Name: Smithfield Livestock Auction livestock auction prices — 2026-08-20
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-08-20

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

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

Weight class

Bulls · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb bulls averaged $320.29/cwt on 18 head, down $6.79 from the prior sale (only 12 head in that comparison). That ranks 5 of 29 comparable sales and sits −52.12 against this barn's trailing median of $372.41.

Average price

$320.29

▼ 6.79 vs prior sale

18 head · 550 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,762

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$124

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

$35.59/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−17.39

vs NC average

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	544	328.56	1,788	13thin
Medium and Large 3	561	307.55	1,725	2thin
Medium and Large 2	568	292.97	1,664	3thin

One grade step is worth $35.59/cwt here — about $124 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

29 sales

Bulls 500–600 lb: high $443.59, low $291.31, median $372.41 across 29 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 sale18 hd

320.29

—

NC average9 barns · 169 hd

337.69

−17.39

This barn, trailing median29 sales

372.41

−52.12

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	—	High	1,428	183.22	2,617	7thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,290	160.71	2,073	2thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,132	158.25	1,792	8thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	886	120.00	1,063	3thin

Every lot, as filed

70 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	350–400	382	352.96/cwt	340.00–365.00	1,348	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	292	395.07/cwt	385.00–405.00	1,154	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	216	470.74/cwt	460.00–480.00	1,017	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	470	369.46/cwt	355.00–391.00	1,736	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	352.57/cwt	345.00–360.00	1,855	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	332	392.59/cwt	370.00–420.00	1,303	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	763	294.93/cwt	285.00–305.00	2,250	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	381	419.52/cwt	405.00–435.00	1,598	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	578	338.17/cwt	330.00–345.00	1,955	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	575	321.91/cwt	315.00–330.00	1,851	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	638	317.50/cwt	315.00–320.00	2,026	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	436	426.00/cwt	426.00–426.00	1,857	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	420	400.73/cwt	375.00–410.00	1,683	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	978	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,858	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	430	397.39/cwt	380.00–410.00	1,709	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	785	245.80/cwt	240.00–250.00	1,930	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	721	261.04/cwt	252.50–270.00	1,882	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	908	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	2,020	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	764	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,834	1
Heifers	Small 2	400–450	400	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	980	1
Heifers	Small 2	250–300	276	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	718	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	622	295.51/cwt	280.00–320.00	1,838	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	300–350	331	423.06/cwt	415.00–426.00	1,400	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	663	300.69/cwt	272.50–330.00	1,994	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	638	292.15/cwt	270.00–315.00	1,864	2
Heifers	Small 2	350–400	398	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,055	1
Heifers	Small 2	200–250	246	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	590	1
Bulls	Small 2	400–450	434	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,215	1
Bulls	Small 2	350–400	376	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,053	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,290	160.71/cwt	156.00–165.00	2,073	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	946	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,324	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,159	160.86/cwt	152.50–172.50	1,864	7
Bulls	—	—	1,584	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	3,342	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	889	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	978	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	880	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,232	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	450	335.00/cwt	320.00–350.00	1,508	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	604	235.00/cwt	220.00–250.00	1,419	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	525	332.71/cwt	320.00–345.00	1,747	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	370	401.46/cwt	380.00–430.00	1,485	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	373	397.88/cwt	370.00–430.00	1,484	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	250–300	290	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	1,218	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	429	354.94/cwt	350.00–360.00	1,523	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	710	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,420	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	581	279.83/cwt	270.00–290.00	1,626	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	738	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,790	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	581	304.03/cwt	285.00–320.00	1,766	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	314	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	1,115	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	200–250	246	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	787	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	350–400	364	309.62/cwt	300.00–320.00	1,127	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	550–600	561	307.55/cwt	305.00–310.00	1,725	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	685	318.67/cwt	312.50–325.00	2,183	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	376	353.07/cwt	345.00–365.00	1,328	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	400–450	425	292.98/cwt	280.00–300.00	1,245	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 3	450–500	475	302.08/cwt	295.00–310.00	1,435	5
Steers	Medium and Large 3	350–400	372	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,135	1
Steers	Medium and Large 3	750–800	750	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,575	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	454	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,521	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	465	328.19/cwt	320.00–340.00	1,526	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	250–300	286	432.41/cwt	430.00–435.00	1,237	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	479	344.18/cwt	305.00–361.00	1,649	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	568	292.97/cwt	280.00–310.00	1,664	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	750–800	764	197.50/cwt	197.50–197.50	1,509	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	280	353.73/cwt	340.00–365.00	990	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	440	348.00/cwt	348.00–348.00	1,531	1
Bulls	—	—	1,347	146.32/cwt	145.00–148.00	1,971	2
Bulls	—	—	1,430	194.73/cwt	185.50–200.00	2,785	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	200	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	880	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	506	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,645	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	470	372.65/cwt	325.00–400.00	1,751	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,809	1

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 Aug 20, 2026

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 237Last week 176Year ago 388

Slaughter CattleReceipts 28Last week 83Year ago 37

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	250–300	280	340.00–365.00	353.73
1	300–350	314	355.00	355.00
2	350–400	382	340.00–365.00	352.96
1	400–450	440	348.00	348.00
2	450–500	450	320.00–350.00	335.00
3	550–600	581	270.00–290.00	279.83
2	600–650	604	220.00–250.00	235.00
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	200	440.00	440.00
2	250–300	292	385.00–405.00	395.07
6	300–350	332	370.00–420.00	392.59
12	350–400	373	370.00–430.00	397.88
11	400–450	420	375.00–410.00	400.73
6	450–500	470	325.00–400.00	372.65
1	500–550	506	325.00	325.00
6	550–600	581	285.00–320.00	304.03
2	600–650	638	270.00–315.00	292.15
1	650–700	670	270.00	270.00
1	700–750	738	242.50	242.50
1	750–800	764	240.00	240.00
1	900–950	908	222.50	222.50
Heifers — Small 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	246	240.00	240.00
1	250–300	276	260.00	260.00
1	350–400	398	265.00	265.00
1	400–450	400	245.00	245.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	200–250	216	460.00–480.00	470.74
2	250–300	286	430.00–435.00	432.41
10	300–350	331	415.00–426.00	423.06
9	350–400	370	380.00–430.00	401.46
8	400–450	430	380.00–410.00	397.39
7	450–500	479	305.00–361.00	344.18
8	500–550	525	320.00–345.00	332.71
5	550–600	575	315.00–330.00	321.91
8	600–650	622	280.00–320.00	295.51
2	650–700	663	272.50–330.00	300.69
2	700–750	721	252.50–270.00	261.04
3	750–800	785	240.00–250.00	245.80
1	950–1000	978	190.00	190.00
Bulls — Small 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	376	280.00	280.00
1	400–450	434	280.00	280.00
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	350–400	376	345.00–365.00	353.07
2	400–450	429	350.00–360.00	354.94
3	450–500	465	320.00–340.00	328.19
3	550–600	568	280.00–310.00	292.97
2	700–750	710	200.00	200.00
1	750–800	764	197.50	197.50
Bulls — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	200–250	246	320.00	320.00
2	350–400	364	300.00–320.00	309.62
3	400–450	425	280.00–300.00	292.98
5	450–500	475	295.00–310.00	302.08
2	550–600	561	305.00–310.00	307.55
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	290	420.00	420.00
6	350–400	381	405.00–435.00	419.52
1	400–450	436	426.00	426.00
7	450–500	470	355.00–391.00	369.46
6	500–550	526	345.00–360.00	352.57
3	550–600	578	330.00–345.00	338.17
2	600–650	638	315.00–320.00	317.50
2	650–700	685	312.50–325.00	318.67
2	750–800	763	285.00–305.00	294.93
Steers — Medium and Large 3$ per cwt · actual wt
1	350–400	372	305.00	305.00
1	750–800	750	210.00	210.00
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	454	335.00	335.00

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,290	156.00–165.00	160.71
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	946	140.00	140.00
7	—	1,159	152.50–172.50	160.86
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	889	110.00	110.00
1	—	880	140.00	140.00
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,584	211.00	211.00
2	—	1,347	145.00–148.00	146.32
4	—	1,430	185.50–200.00	194.73

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