Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, July 25, 2024

298 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $282.40/cwt -7.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,051/hd at 372 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 298 272 228
Feeder cattle 223 200 168
Slaughter cattle 65 72 60
Replacement cattle 10 — 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 3.00 to 6.00 lower. 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
332–338 335 2 280.00–300.00 $289.91 $971 —
402–446 413 4 265.00–285.00 $279.60 $1,155 —
523–546 531 9 245.00–287.50 $265.09 $1,408 —
635 635 8 243.00 $243.00 $1,543 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432–446 435 5 240.00 $240.00 $1,044 —
482 482 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,084 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
318–320 319 2 250.00–270.00 $259.97 $829 +1.95
356–398 377 9 240.00–270.00 $257.84 $972 -2.65
402–446 415 9 240.00–260.00 $253.82 $1,053 +8.01
466–492 479 2 200.00–227.50 $213.38 $1,022 -33.59
468–498 487 5 224.00–245.00 $233.50 $1,137 -13.47
494 494 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,037 -36.97
510–544 521 4 205.00–220.00 $212.59 $1,108 -17.41
562 562 1 185.00 $185.00 $1,040 -36.00
552–588 570 5 200.00–225.00 $209.43 $1,194 -11.57
602 602 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,084 -12.39
610–622 619 4 195.00–225.00 $208.68 $1,292 +16.29
672 672 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,310 —
702 702 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,053 —
800 800 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,520 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
254 254 1 225.00 $225.00 $572 ±0.00
332–340 337 3 210.00–230.00 $219.92 $741 —
366 366 2 220.00–230.00 $225.00 $824 +10.00
434 434 1 225.00 $225.00 $976 +5.00
450–498 478 7 170.00–215.00 $200.57 $959 +10.59
540–548 544 3 145.00–190.00 $171.58 $933 —
582–592 587 2 170.00–175.00 $172.48 $1,012 -7.52
608 608 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,094 —
632 632 1 140.00 $140.00 $885 —
668 668 1 145.00 $145.00 $969 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 200.00 $200.00 $840 +10.24
456 456 1 150.00 $150.00 $684 +17.50
500 500 1 140.00 $140.00 $700 —
520 520 1 140.00 $140.00 $728 —
712–730 721 2 150.00 $150.00 $1,082 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 1 165.00 $165.00 $640 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
238–240 239 3 260.00–280.00 $268.32 $641 -8.17
268 268 2 280.00–292.50 $286.25 $767 -7.06
306–322 314 5 280.00–292.50 $287.44 $903 -15.99
354–398 372 10 267.50–300.00 $282.40 $1,051 -7.82
400–428 416 8 250.00–290.00 $267.72 $1,114 -19.21
460–486 480 5 251.00–255.00 $254.23 $1,220 +0.94
502–542 524 8 220.00–232.50 $227.81 $1,194 -21.24
550–594 569 8 215.00–265.00 $233.72 $1,330 -5.34
644 644 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,240 -47.50
670–690 683 3 212.50–237.50 $226.56 $1,547 +11.73
708 708 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,469 +18.57
776 776 1 171.00 $171.00 $1,327 +11.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288–296 292 2 240.00–252.50 $246.16 $719 -6.72
312–318 316 3 232.50–240.00 $237.48 $750 —
372–378 374 3 240.00–255.00 $244.97 $916 —
402–446 424 2 220.00–235.00 $227.89 $966 +7.89
474 474 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,043 —
512–542 528 4 185.00–215.00 $198.99 $1,051 -0.84
554 554 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,163 +20.24
606–632 619 2 175.00–180.00 $177.55 $1,099 -8.50
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 200.00 $200.00 $580 —
442 442 1 190.00 $190.00 $840 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810 810 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,053 —
830 830 85-90% 1 60.00 $60.00 $498 —
970 970 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $873 —
746–1324 1029 85-90% 6 111.00–125.00 $116.44 $1,198 -1.19
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1134–1334 1247 80-85% 6 123.00–130.00 $126.99 $1,584 —

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,800.00–2,300.00 $2,066.67
1300 1300 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 2,100.00 $2,100.00

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
976 976 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
1046–1300 1173 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,550.00–2,300.00 $1,965.60 —
1400 1400 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 2,700.00–2,900.00 $2,800.00 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 1 165.00 $165.00 $475 —

↑ 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.