Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 20, 2023

293 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $158.33/cwt +23.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,094/hd at 691 lb · 18 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $200.30/cwt +1.78 vs last sale · ≈ $725/hd at 362 lb · 12 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $171.71/cwt +6.66 vs last sale · ≈ $888/hd at 517 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 293 397 374
Feeder cattle 243 337 305
Slaughter cattle 45 55 63
Replacement cattle 5 5 6

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offering of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average to attractive.

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
208–226 218 3 217.50–237.50 $228.07 $497 —
258 258 1 217.50 $217.50 $561 —
316–322 319 2 215.00–222.50 $218.71 $698 +1.13
368–370 369 2 215.00 $215.00 $793 —
415–434 425 6 195.00–225.00 $216.75 $921 +0.15
456–484 470 2 217.50–220.00 $218.71 $1,028 +17.57
510–538 524 2 217.50–222.50 $220.07 $1,153 +22.53
550–586 563 3 200.00–216.00 $209.02 $1,177 -0.98
633 633 5 195.00 $195.00 $1,234 +14.99
656–666 661 2 165.00–195.00 $180.11 $1,191 —
824 824 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,318 —
972 972 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,419 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264–278 271 2 190.00–200.00 $194.87 $528 +19.87
306 306 1 190.00 $190.00 $581 +2.45
1098 1098 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,427 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316 316 1 180.00 $180.00 $569 +17.29

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232–240 236 2 185.00–217.50 $200.97 $474 +30.97
272 272 1 182.50 $182.50 $496 +12.50
322–344 333 2 170.00–195.00 $182.09 $606 +3.58
350–396 375 8 175.00–190.00 $182.75 $685 +1.68
400–446 423 9 170.00–195.00 $185.51 $785 +4.17
454–490 469 6 165.00–185.00 $175.99 $825 -4.08
512–530 517 10 153.00–180.00 $171.71 $888 +6.66
564–596 578 5 155.00–177.00 $160.32 $927 -0.27
600–602 601 2 152.50–155.00 $153.75 $924 +5.77
670 670 1 130.00 $130.00 $871 -5.15
692 value added 692 17 160.00 $160.00 $1,107 —
708–710 709 2 130.00–135.00 $132.50 $939 -5.44
834 834 1 144.00 $144.00 $1,201 —
918 918 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,065 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260 260 1 170.00 $170.00 $442 +17.46
320 320 1 162.50 $162.50 $520 +10.80
416–436 426 2 155.00 $155.00 $660 -1.56
454–496 478 9 140.00–165.00 $153.55 $734 -0.67
508–544 523 7 133.00–150.00 $142.17 $744 —
556–562 559 2 142.50 $142.50 $797 -1.49
598 598 1 120.00 $120.00 $718 -23.99
756 756 1 110.00 $110.00 $832 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–340 316 3 145.00–150.00 $148.21 $468 +3.21
352–394 373 5 140.00–155.00 $147.05 $548 +9.29
424–444 435 3 145.00–155.00 $148.25 $645 +18.25
452–464 457 3 130.00–152.50 $140.76 $643 +17.76
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
414 414 1 132.50 $132.50 $549 +10.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218–246 234 4 200.00–217.50 $206.58 $483 —
252–296 269 6 200.00–222.50 $214.60 $577 +16.16
314–332 323 2 200.00–205.00 $202.43 $654 -2.73
350–384 362 12 190.00–217.50 $200.30 $725 +1.78
410–446 428 5 190.00–215.00 $199.86 $855 -2.46
458–486 469 3 180.00–208.00 $194.09 $910 -4.27
546 546 2 190.00 $190.00 $1,037 +14.95
566 566 1 170.00 $170.00 $962 +15.22
606–638 621 6 150.00–185.00 $164.23 $1,020 +6.94
656–678 667 2 150.00–151.00 $150.51 $1,004 +20.51
704–748 732 4 140.00–168.00 $155.69 $1,140 +15.69
876–896 886 2 130.00–140.00 $134.94 $1,196 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
266–272 269 2 162.50–173.00 $167.69 $451 +2.73
366 366 1 177.50 $177.50 $650 +17.50
416–442 425 3 150.00–160.00 $156.54 $665 +5.40
484 484 1 152.50 $152.50 $738 —
560–578 571 4 120.00–130.00 $122.51 $700 —
628 628 1 120.00 $120.00 $754 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 185.00 $185.00 $666 +2.57
480–482 481 3 170.00–175.00 $173.34 $834 +10.46
504–548 523 3 140.00–170.00 $149.87 $784 +14.87
652 652 1 140.00 $140.00 $913 —
778 778 1 120.00 $120.00 $934 -2.50
828 828 1 112.00 $112.00 $927 ±0.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 302 1 148.00 $148.00 $447 —
360–372 366 2 140.00–150.00 $144.92 $530 +7.42
430 430 1 140.00 $140.00 $602 +39.00
598 598 1 97.50 $97.50 $583 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
856 856 85-90% 1 94.00 $94.00 $805 —
786–934 871 85-90% 6 53.00–70.00 $61.17 $533 —
790–1328 992 85-90% 10 80.00–92.50 $85.83 $851 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1560 1172 80-85% 10 94.00–105.00 $98.74 $1,157 +5.48
1288–1294 1291 80-85% 2 112.00–115.00 $113.50 $1,465 —
1222–1376 1329 80-85% 4 80.00–85.00 $82.20 $1,092 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1404–1596 1520 75-80% 4 90.00–112.00 $100.66 $1,530 —
1566 1566 75-80% 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,331 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1022–2070 1472 5 110.00–120.00 $115.89 $1,706 —

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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
822 822 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —
824 824 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,150.00 $1,150.00 —
892 892 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —
926–932 929 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 2 800.00–1,125.00 $961.98 —

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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.