Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 16, 2026

407 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $371.93/cwt +0.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,933/hd at 520 lb · 21 head
light 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $542.41/cwt -4.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,752/hd at 323 lb · 17 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $435.03/cwt -8.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,866/hd at 429 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 407 471 321
Feeder cattle 357 384 244
Slaughter cattle 47 72 70
Replacement cattle 3 15 7

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Feeder cattle were steady to 3.00 lower. 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
380 380 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,995 -14.93
444 444 1 490.00 $490.00 $2,176 —
492 492 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,263 +7.27
502–511 508 3 420.00–435.00 $430.06 $2,185 -8.97
550–586 568 4 433.00–465.00 $451.80 $2,566 +18.73
624–646 638 11 385.00–420.00 $398.02 $2,539 +3.28
666–674 670 2 357.50–385.00 $371.33 $2,488 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406–426 416 2 445.00–455.00 $450.12 $1,872 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
144 144 1 625.00 $625.00 $900 —
190 190 1 490.00 $490.00 $931 —
202–240 224 8 500.00–610.00 $551.91 $1,236 —
260–298 281 5 470.00–560.00 $505.21 $1,420 +13.86
302–342 324 7 450.00–490.00 $467.38 $1,514 -17.40
356–379 371 10 420.00–475.00 $451.83 $1,676 -15.55
400–448 429 13 400.00–450.00 $435.03 $1,866 -8.79
452–493 478 12 350.00–455.00 $398.34 $1,904 -5.29
508 value added 508 2 414.00 $414.00 $2,103 —
502–548 521 19 350.00–390.00 $367.50 $1,915 -3.96
558–580 573 5 375.00–400.00 $379.87 $2,177 +27.86
610–644 625 5 335.00–355.00 $345.04 $2,156 +0.13
660–690 678 5 335.00–345.00 $338.45 $2,295 +4.34
706–746 726 2 290.00–310.00 $299.72 $2,176 -16.84
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
204 204 1 365.00 $365.00 $745 —
278 278 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,195 —
374–392 385 3 300.00–330.00 $313.51 $1,207 —
406–414 410 2 320.00–350.00 $334.85 $1,373 —
460 460 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,380 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
228 228 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,094 —
356–388 367 3 400.00 $400.00 $1,468 —
426 426 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,491 —
626 626 1 275.00 $275.00 $1,722 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 276 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,076 —
320–340 330 2 370.00–380.00 $374.85 $1,237 —
388 388 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,358 —
440–444 442 2 350.00–380.00 $364.93 $1,613 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–396 378 2 405.00–410.00 $407.38 $1,540 —
490 490 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,568 —
606 606 1 285.00 $285.00 $1,727 —
670 670 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,809 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
60 60 1 800.00 $800.00 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 290 1 250.00 $250.00 $725 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
188 188 1 550.00 $550.00 $1,034 —
200–242 218 4 590.00–645.00 $627.00 $1,367 +18.19
252–298 274 7 550.00–590.00 $567.17 $1,554 -7.14
300–348 323 17 490.00–585.00 $542.41 $1,752 -4.73
360–392 378 9 450.00–515.00 $486.90 $1,840 -27.62
400–428 413 11 460.00–480.00 $474.50 $1,960 +8.68
450–494 473 9 420.00–470.00 $449.90 $2,128 -0.35
506–542 518 6 375.00–420.00 $388.96 $2,015 -25.71
564–594 582 7 352.50–410.00 $382.03 $2,223 -9.53
612–634 625 4 345.00–395.00 $373.46 $2,334 +10.33
626 value added 626 2 425.00 $425.00 $2,660 —
658 658 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,974 -43.38
700–736 715 3 290.00–327.50 $311.04 $2,224 -18.96
760 760 1 317.50 $317.50 $2,413 -10.50
842 842 1 280.00 $280.00 $2,358 -0.35
864 864 1 275.00 $275.00 $2,376 —
972 972 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,430 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
218 218 1 500.00 $500.00 $1,090 —
278 278 1 495.00 $495.00 $1,376 —
344 344 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,617 —
382–394 387 6 400.00–475.00 $439.24 $1,700 —
400–448 416 4 380.00–440.00 $416.45 $1,732 —
482 482 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,687 —
522–536 529 3 300.00–340.00 $320.18 $1,694 —
668 668 1 300.00 $300.00 $2,004 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
382 382 1 402.50 $402.50 $1,538 -18.32
458–466 462 2 370.00–400.00 $384.87 $1,778 +11.75
506–522 514 2 300.00–330.00 $315.23 $1,620 -14.77
552–576 564 2 310.00–375.00 $343.19 $1,936 -1.76
822 822 1 250.00 $250.00 $2,055 +5.78
944 944 1 230.00 $230.00 $2,171 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
206–224 215 2 380.00–410.00 $395.63 $851 —
266–284 275 2 370.00–415.00 $391.76 $1,077 —
314–330 322 2 385.00–440.00 $411.82 $1,326 —
350 350 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,330 —
404–432 418 2 390.00–422.50 $405.71 $1,696 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 284 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,278 —
428–444 436 2 390.00–400.00 $395.09 $1,723 —
456–472 465 3 350.00–380.00 $359.81 $1,673 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–314 310 2 300.00 $300.00 $930 —
364 364 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,092 —
428 428 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,241 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
70 70 1 1,050.00 $1,050.00 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
946–1088 1017 80-85% 7 157.50–187.00 $176.54 $1,795 —
950–1386 1162 80-85% 6 191.00–200.00 $195.85 $2,276 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
714–822 768 85-90% 2 90.00–107.00 $99.10 $761 —
804–1104 907 85-90% 3 113.00–125.00 $118.65 $1,076 —
804–1148 942 85-90% 7 135.00–157.50 $144.25 $1,359 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1462 1367 75-80% 7 182.50–200.00 $192.00 $2,625 +57.35
1418 1418 75-80% 1 155.00 $155.00 $2,198 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
998–1326 1157 4 187.50–200.00 $194.26 $2,248 —
1280–2220 1801 8 219.00–238.00 $224.89 $4,050 —

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Stock Cows

Small 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
744 744 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,116

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1216 1216 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 212.00 $212.00 $2,578

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
756 756 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,500.00 $2,500.00 —

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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.