Name: Smithfield Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-03-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-12

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 2.00 to 4.00 higher. Feeder cattle were 15.00 to 20.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was plain to average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $315.31/cwt on 23 head, down $54.98 from the prior sale. That ranks 4 of 27 comparable sales and sits −46.82 against this barn's trailing median of $362.13.

Average price

$315.31

▼ 54.98 vs prior sale

23 head · 545 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,719

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$259

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2

$50.80/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−44.30

vs NC average

−98.47 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	540	325.80	1,761	18thin
Medium 1	573	279.24	1,601	3thin
Medium and Large 2	546	275.00	1,502	2thin

One grade step is worth $50.80/cwt here — about $259 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

27 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $397.67, low $291.28, median $362.13 across 27 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale23 hd

315.31

—

NC average9 barns · 318 hd

359.61

−44.30

National average182 barns · 10,991 hd

413.78

−98.47

This barn, trailing median27 sales

362.13

−46.82

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Low	1,504	179.44	2,699	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,145	160.59	1,839	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,355	153.70	2,083	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	984	129.24	1,272	11

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age

Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	642	$1,450	1thin

Every lot, as filed

77 lots · USDA AMS · Powell Livestock Market - Smithfield, NC

Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	300–350	312	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	920	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	529	311.51/cwt	300.00–330.00	1,648	3
Bulls	Medium 2	350–400	374	346.68/cwt	340.00–350.00	1,297	3
Bulls	Medium 2	300–350	326	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,141	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	416	354.71/cwt	340.00–370.00	1,476	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	400–450	426	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,278	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	394.77/cwt	390.00–400.00	2,073	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	234	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,193	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	600–650	612	314.00/cwt	314.00–314.00	1,922	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	384	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,997	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	650	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	2,282	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	350–400	352	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,936	1
Heifers	Medium 2	700–750	714	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,678	1
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	423	330.80/cwt	300.00–350.00	1,399	3
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	536	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,394	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	500–550	515	412.50/cwt	412.50–412.50	2,124	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	550–600	561	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	2,174	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	300–350	318	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,749	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	429	456.03/cwt	427.50–480.00	1,956	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	379	433.98/cwt	420.00–470.00	1,645	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	273	416.83/cwt	405.00–435.00	1,138	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	576	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,498	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	409	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,432	2
Heifers	Medium 2	600–650	648	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,620	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	664	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,859	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	227	427.38/cwt	425.00–430.00	970	2
Heifers	Medium 1	300–350	346	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,384	1
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	692	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,695	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	575	336.71/cwt	307.50–351.00	1,936	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,568	1
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	629	263.60/cwt	257.50–270.00	1,658	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	326	423.51/cwt	415.00–430.00	1,381	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	718	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,939	1
Heifers	Medium 2	250–300	268	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	911	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	466	435.26/cwt	400.00–455.00	2,028	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	519	324.92/cwt	290.00–351.00	1,686	11
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	730	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,679	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	662	295.05/cwt	290.00–300.00	1,953	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,121	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,345	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	933	132.71/cwt	127.50–142.50	1,238	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,355	153.70/cwt	152.50–155.00	2,083	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,116	155.01/cwt	145.00–167.50	1,730	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,130	176.02/cwt	172.50–185.00	1,989	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,347	134.46/cwt	130.00–139.00	1,811	2
Bulls	—	—	1,280	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	1,888	1
Bulls	—	—	1,560	187.43/cwt	165.00–196.50	2,924	4
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	890	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,602	2
Bred Heifers	Small 1-2	—	689	179.00/cwt	179.00–179.00	1,233	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Small 2	—	642	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	1
Bulls	Small 1	400–450	442	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,326	1
Bulls	Small 1	350–400	366	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,263	1
Bulls	Small 1	200–250	244	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	817	1
Bulls	Medium 1	350–400	390	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,560	1
Bulls	Medium 1	250–300	292	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,183	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	210	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	903	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	430	440.90/cwt	427.50–455.00	1,896	13
Bulls	Medium 1	200–250	212	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	848	1
Bulls	Medium 2	400–450	422	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,540	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	623	344.73/cwt	295.00–370.00	2,148	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	587	342.31/cwt	320.00–365.00	2,009	2
Bulls	Small 1	600–650	600	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,110	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	492	323.41/cwt	300.00–350.00	1,591	3
Bulls	Medium 2	850–900	864	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,728	1
Bulls	Medium 2	450–500	450	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,620	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	273	442.53/cwt	440.00–445.00	1,208	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	363	508.01/cwt	460.00–535.00	1,844	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	325	481.96/cwt	440.00–540.00	1,566	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	516	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,496	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	550–600	568	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,534	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	540	364.98/cwt	360.00–370.00	1,971	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	673	331.04/cwt	325.00–350.00	2,228	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	600–650	646	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,873	1
Bulls	Medium 1	500–550	524	331.20/cwt	290.00–375.00	1,735	2
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	592	288.86/cwt	277.50–300.00	1,710	2
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	356	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,424	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	466	432.39/cwt	390.00–445.00	2,015	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	623	306.27/cwt	300.00–307.50	1,908	6

How this sale compares

North Carolina weighted averages

One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every North Carolina auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.

North Carolina feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →

Powell Livestock Market - Smithfield, NC

Thu Mar 12, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Raleigh, NC (RA-LS)

Feeder CattleReceipts 296Last week 386Year ago 355

Slaughter CattleReceipts 44Last week 72Year ago 60

Replacement CattleReceipts 4Last week 10Year ago 0

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	312	295.00	295.00
2	400–450	426	300.00	300.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	416	340.00–370.00	354.71
3	450–500	492	300.00–350.00	323.41
3	500–550	529	300.00–330.00	311.51
1	600–650	646	290.00	290.00
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	326	350.00	350.00
3	350–400	374	340.00–350.00	346.68
1	400–450	422	365.00	365.00
1	450–500	450	360.00	360.00
1	850–900	864	200.00	200.00
Bulls — Small 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	244	335.00	335.00
1	350–400	366	345.00	345.00
1	400–450	442	300.00	300.00
1	600–650	600	185.00	185.00
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	212	400.00	400.00
1	250–300	292	405.00	405.00
1	350–400	390	400.00	400.00
2	500–550	524	290.00–375.00	331.20
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	210	430.00	430.00
2	250–300	273	440.00–445.00	442.53
9	300–350	325	440.00–540.00	481.96
9	350–400	363	460.00–535.00	508.01
13	400–450	430	427.50–455.00	440.90
15	450–500	466	390.00–445.00	432.39
2	500–550	540	360.00–370.00	364.98
2	550–600	587	320.00–365.00	342.31
3	600–650	623	295.00–370.00	344.73
4	650–700	673	325.00–350.00	331.04
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	234	510.00	510.00
2	350–400	384	520.00	520.00
4	500–550	525	390.00–400.00	394.77
3	650–700	650	351.00	351.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	318	550.00	550.00
1	350–400	352	550.00	550.00
3	500–550	515	412.50	412.50
4	550–600	561	387.50	387.50
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
13	600–650	612	314.00	314.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	268	340.00	340.00
3	400–450	423	300.00–350.00	330.80
1	600–650	648	250.00	250.00
1	700–750	714	235.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	346	400.00	400.00
1	350–400	356	400.00	400.00
1	500–550	536	260.00	260.00
2	550–600	592	277.50–300.00	288.86
2	600–650	629	257.50–270.00	263.60
1	650–700	692	245.00	245.00
1	700–750	730	230.00	230.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	227	425.00–430.00	427.38
6	250–300	273	405.00–435.00	416.83
7	300–350	326	415.00–430.00	423.51
4	350–400	379	420.00–470.00	433.98
12	400–450	429	427.50–480.00	456.03
11	450–500	466	400.00–455.00	435.26
11	500–550	519	290.00–351.00	324.92
6	550–600	575	307.50–351.00	336.71
6	600–650	623	300.00–307.50	306.27
2	650–700	662	290.00–300.00	295.05
1	700–750	718	270.00	270.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	409	350.00	350.00
1	450–500	490	320.00	320.00
1	500–550	516	290.00	290.00
1	550–600	576	260.00	260.00
1	650–700	664	280.00	280.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
1	550–600	568	270.00	270.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,121	120.00	120.00
8	—	933	127.50–142.50	132.71
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,355	152.50–155.00	153.70
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,116	145.00–167.50	155.01
7	—	1,130	172.50–185.00	176.02
2	—	1,347	130.00–139.00	134.46
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,280	147.50	147.50
4	—	1,560	165.00–196.50	187.43

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	890	180.00	180.00
Bred Heifers — Small 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	—	689	179.00	179.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Small 2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	642	1,450.00	1,450.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.

Feeder Cattle — prices, barns, and planning

Fed Cattle — the cash market and what quality pays

Beef & Retail — from the box to the grocery shelf

Feed & Hay — the cost side, cash not futures

Cows & Bred Stock — the rebuild market

More

Smithfield Livestock Auction

Reporter comment USDA

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

What quality paid 500–600 lb

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

How it compared 500–600 lb

Slaughter cattle

Replacement cattle Per head

Every lot, as filed

How this sale compares

Powell Livestock Market - Smithfield, NC

Feeder Cattle

Slaughter Cattle

Replacement Cattle