Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, June 6, 2024

320 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $314.75/cwt +5.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,171/hd at 372 lb · 19 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $263.42/cwt +14.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,243/hd at 472 lb · 16 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $268.48/cwt +17.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,141/hd at 425 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 320 274 408
Feeder cattle 273 244 313
Slaughter cattle 45 26 90
Replacement cattle 2 4 5

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were sharply higher. Feeder cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 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
336–348 342 2 315.00–322.50 $318.82 $1,090 —
354–394 374 6 302.50–330.00 $316.67 $1,184 +4.63
408–432 421 3 287.50–320.00 $305.64 $1,287 +11.24
460–480 476 5 290.00–305.00 $302.10 $1,438 +17.17
538 538 1 262.50 $262.50 $1,412 -19.03
539 539 2 300.00 $300.00 $1,617 +18.47
564 564 6 290.00 $290.00 $1,636 +24.00
629–645 641 9 250.00–270.00 $254.36 $1,630 +2.90
680 680 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,666 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–218 207 3 270.00–282.50 $276.81 $573 +24.42
260–292 272 4 250.00–280.00 $260.44 $708 -0.48
314–348 331 5 265.00–325.00 $290.50 $962 +25.58
352–398 375 14 265.00–320.00 $292.96 $1,099 +26.60
404–442 425 15 255.00–297.50 $268.48 $1,141 +17.94
452–498 472 16 250.00–275.00 $263.42 $1,243 +14.65
500–548 527 9 220.00–250.00 $241.24 $1,271 +10.14
556–590 576 5 220.00–242.50 $228.38 $1,315 -8.07
604–642 624 4 215.00–235.00 $229.89 $1,435 +16.45
654–656 655 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,523 +72.50
708–716 712 2 165.00–170.00 $167.49 $1,193 +14.97
798 798 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,317 -20.00
820–826 823 2 160.00–177.50 $168.78 $1,389 —
892 892 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,427 -2.49
924 924 2 150.00–155.00 $152.50 $1,409 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302 302 1 240.00 $240.00 $725 —
384 384 1 247.50 $247.50 $950 +24.92
428–442 435 3 230.00–245.00 $238.42 $1,037 +18.42
474–482 478 2 230.00–237.50 $233.72 $1,117 +16.81
662 662 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,192 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360 360 1 205.00 $205.00 $738 —
440 440 1 205.00 $205.00 $902 +5.00
454–498 476 2 180.00–195.00 $187.85 $894 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
234 234 1 320.00 $320.00 $749 —
300–348 331 8 300.00–335.00 $317.48 $1,051 +20.15
352–394 372 19 285.00–331.00 $314.75 $1,171 +5.63
402–446 426 12 280.00–315.00 $298.66 $1,272 +9.11
458–488 478 6 280.00–297.50 $289.68 $1,385 +3.48
500–548 529 14 257.50–300.00 $270.80 $1,433 +25.80
570–592 580 4 255.00–267.50 $264.31 $1,533 +25.27
580 580 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,247 -24.04
602–618 610 2 220.00–235.00 $227.60 $1,388 +27.60
650–698 673 8 220.00–250.00 $230.90 $1,554 +3.40
700–726 714 3 180.00–240.00 $208.93 $1,492 +1.43
778 778 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,400 -2.50
800–840 818 3 175.00–180.00 $178.34 $1,459 —
854–896 875 2 185.00–190.00 $187.56 $1,641 +12.56
900 900 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,602 +35.50
976 976 1 147.50 $147.50 $1,440 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–214 207 2 240.00–277.50 $259.38 $537 —
340 340 1 280.00 $280.00 $952 +18.75
390 390 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,043 —
408–434 425 4 225.00–270.00 $244.46 $1,039 -12.09
453–460 456 5 220.00–274.00 $257.49 $1,174 +27.59
504–544 522 3 230.00–240.00 $236.69 $1,236 —
554–590 576 3 210.00–220.00 $216.59 $1,248 —
602 602 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,084 ±0.00
708 708 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,133 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358–374 366 2 200.00–227.50 $213.45 $781 —
530 530 1 160.00 $160.00 $848 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 1 180.00 $180.00 $896 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 1 150.00 $150.00 $744 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
886 886 85-90% 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,196 —
930–1222 1069 85-90% 3 77.50–102.50 $89.20 $954 -20.96
918–1378 1072 85-90% 9 110.00–132.50 $122.94 $1,318 +12.78
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1314–1640 1479 75-80% 10 132.50–150.00 $142.23 $2,104 +18.86
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
906–1436 1104 80-85% 8 130.00–145.00 $137.85 $1,522 —
1104 1104 80-85% 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,711 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1096–1998 1673 6 157.50–170.00 $163.06 $2,728 —

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
804 804 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,300.00 $1,300.00 —
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
558 558 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 975.00 $975.00 —

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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.