Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 21, 2024

370 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $251.90/cwt -2.30 vs last sale · ≈ $1,205/hd at 478 lb · 12 head
light 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $245.87/cwt +0.19 vs last sale · ≈ $793/hd at 323 lb · 11 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $242.99/cwt +9.92 vs last sale · ≈ $906/hd at 373 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 370 402 476
Feeder cattle 307 290 406
Slaughter cattle 61 112 69
Replacement cattle 2 — 1

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were sharply higher. Feeder cattle were sharply higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest was active. Offerings of cattle moderate. Cattle quality was average. 6 head baby calves; 50.00-95.00

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
320–346 value added 337 3 310.00–315.00 $311.58 $1,050 —
392 392 1 294.00 $294.00 $1,152 +20.84
518–544 531 2 267.50–270.00 $268.78 $1,427 —
570–598 585 3 262.50–276.00 $270.46 $1,582 +40.46
618–632 625 2 235.00–240.00 $237.47 $1,484 —
676 676 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,690 +35.00
680 680 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,547 +12.50
780 780 1 202.50 $202.50 $1,580 —
804 804 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,608 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550–552 551 2 215.00–220.00 $217.50 $1,198 —
612 612 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,346 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–292 279 3 240.00–250.00 $244.94 $683 -5.28
308–340 322 10 240.00–250.00 $243.46 $784 +1.50
328 value added 328 1 270.00 $270.00 $886 +15.00
364 value added 364 1 267.50 $267.50 $974 —
352–394 374 9 232.50–250.00 $240.27 $899 +3.67
400–438 421 6 232.50–255.00 $242.46 $1,021 +4.15
446 value added 446 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,182 —
458–470 value added 461 4 265.00–270.00 $267.48 $1,233 —
456–496 477 6 230.00–247.00 $236.23 $1,127 +26.23
508–548 531 8 215.00–248.00 $225.04 $1,195 +21.15
550–598 566 6 215.00–249.00 $231.62 $1,311 +28.27
616–630 623 2 210.00–215.00 $212.47 $1,324 +9.49
674–678 676 2 207.50–222.50 $215.02 $1,454 —
704 704 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,320 —
770–775 773 3 177.50–190.00 $181.65 $1,404 +26.65
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
294–298 296 2 205.00–227.50 $216.33 $640 +16.33
302–308 305 2 220.00–222.50 $221.24 $675 +1.24
364–376 370 2 215.00–225.00 $219.92 $814 +8.94
422–426 424 3 210.00–220.00 $216.68 $919 +14.18
460–474 467 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,027 +27.46
510–548 524 3 180.00–200.00 $193.46 $1,014 +23.46
578 578 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,040 +7.50
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 1 220.00 $220.00 $713 —
374 374 1 202.50 $202.50 $757 —
406–430 422 4 220.00 $220.00 $928 —
468 468 1 200.00 $200.00 $936 —
518 518 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,036 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 192.50 $192.50 $558 —
440–444 442 2 180.00–200.00 $190.05 $840 —
588 588 2 177.50 $177.50 $1,044 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422–438 430 2 147.50–150.00 $148.73 $640 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210 210 1 272.50 $272.50 $572 +12.97
264–294 281 4 265.00–280.00 $273.78 $769 +6.64
312–342 326 4 260.00–295.00 $277.14 $903 +22.23
350–386 368 9 255.00–275.00 $263.40 $969 -6.48
406–448 427 8 250.00–260.00 $258.05 $1,102 -9.55
470 470 1 230.00 $230.00 $1,081 -24.20
450–496 479 11 240.00–278.00 $253.89 $1,216 -0.31
508–542 524 9 245.00–275.00 $262.06 $1,373 +28.42
554–594 568 5 232.50–260.00 $247.37 $1,405 +14.36
616–632 622 4 237.50–252.50 $245.57 $1,527 +45.54
666–688 678 5 235.00–247.00 $240.23 $1,629 —
702 702 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,123 —
732 732 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,281 —
750–752 751 2 175.00–177.50 $176.25 $1,324 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250 250 1 245.00 $245.00 $612 —
302–340 325 3 220.00–230.00 $223.09 $725 —
380 380 1 217.50 $217.50 $826 —
412–420 416 2 240.00 $240.00 $998 —
454 454 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,010 —
558–598 573 3 190.00–225.00 $212.01 $1,215 —
630–638 634 2 192.50–220.00 $206.16 $1,307 —
668 668 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,436 —
776 776 1 167.50 $167.50 $1,300 —
934 934 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,214 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
258–278 268 2 225.00–245.00 $234.63 $629 —
318–342 330 2 230.00–240.00 $235.18 $776 +11.37
368–378 373 2 230.00–235.00 $232.53 $867 +1.48
420–434 427 2 220.00–240.00 $229.84 $981 +34.84
482 482 1 200.00 $200.00 $964 -1.71
506–536 521 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,146 +20.23
558 558 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,228 +33.26
604–646 625 2 180.00–200.00 $190.34 $1,190 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
354–364 359 2 195.00–200.00 $197.47 $709 —
412–434 423 5 170.00–200.00 $185.56 $785 +5.56
456 456 1 162.50 $162.50 $741 —
Medium 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384 384 1 160.00 $160.00 $614 —
442 442 3 187.50 $187.50 $829 —
462 462 2 175.00–185.00 $180.00 $832 —
584 584 1 162.50 $162.50 $949 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
393 393 1 180.00 $180.00 $707 -32.50
752 thin fleshed 752 1 138.00 $138.00 $1,038 —
770 770 1 147.50 $147.50 $1,136 —
862 thin fleshed 862 1 132.50 $132.50 $1,142 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
752–1138 944 85-90% 5 40.00–60.00 $50.52 $477 -28.44
958 958 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $766 -17.28
726–1274 1053 85-90% 17 93.00–119.00 $106.00 $1,116 —
1094 1094 85-90% 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,247 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1076–1220 1165 80-85% 3 133.00–142.50 $138.47 $1,613 +55.94
970–1554 1195 80-85% 7 114.00–130.00 $120.26 $1,437 +37.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1806 1518 75-80% 4 133.00–140.00 $136.23 $2,068 —
1520–1906 1695 75-80% 3 97.50–110.00 $104.43 $1,770 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1208 1208 1 120.00 $120.00 $1,450 —
1246 1246 2 166.00 $166.00 $2,068 —
1314–1856 1562 6 128.00–155.00 $138.95 $2,170 —

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,551
1106 1106 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 142.50 $142.50 $1,576

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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.