 360 1 170.00 $170.00 $612 —
402–430 416 2 147.50–170.00 $158.37 $659 -11.63
452 452 1 160.00 $160.00 $723 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–328 314 2 140.00–145.00 $142.61 $448 —
354–388 371 2 140.00 $140.00 $519 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
238 238 1 170.00 $170.00 $405 —
276–280 278 2 170.00 $170.00 $473 -11.00
306–342 316 5 170.00–190.00 $178.51 $564 —
350–396 377 11 170.00–190.00 $181.07 $683 -10.61
410–434 428 14 176.00–200.00 $181.34 $776 +3.26
452–492 471 13 170.00–186.00 $180.07 $848 +7.98
500–546 527 5 148.00–177.50 $165.05 $870 -4.82
556–576 565 4 148.00–171.00 $160.59 $907 +1.59
624–644 631 3 146.00–151.00 $147.98 $934 —
652–686 668 4 131.00–143.00 $135.15 $903 -16.85
700–718 706 3 131.00–152.00 $137.94 $974 -17.06
788 788 1 137.00 $137.00 $1,080 -6.01
860 860 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,238 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
206–240 223 2 150.00 $150.00 $334 —
274–282 278 2 150.00–155.00 $152.54 $424 —
306–344 322 8 145.00–165.00 $151.70 $488 +0.70
380–396 391 4 145.00–160.00 $151.25 $591 —
400–424 411 3 150.00–160.00 $156.56 $643 -7.44
452–488 477 4 145.00–160.00 $154.22 $736 +21.22
580–596 588 2 143.00–145.00 $143.99 $847 —
660 660 1 130.00 $130.00 $858 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
280–297 292 4 133.00–140.00 $136.44 $398 -1.56
304–322 313 2 145.00 $145.00 $454 —
364–396 380 2 119.00–155.00 $137.76 $523 -2.24
400–444 429 3 121.00–140.00 $130.00 $558 —
468 468 1 123.00 $123.00 $576 -3.72
500–508 504 2 122.50–140.00 $131.18 $661 +26.69
594 594 1 100.00 $100.00 $594 —
644 644 1 110.00 $110.00 $708 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 298 1 140.00 $140.00 $417 +13.72
386 386 1 112.00 $112.00 $432 -0.50
402 402 1 122.00 $122.00 $490 -3.00
468–498 483 2 101.00–130.00 $115.05 $556 +18.05

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264–292 278 2 192.50–205.00 $198.44 $552 —
304–338 315 7 190.00–222.50 $205.16 $646 —
358–394 381 7 190.00–210.00 $198.52 $756 -1.60
400–442 422 6 180.00–215.00 $202.32 $854 +0.02
454–496 467 14 185.00–205.00 $198.36 $926 -1.49
506–548 526 14 161.00–202.00 $175.05 $921 -8.95
569–583 573 4 153.00–160.00 $154.78 $887 -13.22
642 642 7 141.00–160.00 $157.29 $1,010 -7.71
690 690 1 130.00 $130.00 $897 —
706–730 721 4 138.00–143.00 $140.00 $1,009 —
768 768 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,075 +10.66
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
234–236 235 2 185.00 $185.00 $435 —
276 276 1 188.00 $188.00 $519 —
322–342 328 4 180.00 $180.00 $590 -7.50
370–390 380 2 180.00–185.00 $182.43 $693 -13.60
406–448 433 8 160.00–190.00 $176.14 $763 -11.10
456 456 1 162.50 $162.50 $741 -12.48
450–488 470 6 150.00–178.00 $162.88 $766 -12.10
502 502 1 145.00 $145.00 $728 -17.01
506 506 1 135.00 $135.00 $683 -27.01
556–597 583 4 140.00–149.00 $145.56 $849 -10.44
632 632 1 117.00 $117.00 $739 -20.89
720 720 1 119.00 $119.00 $857 +15.00
750 750 1 122.50 $122.50 $919 —
846 846 1 112.00 $112.00 $948 -5.97
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 160.00 $160.00 $387 +12.50
274–278 276 2 160.00–170.00 $164.96 $455 —
340–346 343 2 167.00–172.50 $169.73 $582 —
390 390 1 160.00 $160.00 $624 -17.00
400–448 424 4 147.50–157.50 $151.14 $641 —
544–548 546 2 110.00–130.00 $119.96 $655 -24.64
712 712 1 102.00 $102.00 $726 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 1 137.50 $137.50 $525 +15.00
400–432 414 5 114.00–140.00 $129.53 $536 —
440 440 1 101.00 $101.00 $444 —
450–470 460 2 131.00–135.00 $132.96 $612 —
506 506 1 112.50 $112.50 $569 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1366 1156 80-85% 8 90.00–101.00 $93.26 $1,078 —
1024–1410 1236 80-85% 13 104.00–113.00 $107.83 $1,333 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
754–838 796 85-90% 2 48.00–50.00 $49.05 $390 —
924–1310 1126 85-90% 13 70.00–84.00 $78.93 $889 -4.97
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1510 1414 75-80% 4 86.00–109.00 $99.95 $1,413 —
2038 2038 75-80% 1 75.00 $75.00 $1,528 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
996–1636 1255 3 70.00–90.00 $81.31 $1,020 -28.58
1074–1936 1413 4 117.00–124.00 $120.03 $1,696 —
1022–1804 1565 7 100.00–115.00 $111.54 $1,746 —

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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
768–834 790 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,025.00–1,450.00 $1,295.20 —
1212 1212 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,800.00 $1,800.00 —

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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.