Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 13, 2026 Corrected report

315 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $475.00/cwt +50.01 vs last sale · ≈ $1,800/hd at 379 lb · 15 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 bulls $312.73/cwt -22.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,920/hd at 614 lb · 11 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 315 204 329
Feeder cattle 176 164 294
Slaughter cattle 83 40 32
Replacement cattle 56 — 3

Market comments — USDA reporter

Extreme hot temperatures today, compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was plain to 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
420 420 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,911 —
464–470 467 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,798 -32.50
506–528 520 3 345.00–415.00 $379.55 $1,974 -30.51
591 591 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,128 +55.00
616 616 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,971 —
602–628 619 6 340.00–350.00 $346.76 $2,146 —
674 674 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,325 -9.84
718 718 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,226 —
750 750 2 351.00 $351.00 $2,632 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,617 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–276 269 2 400.00–420.00 $409.74 $1,102 +14.74
310–328 319 3 397.50–415.00 $404.30 $1,290 -0.90
379 value added 379 15 475.00 $475.00 $1,800 —
422–436 430 4 370.00–450.00 $400.90 $1,724 -11.95
468–492 481 4 355.00–395.00 $373.96 $1,799 +12.42
500–544 522 8 300.00–345.00 $324.54 $1,694 -16.14
574 574 1 302.50 $302.50 $1,736 -23.58
606–632 611 6 292.50–307.50 $300.85 $1,838 -32.84
666 666 1 300.00 $300.00 $1,998 -20.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312 312 1 345.00 $345.00 $1,076 +24.12
382 382 1 350.00 $350.00 $1,337 +50.00
460 460 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,472 -10.00
528–538 533 2 270.00–280.00 $274.95 $1,465 —
756 756 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,871 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–376 363 2 290.00–335.00 $311.69 $1,131 —
502–524 513 2 217.50–220.00 $218.72 $1,122 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 242 1 360.00 $360.00 $871 —
258 258 1 370.00 $370.00 $955 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316 316 1 245.00 $245.00 $774 —
364 364 1 205.00 $205.00 $746 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
202–248 231 4 430.00–475.00 $456.14 $1,054 -8.86
272 272 1 455.00 $455.00 $1,238 +37.63
314 314 1 450.00 $450.00 $1,413 +16.88
352–378 366 4 406.00–435.00 $417.65 $1,529 -13.26
402–434 422 5 395.00–435.00 $410.13 $1,731 -5.57
452–494 471 8 340.00–410.00 $378.51 $1,783 -21.13
508–548 529 8 315.00–365.00 $337.46 $1,785 -33.33
562–598 586 4 300.00–320.00 $306.33 $1,795 -50.60
610–630 614 11 300.00–350.00 $312.73 $1,920 -22.90
664–696 676 5 257.50–289.00 $277.97 $1,879 -57.01
722–748 733 3 235.00–260.00 $247.35 $1,813 —
776–798 783 3 242.50–310.00 $280.92 $2,200 -12.99
814 814 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,954 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
220–238 229 2 395.00–435.00 $414.21 $949 —
464–498 481 2 300.00–366.00 $331.83 $1,596 -25.67
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 1 330.00 $330.00 $1,300 —
416–446 431 2 300.00–330.00 $314.48 $1,355 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
942–1494 1171 80-85% 43 150.00–165.00 $155.42 $1,820 -26.62
1212 1212 80-85% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,697 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1056 1008 85-90% 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,210 —
794–1324 1057 85-90% 26 130.00–150.00 $141.67 $1,497 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1248–1656 1406 75-80% 8 150.00–170.00 $160.77 $2,260 +15.25

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1106–2378 1742 2 186.00–200.00 $195.56 $3,407 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
916 916 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,809
924–1074 1030 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 16 205.00–235.00 $219.86 $2,265
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
862 862 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,810

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1006–1284 1074 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 215.00–309.00 $272.01 $2,921
1054–1424 1173 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 165.00–210.00 $190.70 $2,237
1068–1372 1190 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 195.00–220.00 $210.33 $2,503
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
928 928 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 200.00 $200.00

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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
1030 1030 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 2,600.00 $2,600.00 —
1158 1158 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00 —
1156–1176 1166 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 3,200.00–3,350.00 $3,275.64 —
1200 1200 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 1 3,150.00 $3,150.00 —

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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.