Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 9, 2024

444 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $226.64/cwt -15.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,211/hd at 534 lb · 34 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $272.36/cwt -1.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,286/hd at 472 lb · 22 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $252.07/cwt -16.74 vs last sale · ≈ $950/hd at 377 lb · 17 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 444 397 458
Feeder cattle 376 340 410
Slaughter cattle 66 56 44
Replacement cattle 2 1 4

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were 4.00 t0 8.00 lower. Demand was good: market activity and buyer interest 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
264 264 1 305.00 $305.00 $805 —
348 348 3 323.00 $323.00 $1,124 +33.00
352–384 368 2 310.00–317.50 $313.59 $1,154 -7.41
428–436 429 12 295.00–300.00 $299.58 $1,285 -0.42
467–480 471 3 277.00–300.00 $292.19 $1,376 -5.06
522 522 1 248.00 $248.00 $1,295 -36.49
508–533 528 10 276.00–280.00 $276.77 $1,461 -7.72
606–619 617 8 251.00–275.00 $254.45 $1,570 —
642 642 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,493 —
750 750 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,650 —
876 876 1 194.00 $194.00 $1,699 —
940 940 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,410 —
1028 1028 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,778 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 274 1 280.00 $280.00 $767 —
322 322 1 272.50 $272.50 $877 —
456 456 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,072 —
546 546 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,228 —
566 566 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,302 —
632 632 2 180.00–200.00 $190.00 $1,201 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
456 456 1 200.00 $200.00 $912 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–246 217 3 245.00–270.00 $253.67 $550 -3.76
254–270 266 4 257.50–270.00 $263.02 $700 -19.37
314–348 331 4 255.00–265.00 $261.82 $867 -13.99
354–398 377 17 240.00–272.50 $252.07 $950 -18.43
414–446 438 15 230.00–255.00 $236.99 $1,038 -17.26
450–478 467 15 227.00–250.00 $240.65 $1,124 -18.62
518–544 532 26 220.00–240.00 $230.76 $1,228 -10.97
508–547 542 8 213.00–215.00 $213.23 $1,156 -28.50
556–592 579 10 205.00–225.00 $218.53 $1,265 +15.53
590 590 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,121 -16.64
600–626 612 4 197.50–215.00 $204.45 $1,251 -16.11
650–661 658 4 180.00–222.50 $195.60 $1,287 -11.20
826 826 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,322 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 210.00 $210.00 $630 —
394 394 1 222.50 $222.50 $877 -9.05
425–448 433 10 200.00–230.00 $220.34 $954 +25.34
456–498 474 5 200.00–230.00 $212.81 $1,009 -5.30
500–538 518 4 175.00–200.00 $187.72 $972 —
560 560 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,050 +29.17
602–632 612 3 145.00–155.00 $151.56 $928 —
694 694 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,041 —
766 766 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,226 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 1 200.00 $200.00 $788 —
404–440 423 3 180.00–200.00 $189.87 $803 —
450–476 463 2 170.00–177.50 $173.64 $804 —
640 640 1 135.00 $135.00 $864 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 1 175.00 $175.00 $756 —
536 536 1 147.50 $147.50 $791 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226–238 232 2 300.00–320.00 $309.74 $719 +24.74
276–294 value added 285 2 332.50–335.00 $333.71 $951 —
308–342 value added 325 3 332.50–335.00 $334.12 $1,086 —
308–346 327 8 280.00–320.00 $306.13 $1,001 +5.64
354 value added 354 4 327.50 $327.50 $1,159 —
354–392 371 9 295.00–321.00 $310.17 $1,151 +9.97
400–430 415 2 250.00–260.00 $254.82 $1,058 -34.61
410–439 426 4 262.50–280.00 $269.76 $1,149 -19.67
452–478 472 22 260.00–285.00 $272.36 $1,286 -1.41
504–534 513 4 225.00–277.50 $238.57 $1,224 -25.68
502–536 523 9 240.00–280.00 $249.99 $1,307 -14.26
552–576 562 14 220.00–240.00 $231.63 $1,302 -18.97
602–636 624 4 200.00–215.00 $206.81 $1,290 -20.90
660–665 663 3 215.00–227.50 $219.15 $1,453 +14.15
746 746 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,380 —
764–794 774 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,393 -6.68
946 946 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,608 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 232.50 $232.50 $563 -32.50
270 270 1 260.00 $260.00 $702 -8.44
302–330 315 3 240.00–255.00 $244.79 $771 -23.39
368 368 1 250.00 $250.00 $920 -21.09
402–446 419 7 235.00–270.00 $250.65 $1,050 -4.49
458–490 474 2 220.00–225.00 $222.58 $1,055 -14.01
502–548 526 8 190.00–222.50 $209.00 $1,099 -8.52
562–580 571 3 200.00–227.50 $217.37 $1,241 +22.39
614–632 620 3 172.50–180.00 $177.45 $1,100 -22.55
654–661 660 13 175.00–187.00 $185.93 $1,227 +25.93
866 866 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,386 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 362 1 220.00 $220.00 $796 +13.78
566 566 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,033 —
614 614 1 160.00 $160.00 $982 —
660 660 1 150.00 $150.00 $990 —
838 838 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,048 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
922–1278 1103 80-85% 14 110.00–125.00 $116.46 $1,285 —
1056–1296 1130 80-85% 6 128.00–135.00 $132.13 $1,493 +15.62
1278–1532 1405 80-85% 2 100.00–105.00 $102.73 $1,443 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
738–876 806 85-90% 3 120.00 $120.00 $967 —
860–1190 1025 85-90% 2 80.00 $80.00 $820 -21.54
836–1436 1053 85-90% 15 90.00–112.50 $100.89 $1,062 +24.61
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1314–1594 1450 75-80% 6 115.00–132.50 $121.71 $1,765 —
1418–2238 1651 75-80% 4 110.00–113.00 $110.65 $1,827 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1048 1048 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,153 —
1002–2440 1694 7 118.00–145.00 $137.44 $2,328 —
1902 1902 1 152.50 $152.50 $2,901 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
740 740 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,050.00 $2,050.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
714 714 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 1,900.00 $1,900.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
528 528 1 128.00 $128.00 $676 —
778–786 782 2 120.00–130.00 $124.97 $977 —

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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.