Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 12, 2024

383 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $196.47/cwt -6.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,238/hd at 630 lb · 16 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $231.72/cwt -12.21 vs last sale · ≈ $1,122/hd at 484 lb · 13 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $215.06/cwt -18.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,241/hd at 577 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 383 436 399
Feeder cattle 303 364 305
Slaughter cattle 80 72 94

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 3.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was plain to average. 4 baby calves; 300.00-350.00

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
542 542 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,301 -7.43
662 662 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,490 -13.75
710–742 729 3 200.00–220.00 $209.96 $1,531 -9.80
778–786 781 3 213.00–222.00 $218.35 $1,705 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
474 474 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,043 —
616 616 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,109 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
208–248 232 4 237.50–245.00 $240.63 $558 -12.96
258–282 268 3 227.50–245.00 $235.65 $632 -1.85
324–348 337 8 230.00–255.00 $246.37 $830 -0.04
350–398 374 6 230.00–250.00 $237.97 $890 -21.28
402–444 421 10 227.50–247.50 $238.52 $1,004 -1.17
466–496 484 5 225.00–237.50 $227.92 $1,103 -10.35
500–544 517 10 207.50–222.50 $218.44 $1,129 -2.63
564–598 577 13 205.00–220.00 $215.06 $1,241 -8.47
602 602 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,023 -33.24
612–642 632 15 187.50–202.50 $198.23 $1,253 -5.01
726–730 728 2 182.50–183.00 $182.75 $1,330 -7.25
736 736 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,251 -20.00
796 796 1 163.00 $163.00 $1,297 —
802 802 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,243 —
814 814 1 173.00 $173.00 $1,408 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268–298 286 4 190.00–220.00 $209.09 $598 —
320 320 2 215.00–220.00 $217.50 $696 -10.00
354–392 373 3 225.00–255.00 $234.50 $875 —
404–446 419 6 197.50–222.50 $209.57 $878 -4.75
480 480 3 200.00–205.00 $203.33 $976 -9.17
528–540 534 2 187.50–205.00 $196.15 $1,047 +8.65
556–588 575 3 170.00–190.00 $182.40 $1,049 —
634 634 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,062 -12.50
706 706 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,077 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
326 326 1 185.00 $185.00 $603 —
372–384 378 2 160.00–185.00 $172.30 $651 —
404–432 414 3 150.00–187.50 $167.42 $693 —
456 456 1 150.00 $150.00 $684 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 1 152.50 $152.50 $522 —
386 386 1 160.00 $160.00 $618 —
404–436 420 2 160.00–170.00 $164.81 $692 —
526 526 1 152.50 $152.50 $802 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 1 162.50 $162.50 $910 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–248 223 7 257.50–315.00 $278.16 $620 +3.16
276–278 277 2 265.00–270.00 $267.49 $741 -17.56
316–332 325 4 265.00–280.00 $271.17 $881 -19.72
352–396 369 7 257.50–280.00 $268.85 $992 -10.38
402–422 412 2 247.50–250.00 $248.72 $1,025 -23.06
410–418 414 2 260.00–270.00 $264.95 $1,097 -6.83
464–498 484 13 220.00–250.00 $231.72 $1,122 -12.21
500–548 530 11 210.00–230.00 $221.21 $1,172 -7.64
556–586 573 4 230.00–237.00 $232.41 $1,332 +3.05
606–624 613 5 190.00–215.00 $195.95 $1,201 -13.87
654–698 672 6 170.00–200.00 $186.07 $1,250 -12.85
702–734 726 8 180.00–185.00 $183.16 $1,330 —
764 764 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,337 —
805–806 805 4 155.00 $155.00 $1,248 -19.98
882 882 1 159.00 $159.00 $1,402 -18.00
934 934 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,541 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218 218 1 240.00 $240.00 $523 -7.50
272–284 277 3 252.50–255.00 $254.17 $704 —
316–340 327 3 235.00–250.00 $242.68 $794 -7.32
368–380 375 4 227.50–252.50 $237.39 $890 —
426 426 1 217.50 $217.50 $927 -23.36
490–494 492 2 180.00–200.00 $190.04 $935 -29.96
500–544 521 5 180.00–205.00 $194.88 $1,015 -0.12
554–584 569 2 200.00–201.00 $200.49 $1,141 +14.71
674–694 684 2 162.50–165.00 $163.77 $1,120 -10.23
906 906 1 137.50 $137.50 $1,246 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
232 232 1 200.00 $200.00 $464 —
258 258 1 190.00 $190.00 $490 —
374–380 377 2 177.50–180.00 $178.74 $674 —
406 406 2 200.00 $200.00 $812 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 296 1 160.00 $160.00 $474 —
456–486 475 4 145.00–157.50 $151.18 $718 —
488 488 1 130.00 $130.00 $634 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
732 732 1 137.50 $137.50 $1,006 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
768–1174 1027 85-90% 6 88.00–97.50 $92.03 $945 —
766–1296 1075 85-90% 19 100.00–118.00 $110.03 $1,183 +0.59
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1252–1952 1381 75-80% 13 117.00–138.00 $124.63 $1,721 +16.67
1318–1476 1424 75-80% 6 110.00–115.00 $111.51 $1,588 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
922–1358 1162 80-85% 15 118.00–131.00 $123.79 $1,438 —
1196–1488 1342 80-85% 2 105.00–115.00 $110.54 $1,483 +1.52

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1108–2400 1870 4 123.00–152.00 $136.22 $2,547 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 432 1 160.00 $160.00 $691 —

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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.