Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 25, 2024

354 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $234.97/cwt +33.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,343/hd at 572 lb · 14 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $227.35/cwt +4.03 vs last sale · ≈ $951/hd at 418 lb · 13 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $270.67/cwt +18.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,026/hd at 379 lb · 11 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 354 174 241
Feeder cattle 280 130 204
Slaughter cattle 74 44 37

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 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 ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316–330 320 4 270.00–275.00 $271.29 $868
376–394 386 6 277.50–282.50 $280.41 $1,082
424–448 442 4 277.50–285.00 $283.20 $1,252
529 529 2 246.00 $246.00 $1,301 -8.00
557–586 573 6 255.00–266.00 $261.60 $1,499
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 398 1 250.00 $250.00 $995
482 482 1 200.00 $200.00 $964
624 624 1 172.50 $172.50 $1,076
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
678 678 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,119

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 220.00 $220.00 $638 +2.33
306–342 321 4 220.00–240.00 $231.27 $742 +3.77
350–392 367 8 222.50–237.50 $228.73 $839 +1.23
400 value added 400 3 239.00 $239.00 $956
400–440 424 10 212.50–232.50 $223.85 $949 +0.53
451–498 465 10 210.00–230.00 $219.54 $1,021 +9.18
506–548 532 8 180.00–212.50 $196.29 $1,044 -12.33
534 534 2 170.00 $170.00 $908 -38.62
556–598 572 3 180.00–200.00 $191.41 $1,095 +15.91
622 622 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,042 -15.50
707 707 3 155.00 $155.00 $1,096
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288–296 292 2 180.00–190.00 $185.07 $540 -16.74
310–344 327 2 182.50–202.50 $193.02 $631 -6.98
356–396 376 2 197.50–205.00 $201.45 $757 +3.73
424–448 436 2 180.00–202.50 $190.94 $832 -3.41
492 492 1 180.00 $180.00 $886 -10.00
514–544 530 5 160.00–170.00 $161.98 $858
580–588 584 2 160.00–170.00 $165.03 $964
606–630 618 2 150.00–165.00 $157.35 $972 +19.85
734 734 1 135.00 $135.00 $991 -5.00
766 766 1 120.00 $120.00 $919
842 842 1 103.00 $103.00 $867
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 390 1 187.50 $187.50 $731
406–446 426 2 172.50–175.00 $173.81 $740 +12.15
478–488 482 3 140.00–160.00 $151.70 $731
544 544 1 160.00 $160.00 $870 +10.00
586–590 588 2 137.50–140.00 $138.75 $816
608 608 1 140.00 $140.00 $851
748 748 1 120.00 $120.00 $898
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
322 322 1 145.00 $145.00 $467
390 390 1 145.00 $145.00 $566
496 496 1 140.00 $140.00 $694

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 240.00 $240.00 $480
262–292 279 5 255.00–270.00 $261.61 $730 +25.07
304–348 321 5 250.00–280.00 $262.55 $843 +20.02
356–398 379 11 250.00–285.00 $270.67 $1,026 +18.35
414–440 421 11 245.00–280.00 $268.12 $1,129 +8.14
452–486 468 8 245.00–267.50 $257.69 $1,206 +17.56
508–546 528 11 240.00–270.00 $258.47 $1,365 +26.00
554–584 566 10 230.00–263.00 $248.68 $1,408 +47.60
570–592 586 4 199.00–205.00 $200.71 $1,176 -0.37
606–646 622 5 180.00–215.00 $193.88 $1,206 -6.12
670 670 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,240 +15.00
703–746 713 6 153.00–160.00 $157.94 $1,126 -2.06
756–772 764 2 158.00–170.00 $163.94 $1,253
816 816 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,224
908–922 915 2 120.00–149.00 $134.39 $1,230
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
248 248 1 235.00 $235.00 $583
326–332 329 2 232.50–242.50 $237.45 $781 +33.34
364–396 375 4 225.00–250.00 $236.71 $888 +14.21
444 444 1 236.00 $236.00 $1,048 +37.79
456–484 470 2 220.00–227.50 $223.86 $1,052
502–544 514 7 180.00–225.00 $203.74 $1,047
580–592 586 2 180.00–215.00 $197.68 $1,158
602 602 1 160.00 $160.00 $963 +5.21
722–728 725 2 140.00–145.00 $142.49 $1,033 +12.49
756–758 756 7 135.00–140.00 $139.28 $1,053
840 840 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,050
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 276 1 200.00 $200.00 $552 +20.00
320 320 1 202.50 $202.50 $648
434–446 440 2 165.00–167.50 $166.23 $731
498 498 1 150.00 $150.00 $747 -20.00
558 558 1 155.00 $155.00 $865 -1.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 1 152.50 $152.50 $433
302 302 1 140.00 $140.00 $423 -2.50
476 476 1 147.50 $147.50 $702
660 660 1 125.00 $125.00 $825
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
718 718 1 122.50 $122.50 $880
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 1 160.00 $160.00 $518

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1052–1118 1092 80-85% 3 115.00–116.00 $115.68 $1,263 +19.94
860–1464 1189 80-85% 18 96.00–110.00 $103.53 $1,231 -9.78
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
836–924 880 85-90% 2 70.00–74.00 $71.90 $633
800–1156 973 85-90% 14 83.00–95.00 $90.53 $881 +2.09
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1336–1608 1473 75-80% 4 110.00–121.00 $114.96 $1,693 +5.04
1812 1812 75-80% 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,540
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1062 1062 65-75% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,381

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
966–1710 1304 5 101.00–128.00 $113.97 $1,486
1618–2036 1867 5 133.00–143.00 $137.57 $2,568

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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.