Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 21, 2024

387 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $268.72/cwt +17.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,284/hd at 478 lb · 39 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $245.87/cwt +25.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,433/hd at 583 lb · 29 head
light 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $274.31/cwt +8.42 vs last sale · ≈ $919/hd at 335 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 387 472 542
Feeder cattle 321 394 480
Slaughter cattle 66 77 62
Replacement cattle — 1 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was 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
330 330 2 326.00 $326.00 $1,076 +7.00
379 379 6 333.00 $333.00 $1,262 —
418–427 422 6 300.00–326.00 $317.53 $1,340 +3.64
561–564 561 14 267.50–295.00 $293.03 $1,644 —
600 600 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,560 —
680 680 7 263.50 $263.50 $1,792 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
516–548 532 2 220.00–230.00 $225.15 $1,198 —
738 738 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,384 —
874 874 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,617 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 260.00 $260.00 $546 +6.52
250–294 274 5 240.00–255.00 $248.52 $681 -22.49
304–348 335 14 263.00–283.00 $274.31 $919 +8.42
368–390 379 13 242.50–280.00 $270.30 $1,024 +8.22
400–446 423 12 245.00–275.00 $262.75 $1,111 +6.82
452–496 478 39 240.00–287.50 $268.72 $1,284 +17.72
500–538 520 11 227.50–267.50 $247.30 $1,286 +29.80
552–596 583 29 232.50–253.00 $245.87 $1,433 +25.87
600–630 621 4 217.50–247.50 $232.97 $1,447 +24.59
674 674 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,348 —
720 720 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,134 -2.50
810 810 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,215 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334 334 2 235.00–240.00 $237.50 $793 +33.44
350–394 370 5 207.50–240.00 $224.88 $832 +8.28
416–446 433 3 215.00–230.00 $221.77 $960 +9.52
468 468 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,030 +11.50
502–532 517 2 190.00–210.00 $199.71 $1,033 +7.27
564–598 581 2 205.00–207.50 $206.29 $1,199 +21.29
622–628 625 2 180.00–215.00 $197.58 $1,235 +22.58
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 1 167.50 $167.50 $382 —
294 294 1 167.50 $167.50 $492 —
378 378 1 165.00 $165.00 $624 —
418–444 431 2 150.00–165.00 $157.73 $680 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 310 1 185.00 $185.00 $574 —
542 542 1 162.50 $162.50 $881 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
248 248 1 305.00 $305.00 $756 +5.00
280 280 3 300.00–310.00 $303.33 $849 +1.00
304–324 318 5 285.00–312.50 $301.09 $957 -7.23
356–398 374 10 285.00–335.00 $304.66 $1,139 +0.82
402–444 420 10 280.00–317.50 $296.48 $1,245 +2.97
440 440 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,122 -38.51
458 458 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,168 -19.86
460–498 478 10 275.00–332.50 $290.84 $1,390 +15.98
508–544 528 8 240.00–320.00 $278.28 $1,469 +17.89
550–598 572 8 240.00–300.00 $253.23 $1,448 +6.80
614 614 1 212.50 $212.50 $1,305 -5.93
600–632 620 3 225.00–251.00 $237.21 $1,471 +18.78
658–686 672 6 220.00–257.50 $234.54 $1,576 +27.47
664–694 679 2 210.00–212.50 $211.22 $1,434 +4.15
716 716 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,557 +34.76
762 762 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,349 -8.19
816 816 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,632 +37.55
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212 212 1 275.00 $275.00 $583 —
256–292 276 7 230.00–280.00 $260.84 $720 -11.66
348 348 1 260.00 $260.00 $905 +1.53
352–362 357 2 275.00–280.00 $277.54 $991 +14.93
434 434 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,042 -13.80
468–494 483 3 225.00–232.50 $229.24 $1,107 -10.56
510–524 516 3 192.50–220.00 $204.05 $1,053 +9.40
576 576 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,195 +15.83
612–638 629 3 180.00–210.00 $196.88 $1,238 +16.88
676 676 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,014 -21.00
702 702 1 135.00 $135.00 $948 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370–392 381 2 200.00–207.50 $203.86 $777 -7.09
400 400 1 220.00 $220.00 $880 +20.00
532 532 1 172.50 $172.50 $918 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
946–1140 1074 80-85% 3 134.00–135.00 $134.35 $1,443 —
878–1456 1179 80-85% 20 110.00–131.00 $122.19 $1,441 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
822–1196 980 85-90% 12 97.00–110.00 $104.30 $1,022 +5.42
978–990 984 85-90% 2 80.00–85.00 $82.52 $812 -16.36
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1258–1390 1324 75-80% 3 135.00–140.00 $137.42 $1,819 —
1234–1676 1442 75-80% 9 114.00–133.00 $122.32 $1,764 -9.36
1686 1686 75-80% 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,871 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1236–2248 1652 4 141.00–149.00 $145.27 $2,400 —
1000–2262 1680 6 120.00–135.00 $127.44 $2,141 —

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Dairy Steers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
562 562 1 155.00 $155.00 $871 —

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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.