Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 14, 2023

284 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $183.95/cwt +3.95 vs last sale · ≈ $787/hd at 428 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 284 377 198
Feeder cattle 200 330 143
Slaughter cattle 84 46 55
Replacement cattle — 1 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 4.oo to 8.00 higher. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light. Cattle quality was plain to 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
356 356 1 225.00 $225.00 $801 —
427 427 3 212.50 $212.50 $907 —
456–480 465 3 220.00–223.00 $221.33 $1,029 —
528 528 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,088 -8.00
553–574 564 4 195.00–217.00 $205.80 $1,161 +11.51
619–638 624 4 180.00–185.00 $181.28 $1,131 -9.73
806 806 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,290 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 180.00 $180.00 $738 -10.00
646 646 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,014 -3.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 150.00 $150.00 $645 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
266–282 274 2 190.00–195.00 $192.43 $527 —
324–342 333 2 185.00–200.00 $192.30 $640 —
354–378 368 5 190.00–200.00 $195.98 $721 +14.38
406–448 428 11 180.00–200.00 $183.95 $787 +3.95
466–494 475 4 170.00–190.00 $182.32 $866 +2.32
510–522 512 5 170.00–190.00 $174.07 $891 —
578–580 579 2 167.50–170.00 $168.75 $977 —
612 612 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,040 —
746 746 2 162.50 $162.50 $1,212 -1.11
908 908 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,453 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–298 275 3 172.50–177.50 $175.91 $484 +5.91
326–340 333 2 180.00–182.50 $181.28 $604 +11.28
360–396 383 5 170.00–180.00 $174.95 $670 +4.95
422 422 1 170.00 $170.00 $717 +5.00
474–486 480 2 160.00–170.00 $164.94 $792 +4.94
514–548 530 4 155.00–160.00 $158.09 $838 —
638–642 640 3 140.00–160.00 $146.69 $939 —
672 672 1 140.00 $140.00 $941 -2.50
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412–418 415 2 135.00 $135.00 $560 +15.00
482 482 1 127.50 $127.50 $615 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 1 160.00 $160.00 $522 -1.51
430 430 1 150.00 $150.00 $645 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 205.00 $205.00 $496 +2.50
288 288 1 215.00 $215.00 $619 +15.00
316–346 331 2 210.00–217.50 $213.58 $707 +8.58
358–382 373 5 210.00–225.00 $219.05 $817 +19.05
404–444 423 3 207.50–220.00 $213.53 $903 +3.28
456–498 469 7 207.50–222.50 $216.39 $1,015 +5.88
520–542 531 2 182.50–205.00 $193.52 $1,028 +9.17
562–592 575 4 170.00–190.00 $178.64 $1,027 +8.64
640 value added 640 8 212.00 $212.00 $1,357 —
644 644 1 158.00 $158.00 $1,018 —
734 734 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,229 —
828 828 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,283 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–228 219 2 175.00–187.50 $181.51 $398 -5.73
250–266 258 2 192.50–195.00 $193.79 $500 +8.04
308–342 325 2 190.00–207.50 $199.21 $647 +12.41
366–376 371 2 182.50–197.50 $189.90 $705 +14.74
410–448 424 8 170.00–195.00 $181.22 $768 -13.78
478–498 488 2 160.00–180.00 $170.20 $831 +0.20
512–526 519 2 170.00 $170.00 $882 +11.00
566 566 1 162.50 $162.50 $920 +12.50
612–646 633 3 130.00–140.00 $136.60 $865 -5.90
722–736 729 2 120.00 $120.00 $875 -50.00
752–772 762 2 120.00–137.50 $128.64 $980 —
806–838 822 3 115.00–122.50 $119.12 $979 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
344 344 1 150.00 $150.00 $516 —
386 386 1 130.00 $130.00 $502 -3.77
402–424 413 2 140.00–145.00 $142.43 $588 —
476 476 1 140.00 $140.00 $666 —
500–512 506 2 110.00–142.50 $126.06 $638 —
570 570 1 100.00 $100.00 $570 —
644 644 1 100.00 $100.00 $644 —
668 668 1 90.00 $90.00 $601 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416–418 417 2 160.00–165.00 $162.51 $678 +7.31
590 590 1 135.00 $135.00 $796 —
658 658 1 110.00 $110.00 $724 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
766–1230 989 85-90% 8 56.00–74.00 $65.92 $652 —
794–1196 1003 85-90% 8 74.00–86.00 $81.38 $816 +2.53
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1016–1086 1051 80-85% 2 108.00–115.00 $111.38 $1,171 —
900–1580 1078 80-85% 14 87.00–93.00 $89.44 $964 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1428–1978 1588 75-80% 10 89.00–103.00 $97.75 $1,552 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500 1500 65-75% 1 141.00 $141.00 $2,115 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1876 1156 13 100.00–119.00 $108.85 $1,258 —
1016–1526 1271 2 77.00–95.00 $87.81 $1,116 —
1540–2042 1688 4 122.00–128.00 $124.91 $2,108 —

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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.