Name: Smithfield Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-03-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Feeder cattle were slightly lower. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were heavy. Cattle quality was average.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $438.46/cwt on 26 head, up $41.49 from the prior sale (only 11 head in that comparison). That ranks 13 of 15 comparable sales and sits +22.27 against this barn's trailing median of $416.18.

Average price

$438.46

▲ 41.49 vs prior sale

26 head · 547 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,396

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$306

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

$55.59/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−10.76

vs NC average

−39.63 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	547	440.59	2,408	25
Medium and Large 2	546	385.00	2,102	1thin

One grade step is worth $55.59/cwt here — about $306 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

15 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $455.86, low $361.83, median $416.18 across 15 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 sale26 hd

438.46

—

NC average9 barns · 195 hd

449.21

−10.76

National average173 barns · 11,948 hd

478.09

−39.63

This barn, trailing median15 sales

416.18

+22.27

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	1,538	201.23	3,096	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,191	181.57	2,162	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,449	166.34	2,410	4thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	968	137.67	1,332	12

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	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,128	$1,650	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	822	$1,600	1thin

Every lot, as filed

101 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
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	596	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,788	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	400–450	404	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,899	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	632	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,022	1
Heifers	Small 1	450–500	466	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,282	1
Heifers	Small 1	350–400	364	309.18/cwt	280.00–350.00	1,125	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	678	325.83/cwt	285.00–350.00	2,209	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	471	432.60/cwt	405.00–455.00	2,038	17
Bulls	Small 1	500–550	502	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,280	1
Bulls	Medium 1	350–400	367	405.20/cwt	400.00–410.00	1,487	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	425	445.33/cwt	420.00–500.00	1,893	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	628	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,821	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	482	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,446	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	370.12/cwt	345.00–390.00	2,124	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	395.73/cwt	365.00–430.00	2,062	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	974	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	2,021	1
Bulls	Medium 1	500–550	536	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,715	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	474	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,706	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	377	460.13/cwt	440.00–485.00	1,735	19
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	278	476.34/cwt	450.00–510.00	1,324	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	329	484.86/cwt	450.00–540.00	1,595	9
Bulls	Small 1	550–600	574	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,464	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	714	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,142	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	312.63/cwt	300.00–325.00	2,370	2
Bulls	Medium 1	600–650	629	309.01/cwt	300.00–317.50	1,944	2
Bulls	Medium 1	700–750	716	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,790	1
Bulls	Medium 1	300–350	331	420.79/cwt	400.00–440.00	1,393	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	336	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,378	1
Bulls	Small 1	400–450	412	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,442	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	824	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	2,451	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	666	327.32/cwt	300.00–350.00	2,180	5
Bulls	Medium 1	400–450	430	409.67/cwt	400.00–420.00	1,762	3
Bulls	Medium 1	650–700	664	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,992	1
Bulls	Small 1	350–400	382	314.82/cwt	275.00–365.00	1,203	4
Bulls	Medium 1	550–600	592	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,894	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	239	474.90/cwt	470.00–480.00	1,135	2
Bulls	Small 1	450–500	473	294.97/cwt	290.00–300.00	1,395	2
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,128	1,650.00/head	1,650.00–1,650.00	1,650	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Small 1-2	—	822	1,600.00/head	1,600.00–1,600.00	1,600	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	955	248.12/cwt	230.00–275.00	2,370	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,139	230.50/cwt	226.00–235.00	2,625	2
Stock Cows	Small 1-2	—	630	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,418	1
Bulls	—	—	998	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,647	1
Bulls	—	—	1,418	195.69/cwt	177.00–212.50	2,775	11
Bulls	—	—	1,849	217.43/cwt	215.00–225.00	4,020	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,201	173.88/cwt	165.00–180.00	2,088	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	578	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,907	1
Bulls	Medium 1Fleshy	450–500	452	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,718	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,175	193.11/cwt	185.00–200.00	2,269	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	500–550	504	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,613	1
Bulls	Medium 2	450–500	462	357.52/cwt	355.00–360.00	1,652	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	432	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,771	1
Bulls	Medium 1	450–500	464	368.00/cwt	368.00–368.00	1,708	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	431	474.32/cwt	457.50–500.00	2,044	4
Dairy Steers	Small 3	250–300	270	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	648	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	568	385.21/cwt	370.00–400.00	2,188	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	802	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,566	1
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	472	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,463	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	550–600	560	449.00/cwt	449.00–449.00	2,514	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	800–850	808	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	2,755	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	500–550	532	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,527	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	770	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,426	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	658	367.00/cwt	367.00–367.00	2,415	2
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	519	317.40/cwt	290.00–365.00	1,647	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	523	432.18/cwt	405.00–465.00	2,260	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	626	367.90/cwt	355.00–400.00	2,303	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	766	347.34/cwt	330.00–362.50	2,661	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	700	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,520	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	550–600	573	381.00/cwt	381.00–381.00	2,183	14
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	433	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,732	3
Heifers	Medium 2	550–600	554	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,496	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	546	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,102	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	650–700	697	388.99/cwt	384.00–389.50	2,711	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	472	456.23/cwt	440.00–470.00	2,153	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	894	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,235	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	436	432.93/cwt	417.50–460.00	1,888	8
Heifers	Medium 1	250–300	252	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,033	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	400	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,520	1
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	766	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,838	1
Heifers	Medium 1	800–850	808	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,060	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	275	421.68/cwt	400.00–445.00	1,160	4
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	452	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,582	1
Heifers	Medium 2	700–750	712	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,424	1
Heifers	Medium 1	650–700	682	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,046	1
Heifers	Medium 1	300–350	333	404.86/cwt	400.00–410.00	1,348	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	432.38/cwt	355.00–460.00	2,019	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	523	367.61/cwt	340.00–402.50	1,923	19
Heifers	Small 1	300–350	323	331.80/cwt	290.00–350.00	1,072	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	802	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	2,366	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	580	357.32/cwt	340.00–375.00	2,072	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,464	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	321	428.69/cwt	420.00–447.50	1,376	3
Heifers	Small 1	400–450	436	331.90/cwt	300.00–350.00	1,447	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	233	446.91/cwt	440.00–460.00	1,041	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	378	435.45/cwt	400.00–460.00	1,646	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	717	309.93/cwt	290.00–335.00	2,222	6
Heifers	Small 1	600–650	630	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,386	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	621	345.69/cwt	312.50–360.00	2,147	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,449	166.34/cwt	159.00–173.00	2,410	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	988	143.18/cwt	130.00–150.00	1,415	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	919	118.92/cwt	115.00–120.00	1,093	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,005	158.67/cwt	157.50–160.00	1,595	2

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 26, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 488Last week 282Year ago 350

Slaughter CattleReceipts 76Last week 40Year ago 52

Replacement CattleReceipts 10Last week 1Year ago 10

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	400	380.00	380.00
1	450–500	482	300.00	300.00
1	550–600	596	300.00	300.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
1	400–450	404	470.00	470.00
14	550–600	573	381.00	381.00
Heifers — Small 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	300–350	323	290.00–350.00	331.80
3	350–400	364	280.00–350.00	309.18
3	400–450	436	300.00–350.00	331.90
1	450–500	466	275.00	275.00
1	600–650	630	220.00	220.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	200–250	233	440.00–460.00	446.91
4	250–300	275	400.00–445.00	421.68
3	300–350	321	420.00–447.50	428.69
12	350–400	378	400.00–460.00	435.45
8	400–450	436	417.50–460.00	432.93
24	450–500	467	355.00–460.00	432.38
19	500–550	523	340.00–402.50	367.61
2	550–600	580	340.00–375.00	357.32
10	600–650	621	312.50–360.00	345.69
4	650–700	678	285.00–350.00	325.83
6	700–750	717	290.00–335.00	309.93
1	750–800	758	325.00	325.00
1	800–850	802	295.00	295.00
1	850–900	894	250.00	250.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
1	600–650	628	290.00	290.00
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	472	310.00	310.00
1	550–600	554	270.00	270.00
1	700–750	712	200.00	200.00
Heifers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	252	410.00	410.00
3	300–350	333	400.00–410.00	404.86
3	400–450	433	400.00	400.00
1	450–500	452	350.00	350.00
3	500–550	519	290.00–365.00	317.40
1	650–700	682	300.00	300.00
1	750–800	766	240.00	240.00
1	800–850	808	255.00	255.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	239	470.00–480.00	474.90
6	250–300	278	450.00–510.00	476.34
9	300–350	329	450.00–540.00	484.86
19	350–400	377	440.00–485.00	460.13
14	400–450	425	420.00–500.00	445.33
17	450–500	471	405.00–455.00	432.60
7	500–550	521	365.00–430.00	395.73
9	550–600	574	345.00–390.00	370.12
1	600–650	632	320.00	320.00
5	650–700	666	300.00–350.00	327.32
2	700–750	714	300.00	300.00
2	750–800	758	300.00–325.00	312.63
1	800–850	824	297.50	297.50
1	950–1000	974	207.50	207.50
Bulls — Small 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	350–400	382	275.00–365.00	314.82
1	400–450	412	350.00	350.00
2	450–500	473	290.00–300.00	294.97
1	500–550	502	255.00	255.00
1	550–600	574	255.00	255.00
Bulls — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	300–350	331	400.00–440.00	420.79
2	350–400	367	400.00–410.00	405.20
3	400–450	430	400.00–420.00	409.67
1	450–500	464	368.00	368.00
1	500–550	536	320.00	320.00
1	550–600	592	320.00	320.00
2	600–650	629	300.00–317.50	309.01
1	650–700	664	300.00	300.00
1	700–750	716	250.00	250.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	300–350	336	410.00	410.00
1	400–450	432	410.00	410.00
1	450–500	474	360.00	360.00
1	500–550	504	320.00	320.00
1	550–600	578	330.00	330.00
Bulls — Medium 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	452	380.00	380.00
Bulls — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	450–500	462	355.00–360.00	357.52
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	431	457.50–500.00	474.32
21	450–500	472	440.00–470.00	456.23
8	500–550	523	405.00–465.00	432.18
2	550–600	568	370.00–400.00	385.21
12	600–650	626	355.00–400.00	367.90
2	650–700	658	367.00	367.00
1	700–750	700	360.00	360.00
4	750–800	766	330.00–362.50	347.34
1	800–850	802	320.00	320.00
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Value Added$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	532	475.00	475.00
13	550–600	560	449.00	449.00
84	650–700	697	384.00–389.50	388.99
9	800–850	808	341.00	341.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	500–550	546	385.00	385.00
1	750–800	770	315.00	315.00
Dairy Steers — Small 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	270	240.00	240.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cow-Calf Pairs — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,128	1,650.00	1,650.00
Cow-Calf Pairs — Small 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	822	1,600.00	1,600.00
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	4	—	955	230.00–275.00	248.12
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,139	226.00–235.00	230.50
Stock Cows — Small 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	630	225.00	225.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	998	165.00	165.00
11	—	1,418	177.00–212.50	195.69
6	—	1,849	215.00–225.00	217.43
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	1,201	165.00–180.00	173.88
4	—	1,175	185.00–200.00	193.11
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,449	159.00–173.00	166.34
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
6	—	988	130.00–150.00	143.18
4	—	919	115.00–120.00	118.92
2	—	1,005	157.50–160.00	158.67

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

Steers · 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

Replacement Cattle

Slaughter Cattle