Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 29, 2024

292 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $302.86/cwt -2.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,130/hd at 373 lb · 16 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $291.97/cwt -13.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,223/hd at 419 lb · 11 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $280.67/cwt -31.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,336/hd at 476 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 292 492 366
Feeder cattle 221 437 329
Slaughter cattle 69 54 30
Replacement cattle 2 1 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 5.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was plain to average. 7 head of baby calves from 110.00-300.00

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
418 418 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,338 -12.50
450–494 472 2 287.50–302.50 $294.65 $1,391 —
522–524 523 2 265.00–282.50 $273.77 $1,432 -28.79
576–592 584 2 250.00–255.00 $252.53 $1,475 -42.47
622 622 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,493 —
694 694 1 237.50 $237.50 $1,648 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
456 456 1 200.00 $200.00 $912 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484 484 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,258 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–284 273 2 235.00–237.50 $236.30 $645 —
326–342 335 5 240.00–260.00 $247.09 $828 +7.99
357–396 368 11 235.00–257.50 $248.40 $914 -1.87
404–446 426 11 237.50–292.50 $250.12 $1,066 -4.90
458–488 468 8 235.00–247.50 $241.83 $1,132 -0.72
502–544 523 10 232.50–247.50 $241.65 $1,264 +25.54
550–598 564 4 210.00–240.00 $222.87 $1,257 +6.00
600–648 633 5 190.00–225.00 $203.72 $1,290 -1.15
686–698 691 4 165.00–175.00 $169.99 $1,175 -9.82
774 774 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,316 -5.00
884 884 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,238 —
886 886 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,418 —
1058 1058 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,613 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
202–248 229 4 180.00–200.00 $190.68 $437 -16.80
254–288 265 9 185.00–220.00 $203.45 $539 +2.42
300–346 328 5 180.00–220.00 $201.83 $662 -13.10
356–394 365 5 190.00–225.00 $211.63 $772 -10.93
404 404 1 200.00 $200.00 $808 -13.65
466–490 483 4 170.00–200.00 $185.46 $896 +5.46
504 504 1 160.00 $160.00 $806 —
644 644 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,095 —
816 816 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,142 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 1 175.00 $175.00 $690 +5.00
416–434 425 2 180.00 $180.00 $765 —
550 550 1 160.00 $160.00 $880 +7.50
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 1 140.00 $140.00 $529 ±0.00
400 400 1 150.00 $150.00 $600 —
450 450 1 150.00 $150.00 $675 +10.00
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 338 1 115.00 $115.00 $389 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
344 344 1 285.00 $285.00 $980 -11.13
350–396 373 16 280.00–312.50 $302.86 $1,130 -2.58
402–442 419 11 280.00–325.00 $291.97 $1,223 -13.24
452–494 476 11 270.00–292.50 $280.67 $1,336 -31.89
502–546 522 8 255.00–285.00 $271.86 $1,419 +7.75
572–598 585 5 242.50–260.00 $249.54 $1,460 -7.22
592 592 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,066 -47.50
600–632 612 5 190.00–240.00 $224.70 $1,375 -1.53
658 658 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,119 -36.85
654–670 663 3 195.00–220.00 $211.57 $1,403 +4.72
706–748 721 3 165.00–200.00 $181.34 $1,307 -11.90
780 780 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,365 +8.00
960 960 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,344 -5.00
1018 1018 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,425 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272–294 282 5 220.00–247.50 $233.39 $658 +3.33
304–318 312 4 225.00–255.00 $238.11 $743 +18.11
382–398 387 3 230.00–250.00 $240.68 $931 -11.15
406–446 430 7 220.00–267.50 $245.82 $1,057 +4.69
460–498 480 5 180.00–250.00 $213.89 $1,027 -27.19
520–548 538 4 185.00–245.00 $217.81 $1,172 -3.88
598 598 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,316 +9.78
674 674 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,112 +5.10
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 274 1 200.00 $200.00 $548 +7.67
368 368 1 185.00 $185.00 $681 -7.85
418 418 1 215.00 $215.00 $899 +27.54
454 454 1 177.50 $177.50 $806 +13.71
564 564 1 160.00 $160.00 $902 ±0.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 286 1 185.00 $185.00 $529 +28.44

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–1354 984 85-90% 11 69.00–81.00 $75.05 $738 —
840–1404 1091 85-90% 15 85.00–105.00 $96.73 $1,055 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1772 1467 75-80% 16 109.00–128.00 $118.49 $1,738 -0.68
1468–1792 1595 75-80% 3 83.00–104.00 $95.83 $1,528 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
906–1370 1176 80-85% 8 105.00–114.00 $110.16 $1,295 -7.84

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
976–1078 1027 2 90.00–114.00 $102.60 $1,054 —
1014–1698 1314 4 117.00–140.00 $130.57 $1,716 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
800–834 817 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 700.00–850.00 $773.44 —

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Dairy Steers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212 212 1 160.00 $160.00 $339 —
304 304 1 150.00 $150.00 $456 —

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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.