Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 20, 2026 Corrected report

265 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $397.88/cwt -77.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,484/hd at 373 lb · 12 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $400.73/cwt -0.17 vs last sale · ≈ $1,683/hd at 420 lb · 11 head
light 3-weight M&L 1 bulls $423.06/cwt -26.94 vs last sale · ≈ $1,400/hd at 331 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 265 315 425
Feeder cattle 237 176 388
Slaughter cattle 28 83 37
Replacement cattle — 56 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were mostly steady while others were mixed. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light. 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
290 290 1 420.00 $420.00 $1,218 —
354–399 381 6 405.00–435.00 $419.52 $1,598 —
436 436 1 426.00 $426.00 $1,857 -29.00
468–474 470 7 355.00–391.00 $369.46 $1,736 -15.54
508–542 526 6 345.00–360.00 $352.57 $1,855 -26.98
560–598 578 3 330.00–345.00 $338.17 $1,955 -21.83
638 638 2 315.00–320.00 $317.50 $2,026 -29.26
676–694 685 2 312.50–325.00 $318.67 $2,183 -26.33
758–768 763 2 285.00–305.00 $294.93 $2,250 -56.07
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 1 305.00 $305.00 $1,135 —
750 750 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,575 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
454 454 1 335.00 $335.00 $1,521 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200 200 1 440.00 $440.00 $880 —
290–294 292 2 385.00–405.00 $395.07 $1,154 -14.67
308–342 332 6 370.00–420.00 $392.59 $1,303 -11.71
354–394 373 12 370.00–430.00 $397.88 $1,484 —
400–436 420 11 375.00–410.00 $400.73 $1,683 -0.17
450–494 470 6 325.00–400.00 $372.65 $1,751 -1.31
506 506 1 325.00 $325.00 $1,644 +0.46
560–596 581 6 285.00–320.00 $304.03 $1,766 +1.53
628–648 638 2 270.00–315.00 $292.15 $1,864 -8.70
670 670 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,809 -30.00
738 738 1 242.50 $242.50 $1,790 —
764 764 1 240.00 $240.00 $1,834 —
908 908 1 222.50 $222.50 $2,020 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
250–298 280 4 340.00–365.00 $353.73 $990 -16.27
314 314 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,115 —
368–396 382 2 340.00–365.00 $352.96 $1,348 —
440 440 1 348.00 $348.00 $1,531 —
450 450 2 320.00–350.00 $335.00 $1,508 —
568–598 581 3 270.00–290.00 $279.83 $1,626 —
604 604 2 220.00–250.00 $235.00 $1,419 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
246 246 1 240.00 $240.00 $590 —
276 276 1 260.00 $260.00 $718 —
398 398 1 265.00 $265.00 $1,055 +60.00
400 400 1 245.00 $245.00 $980 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–232 216 2 460.00–480.00 $470.74 $1,017 +14.60
276–296 286 2 430.00–435.00 $432.41 $1,237 -22.59
304–347 331 10 415.00–426.00 $423.06 $1,400 -26.94
350–396 370 9 380.00–430.00 $401.46 $1,485 -16.19
416–448 430 8 380.00–410.00 $397.39 $1,709 -12.74
456–496 479 7 305.00–361.00 $344.18 $1,649 -34.33
504–546 525 8 320.00–345.00 $332.71 $1,747 -4.75
552–592 575 5 315.00–330.00 $321.91 $1,851 +15.58
604–646 622 8 280.00–320.00 $295.51 $1,838 -17.22
650–676 663 2 272.50–330.00 $300.69 $1,994 +22.72
704–738 721 2 252.50–270.00 $261.04 $1,882 +13.69
778–794 785 3 240.00–250.00 $245.80 $1,930 -35.12
978 978 1 190.00 $190.00 $1,858 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350–398 376 5 345.00–365.00 $353.07 $1,328 —
424–434 429 2 350.00–360.00 $354.94 $1,523 —
450–488 465 3 320.00–340.00 $328.19 $1,526 -3.64
552–598 568 3 280.00–310.00 $292.97 $1,664 —
704–716 710 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,420 —
764 764 1 197.50 $197.50 $1,509 —
Medium and Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
246 246 1 320.00 $320.00 $787 —
350–378 364 2 300.00–320.00 $309.62 $1,127 —
406–448 425 3 280.00–300.00 $292.98 $1,245 —
460–489 475 5 295.00–310.00 $302.08 $1,435 —
550–572 561 2 305.00–310.00 $307.55 $1,725 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
376 376 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,053 —
434 434 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,215 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
946 946 80-85% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,324 —
1010–1394 1159 80-85% 7 152.50–172.50 $160.86 $1,864 +5.44
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 85-90% 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,232 —
888–890 889 85-90% 2 110.00 $110.00 $978 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1350 1290 75-80% 2 156.00–165.00 $160.71 $2,073 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1184–1510 1347 2 145.00–148.00 $146.32 $1,971 —
1000–1850 1430 4 185.50–200.00 $194.73 $2,785 —
1584 1584 1 211.00 $211.00 $3,342 —

↑ Back to top

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.