Cattle Market Pulse

Powell Livestock Market Report, Smithfield, NC

Smithfield, North Carolina · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 17, 2026 Corrected report

277 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $321.63/cwt +0.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,685/hd at 524 lb · 16 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 bulls $319.46/cwt +2.07 vs last sale · ≈ $1,827/hd at 572 lb · 11 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $289.46/cwt -26.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,657/hd at 573 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 277 369 557
Feeder cattle 220 335 479
Slaughter cattle 55 34 68
Replacement cattle 2 — 10

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 lower. Feeder cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light. 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
434 434 1 385.00 $385.00 $1,671 —
454–472 465 5 350.00–390.00 $364.56 $1,695 +14.56
522–542 532 2 342.50–350.00 $346.18 $1,842 +9.52
557–594 569 6 325.00–346.00 $338.70 $1,927 —
612–626 619 2 312.50–325.00 $318.68 $1,973 —
760–792 764 9 291.50–302.50 $292.77 $2,237 -17.23
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 1 345.00 $345.00 $1,504 —
522 522 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,514 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,316 —
540 540 1 247.50 $247.50 $1,336 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
704 704 1 282.50 $282.50 $1,989 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
210–248 229 2 390.00–435.00 $410.63 $940 -10.94
260–290 274 7 380.00–405.00 $389.93 $1,068 -3.50
314 314 2 380.00–385.00 $382.50 $1,201 +9.87
362–398 385 4 350.00–380.00 $367.41 $1,415 -6.57
406–446 431 9 320.00–370.00 $335.96 $1,448 -38.10
454–498 470 5 320.00–330.00 $324.93 $1,527 -20.82
500–544 520 7 300.00–330.00 $317.37 $1,650 -6.23
560–575 571 6 287.50–315.00 $302.01 $1,724 -14.13
572 572 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,602 -36.14
576 576 3 267.50 $267.50 $1,541 -48.64
744 744 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,897 —
754 754 1 232.50 $232.50 $1,753 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334 334 1 315.00 $315.00 $1,052 -29.46
410 410 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,271 —
666 666 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,449 —
706 706 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,412 —
794 794 1 215.00 $215.00 $1,707 —
868 868 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,779 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
404 404 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,010 —
498 498 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,245 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
446 446 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,249 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 1 205.00 $205.00 $775 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
200–248 226 5 390.00–460.00 $438.51 $991 +5.25
258–290 268 4 420.00–435.00 $427.74 $1,146 +15.33
300–348 318 6 380.00–430.00 $399.56 $1,271 -3.00
362–384 372 7 370.00–410.00 $399.41 $1,486 +18.84
408–430 419 4 387.50–410.00 $396.74 $1,662 +41.80
454–490 472 8 320.00–385.00 $351.92 $1,661 +16.85
506–540 524 16 290.00–350.00 $321.63 $1,685 +0.79
560–596 572 11 310.00–345.00 $319.46 $1,827 +2.07
600–630 609 8 280.00–320.00 $298.55 $1,818 -3.00
654–678 668 5 240.00–315.00 $282.59 $1,888 +7.63
692 692 1 220.00 $220.00 $1,522 -54.96
712–738 720 4 237.50–270.00 $255.66 $1,841 -14.34
756–764 759 3 247.50–257.50 $254.14 $1,929 -18.36
900–912 904 3 183.00–200.00 $194.36 $1,757 —
1020 1020 1 200.00 $200.00 $2,040 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
264 264 1 390.00 $390.00 $1,030 —
320 320 1 380.00 $380.00 $1,216 +14.51
452–476 464 2 280.00–320.00 $300.52 $1,394 -26.19
530 530 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,484 —
570 570 1 287.50 $287.50 $1,639 —
640 640 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,664 -15.00
709–734 722 2 200.00–210.00 $204.91 $1,479 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300 300 1 310.00 $310.00 $930 —
350–392 376 4 300.00–310.00 $302.58 $1,138 —
400 400 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,160 -25.00
454 454 1 280.00 $280.00 $1,271 —
846 846 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,438 —
866 866 1 200.00 $200.00 $1,732 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358–360 359 2 340.00–350.00 $344.99 $1,239 +14.95
434 434 1 320.00 $320.00 $1,389 -9.95
490 490 1 310.00 $310.00 $1,519 -10.93
580 580 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,566 -5.00
872 872 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,482 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268–296 277 3 245.00–265.00 $252.12 $698 —
404 404 1 270.00 $270.00 $1,091 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
582 582 1 250.00 $250.00 $1,455 -20.00
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 1 167.50 $167.50 $851 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
748–1260 950 85-90% 8 100.00–120.00 $109.51 $1,040 —
808–1182 995 85-90% 2 90.00–92.50 $91.48 $910 —
788–1346 1078 85-90% 11 125.00–140.00 $132.14 $1,424 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
964 964 80-85% 1 170.00 $170.00 $1,639 —
1130 1130 80-85% 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,526 —
934–1342 1172 80-85% 9 140.00–160.00 $147.87 $1,733 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1178–1712 1402 75-80% 4 110.00–135.00 $127.33 $1,785 —
1334–1604 1445 75-80% 5 140.00–150.00 $142.07 $2,053 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1052 1029 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,646 —
974–1822 1511 6 177.50–200.00 $189.41 $2,862 —
2246 2246 1 210.00 $210.00 $4,717 —

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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
1214 1214 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 2,700.00 $2,700.00 —
Small 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
794 794 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 1 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —

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Dairy Steers

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
344 344 1 167.50 $167.50 $576 —
530 530 1 160.00 $160.00 $848 —

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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.