Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 18, 2024

174 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $223.32/cwt +29.46 vs last sale · ≈ $949/hd at 425 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 174 174 490
Feeder cattle 130 126 395
Slaughter cattle 44 45 95

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were sharply higher. Feeder cattle were sharply higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest active. Offerings of cattle were light. Cattle quality was plain to average. 3 head of baby calves; 162.50-230.00

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
518 518 2 254.00 $254.00 $1,316 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–280 271 4 212.50–225.00 $217.67 $590 —
342 342 1 227.50 $227.50 $778 +14.03
362 362 1 227.50 $227.50 $824 +25.19
404–444 425 10 212.50–227.50 $223.32 $949 +29.46
456–480 469 6 207.50–212.50 $210.36 $987 +13.43
504–519 513 6 185.00–222.00 $208.62 $1,070 +16.81
566 566 2 175.50 $175.50 $993 -5.46
580 580 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,088 +6.54
612 612 2 183.00 $183.00 $1,120 -0.10
664 664 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,029 -17.96
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222 222 1 197.50 $197.50 $438 —
264–284 271 3 190.00–207.50 $201.81 $547 —
328 328 2 192.50–207.50 $200.00 $656 +12.50
354–378 369 4 180.00–207.50 $197.72 $730 +12.72
414–446 430 4 180.00–200.00 $194.35 $836 +1.85
460–484 472 2 190.00 $190.00 $897 +20.00
638 638 1 137.50 $137.50 $877 -2.50
700 700 1 140.00 $140.00 $980 —
886 886 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,108 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232 232 1 177.50 $177.50 $412 -10.00
272 272 1 185.00 $185.00 $503 —
432–448 439 3 160.00–165.00 $161.66 $710 —
526 526 1 150.00 $150.00 $789 —
784 784 1 101.00 $101.00 $792 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
434 434 1 120.00 $120.00 $521 —
500–542 521 2 120.00–132.50 $126.50 $659 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–298 278 4 227.50–252.50 $236.54 $658 +6.94
330–348 339 3 235.00–247.50 $242.53 $822 +6.84
364–382 373 2 245.00–260.00 $252.32 $941 +17.32
424–440 433 3 245.00–270.00 $259.98 $1,126 +39.98
462–496 476 8 222.50–272.50 $240.13 $1,143 +25.25
518–536 527 4 222.50–245.00 $232.47 $1,225 —
550–572 561 2 192.50–210.00 $201.08 $1,128 +6.08
610 610 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,220 +20.06
688 688 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,170 —
744 744 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,190 -3.36
748 748 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,122 -13.36
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
304–346 319 4 190.00–217.50 $204.11 $651 —
390 390 1 222.50 $222.50 $868 +42.50
400–418 409 3 185.00–210.00 $198.21 $811 +8.21
608–648 625 3 140.00–165.00 $154.79 $967 +4.79
650 650 1 142.50 $142.50 $926 -2.50
746 746 1 130.00 $130.00 $970 —
874 874 1 122.50 $122.50 $1,071 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264 264 1 180.00 $180.00 $475 —
474 474 1 170.00 $170.00 $806 —
506 506 1 147.50 $147.50 $746 —
570 570 1 156.00 $156.00 $889 +0.99
938 938 1 106.00 $106.00 $994 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 1 147.50 $147.50 $336 —
336 336 1 142.50 $142.50 $479 —
584 584 1 122.50 $122.50 $715 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
926–1254 1058 80-85% 11 90.00–101.00 $95.74 $1,013 —
1112–1238 1174 80-85% 4 107.50–120.00 $113.31 $1,330 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
848–1002 929 85-90% 3 70.00–80.00 $76.64 $712 —
845–1112 979 85-90% 6 84.00–92.50 $88.44 $866 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1258–1714 1466 75-80% 7 97.00–119.00 $109.92 $1,611 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1432 1201 2 100.00–105.00 $102.02 $1,225 —
1172–1704 1523 3 122.00–139.00 $131.65 $2,005 +20.45

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
258 258 1 130.00 $130.00 $335 —
494 494 1 140.00 $140.00 $692 —

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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.