Sale reports / North Carolina / Smithfield Livestock Auction / 2026-04-16

Smithfield Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Smithfield, North Carolina · Thu, Apr 16
● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2094
Feeder Cattle receipts
357 head
27 vs last sale 384 113 vs year ago 244 · +46.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
47 head
25 vs last sale 72 23 vs year ago 70 · 32.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
3 head
12 vs last sale 15 4 vs year ago 7 · 57.1%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 4.00 to 8.00 higher. Feeder cattle were steady to 3.00 lower. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were active. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.

Weight class

Bulls · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb bulls averaged $364.27/cwt on 20 head, down $35.23 from the prior sale. That ranks 8 of 27 comparable sales and sits 14.00 against this barn's trailing median of $378.27.
Average price
$364.27
35.23 vs prior sale
20 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,990
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$434
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$65.05/cwt at this weight
vs the market
43.01
vs NC average

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1552385.232,12813thin
Medium and Large 2539329.211,7744thin
Medium 1529320.181,6943thin
One grade step is worth $65.05/cwt here — about $434 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

27 sales
458404350296median 378.2712/1802/2604/2306/2508/13
Bulls 500–600 lb: high $443.59, low $309.66, median $378.27 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 sale20 hd
364.27
NC average9 barns · 297 hd
407.28
−43.01
This barn, trailing median27 sales
378.27
−14.00
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,586214.683,40612
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,373187.382,5738thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,084185.452,01013
CowsLean 85-90%Low904130.331,17812

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)756$2,5001thin

Every lot, as filed

90 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1Value Added500–550508414.00/cwt414.00–414.002,1032
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700678338.45/cwt335.00–345.002,2955
HeifersMedium and Large 2650–700670270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,8091
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500492460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,2631
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450444490.00/cwt490.00–490.002,1761
BullsMedium and Large 1250–300274567.17/cwt550.00–590.001,5547
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550508430.06/cwt420.00–435.002,1853
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600568451.80/cwt433.00–465.002,5664
HeifersMedium and Large 1300–350324467.38/cwt450.00–490.001,5147
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300281505.21/cwt470.00–560.001,4205
BullsMedium and Large 1450–500473449.90/cwt420.00–470.002,1289
BullsMedium and Large 1600–650625373.46/cwt345.00–395.002,3344
BullsMedium and Large 1400–450413474.50/cwt460.00–480.001,96011
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600573379.87/cwt375.00–400.002,1775
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400371451.83/cwt420.00–475.001,67610
BullsMedium and Large 1200–250218627.00/cwt590.00–645.001,3674
BullsMedium and Large 1650–700658300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,9741
BullsMedium and Large 1750–800760317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,4131
HeifersMedium and Large 1200–250224551.91/cwt500.00–610.001,2368
BullsMedium and Large 1300–350323542.41/cwt490.00–585.001,75217
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650625345.04/cwt335.00–355.002,1575
BullsSmall 1200–250215395.63/cwt380.00–410.008512
Stock CowsSmall 1-2744150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,1161
Cow-Calf PairsSmall 1-27562,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
HeifersMedium and Large 1700–750726299.72/cwt290.00–310.002,1762
BullsMedium and Large 1850–900864275.00/cwt275.00–275.002,3761
BullsMedium and Large 1500–550518388.96/cwt375.00–420.002,0156
BullsSmall 2400–450428290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,2411
BullsSmall 2300–350310300.00/cwt300.00–300.009302
BullsSmall 2350–400364300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,0921
HeifersSmall 1450–500460300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,3801
BullsSmall 1350–400350380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,3301
BullsSmall 1250–300275391.76/cwt370.00–415.001,0772
HeifersSmall 1400–450410334.85/cwt320.00–350.001,3732
HeifersSmall 1200–250204365.00/cwt365.00–365.007451
HeifersSmall 1250–300278430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,1951
HeifersSmall 1350–400385313.51/cwt300.00–330.001,2073
BullsSmall 1400–450418405.71/cwt390.00–422.501,6962
BullsSmall 1300–350322411.82/cwt385.00–440.001,3262
CowsLean 85-90%907118.65/cwt113.00–125.001,0763
CowsLean 85-90%76899.10/cwt90.00–107.007612
CowsLean 85-90%942144.25/cwt135.00–157.501,3597
CowsBoner 80-85%1,017176.54/cwt157.50–187.001,7957
Bulls1,157194.26/cwt187.50–200.002,2484
Bulls1,801224.89/cwt219.00–238.004,0508
BullsMedium 1300–350344470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,6171
BullsMedium 1250–300278495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,3761
BullsMedium 1200–250218500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,0901
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,418155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,1981
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,367192.00/cwt182.50–200.002,6257
CowsBoner 80-85%1,162195.85/cwt191.00–200.002,2766
SteersMedium 1400–450416450.12/cwt445.00–455.001,8722
BullsMedium 2250–300284450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,2781
BullsMedium 2400–450436395.09/cwt390.00–400.001,7232
BullsMedium 1500–550529320.18/cwt300.00–340.001,6943
BullsMedium 1650–700668300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,0041
BullsMedium 1450–500482350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,6871
BullsMedium 1350–400387439.24/cwt400.00–475.001,7006
HeifersMedium 2250–300276390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,0761
HeifersMedium 2400–450442364.93/cwt350.00–380.001,6132
HeifersMedium 2350–400388350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,3581
BullsMedium 2450–500465359.81/cwt350.00–380.001,6733
HeifersMedium 2300–350330374.85/cwt370.00–380.001,2372
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,216212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,5781
HeifersMedium 1200–250228480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,0941
HeifersMedium 1350–400367400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,4683
BullsMedium 1400–450416416.45/cwt380.00–440.001,7324
HeifersMedium 1400–450426350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,4911
HeifersMedium 1600–650626275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,7221
BullsMedium and Large 2550–600564343.19/cwt310.00–375.001,9362
BullsMedium and Large 1550–600582382.03/cwt352.50–410.002,2237
BullsMedium and Large 1950–1000972250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,4301
BullsMedium and Large 1700–750715311.04/cwt290.00–327.502,2243
BullsMedium and Large 1350–400378486.90/cwt450.00–515.001,8409
BullsMedium and Large 1800–850842280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,3581
HeifersMedium and Large 2350–400378407.38/cwt405.00–410.001,5402
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450429435.03/cwt400.00–450.001,86613
BullsMedium and Large 1Value Added600–650626425.00/cwt425.00–425.002,6612
BullsMedium and Large 2800–850822250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,0551
BullsMedium and Large 2350–400382402.50/cwt402.50–402.501,5381
BullsMedium and Large 2450–500462384.87/cwt370.00–400.001,7782
HeifersMedium and Large 2450–500490320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,5681
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700670371.33/cwt357.50–385.002,4882
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550521367.50/cwt350.00–390.001,91519
BullsMedium and Large 2900–950944230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,1711
BullsMedium and Large 2500–550514315.23/cwt300.00–330.001,6202
HeifersMedium and Large 2600–650606285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,7271
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500478398.34/cwt350.00–455.001,90412
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400380525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,9951
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650638398.02/cwt385.00–420.002,53911

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.