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Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 8, 2024

560 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $227.54/cwt -10.93 vs last sale · ≈ $973/hd at 428 lb · 24 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $300.27/cwt +3.36 vs last sale · ≈ $1,111/hd at 370 lb · 19 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $297.40/cwt +20.40 vs last sale · ≈ $1,532/hd at 515 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 560 476 415
Feeder cattle 496 386 384
Slaughter cattle 64 90 31

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were mixed. Demand was very good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were heavy. 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
358 358 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,128 +5.02
400–446 427 10 287.50–317.50 $307.83 $1,314 -7.08
470–498 489 7 280.00–315.00 $304.74 $1,490 +14.74
508–541 515 19 275.00–301.00 $297.40 $1,532 +20.40
570 570 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,454 —
611–634 614 7 225.00–245.00 $227.95 $1,400 -7.05
668 668 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,670 —
728 728 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,529 +1.43
766 766 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,532 —
854 854 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,452 —
902 902 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,633 —
938 938 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,360 —
1034 1034 1 152.00 $152.00 $1,572 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
444–448 446 2 195.00–240.00 $217.60 $970 -24.79
520–542 533 4 180.00–242.50 $216.80 $1,156 —
562–578 570 2 220.00–240.00 $230.14 $1,312 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 396 1 170.00 $170.00 $673 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
246 246 1 207.50 $207.50 $510 +7.50
272–296 286 4 207.00–235.00 $221.41 $633 +17.39
300–346 320 6 205.00–227.50 $213.19 $682 -29.53
368–392 378 8 205.00–243.00 $228.10 $862 -16.92
404–445 427 22 207.50–255.00 $230.39 $984 -8.08
430–444 437 2 190.00–202.50 $196.15 $857 -42.32
450–496 468 17 205.00–242.50 $222.59 $1,042 -11.60
506–548 524 18 180.00–215.00 $204.07 $1,069 -16.94
550 550 1 172.50 $172.50 $949 -36.58
550–596 564 14 182.50–210.00 $194.66 $1,098 -14.42
618 618 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,112 -9.63
690 690 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,208 +16.72
704–744 734 6 157.50–172.50 $165.88 $1,218 +1.52
764 764 1 168.00 $168.00 $1,284 —
984 984 2 152.50 $152.50 $1,501 +6.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218 218 1 195.00 $195.00 $425 +8.73
278–286 282 2 187.50–200.00 $193.84 $547 +8.70
326 326 1 182.50 $182.50 $595 -24.33
368–386 377 2 190.00–195.00 $192.56 $726 -8.06
404–424 413 4 180.00–210.00 $192.59 $795 +7.64
452–486 465 3 180.00–212.50 $192.37 $895 +7.37
516–548 535 3 140.00–170.00 $158.08 $846 -21.92
572–586 579 2 170.00–185.00 $177.59 $1,028 —
614 614 1 160.00 $160.00 $982 +5.92
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328–348 338 2 160.00 $160.00 $541 —
376–398 387 2 150.00–170.00 $160.28 $620 —
420 420 1 150.00 $150.00 $630 -15.00
520 520 1 140.00 $140.00 $728 —
562–572 567 2 130.00–165.00 $147.35 $835 —
608 608 1 110.00 $110.00 $669 —
730 730 1 105.00 $105.00 $766 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220 220 1 132.50 $132.50 $292 —
240 thin fleshed 240 1 122.50 $122.50 $294 —
326 326 1 135.00 $135.00 $440 —
376 376 1 140.00 $140.00 $526 -13.68
418 418 1 122.50 $122.50 $512 +12.50
418–444 431 2 130.00–135.00 $132.58 $571 +22.58
472 472 1 140.00 $140.00 $661 —
548 548 1 100.00 $100.00 $548 —
582 582 1 100.00 $100.00 $582 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 1 210.00 $210.00 $479 —
294–296 295 4 287.50–302.50 $295.00 $870 +19.47
304–348 322 13 240.00–292.50 $268.67 $865 -30.17
354–398 370 19 250.00–326.00 $300.27 $1,111 +3.36
400–448 429 14 257.50–317.50 $294.80 $1,265 -10.29
450–496 474 18 240.00–312.50 $285.62 $1,354 -15.81
508–536 517 13 235.00–292.50 $259.86 $1,343 -16.83
566–572 569 2 217.50–220.00 $218.76 $1,245 -26.04
562–589 576 12 235.00–250.00 $240.04 $1,383 -4.76
600–638 619 2 188.00–217.50 $202.30 $1,252 +3.13
650–685 673 11 173.00–195.00 $180.37 $1,214 —
714 714 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,142 -6.41
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
222–236 229 2 202.50–225.00 $214.09 $490 +10.32
250–292 274 8 200.00–237.50 $213.20 $584 -2.20
300–338 316 4 200.00–235.00 $219.98 $695 +29.98
365–370 366 8 235.00–240.00 $235.63 $862 +13.97
404–444 427 9 190.00–222.50 $208.38 $890 -10.51
460–483 476 7 190.00–217.50 $206.24 $982 +0.07
516–548 527 11 170.00–220.00 $209.99 $1,107 +8.86
556–574 565 4 185.00–217.50 $194.24 $1,097 +14.24
658–670 664 2 153.00–160.00 $156.53 $1,039 +6.53
760 760 1 130.00 $130.00 $988 —
836 836 1 115.00 $115.00 $961 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262 262 1 180.00 $180.00 $472 -2.50
336 336 1 185.00 $185.00 $622 +12.52
376–394 383 3 175.00–185.00 $179.92 $689 +19.92
404–440 417 3 170.00–185.00 $178.10 $743 +8.10
472 472 1 177.50 $177.50 $838 —
516 516 1 172.50 $172.50 $890 —
578 578 1 140.00 $140.00 $809 -28.59
712 712 1 117.50 $117.50 $837 —
736 736 1 128.00 $128.00 $942 —
886 886 1 110.00 $110.00 $975 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262 262 1 140.00 $140.00 $367 —
326 326 1 160.00 $160.00 $522 +5.00
356 356 1 152.50 $152.50 $543 +2.50
424 424 1 140.00 $140.00 $594 -20.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970–1250 1108 80-85% 17 96.00–113.00 $107.10 $1,187 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
822–1222 976 85-90% 8 58.00–80.00 $70.04 $684 +4.14
746–1162 989 85-90% 8 86.00–94.00 $91.05 $900 +25.15
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1344–1508 1402 75-80% 3 105.00–112.00 $108.85 $1,526 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
984–1410 1223 8 100.00–126.00 $114.04 $1,395 —
1006–2114 1777 4 128.00–140.00 $131.18 $2,331 —

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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.