Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, July 20, 2023

257 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $181.81/cwt -10.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,049/hd at 577 lb · 15 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $195.51/cwt +0.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,015/hd at 519 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 257 377 255
Feeder cattle 217 295 217
Slaughter cattle 40 80 38
Replacement cattle — 2 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week , slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light. 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
334 334 1 221.00 $221.00 $738 -11.15
394 394 5 225.00 $225.00 $886 —
434 434 2 217.50 $217.50 $944 —
482–484 483 2 215.00–217.50 $216.25 $1,044 -1.19
500 value added 500 7 225.00 $225.00 $1,125 —
576–596 583 3 197.50–205.00 $202.44 $1,180 -15.06
614–616 615 4 180.00–192.50 $189.37 $1,165 -30.63
650–679 673 5 185.00–188.00 $187.42 $1,261 —
792 792 1 191.00 $191.00 $1,513 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 1 155.00 $155.00 $530 —
446 446 1 160.00 $160.00 $714 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 1 170.00 $170.00 $734 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 140.00 $140.00 $322 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322 322 1 190.00 $190.00 $612 -18.79
368–398 386 5 180.00–200.00 $189.73 $732 -13.38
404–444 420 5 180.00–195.00 $186.15 $782 -3.28
466–475 472 6 181.00–190.00 $183.57 $866 +0.52
515 value added 515 11 199.50 $199.50 $1,027 —
524–546 535 3 170.00–188.00 $180.88 $968 -14.13
573–596 577 15 170.00–198.00 $181.81 $1,049 -10.12
602–612 607 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,032 -17.49
682–686 683 8 150.00–155.00 $154.37 $1,054 -22.37
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352–360 356 2 160.00–170.00 $164.94 $587 —
410 410 1 170.00 $170.00 $697 +7.49
452–496 480 8 165.00–172.50 $168.44 $809 +4.04
504–522 513 2 160.00–165.00 $162.54 $834 +2.68
568 568 1 142.50 $142.50 $809 —
624 624 1 140.00 $140.00 $874 —
664 664 1 140.00 $140.00 $930 +7.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
292 292 1 140.00 $140.00 $409 —
338 338 1 160.00 $160.00 $541 —
372–396 381 3 140.00 $140.00 $533 -10.65
412–426 417 3 140.00–160.00 $146.61 $611 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 1 142.50 $142.50 $410 —
312 312 1 130.00 $130.00 $406 —
392–394 393 2 130.00–140.00 $134.99 $531 —
412 412 1 127.00 $127.00 $523 +0.69
458 458 1 117.50 $117.50 $538 -2.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 276 1 197.50 $197.50 $545 -14.57
340 340 1 190.00 $190.00 $646 -23.31
352–390 371 2 205.00–210.00 $207.37 $769 +1.12
400–446 420 3 185.00–217.50 $201.07 $844 +0.75
454–498 474 5 180.00–200.00 $190.16 $901 -8.54
509–548 519 9 170.00–201.00 $189.35 $983 -12.51
556–598 579 7 160.00–180.00 $172.40 $998 -25.84
604–634 619 2 160.00 $160.00 $990 -35.25
662–696 684 3 150.00–153.00 $151.82 $1,038 -34.11
744 744 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,042 -42.50
763–786 775 2 132.50–147.50 $139.89 $1,084 —
808 808 1 122.50 $122.50 $990 -27.50
818–842 830 2 145.00–158.00 $151.41 $1,257 +1.41
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232 232 1 160.00 $160.00 $371 —
256 256 1 180.00 $180.00 $461 +20.00
338 338 1 185.00 $185.00 $625 —
356 356 1 175.00 $175.00 $623 —
420 420 2 170.00 $170.00 $714 -6.52
460 460 1 170.00 $170.00 $782 -2.00
568–590 580 5 140.00–160.00 $154.45 $896 -15.55
688 688 1 130.00 $130.00 $894 -32.99
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384–398 391 2 150.00–160.00 $155.09 $606 —
404–444 419 3 142.50–160.00 $153.51 $643 +3.51
468–498 484 3 145.00–150.00 $146.71 $710 -3.29
558 558 2 130.00–142.50 $136.25 $760 +15.00
670 670 1 120.00 $120.00 $804 -1.25
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374–386 380 2 137.50–150.00 $143.65 $546 —
408 408 1 140.00 $140.00 $571 +20.00
544 544 1 107.50 $107.50 $585 -15.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1034 890 85-90% 5 62.50–80.00 $75.10 $668 —
772–1350 936 85-90% 9 84.00–95.00 $90.92 $851 +19.13
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920–1414 1136 80-85% 9 95.00–106.00 $100.80 $1,145 +0.52
1220–1312 1279 80-85% 3 109.00–111.00 $110.02 $1,407 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1284 1284 1 73.00 $73.00 $937 —
968–1810 1297 3 118.00–125.00 $122.53 $1,589 —
1176–1692 1434 2 131.00–137.00 $133.46 $1,914 —

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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.