Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 10, 2023

354 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $186.46/cwt +24.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,156/hd at 620 lb · 22 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $208.56/cwt +5.25 vs last sale · ≈ $811/hd at 389 lb · 14 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $211.99/cwt -4.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,413/hd at 666 lb · 14 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 354 397 450
Feeder cattle 279 344 394
Slaughter cattle 70 53 42
Replacement cattle 5 14

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 3.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was plain to average.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 210.00 $210.00 $567
330–340 335 2 220.00–223.00 $221.52 $742 +4.02
404–434 414 5 210.00–215.00 $212.07 $878 -7.93
505–546 524 4 180.00–210.00 $191.06 $1,001 +1.06
544 value added 544 6 215.00–217.50 $215.42 $1,172 -19.58
565 value added 565 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,243 -13.00
558–570 568 9 190.00–210.00 $207.78 $1,180
648 648 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,296
651 value added 651 5 221.50 $221.50 $1,442 -2.50
659–688 675 9 205.00–208.00 $206.70 $1,395 +36.70
704 704 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,373
778 778 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,400
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282 282 1 182.50 $182.50 $515
348 348 1 180.00 $180.00 $626 -10.00
352–362 357 2 170.00–185.00 $177.39 $633
412 412 1 180.00 $180.00 $742 ±0.00
598 598 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,106
626 626 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,064
788 788 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,308
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 1 140.00 $140.00 $389
366–378 372 2 152.50–155.00 $153.77 $572
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 162.50 $162.50 $504

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 1 185.00 $185.00 $525 -21.54
330 330 2 190.00–207.00 $198.50 $655 -0.33
396 396 1 200.00 $200.00 $792 -6.13
406–448 424 7 170.00–185.00 $179.30 $760 -14.86
453 value added 453 4 212.00 $212.00 $960
450–494 477 7 172.50–197.50 $189.78 $905 +6.37
506–546 534 12 170.00–195.00 $187.03 $999 +6.74
550–588 579 6 170.00–185.00 $179.99 $1,042 -6.36
608–634 618 3 165.00–181.00 $172.12 $1,064 +10.61
609–640 value added 620 19 185.00–191.00 $188.72 $1,170
674 674 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,011 -10.72
700 700 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,211 +23.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
234–248 241 2 170.00–172.50 $171.29 $413
286–292 289 2 172.50–182.50 $177.45 $513
334 334 1 170.00 $170.00 $568
458–490 479 3 150.00–160.00 $153.18 $734 -14.32
548 548 1 140.00 $140.00 $767
562–582 569 3 150.00–160.00 $155.01 $882 -6.89
620–626 623 2 132.50–155.00 $143.80 $896
874 874 2 116.00 $116.00 $1,014
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 1 140.00 $140.00 $479
354–384 369 2 122.50–135.00 $129.00 $476 -21.00
434 434 1 130.00 $130.00 $564
510–538 524 2 110.00 $110.00 $576
616 616 1 100.00 $100.00 $616
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
248 248 1 140.00 $140.00 $347
310 310 1 155.00 $155.00 $480
350 350 1 155.00 $155.00 $542 -13.00
400 400 1 152.50 $152.50 $610
454 454 1 145.00 $145.00 $658 -2.00

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–292 279 3 197.50–200.00 $199.15 $556 +1.65
304–346 325 5 187.50–202.50 $195.91 $637 -15.62
388 388 1 180.00 $180.00 $698 -23.31
370–398 389 13 187.50–222.00 $210.76 $820 +7.45
422–448 434 11 189.00–215.00 $197.59 $858 -14.08
454 454 1 205.00 $205.00 $931 -6.41
502–546 515 13 175.00–210.00 $193.62 $997 +11.57
560–582 574 3 180.00–190.00 $183.38 $1,053 -7.02
614–642 623 6 170.00–180.00 $178.28 $1,111 +5.45
684 684 1 140.00 $140.00 $958 -33.99
816 816 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,265
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 185.00 $185.00 $426
270–274 272 2 172.50–180.00 $176.22 $479 -18.78
306 306 1 182.50 $182.50 $558 +2.50
400 400 1 171.00 $171.00 $684 -19.50
450–478 464 2 165.00–180.00 $172.27 $799 -3.41
500 500 1 170.00 $170.00 $850 +5.85
550–572 561 2 152.50–162.50 $157.40 $883 +2.40
600–632 621 4 140.00–155.00 $146.24 $908 -7.83
790 790 1 117.50 $117.50 $928
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352–394 375 3 160.00–165.00 $163.25 $612 -12.12
434 434 1 160.00 $160.00 $694 ±0.00
478 478 1 145.00 $145.00 $693
544 544 1 120.00 $120.00 $653 -10.00
600 600 1 130.00 $130.00 $780
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264 264 1 152.50 $152.50 $403
342 342 1 130.00 $130.00 $445 -30.00
384 384 1 150.00 $150.00 $576
402 402 1 155.00 $155.00 $623
574 574 1 142.50 $142.50 $818

↑ Back to top

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
790–1156 943 85-90% 23 86.00–96.00 $91.43 $862 +14.96
752–1124 969 85-90% 9 76.00–84.00 $81.30 $788
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
942–1386 1106 80-85% 15 96.00–112.00 $103.50 $1,145
1136–1256 1176 80-85% 3 114.00–115.00 $114.64 $1,348 +8.48
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1424–1824 1631 75-80% 4 94.00–112.00 $106.05 $1,730

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,049
1152–1256 1204 2 116.00–126.00 $121.22 $1,459
1632–2114 1818 3 129.00–141.00 $133.65 $2,430

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
824–1020 894 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 1,100.00–1,175.00 $1,150.95
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
656 656 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 875.00 $875.00

↑ Back to top

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
726 726 1 100.00 $100.00 $726

↑ Back to top

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 1 114.00 $114.00 $369

↑ Back to top

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.