Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 19, 2024

398 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $203.61/cwt -14.83 vs last sale · ≈ $1,049/hd at 515 lb · 18 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $236.38/cwt -1.59 vs last sale · ≈ $917/hd at 388 lb · 15 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $198.24/cwt -16.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,124/hd at 567 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 398 383 459
Feeder cattle 308 303 385
Slaughter cattle 90 80 74

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Demand was moderate; Market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Cattle quality was plain to average. Offerings of cattle were moderate. 5 head of baby calves; 75.00-350.00

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
384–398 395 5 252.50–270.00 $255.90 $1,011 —
412 412 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,164 —
476 476 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,166 —
500–514 507 2 227.50–230.00 $228.77 $1,160 -11.23
514 514 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,079 -30.00
562–584 571 7 200.00–237.50 $219.65 $1,254 —
600 600 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,320 —
722 722 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,462 -7.46
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,205 —
590 590 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,121 —
600 600 12 220.00 $220.00 $1,320 +40.00
680 680 1 192.50 $192.50 $1,309 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 180.00 $180.00 $882 —
678 678 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,085 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,004 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 332 2 230.00 $230.00 $764 -16.37
370–394 388 15 233.00–245.00 $236.38 $917 -1.59
422 422 4 237.50 $237.50 $1,002 -1.02
430 430 1 225.00 $225.00 $968 -13.52
454–488 466 5 225.00–232.50 $228.99 $1,067 +1.07
502–544 515 18 190.00–215.00 $203.61 $1,049 -14.83
550–592 567 14 180.00–210.00 $198.24 $1,124 -16.82
608 608 1 162.50 $162.50 $988 -7.50
606–634 618 5 170.00–202.50 $187.43 $1,158 -10.80
652–696 660 12 170.00–207.50 $188.81 $1,246 —
674 674 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,129 —
714–724 719 2 150.00–160.00 $154.97 $1,114 -27.78
878 878 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,273 —
940 940 1 152.50 $152.50 $1,434 —
1018–1048 1033 2 176.00–182.50 $179.30 $1,852 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–240 215 3 205.00–225.00 $214.02 $460 —
300–328 316 4 200.00–220.00 $214.96 $679 -2.54
362–372 367 3 180.00–220.00 $201.54 $740 -32.96
402–446 422 5 180.00–225.00 $202.05 $853 -7.52
472–474 473 2 192.50–200.00 $196.26 $928 -7.07
500–546 521 3 165.00–170.00 $166.65 $868 -29.50
596 596 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,058 -4.90
616 616 1 160.00 $160.00 $986 -7.50
632 632 1 140.00 $140.00 $885 -27.50
660–680 670 2 145.00–180.00 $162.24 $1,087 —
860 860 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,118 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–346 331 3 155.00–166.50 $159.88 $529 +7.38
394 394 1 150.00 $150.00 $591 -10.00
450–476 463 2 140.00–150.00 $145.14 $672 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 1 200.00 $200.00 $568 —
498 498 1 150.00 $150.00 $747 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
336 336 1 227.50 $227.50 $764 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264–280 272 2 242.50–255.00 $248.93 $677 -18.56
300–348 326 4 245.00–267.50 $253.04 $825 -18.13
380–392 384 4 250.00–252.50 $251.24 $965 -17.61
400–432 416 5 247.50–255.00 $252.00 $1,048 -12.95
472–498 485 6 220.00–240.00 $231.67 $1,124 -0.05
510 510 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,096 -6.21
562–598 587 5 190.00–205.00 $196.44 $1,153 -35.97
600–626 607 7 177.50–217.00 $197.92 $1,201 +1.97
652 652 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,174 -6.07
716–728 723 4 160.00–177.50 $171.88 $1,243 -11.28
800–820 807 3 162.50–170.00 $165.81 $1,338 +10.81
854 854 1 177.50 $177.50 $1,516 +18.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 230.00 $230.00 $529 -10.00
272–298 285 2 215.00–230.00 $222.16 $633 -32.01
306 306 1 235.00 $235.00 $719 -7.68
388 388 1 235.00 $235.00 $912 -2.39
476 476 1 180.00 $180.00 $857 -10.04
528–544 534 4 175.00–200.00 $188.13 $1,005 -6.75
560–584 575 4 157.50–180.00 $165.71 $953 -34.78
612–620 616 2 160.00–170.00 $165.03 $1,017 —
658–668 662 4 160.00–175.00 $165.65 $1,097 +1.88
704–706 705 2 155.00–160.00 $157.50 $1,110 —
906 906 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,268 +2.50
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
206–238 222 2 205.00–210.00 $207.32 $460 +7.32
282 282 1 200.00 $200.00 $564 +10.00
332 332 1 200.00 $200.00 $664 —
350 350 1 182.50 $182.50 $639 +3.76
474 474 1 160.00 $160.00 $758 —
586 586 1 160.00 $160.00 $938 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 1 167.50 $167.50 $382 —
342 342 1 170.00 $170.00 $581 —
350–388 369 2 180.00 $180.00 $664 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352 352 1 240.00 $240.00 $845 —
616 616 1 155.00 $155.00 $955 —
670 670 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,139 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340–348 344 2 147.50–162.50 $155.09 $534 —
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
502 502 1 120.00 $120.00 $602 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
824–1226 955 85-90% 9 60.00–86.00 $74.52 $712 —
758–1406 1157 85-90% 24 92.00–115.00 $107.44 $1,243 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
912–1468 1209 80-85% 23 115.00–129.00 $122.24 $1,478 —
1070–1358 1235 80-85% 7 132.50–140.00 $135.10 $1,668 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1684 1396 75-80% 14 115.00–137.00 $128.46 $1,793 +3.83
1400 1400 75-80% 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,400 -11.51

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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.