Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 2, 2026

330 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 bulls $461.39/cwt +16.06 vs last sale · ≈ $1,942/hd at 421 lb · 15 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $351.89/cwt -26.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,974/hd at 561 lb · 15 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $408.77/cwt -23.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,954/hd at 478 lb · 14 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 330 574 514
Feeder cattle 291 488 454
Slaughter cattle 36 76 60
Replacement cattle 3 10 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 5.00 lower. Feeder cattle were mostly steady. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.

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
365 value added 365 2 560.00 $560.00 $2,044 —
432–444 435 4 460.00–485.00 $466.38 $2,029 -7.94
450 value added 450 1 495.00 $495.00 $2,228 —
466–480 475 3 435.00–455.00 $446.58 $2,121 -9.65
500–502 501 2 440.00–447.50 $443.74 $2,223 +11.56
516 value added 516 1 475.00 $475.00 $2,451 ±0.00
570 570 5 427.00 $427.00 $2,434 +41.79
600–648 619 9 377.50–400.00 $386.11 $2,390 +18.21
656–696 679 4 355.00–375.00 $361.27 $2,453 -5.73
734 734 1 335.00 $335.00 $2,459 -25.00
738–748 743 2 350.00–362.50 $356.21 $2,647 —
784 784 1 342.50 $342.50 $2,685 -4.84
844 844 1 320.00 $320.00 $2,701 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408–432 418 3 425.00–440.00 $431.60 $1,804 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
526 526 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,578 -85.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218 value added 218 3 535.00 $535.00 $1,166 —
250–296 282 13 420.00–495.00 $464.65 $1,310 +42.97
302–324 313 5 420.00–545.00 $453.85 $1,421 +25.16
374 value added 374 1 485.00 $485.00 $1,814 —
354–396 376 11 400.00–450.00 $430.99 $1,621 -4.46
418 value added 418 1 480.00 $480.00 $2,006 +10.00
410–446 429 9 400.00–440.00 $410.98 $1,763 -21.95
456 value added 456 3 470.00 $470.00 $2,143 —
452–497 484 11 370.00–422.50 $392.07 $1,898 -40.31
500–540 522 4 340.00–385.00 $365.98 $1,910 -1.63
530 value added 530 2 388.00 $388.00 $2,056 —
551–594 561 15 310.00–360.00 $351.89 $1,974 -5.43
606–648 624 4 340.00–355.00 $350.10 $2,185 +4.41
650–670 654 7 345.00–357.50 $351.05 $2,296 +25.22
718 718 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,118 -14.93
1000 1000 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,200 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
282 282 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,128 -10.00
394 394 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,576 —
405–424 414 4 380.00–400.00 $393.66 $1,630 -6.34
454 454 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,816 +50.00
544 544 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,632 -17.40
570 570 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,824 —
764 764 1 295.00 $295.00 $2,254 +55.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 324 1 300.00 $300.00 $972 -31.80
360–376 369 3 340.00–350.00 $344.98 $1,273 +35.80
442 442 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,370 -21.90
478 478 1 200.00 $200.00 $956 -75.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420 420 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,680 +20.00
482–496 489 2 320.00–350.00 $334.79 $1,637 +34.79
522 522 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,566 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
230 230 1 545.00 $545.00 $1,254 +70.10
254–298 282 8 465.00–530.00 $499.09 $1,407 +22.75
308–342 325 12 470.00–545.00 $527.33 $1,714 +42.47
354–396 374 10 410.00–510.00 $471.82 $1,765 +11.69
400–448 421 15 435.00–490.00 $461.39 $1,942 +16.06
454–498 480 10 400.00–450.00 $427.27 $2,051 -5.33
504–544 520 8 370.00–430.00 $407.33 $2,118 +11.60
554–596 573 12 340.00–410.00 $366.59 $2,101 -3.53
626–638 632 2 340.00–370.00 $354.86 $2,243 +34.86
662 662 1 356.00 $356.00 $2,357 +28.68
682 682 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,046 -27.32
708–712 710 2 300.00–320.00 $310.03 $2,201 +10.03
750–780 765 2 280.00–295.00 $287.35 $2,198 -25.28
822 822 1 285.00 $285.00 $2,343 -12.50
872–892 882 2 245.00–250.00 $247.47 $2,183 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 1 430.00 $430.00 $980 —
362–398 380 2 400.00–420.00 $410.47 $1,560 +5.27
506–544 525 2 320.00 $320.00 $1,680 ±0.00
558–562 560 2 290.00–350.00 $320.11 $1,793 +0.11
614–646 630 2 285.00–310.00 $297.82 $1,876 -11.19
692 692 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,903 -25.00
722 722 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,769 -5.00
778 778 1 207.50 $207.50 $1,614 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–390 373 2 400.00–425.00 $413.07 $1,541 —
420–440 429 4 410.00–435.00 $422.48 $1,812 +12.48
824 824 1 235.00 $235.00 $1,936 —
908 908 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,952 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 2 380.00 $380.00 $1,383 —
662–688 675 2 270.00–280.00 $274.90 $1,856 —
794 794 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,906 —
838 838 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,592 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,197 —
364–376 370 2 325.00–350.00 $337.70 $1,249 +22.88
416 416 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,456 ±0.00
604–622 613 2 210.00–217.50 $213.81 $1,311 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
704–912 833 85-90% 3 122.50–127.50 $124.32 $1,036 —
832–1186 986 85-90% 8 125.00–146.00 $132.80 $1,309 -10.38
1054 1054 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $843 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1254–1410 1332 75-80% 2 140.00 $140.00 $1,865 —
1400–1946 1663 75-80% 5 150.00–165.00 $156.36 $2,600 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1076–1464 1237 80-85% 3 150.00–155.00 $151.45 $1,873 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
996–1308 1145 4 150.00–165.00 $158.10 $1,810 —
1140–2002 1612 6 177.50–211.00 $197.90 $3,190 —
1346–2042 1694 2 216.00–238.50 $224.94 $3,810 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
816 816 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,285
930 930 (<2 yrs)Open 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,092
Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
758 758 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,213

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Dairy Steers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
204 204 1 230.00 $230.00 $469 —
798 798 1 182.50 $182.50 $1,456 —
864 864 1 180.00 $180.00 $1,555 —

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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.