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Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 28, 2023

450 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $179.43/cwt -12.85 vs last sale · ≈ $1,007/hd at 561 lb · 17 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 bulls $175.49/cwt -18.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,104/hd at 629 lb · 15 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $191.14/cwt -5.73 vs last sale · ≈ $893/hd at 467 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 450 459 193
Feeder cattle 325 385 155
Slaughter cattle 125 74 38

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 6.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average. 7 baby calves from 10.00 - 30.00

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
400–443 432 4 227.00–240.00 $230.01 $994 +5.99
470–484 477 2 215.00–220.00 $217.46 $1,037 -5.65
508–548 528 6 202.50–221.00 $217.43 $1,148 -3.08
552 552 2 190.00–192.50 $191.25 $1,056 -30.92
639 639 2 208.00 $208.00 $1,329 +7.38
668 668 4 183.00 $183.00 $1,222 -24.00
660–688 674 2 180.00–195.00 $187.66 $1,265 -19.34
712 712 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,075 -42.00
740 740 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,350 -10.50
772 772 4 180.00 $180.00 $1,390 —
972 972 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,798 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 1 202.50 $202.50 $705 —
458 458 1 205.00 $205.00 $939 +21.00
508–520 514 2 167.50–172.50 $170.03 $874 —
722–734 727 3 165.00–172.50 $170.00 $1,236 -5.00
816 816 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,306 —
892 892 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,516 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416 416 1 180.00 $180.00 $749 +17.50
484 484 1 170.00 $170.00 $823 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284–298 291 3 190.00–205.00 $199.89 $582 -1.91
302–338 323 6 195.00–207.50 $200.82 $649 +5.77
350–382 360 5 190.00–205.00 $199.84 $719 -2.49
404–448 423 12 185.00–209.00 $197.29 $835 -2.35
452–492 467 13 180.00–207.50 $191.14 $893 -5.73
504–544 530 9 170.00–190.00 $181.51 $962 -18.80
550–578 561 16 170.00–190.00 $180.64 $1,013 -11.64
562 562 1 160.00 $160.00 $899 -32.28
610–646 620 9 167.00–175.00 $170.75 $1,059 -2.75
674–676 675 2 156.00–167.50 $161.76 $1,092 -9.73
742 742 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,243 +13.47
770 770 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,163 —
846 846 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,184 —
913 913 3 134.00 $134.00 $1,223 +6.00
952 952 1 131.00 $131.00 $1,247 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302–324 315 3 177.50–180.00 $179.20 $564 -5.80
350–388 369 2 180.00 $180.00 $664 -1.26
446 446 1 175.00 $175.00 $780 -10.00
468–472 470 2 165.00–170.00 $167.49 $787 -15.51
512 512 1 170.00 $170.00 $870 +8.00
550–582 566 2 164.00–165.00 $164.51 $931 -7.99
626 626 1 143.00 $143.00 $895 -12.04
660–696 677 3 138.00–147.50 $142.88 $967 —
702 702 1 135.00 $135.00 $948 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252 252 1 160.00 $160.00 $403 +5.00
362 362 1 170.00 $170.00 $615 +6.97
438 438 1 150.00 $150.00 $657 -4.65
528 528 1 120.00 $120.00 $634 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 1 145.00 $145.00 $858 —
768 768 1 119.00 $119.00 $914 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 1 147.50 $147.50 $578 +5.00
420 420 1 140.00 $140.00 $588 -1.26

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
214 214 1 225.00 $225.00 $482 —
266–296 286 4 210.00–230.00 $220.65 $631 +6.81
308–340 331 4 210.00–225.00 $217.32 $719 -3.21
360–394 376 6 210.00–222.50 $212.95 $801 -4.26
401 fancy 401 3 246.00 $246.00 $986 —
400–442 422 8 210.00–222.50 $214.98 $907 +1.01
452–496 469 7 190.00–217.50 $205.70 $965 -2.82
510–527 522 5 197.50–202.50 $199.47 $1,041 -18.43
556–568 561 3 170.00–192.50 $184.90 $1,037 -19.33
604–642 629 15 165.00–185.00 $175.49 $1,104 -18.26
696–698 697 2 155.00–165.00 $160.01 $1,115 -3.52
702–748 735 6 130.00–145.00 $142.61 $1,048 -7.39
778–792 785 2 134.00–140.00 $137.03 $1,076 -8.02
818 818 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,166 —
866 866 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,039 -14.95
916 916 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,099 -10.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212–246 229 2 185.00–190.00 $187.69 $430 -3.61
266 266 1 192.50 $192.50 $512 +5.00
366 366 1 200.00 $200.00 $732 +16.89
404–440 425 3 180.00–200.00 $189.92 $807 +9.92
452–494 476 4 160.00–185.00 $176.00 $838 -2.14
502–542 519 7 150.00–180.00 $166.32 $863 -8.83
572 572 1 170.00 $170.00 $972 -5.77
628–642 635 3 153.00–155.00 $154.34 $980 +5.44
652–690 662 5 130.00–147.50 $139.90 $926 -2.59
800–810 805 2 110.00–111.00 $110.50 $890 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
244 244 1 177.50 $177.50 $433 —
302 302 1 182.50 $182.50 $551 —
352 352 1 177.50 $177.50 $625 +7.50
454 454 1 161.00 $161.00 $731 —
594 594 1 140.00 $140.00 $832 +10.00
626 626 1 108.00 $108.00 $676 —
678 678 1 103.00 $103.00 $698 -35.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366–390 378 2 150.00 $150.00 $567 —
450–474 462 2 140.00 $140.00 $647 —
650–680 665 2 97.50–110.00 $103.61 $689 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
796–1264 1004 85-90% 13 60.00–75.00 $66.56 $668 -6.27
836–1294 1091 85-90% 24 76.00–87.00 $82.29 $898 -4.59
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1028–1152 1101 80-85% 4 98.00–102.00 $99.30 $1,093 —
948–1378 1149 80-85% 20 87.00–95.00 $90.19 $1,036 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118–1726 1372 75-80% 16 93.00–104.00 $96.34 $1,322 —
1218–1552 1376 75-80% 5 81.00–87.00 $84.35 $1,161 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1392–1606 1499 2 84.00–85.00 $84.54 $1,267 —
1002–1944 1532 10 107.00–123.00 $117.43 $1,799 —
2136–2250 2193 2 128.00–129.00 $128.51 $2,818 —

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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.