Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 17, 2023

337 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $208.90/cwt +8.90 vs last sale · ≈ $774/hd at 370 lb · 26 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $207.19/cwt +9.60 vs last sale · ≈ $893/hd at 431 lb · 15 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $212.63/cwt +4.07 vs last sale · ≈ $795/hd at 374 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 337 354 326
Feeder cattle 232 279 285
Slaughter cattle 102 70 40
Replacement cattle 3 5 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings 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
312 312 1 225.00 $225.00 $702 +3.48
354–398 376 2 225.00–245.00 $235.59 $886 —
442–444 443 2 222.50–227.50 $224.99 $997 +12.92
472–490 481 2 220.00–232.50 $226.37 $1,089 —
518 518 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,088 +18.94
546 value added 546 1 257.50 $257.50 $1,406 +42.08
568–584 574 3 220.00–232.50 $225.83 $1,296 +18.05
602–636 618 4 230.00 $230.00 $1,421 +30.00
650–668 659 2 195.00–197.50 $196.23 $1,293 -10.47
662 fancy 662 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,539 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484 484 1 200.00 $200.00 $968 —
516 516 1 180.00 $180.00 $929 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366 366 1 157.50 $157.50 $576 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
266–272 269 2 207.50–210.00 $208.76 $562 +23.76
316–320 318 2 207.50–210.00 $208.74 $664 +10.24
356 fancy 356 1 227.50 $227.50 $810 —
350–396 371 25 195.00–215.00 $208.16 $772 +8.16
400–446 423 11 190.00–205.00 $200.13 $847 +20.83
456–490 475 7 182.50–201.00 $188.60 $896 -1.18
512–548 535 5 180.00–195.00 $186.60 $998 -0.43
566 566 6 192.50–200.00 $196.25 $1,111 +16.26
628–644 636 2 165.00–185.00 $175.13 $1,114 +3.01
658 658 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,217 +35.00
844 844 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,139 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
206–240 223 2 175.00–180.00 $177.69 $396 +6.40
320–328 324 2 175.00–185.00 $179.94 $583 +9.94
400–414 407 2 170.00–182.50 $176.36 $718 —
460–492 479 3 160.00–177.50 $170.73 $818 +17.55
486 486 1 150.00 $150.00 $729 -3.18
516 516 1 155.00 $155.00 $800 +15.00
566 566 1 140.00 $140.00 $792 -15.01
556–592 573 4 155.00–170.00 $163.22 $935 +8.21
608 608 1 160.00 $160.00 $973 +16.20
656 656 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,050 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
424 424 1 150.00 $150.00 $636 -2.50
454–476 469 3 150.00–155.00 $151.61 $711 +6.61
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 286 1 155.00 $155.00 $443 —
450–476 463 2 125.00–140.00 $132.71 $614 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
240–248 244 2 220.00–222.50 $221.23 $540 —
280–294 289 3 205.00–222.50 $216.00 $624 +16.85
314–342 326 3 200.00–210.00 $206.71 $674 +10.80
352–398 374 12 200.00–220.00 $212.63 $795 +32.63
404–448 431 15 200.00–225.00 $207.19 $893 +9.60
472–498 488 4 200.00–210.00 $207.58 $1,013 +2.58
502–544 522 12 190.00–210.00 $197.60 $1,031 +3.98
554–594 582 5 180.00–190.00 $182.01 $1,059 -1.37
614–648 632 6 172.50–190.00 $184.50 $1,166 +6.22
659–672 662 4 180.00–182.50 $180.63 $1,196 +40.63
658–696 677 2 152.50–160.00 $156.14 $1,057 +16.14
766 766 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,264 —
810 810 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,438 +22.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 296 1 180.00 $180.00 $533 +3.78
380–390 385 2 185.00–190.00 $187.53 $722 —
408–448 433 3 175.00–190.00 $181.42 $786 +10.42
468–496 482 2 172.50–180.00 $176.14 $849 +3.87
514–548 535 4 160.00–180.00 $167.53 $896 -2.47
558–576 566 3 160.00–170.00 $163.29 $924 +5.89
664–690 677 2 145.00–160.00 $152.64 $1,033 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
458–496 477 2 160.00 $160.00 $763 +15.00
502 502 1 140.00 $140.00 $703 —
572 572 1 140.00 $140.00 $801 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
446 446 1 130.00 $130.00 $580 —
472 472 1 130.00 $130.00 $614 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 150.00 $150.00 $540 ±0.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
904–1286 1132 80-85% 35 96.00–112.00 $105.07 $1,189 +1.57
906–1290 1142 80-85% 5 113.00–127.00 $116.51 $1,331 —
1294 1294 80-85% 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,165 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1282–1780 1433 75-80% 35 100.00–117.00 $107.28 $1,537 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
756–1048 924 85-90% 5 80.00–84.00 $82.66 $764 -8.77
800–1274 950 85-90% 11 85.00–96.00 $91.33 $868 +10.03

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1394 1347 2 170.50–192.50 $181.12 $2,440 —
1038–2352 1673 3 108.00–136.00 $120.81 $2,021 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
752 752 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,075.00 $1,075.00 —
756 756 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 700.00 $700.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
820 820 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,350.00 $1,350.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
476 476 1 145.00 $145.00 $690 —
634 634 1 133.00 $133.00 $843 —

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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.