Sale reports / North Carolina / Smithfield Livestock Auction / 2026-07-16

Smithfield Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Smithfield, North Carolina · Thu, Jul 16
● Final57 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2094
Feeder Cattle receipts
216 head
44 vs last sale 260 87 vs year ago 303 · 28.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
34 head
2 vs last sale 36 4 vs year ago 30 · +13.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
3 head
1 vs last sale 2 21 vs year ago 24 · 87.5%
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were sharply lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were light. Cattle quality was average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $341.19/cwt on 27 head, down $47.79 from the prior sale (only 13 head in that comparison). That ranks 7 of 27 comparable sales and sits 20.94 against this barn's trailing median of $362.13.
Average price
$341.19
47.79 vs prior sale
27 head · 560 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,910
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$251
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$42.77/cwt at this weight
vs the market
21.51
vs NC average
54.86 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1560342.771,91926
Medium and Large 2556300.001,6681thin
One grade step is worth $42.77/cwt here — about $251 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

27 sales
412367322277median 362.1312/1802/2604/1606/0408/20
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 sale27 hd
341.19
NC average8 barns · 248 hd
362.70
−21.51
National average163 barns · 8,583 hd
396.05
−54.86
This barn, trailing median27 sales
362.13
−20.94
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
BullsLow1,623200.963,2617thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,415174.162,4643thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,120163.741,8347thin
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,038152.191,58011

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)1,172$2,9001thin

Every lot, as filed

57 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
SteersMedium and Large 2400–450436400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,7441
BullsMedium and Large 1350–400379438.04/cwt427.50–445.001,6604
HeifersMedium and Large 1750–800762265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,0191
HeifersMedium and Large 1300–350312410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,2791
BullsMedium and Large 1300–350312459.84/cwt455.00–465.001,4352
SteersMedium and Large 1650–700658359.59/cwt330.00–389.002,3662
BullsMedium and Large 1550–600561367.47/cwt345.00–377.502,0626
HeifersMedium and Large 1550–600579341.33/cwt320.00–377.501,97617
BullsMedium and Large 1450–500479405.70/cwt390.00–425.001,9435
BullsMedium and Large 1250–300271449.75/cwt440.00–470.001,2195
BullsMedium and Large 1500–550521371.36/cwt360.00–390.001,93510
BullsMedium and Large 1400–450422417.34/cwt385.00–427.501,7617
HeifersMedium and Large 1600–650622327.15/cwt310.00–340.002,0355
BullsMedium and Large 1600–650613326.69/cwt320.00–330.002,0033
HeifersMedium and Large 1350–400383407.60/cwt380.00–420.001,5613
HeifersMedium and Large 1650–700669322.65/cwt315.00–330.002,1592
HeifersMedium and Large 1200–250222430.00/cwt430.00–430.009551
SteersMedium and Large 1450–500498414.00/cwt414.00–414.002,0624
SteersMedium and Large 1350–400387452.27/cwt440.00–465.001,7502
BullsSmall 1250–300282300.00/cwt300.00–300.008461
BullsSmall 1350–400365339.75/cwt330.00–350.001,2402
HeifersMedium and Large 1500–550524345.50/cwt320.00–390.001,8109
CowsLean 85-90%1,038152.19/cwt145.00–157.001,58011
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,415174.16/cwt165.00–180.002,4643
CowsBoner 80-85%1,120163.74/cwt157.00–175.001,8347
Bulls1,046176.00/cwt176.00–176.001,8411
Bulls1,813211.30/cwt210.00–212.503,8312
Bulls1,672202.03/cwt200.00–205.003,3784
SteersMedium and Large 1400–450429429.50/cwt420.00–460.001,84310
SteersMedium and Large 1600–650619355.77/cwt340.00–380.002,20211
SteersMedium and Large 1500–550522420.01/cwt412.50–425.002,1923
HeifersMedium and Large 1400–450425402.24/cwt375.00–415.001,71010
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500471376.40/cwt345.00–400.001,77313
SteersMedium and Large 2450–500476370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,7611
HeifersMedium and Large 1250–300276410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,1321
BullsMedium and Large 2500–550504330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,6631
BullsMedium and Large 2750–800762250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,9051
BullsMedium and Large 2350–400379418.75/cwt415.00–420.001,5874
BullsMedium and Large 2550–600571317.65/cwt300.00–335.001,8142
BullsMedium and Large 2400–450420394.64/cwt380.00–415.001,6576
HeifersMedium and Large 2650–700662250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,6551
HeifersMedium and Large 2450–500478340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,6251
HeifersMedium and Large 2350–400392370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,4501
HeifersMedium and Large 2700–750746265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,9771
HeifersMedium and Large 2550–600556300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,6681
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2976200.00/cwt200.00–200.001,9521
BullsMedium and Large 1700–750708295.00/cwt295.00–295.002,0891
BullsMedium and Large 1200–250234439.96/cwt435.00–445.001,0302
SteersMedium and Large 1550–600573383.73/cwt370.00–400.002,19914
HeifersMedium and Large 2400–450442355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,5692
BullsMedium and Large 2250–300281417.65/cwt415.00–420.001,1742
SteersMedium 1850–900864290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,5061
SteersMedium 1900–950936270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,5271
HeifersMedium 1350–400388380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,4741
HeifersMedium 1400–450419379.99/cwt375.00–385.001,5922
Cow-Calf PairsMedium and Large 1-21,1722,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9001
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2842250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,1051

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.