Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 12, 2026

418 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $461.82/cwt +83.26 vs last sale · ≈ $2,179/hd at 472 lb · 30 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $461.56/cwt +37.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,386/hd at 517 lb · 24 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $435.81/cwt ≈ $2,471/hd at 567 lb · 18 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 418 30 311
Feeder cattle 356 27 246
Slaughter cattle 55 3 50
Replacement cattle 7 — 15

Market comments — USDA reporter

No price comparison is available for todays report due to limited comparable sales from a week ago. Good demand was seen on a moderate supply of cattle, with active buyer activity.

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
380 380 1 510.00 $510.00 $1,938 —
402–432 422 4 460.00–520.00 $495.47 $2,091 —
460–494 469 4 495.00–515.00 $502.55 $2,357 +52.55
517 value added 517 2 515.00 $515.00 $2,663 —
524–536 530 2 465.00–467.50 $466.24 $2,471 —
554–566 560 2 465.00–470.00 $467.47 $2,618 +74.97
616–638 629 3 360.00–395.00 $373.38 $2,349 —
720 value added 720 12 360.50 $360.50 $2,596 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534 534 1 435.00 $435.00 $2,323 +52.50
550–570 560 2 415.00–440.00 $427.28 $2,393 —
662–698 680 2 345.00–350.00 $347.43 $2,363 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330 330 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,270 —
552 552 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,932 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–222 216 2 435.00–475.00 $454.44 $982 —
278–296 288 3 440.00–450.00 $445.07 $1,282 —
308–344 322 5 425.00–460.00 $446.07 $1,436 —
356–396 383 8 420.00–490.00 $448.30 $1,717 +63.30
385 value added 385 6 490.00 $490.00 $1,886 —
400–444 419 17 400.00–475.00 $441.38 $1,849 +61.38
470 value added 470 16 479.00 $479.00 $2,251 —
458–484 474 14 400.00–475.00 $442.18 $2,096 +63.62
510–546 531 13 345.00–420.00 $377.08 $2,002 -1.37
576–592 581 7 340.00–395.00 $369.20 $2,145 -17.80
606–628 616 5 335.00–355.00 $343.95 $2,119 +16.45
664–666 665 2 325.00 $325.00 $2,161 —
714 714 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,285 -7.50
722 722 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,805 -77.50
788 788 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,522 —
800 800 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,200 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
202 202 1 400.00 $400.00 $808 —
322–338 330 2 390.00–400.00 $394.88 $1,303 —
354–382 369 5 370.00–420.00 $399.12 $1,473 —
420–442 434 5 370.00–400.00 $381.08 $1,654 —
450–460 456 4 360.00–380.00 $369.97 $1,687 —
534 534 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,762 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
158 158 1 375.00 $375.00 $592 —
336 336 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,210 —
410 410 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,230 —
496 496 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,538 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
214 214 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,027 -7.56
254–290 266 5 455.00–505.00 $477.39 $1,270 -1.96
326–342 331 3 480.00–530.00 $509.52 $1,687 —
352–398 379 15 455.00–510.00 $488.09 $1,850 +48.09
382 value added 382 1 520.00 $520.00 $1,986 —
400–448 429 9 470.00–520.00 $500.77 $2,148 +40.77
442 value added 442 1 525.00 $525.00 $2,320 —
454–492 479 11 435.00–505.00 $487.33 $2,334 —
502–540 517 24 425.00–500.00 $461.56 $2,386 +37.84
554–592 567 18 365.00–474.00 $435.81 $2,471 —
602–640 625 13 340.00–390.00 $358.44 $2,240 —
650–672 657 6 330.00–365.00 $353.38 $2,322 —
704–746 724 5 301.00–340.00 $329.42 $2,385 +5.42
780–784 783 3 295.00–320.00 $304.18 $2,382 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,098 —
332 332 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,328 —
350–388 369 2 420.00–440.00 $429.49 $1,585 —
430–440 437 6 407.50–450.00 $426.72 $1,865 —
478 478 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,912 —
514–532 528 5 400.00–405.00 $404.03 $2,133 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 315 2 450.00–455.00 $452.38 $1,425 —
368–392 381 6 400.00–440.00 $417.55 $1,591 —
420 420 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,890 —
494 494 1 395.00 $395.00 $1,951 —
612 612 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,989 —
808 808 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,778 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,079 —
304–348 324 4 305.00–390.00 $355.13 $1,151 —
380 380 1 345.00 $345.00 $1,311 —
400–444 422 2 290.00–350.00 $321.56 $1,357 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
182 182 1 235.00 $235.00 $428 —
218–240 229 2 300.00–305.00 $302.38 $692 —
310–336 323 2 300.00 $300.00 $969 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 276 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,049 —
456–468 462 2 350.00–355.00 $352.47 $1,628 —
526 526 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,841 +40.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
812–1140 970 85-90% 8 147.50–167.50 $155.70 $1,510 -13.30
748–1314 973 85-90% 7 125.00–145.00 $134.04 $1,304 -34.96
798–1168 983 85-90% 2 95.00–100.00 $97.03 $954 -71.97
1096 1096 85-90% 1 179.00 $179.00 $1,962 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
902–1422 1170 80-85% 15 165.00–186.00 $175.58 $2,054 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1906 1906 75-80% 1 175.00 $175.00 $3,336 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1570 1570 1 150.00 $150.00 $2,355 —
1142–1934 1603 4 200.00–216.00 $210.69 $3,377 —
1262–2084 1673 2 220.00–221.00 $220.62 $3,691 —

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Stock Cows

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
774 774 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 200.00 $200.00

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Bred Cows

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
722–734 728 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,201
772 772 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 145.00 $145.00 $1,119
900 900 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,485
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
772 772 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 220.00 $220.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1052 1052 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,736

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Dairy Heifers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
494 494 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,062 —
508–538 527 3 182.50–200.00 $190.55 $1,004 —
558 558 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,004 —
614 614 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,044 —

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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.