Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, July 18, 2024

272 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $303.43/cwt +56.84 vs last sale · ≈ $977/hd at 322 lb · 13 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $290.22/cwt +43.08 vs last sale · ≈ $1,088/hd at 375 lb · 10 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $245.81/cwt +22.41 vs last sale · ≈ $1,037/hd at 422 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 272 500 257
Feeder cattle 200 398 217
Slaughter cattle 72 92 40
Replacement cattle — 10 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder cattle were sharply higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest was 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
550 550 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,485 +4.99
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
702 702 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,404 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–246 218 8 235.00–262.50 $251.98 $549 —
252–290 274 7 250.00–280.00 $265.85 $728 —
302–348 324 8 240.00–280.00 $258.02 $836 +34.64
352–398 372 9 240.00–290.00 $260.49 $969 +27.30
400–446 422 10 240.00–265.00 $245.81 $1,037 +21.07
460–480 464 5 243.00–248.00 $246.97 $1,146 +18.78
510–524 515 3 230.00 $230.00 $1,184 +21.08
578 578 4 221.00 $221.00 $1,277 +25.09
602–620 611 2 185.00–200.00 $192.39 $1,176 -8.65
748 748 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,197 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
214 214 1 220.00 $220.00 $471 +14.56
262 262 1 225.00 $225.00 $590 +20.97
398 398 1 215.00 $215.00 $856 +15.00
448 448 1 220.00 $220.00 $986 +19.84
466–498 481 4 180.00–200.00 $189.98 $914 —
592 592 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,066 +6.36
748 748 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,085 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226 226 1 212.50 $212.50 $480 +22.59
366 366 1 200.00 $200.00 $732 —
414–434 424 2 180.00–200.00 $189.76 $805 +19.76
460 460 1 132.50 $132.50 $610 -34.95
476 476 1 160.00 $160.00 $762 -7.45
550–554 552 2 150.00–160.00 $154.98 $855 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–238 213 3 260.00–300.00 $276.49 $589 —
252–298 272 7 260.00–315.00 $293.31 $798 +36.50
300–342 322 13 280.00–325.00 $303.43 $977 +56.84
358–398 375 10 280.00–310.00 $290.22 $1,088 +50.22
400–440 418 8 262.50–305.00 $286.93 $1,199 +39.61
450–492 469 4 240.00–266.00 $253.29 $1,188 +19.19
500–544 520 7 225.00–267.50 $249.05 $1,295 +11.97
552–592 573 4 220.00–262.50 $239.06 $1,370 +4.40
598 598 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,196 -34.66
602 602 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,204 -11.39
622 622 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,493 +28.61
658–686 664 5 202.50–219.00 $214.83 $1,426 +2.65
700–736 722 5 177.50–200.00 $188.93 $1,364 +3.87
772 772 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,235 -27.50
864 864 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,382 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 247.50 $247.50 $599 +14.89
262–290 276 2 245.00–260.00 $252.88 $698 +28.72
414 414 1 220.00 $220.00 $911 +0.33
512–542 528 3 185.00–210.00 $199.83 $1,055 +3.77
564–592 578 2 180.00–200.00 $189.76 $1,097 +9.11
600–632 613 3 177.50–200.00 $186.05 $1,140 +6.03
670–680 675 2 170.00–180.00 $175.04 $1,182 +15.04
912 912 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,277 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–328 310 3 170.00–200.00 $181.44 $562 —
428–440 434 2 200.00 $200.00 $868 +17.50
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484–494 489 2 160.00–165.00 $162.47 $794 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
714–1076 897 85-90% 14 60.00–107.50 $85.73 $769 -2.13
878–1282 1036 85-90% 17 107.50–130.00 $117.63 $1,219 +51.46
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118–1520 1305 75-80% 10 130.00–147.00 $139.14 $1,816 —
1430 1430 75-80% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,745 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
950–1502 1153 80-85% 9 125.00–137.00 $130.10 $1,500 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070–1958 1478 8 138.00–163.00 $149.17 $2,205 —

↑ Back to top

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.