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Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 25, 2024

460 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $246.77/cwt +11.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,279/hd at 518 lb · 41 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $288.79/cwt +13.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,421/hd at 492 lb · 40 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $261.69/cwt -18.46 vs last sale · ≈ $968/hd at 370 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 460 292 310
Feeder cattle 401 238 284
Slaughter cattle 59 54 26

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 6.00 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
227 227 2 290.00 $290.00 $658 —
345 345 12 319.00 $319.00 $1,101 —
382–398 392 4 300.00–313.00 $307.74 $1,206 —
401–445 422 24 300.00–310.00 $305.57 $1,290 -8.43
454–493 492 40 280.00–289.00 $288.79 $1,421 +13.79
524 524 1 307.50 $307.50 $1,611 +10.57
550 550 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,512 —
746 746 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,567 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
464 464 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,230 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
224–244 234 2 255.00 $255.00 $597 —
252–298 273 9 247.50–295.00 $270.23 $738 +0.33
303–348 318 15 255.00–295.00 $279.77 $890 +12.46
352–398 370 24 240.00–290.00 $261.69 $968 -8.62
400–446 423 14 240.00–270.00 $260.73 $1,103 +8.70
454–496 482 15 235.00–257.00 $246.39 $1,188 -3.15
500 value added 500 15 269.00 $269.00 $1,345 —
502–544 529 26 200.00–250.00 $233.95 $1,238 -5.73
552–594 575 5 220.00–230.00 $225.14 $1,295 -3.02
605 605 4 211.00 $211.00 $1,277 +11.00
654 654 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,210 +5.00
676 676 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,217 ±0.00
732 732 3 165.00–190.00 $181.67 $1,330 -5.32
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
204 204 1 240.00 $240.00 $490 —
262 262 1 215.00 $215.00 $563 -23.22
302–346 324 2 200.00–220.00 $209.32 $678 -19.97
394 394 1 220.00 $220.00 $867 +1.74
406–440 423 2 200.00–215.00 $207.80 $879 -6.00
460–474 467 2 200.00–227.50 $213.54 $997 -5.11
576–598 583 5 180.00–207.00 $187.84 $1,095 +4.84
648 648 1 145.00 $145.00 $940 -35.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
456–480 468 2 160.00–180.00 $170.26 $797 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
554 554 1 160.00 $160.00 $886 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–216 208 2 270.00–300.00 $284.42 $592 —
258–292 271 10 292.50–320.00 $306.84 $832 +6.17
302–348 325 16 280.00–305.00 $292.48 $951 -8.19
352–398 380 13 280.00–315.00 $297.64 $1,131 +8.13
416–446 433 6 282.50–300.00 $290.54 $1,258 -3.57
438 438 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,051 -20.00
454–494 478 10 260.00–287.50 $277.82 $1,328 +9.43
500–538 515 8 240.00–275.00 $261.53 $1,347 +0.52
554–594 566 6 235.00–260.00 $248.44 $1,406 -0.25
620–642 631 2 215.00–250.00 $232.19 $1,465 +21.46
672–692 681 3 205.00–220.00 $211.67 $1,441 +3.53
720 720 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,440 +20.00
752–762 757 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,363 +10.00
914–926 920 2 150.00–165.00 $157.45 $1,449 -2.55
1024 1024 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,587 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228–246 237 2 232.50–277.50 $254.15 $602 -0.85
250–294 272 5 250.00–277.50 $259.45 $706 —
306–346 332 5 225.00–275.00 $254.26 $844 +4.56
388–398 393 2 245.00–260.00 $252.60 $993 +5.87
412–446 429 2 240.00–265.00 $252.00 $1,081 -11.75
478–482 480 2 200.00–220.00 $210.04 $1,008 -17.60
506–508 507 2 220.00–225.00 $222.50 $1,128 +11.43
580–584 582 2 200.00–220.00 $209.97 $1,222 +19.73
636 636 1 155.00 $155.00 $986 -23.74
734 734 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,064 —
866 866 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,082 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 200.00 $200.00 $400 ±0.00
346 346 1 205.00 $205.00 $709 —
424 424 1 215.00 $215.00 $912 —
518 518 1 155.00 $155.00 $803 —
714 714 1 125.00 $125.00 $892 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
786–1150 984 85-90% 7 65.00–83.00 $72.82 $717 -8.07
838–1144 993 85-90% 15 90.00–111.00 $102.03 $1,013 +21.14
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
956–1188 1108 80-85% 3 130.00–140.00 $134.99 $1,496 +15.06
990–1418 1178 80-85% 12 113.00–123.00 $118.41 $1,395 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1468–1502 1485 75-80% 2 117.00–120.00 $118.48 $1,759 —
1518–1698 1608 75-80% 2 107.00–111.00 $109.11 $1,754 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1044–2022 1503 7 125.00–142.50 $137.21 $2,062 —
1672–2190 1931 2 146.00–149.00 $147.30 $2,844 —

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Dairy Heifers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
616–632 624 2 132.50–135.00 $133.73 $834 —
685 685 1 117.50 $117.50 $805 —
802–834 818 2 132.50–135.00 $133.73 $1,094 —

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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.