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Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 29, 2026

85 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 85

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
642 642 1 381.00 $381.00 $2,446 +5.51
670 670 1 362.50 $362.50 $2,429 +22.50
954 954 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,099

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
260–262 261 2 405.00–455.00 $430.10 $1,123 +45.97
304–346 327 3 405.00–455.00 $422.24 $1,381 +33.13
354 354 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,381 -20.18
442 442 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,680 -39.66
466 466 1 377.50 $377.50 $1,759 -21.54
508–534 521 2 348.00–375.00 $361.16 $1,882 -13.59
600 value added 600 3 374.00 $374.00 $2,244
650–666 664 9 331.00–356.00 $353.28 $2,346
728 728 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,038
766 766 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,298
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 1 381.00 $381.00 $1,890
870 870 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,740
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
226 226 1 370.00 $370.00 $836
350 350 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,330
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
428 428 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,134 +22.46
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
644 644 1 150.00 $150.00 $966

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
248 248 1 477.50 $477.50 $1,184 +21.28
254 254 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,143 -12.50
318 318 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,431
356–392 373 3 450.00–456.00 $452.90 $1,689 -10.17
400–442 425 4 455.00–464.00 $458.75 $1,950 -20.70
450–488 469 2 445.00–489.00 $466.11 $2,186 +31.97
512–528 520 2 420.00–421.00 $420.49 $2,187 -9.36
552–574 563 2 361.00–371.00 $365.90 $2,060 -12.07
613 613 4 370.00 $370.00 $2,268 +28.26
774–776 774 6 271.00–332.50 $322.23 $2,494 +7.23
836 836 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,090
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,160
340 340 1 405.00 $405.00 $1,377 +19.49
484 484 1 401.00 $401.00 $1,941
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534 534 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,869 +50.00
558 558 1 347.50 $347.50 $1,939
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416 416 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,373
484 484 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,355
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,577 +10.00
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,320

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Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
946–1106 1022 85-90% 4 156.00–165.00 $160.54 $1,641 +9.15
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
914 914 80-85% 1 178.00 $178.00 $1,627
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1674 1674 75-80% 1 171.00 $171.00 $2,863

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1770 1574 7 186.00–213.00 $198.54 $3,125

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Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
762–786 774 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 160.00–172.50 $166.15 $1,286

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Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
632 632 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,011

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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.