Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 17, 2024

568 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $227.55/cwt +6.80 vs last sale · ≈ $1,181/hd at 519 lb · 31 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $240.68/cwt +1.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,278/hd at 531 lb · 30 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $237.88/cwt +8.29 vs last sale · ≈ $1,123/hd at 472 lb · 20 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 568 498 486
Feeder cattle 501 440 402
Slaughter cattle 67 58 84

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder cattle were mostly steady. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest moderate. Offerings of cattle were heavy. Cattle quality was average. 6 head baby calves; 65.00-200.00

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
310–332 321 2 270.00–280.00 $275.17 $883 —
412 412 8 250.00 $250.00 $1,030 —
512–544 531 30 235.00–250.00 $240.68 $1,278 +1.65
570–596 581 7 230.00–240.00 $232.87 $1,353 -0.45
588 588 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,294 -13.32
614 614 1 195.00 $195.00 $1,197 -43.96
620–646 633 2 212.50–235.00 $223.52 $1,415 -15.44
650–664 657 4 215.00–240.00 $226.17 $1,486 -8.83
702–744 717 3 189.00–229.00 $214.67 $1,539 -8.90
762–784 773 2 223.00–233.00 $227.93 $1,762 -4.57
846 846 1 177.00 $177.00 $1,497 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 1 230.00 $230.00 $805 -10.00
560 560 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,218 —
618–648 633 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,266 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,066 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
212–228 222 4 225.00–260.00 $243.01 $539 —
266–298 281 6 230.00–245.00 $236.97 $666 +5.71
304–346 323 15 230.00–260.00 $239.04 $772 -5.72
352–392 370 20 227.50–262.50 $238.15 $881 -2.55
400–446 422 10 220.00–240.00 $230.91 $974 +13.40
456–498 477 14 215.00–232.50 $225.98 $1,078 +8.01
500–544 521 17 197.50–222.50 $212.00 $1,105 -0.76
558 558 1 186.00 $186.00 $1,038 -18.91
552–588 566 12 200.00–222.00 $208.17 $1,178 +3.26
580 580 1 165.00 $165.00 $957 -39.91
616 616 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,078 -19.81
600–642 622 12 175.00–207.50 $193.62 $1,204 -1.19
640 640 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,056 -10.00
650–692 670 6 180.00–215.00 $195.87 $1,312 +10.77
686 686 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,098 -25.10
706 706 1 188.00 $188.00 $1,327 +11.72
750–754 752 2 174.00–186.00 $180.02 $1,354 +29.95
808 808 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,353 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218–238 228 5 220.00–227.50 $222.93 $508 +25.43
256–296 276 2 212.50–222.50 $217.14 $599 —
304–340 324 4 207.50–225.00 $215.50 $698 +13.55
352–380 367 5 210.00–222.50 $216.42 $794 +14.09
404–448 432 14 207.50–222.50 $217.92 $941 +19.17
462–486 473 5 180.00–217.50 $199.91 $946 -0.13
508–526 517 2 180.00–190.00 $185.09 $957 +11.26
584–596 590 2 172.50–180.00 $176.29 $1,040 -1.21
634 634 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,014 ±0.00
658–680 669 2 140.00–145.00 $142.46 $953 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
288 288 1 180.00 $180.00 $518 —
434 434 1 180.00 $180.00 $781 +6.19
502–536 519 2 150.00–162.50 $156.45 $812 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
216–240 228 2 257.50–267.50 $262.76 $599 +12.76
250–296 267 7 240.00–270.00 $251.51 $672 -2.16
304–340 316 5 255.00–260.00 $256.99 $812 -3.34
354–384 371 5 232.50–250.00 $242.46 $900 -10.43
400–442 414 18 232.50–250.00 $243.03 $1,006 +1.59
450–492 472 20 222.50–250.00 $237.88 $1,123 +8.29
502–548 519 31 205.00–239.00 $227.55 $1,181 +2.10
550–584 567 2 190.00–195.00 $192.43 $1,091 -12.67
554–594 570 12 200.00–230.00 $217.85 $1,242 +12.75
558–578 value added 573 4 230.00–237.50 $231.83 $1,328 —
604–638 616 5 195.00–207.50 $201.45 $1,241 +11.46
652–684 665 6 180.00–182.50 $180.42 $1,200 -6.78
699 value added 699 2 212.00 $212.00 $1,482 —
716–736 727 3 160.00–180.00 $166.57 $1,211 -3.39
750–782 760 5 160.00–170.00 $166.05 $1,262 -7.30
960 960 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,344 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
208–214 211 2 220.00–230.00 $224.93 $475 -4.82
276–286 282 3 220.00–235.00 $230.11 $649 +4.17
374 374 2 217.50–227.50 $222.50 $832 +1.92
428–448 436 10 207.50–227.50 $223.00 $972 +15.51
458–490 477 3 210.00–222.50 $217.37 $1,037 +19.65
518–540 526 3 180.00–200.00 $189.32 $996 +7.37
554–596 573 11 180.00–200.00 $191.47 $1,097 +5.76
612–642 627 4 160.00–200.00 $171.05 $1,072 -1.31
664–672 669 3 160.00–170.00 $163.34 $1,093 +3.34
700 700 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,155 —
796 796 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,274 +15.02
816–845 831 2 125.00–140.00 $132.37 $1,100 -2.63
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 1 200.00 $200.00 $728 —
554–594 569 4 150.00–170.00 $161.66 $920 +21.66
Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
812 812 1 116.00 $116.00 $942 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
826 826 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,074 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
610 610 1 100.00 $100.00 $610 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 298 1 145.00 $145.00 $432 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
832 832 85-90% 1 120.00 $120.00 $998 —
838–1092 989 85-90% 13 60.00–90.00 $77.47 $766 —
896–1452 1093 85-90% 11 90.00–113.00 $101.44 $1,109 +30.45
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–1278 1121 80-85% 8 114.00–127.00 $120.27 $1,348 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1266–1500 1393 75-80% 6 122.50–142.00 $131.25 $1,828 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014 1014 1 109.00 $109.00 $1,105 —
1022–2208 1372 4 144.00–147.00 $145.38 $1,995 +48.35

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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.