Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 15, 2024

569 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $248.20/cwt +17.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,387/hd at 559 lb · 26 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $262.94/cwt +2.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,128/hd at 429 lb · 23 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $247.03/cwt +5.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,274/hd at 516 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 569 311 334
Feeder cattle 387 239 232
Slaughter cattle 182 71 102
Replacement cattle — 1 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 4.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder cattle were mostly steady. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were heavy. Cattle quality was average to attractive. 7 head of baby calves from 225.00-325.00

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
258–268 263 2 295.00–297.50 $296.27 $779 —
300–335 value added 321 3 327.50–335.00 $332.66 $1,068 —
355–396 367 5 297.50–322.50 $316.60 $1,162 +2.63
402–432 415 5 290.00–320.00 $304.44 $1,263 —
485 value added 485 8 297.00 $297.00 $1,440 —
485–498 488 11 260.00–293.00 $287.78 $1,404 -27.22
508–537 527 7 260.00–280.00 $263.85 $1,390 —
554–576 567 5 250.00–260.00 $256.09 $1,452 —
587 value added 587 12 297.50 $297.50 $1,746 —
639 639 10 245.00 $245.00 $1,566 -10.00
660–674 668 3 230.00–255.00 $242.41 $1,619 —
814 814 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,648 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 396 1 267.50 $267.50 $1,059 -8.77
458 458 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,076 -27.50
596 596 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,371 -4.86

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–246 229 5 242.50–262.50 $253.89 $581 -17.38
254–276 264 5 267.50–292.50 $276.50 $730 —
300 value added 300 1 300.00 $300.00 $900 —
302–348 327 8 247.50–281.00 $262.90 $860 -9.44
352–398 380 11 250.00–275.00 $261.42 $993 -3.33
400–444 429 23 240.00–275.00 $262.94 $1,128 +2.80
454–482 468 6 242.50–255.00 $246.65 $1,154 -7.37
503–511 value added 510 14 257.00–262.00 $260.65 $1,329 —
500–538 523 8 214.00–242.50 $230.31 $1,205 -10.83
536 536 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,018 -51.14
550–578 559 10 210.00–235.00 $225.15 $1,259 -5.99
553–562 value added 559 16 255.00–266.00 $262.60 $1,468 —
602 value added 602 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,415 —
608 608 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,155 -35.07
632 632 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,011 -65.07
620–646 633 2 217.50–220.00 $218.72 $1,384 -6.35
658–686 672 2 210.00–215.00 $212.45 $1,428 -3.55
705 705 3 205.00 $205.00 $1,445 +2.00
732 732 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,135 -48.00
766–792 775 3 160.00–180.00 $173.18 $1,342 —
928–942 935 2 163.00–170.00 $166.53 $1,557 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–232 227 3 230.00–245.00 $239.29 $543 —
294 294 1 225.00 $225.00 $662 —
352–390 373 3 220.00 $220.00 $821 -10.00
414–446 431 4 230.00–235.00 $231.81 $999 +1.81
484 484 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,004 -0.83
530 530 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,007 —
554 554 1 170.00 $170.00 $942 -20.00
672 672 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,075 —
840 840 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,176 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
180 180 1 190.00 $190.00 $342 —
266 266 2 195.00–217.50 $206.25 $549 —
348 348 1 197.50 $197.50 $687 —
416 416 1 200.00 $200.00 $832 -5.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
402 402 1 167.50 $167.50 $673 —
548 548 1 150.00 $150.00 $822 —
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
546 546 1 125.00 $125.00 $682 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–230 214 6 275.00–305.00 $293.22 $627 +20.72
262–292 277 4 280.00–290.00 $284.27 $787 +4.27
312–348 325 3 280.00–295.00 $288.55 $938 -17.60
352–392 368 11 287.50–300.00 $294.33 $1,083 -2.60
400–430 416 11 262.50–312.50 $283.88 $1,181 -11.62
470 470 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,128 -28.13
450–496 481 19 240.00–274.00 $265.07 $1,275 -3.06
504–542 521 10 240.00–261.00 $250.90 $1,307 -0.25
542 542 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,220 -26.15
546 546 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,092 -51.15
550–586 567 6 227.50–253.00 $240.04 $1,361 -16.88
602–630 618 7 218.00–230.00 $223.53 $1,381 -6.74
650–666 659 3 205.00–221.00 $215.40 $1,419 -7.97
702–726 716 4 170.00–215.00 $193.67 $1,387 -38.76
758–786 774 6 170.00–185.00 $179.33 $1,388 —
1048 1048 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,677 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324–342 328 5 237.50–270.00 $256.39 $841 -0.42
350–388 367 3 247.50–267.50 $255.61 $938 -8.16
408 408 1 252.50 $252.50 $1,030 —
454 454 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,022 —
538 538 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,173 +5.52
560 560 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,148 —
602 602 1 160.00 $160.00 $963 —
712 712 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,086 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–368 364 2 217.50–220.00 $218.74 $796 +18.74
500 500 1 170.00 $170.00 $850 —
612 612 1 140.00 $140.00 $857 —
828 828 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,076 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–310 308 2 202.50–227.50 $214.92 $662 —
360 360 1 162.50 $162.50 $585 —
366 366 1 215.00 $215.00 $787 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 296 1 155.00 $155.00 $459 —
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
446 446 1 100.00 $100.00 $446 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
908–1326 1136 80-85% 57 130.00–151.00 $138.96 $1,579 +4.66
1196–1246 1217 80-85% 4 151.00–156.00 $153.28 $1,865 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
792–1090 954 85-90% 4 132.50–136.00 $134.36 $1,282 —
952–1070 991 85-90% 3 50.00–70.00 $60.40 $599 —
708–1208 994 85-90% 34 110.00–130.00 $123.08 $1,223 —
824–1208 1036 85-90% 10 80.00–107.50 $92.61 $959 -2.46
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1198–1670 1360 75-80% 40 133.00–159.00 $144.61 $1,967 +14.05
1306–1954 1483 75-80% 8 110.00–133.00 $124.46 $1,846 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,350 +13.70
1006–1926 1561 7 145.00–171.00 $158.87 $2,480 —

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
852 852 1 125.00 $125.00 $1,065 —
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
567 567 1 118.00 $118.00 $669 —

↑ 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.