Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 11, 2023

458 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $188.49/cwt -0.59 vs last sale · ≈ $997/hd at 529 lb · 15 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $204.04/cwt -12.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,198/hd at 587 lb · 15 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $195.36/cwt -2.02 vs last sale · ≈ $1,227/hd at 628 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 458 462 342
Feeder cattle 410 413 267
Slaughter cattle 44 42 67
Replacement cattle 4 7 8

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offering of cattle was 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
304–346 327 6 197.50–220.00 $210.98 $690 -17.92
378–392 384 3 210.00–230.00 $217.99 $837 -0.41
420–436 430 4 204.00–220.00 $211.07 $908 -17.61
462–478 470 2 200.00 $200.00 $940 -20.69
502–532 517 7 180.00–210.00 $195.60 $1,011 -29.40
550–598 587 15 180.00–210.00 $204.04 $1,198 -12.79
600–638 628 15 170.00–207.00 $195.36 $1,227 -2.02
662–684 672 5 170.00–208.00 $179.58 $1,207 +19.58
720–742 732 3 160.00–180.00 $169.96 $1,244 -0.04
754–794 768 6 157.50–175.00 $168.14 $1,291 —
804–842 821 3 160.00–172.50 $165.91 $1,362 —
952 952 1 147.50 $147.50 $1,404 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 1 185.00 $185.00 $603 -5.00
390 390 1 190.00 $190.00 $741 —
558–576 567 2 153.00–170.00 $161.37 $915 —
1022 1022 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,380 —
1118 1118 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,398 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 298 1 170.00 $170.00 $507 —
360 360 1 170.00 $170.00 $612 —
402–448 425 2 152.00–171.00 $160.99 $684 -17.01
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
238 238 1 140.00 $140.00 $333 —
260 260 1 140.00 $140.00 $364 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 180.00 $180.00 $436 —
352–392 379 13 180.00–193.00 $188.26 $714 -0.27
412–448 428 6 175.00–190.00 $183.02 $783 -8.43
450–496 482 10 160.00–180.00 $167.77 $809 -22.25
502–540 521 10 157.50–180.00 $168.36 $877 -6.54
554–598 571 12 155.00–175.00 $163.70 $935 -7.17
602–644 621 12 150.00–166.00 $161.01 $1,000 +0.47
652–686 664 13 145.00–164.00 $151.21 $1,004 -7.01
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218 218 1 160.00 $160.00 $349 ±0.00
262–274 268 2 164.00–170.00 $167.07 $448 -4.18
304–334 313 6 160.00–176.00 $170.04 $532 +4.99
378–395 385 3 150.00–168.00 $159.31 $613 -10.41
428–446 437 3 150.00–162.50 $156.58 $684 -9.73
466 466 1 140.00 $140.00 $652 -29.77
464–474 471 5 142.00–160.00 $150.48 $709 -19.29
500–526 514 5 136.00–156.00 $150.48 $773 -4.24
600 600 1 120.00 $120.00 $720 —
692 692 1 110.00 $110.00 $761 ±0.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
204 204 1 146.00 $146.00 $298 -6.50
256–276 266 2 150.00–155.00 $152.59 $406 —
346 346 1 140.00 $140.00 $484 -10.00
420–424 422 3 150.00–155.00 $151.66 $640 +1.26
486 486 1 145.00 $145.00 $705 —
522–528 525 2 130.00 $130.00 $682 -5.00
554–582 571 3 120.00–142.50 $127.64 $729 -7.36
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
256 256 1 130.00 $130.00 $333 —
380 380 1 130.00 $130.00 $494 —
442 442 1 130.00 $130.00 $575 —
466 466 1 130.00 $130.00 $606 —
598 598 1 120.00 $120.00 $718 —
648 648 1 100.00 $100.00 $648 +17.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
246 246 1 205.00 $205.00 $504 —
254–280 267 2 200.00–208.00 $204.19 $545 +4.19
324–344 331 3 211.00–220.00 $213.94 $708 +2.09
382–398 388 7 200.00–230.00 $212.39 $824 +3.84
400–446 423 12 191.00–213.00 $202.02 $855 -7.45
462–494 478 9 190.00–210.00 $199.79 $955 -3.14
500–548 529 15 175.00–210.00 $188.49 $997 -0.59
568–596 586 5 170.00–186.00 $176.22 $1,033 -8.19
604–648 628 9 167.50–175.00 $171.66 $1,078 -0.38
652–674 659 7 150.00–175.00 $162.77 $1,073 -1.17
702–748 728 5 150.00–167.50 $159.99 $1,165 +3.39
758–794 779 5 142.50–170.00 $158.01 $1,231 +6.18
810 810 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,174 +4.45
816 816 1 164.00 $164.00 $1,338 +23.45
872–890 883 3 145.00–160.00 $150.03 $1,325 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286–292 289 2 182.00–190.00 $186.04 $538 —
308–316 313 4 177.50–192.00 $187.43 $587 -1.15
406–426 417 3 170.00–180.00 $176.75 $737 -11.94
462–496 482 7 160.00–184.00 $171.05 $824 -6.59
522–544 530 3 140.00–175.00 $160.39 $850 -10.96
558–590 577 3 150.00–160.00 $154.25 $890 -9.66
692 692 1 136.00 $136.00 $941 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
238 238 1 150.00 $150.00 $357 —
266–288 277 2 155.00–170.00 $162.20 $449 —
332 332 1 162.50 $162.50 $540 -12.63
362 362 1 152.00 $152.00 $550 -18.00
412–444 428 2 140.00–141.00 $140.52 $601 -16.95
532 532 1 145.00 $145.00 $771 -0.03
574–584 579 2 137.00–140.00 $138.49 $802 -6.51
724 724 1 100.00 $100.00 $724 —
790 790 1 107.50 $107.50 $849 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 274 1 145.00 $145.00 $397 —
382 382 1 135.00 $135.00 $516 —
436 436 1 125.00 $125.00 $545 -8.84
478–484 481 2 110.00–130.00 $120.06 $577 -17.44

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1025–1335 1150 85-90% 6 60.00–72.00 $65.56 $754 —
902–1488 1213 85-90% 9 80.00–93.00 $86.15 $1,045 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1324 1175 80-85% 11 88.00–103.00 $96.29 $1,131 —
1666 1666 80-85% 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,333 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1376 1376 75-80% 1 76.00 $76.00 $1,046 —
1276–1538 1422 75-80% 3 95.00–100.00 $97.60 $1,388 -3.13

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1144 1144 1 86.00 $86.00 $984 —
948–2158 1447 10 90.00–115.00 $107.37 $1,554 —
1728–2205 1967 2 120.00–125.00 $122.20 $2,404 —

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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
802–875 834 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 1,050.00–1,075.00 $1,058.02 -291.98
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
768 768 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 975.00 $975.00 -108.78

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Dairy Heifers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 362 1 110.00 $110.00 $398 —
620 620 1 97.50 $97.50 $604 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322 322 1 102.50 $102.50 $330 —

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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.