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Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 23, 2026

463 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $382.61/cwt +44.16 vs last sale · ≈ $2,545/hd at 665 lb · 68 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $507.87/cwt +20.97 vs last sale · ≈ $1,899/hd at 374 lb · 17 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $441.73/cwt +6.70 vs last sale · ≈ $1,869/hd at 423 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 463 407 337
Feeder cattle 403 357 296
Slaughter cattle 56 47 41
Replacement cattle 4 3 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. 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
352 value added 352 8 562.00 $562.00 $1,978 —
388 388 2 530.00 $530.00 $2,056 +5.00
406–423 417 3 467.50–490.00 $474.80 $1,980 -15.20
423 value added 423 9 507.00 $507.00 $2,145 —
468–492 483 3 445.00–465.00 $453.37 $2,190 -6.63
519–546 524 8 400.00–460.00 $430.98 $2,258 +0.92
552–555 555 7 420.00–438.00 $435.44 $2,417 -16.36
623–632 625 4 381.00–387.50 $382.64 $2,392 -15.38
698 698 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,583 -1.33
708 708 1 367.50 $367.50 $2,602 —
750 750 2 357.50 $357.50 $2,681 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290–294 292 2 470.00–510.00 $490.14 $1,431 -15.07
300–348 326 14 445.00–495.00 $465.63 $1,518 -1.75
352–388 372 9 420.00–475.00 $453.98 $1,689 +2.15
374 value added 374 5 488.00 $488.00 $1,825 —
402–446 423 16 400.00–472.50 $441.73 $1,869 +6.70
452–496 472 16 380.00–445.00 $410.52 $1,938 +12.18
502–546 514 7 355.00–400.00 $380.36 $1,955 +12.86
529 value added 529 4 425.00 $425.00 $2,248 +11.00
552–590 573 11 350.00–385.00 $369.42 $2,117 -10.45
620–644 634 9 340.00–360.00 $351.17 $2,226 +6.13
665 value added 665 60 386.25 $386.25 $2,569 —
654–692 666 8 330.00–370.00 $355.33 $2,366 +16.88
792 792 1 305.00 $305.00 $2,416 —
823–826 825 2 290.00–310.00 $299.98 $2,475 —
842 842 1 255.00 $255.00 $2,147 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436–446 441 2 365.00–380.00 $372.59 $1,643 +7.66
464–476 470 2 350.00 $350.00 $1,645 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–398 379 2 350.00–355.00 $352.37 $1,335 +38.86
422–436 429 2 345.00–350.00 $347.46 $1,491 +12.61
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 470.00 $470.00 $1,137 -10.00
452–484 468 2 380.00–400.00 $389.66 $1,824 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 296 1 360.00 $360.00 $1,066 +110.00
394 394 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,261 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
430 430 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,505 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–346 323 13 480.00–565.00 $522.90 $1,689 -19.51
356–398 374 17 475.00–535.00 $507.87 $1,899 +20.97
400–442 418 14 460.00–505.00 $478.68 $2,001 +4.18
456–492 482 8 415.00–470.00 $437.21 $2,107 -12.69
510–542 524 9 370.00–420.00 $402.51 $2,109 +13.55
556–596 576 2 370.00–380.00 $374.83 $2,159 -7.20
604–648 628 7 350.00–370.00 $359.60 $2,258 -13.86
678 678 1 337.50 $337.50 $2,288 +37.50
700–718 709 6 320.00–352.50 $340.38 $2,413 +29.34
754–782 767 3 332.50–350.00 $339.14 $2,601 +21.64
814–824 819 3 250.00–260.00 $253.36 $2,075 -26.64
850–860 856 3 250.00–265.00 $258.31 $2,211 -16.69
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366 366 1 460.00 $460.00 $1,684 +57.50
408–420 414 2 420.00–450.00 $435.22 $1,802 —
512–544 535 4 320.00–360.00 $335.92 $1,797 +20.69
574 574 1 370.00 $370.00 $2,124 +26.81
750–760 755 2 250.00–290.00 $269.87 $2,038 —
906 906 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,812 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
392 392 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,646 -19.24
422 422 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,899 +33.55
486 486 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,041 +70.00
506–532 522 4 370.00–385.00 $376.92 $1,968 +56.74
564 564 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,974 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
150 150 1 465.00 $465.00 $698 —
410–442 421 3 370.00–435.00 $402.51 $1,695 +7.42
468–484 477 3 325.00–390.00 $358.41 $1,710 -1.40
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 350.00 $350.00 $945 —
318 318 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,018 +20.00
360 360 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,260 +50.00
408 408 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,387 +50.00
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
464 464 2 365.00 $365.00 $1,694 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
402 402 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,508 -30.71
474 474 1 340.00 $340.00 $1,612 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
714–1006 914 85-90% 7 110.00–130.00 $124.83 $1,141 +6.18
934 934 85-90% 1 100.00 $100.00 $934 -44.25
774–1242 1038 85-90% 8 135.00–172.50 $155.38 $1,613 —
1124–1230 1177 85-90% 2 174.00–175.00 $174.48 $2,054 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1244 1090 80-85% 10 172.00–190.00 $179.15 $1,953 —
1008–1330 1192 80-85% 5 192.50–200.00 $195.71 $2,333 -0.14
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1232–1710 1477 75-80% 6 173.00–196.00 $184.74 $2,729 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1074–1402 1238 2 122.50–172.50 $144.19 $1,785 —
1084–1646 1315 6 182.50–221.00 $204.32 $2,687 —
1256–1850 1635 4 224.00–230.00 $226.80 $3,708 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815 815 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,630

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
924 924 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,600.00 $3,600.00 —
1004 1004 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 3,000.00 $3,000.00 —
1266 1266 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 4,300.00 $4,300.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 1 360.00 $360.00 $972 —
404 404 1 400.00 $400.00 $1,616 —

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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.