Sale reports / North Carolina / Smithfield Livestock Auction / 2026-01-15

Smithfield Livestock Auction

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Smithfield, North Carolina · Thu, Jan 15
● Final75 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 2094
Feeder Cattle receipts
305 head
▼ 47 vs last sale 352▼ 3 vs year ago 308 · −1.0%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
75 head
▼ 12 vs last sale 87▲ 39 vs year ago 36 · +108.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
4 head
▼ 13 vs last sale 17▲ 4 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were 3.00 to 6.00 higher. Feeder cattle were sharply higher. Demand was good; market activity and buyer interest were good. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $371.77/cwt on 41 head. That ranks 26 of 30 comparable sales and sits +33.89 against this barn's trailing median of $337.88.
Average price
$371.77
41 head · 530 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,971
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$143
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$53.06/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+33.37
vs NC average
−41.71 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1529373.061,97340
Medium 1572320.001,8301thin
One grade step is worth $53.06/cwt here — about $143 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale41 hd
371.77
—
NC average9 barns · 332 hd
338.39
+33.37
National average188 barns · 26,809 hd
413.48
−41.71
This barn, trailing median30 sales
337.88
+33.89
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

30 sales
412365318270median 337.8803/0504/2307/1609/1010/29
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $397.67, low $284.44, median $337.88 across 30 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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
Bulls—High1,639212.293,47812
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,527180.262,75319
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,134170.301,93122
CowsLean 85-90%High989129.211,27714

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 PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,099$3,0982thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)918$2,7001thin

Every lot

75 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers7 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1390462.50/cwt462.50–462.501,8041
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1426473.29/cwt462.50–485.002,0164
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1462462.50/cwt462.50–462.502,1371
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1515419.88/cwt400.00–440.002,1625
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1565413.87/cwt392.50–417.002,3388
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1639363.37/cwt360.00–370.002,3223
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1674355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,3931
Feeder Cattle · Heifers26 lots · lightest first
Heifers150–200Medium and Large 1186395.00/cwt395.00–395.007351
Heifers150–200Small 1188315.00/cwt315.00–315.005921
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 2238385.00/cwt385.00–385.009161
Heifers250–300Medium 1256355.00/cwt355.00–355.009091
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1275411.83/cwt397.50–425.001,1333
Heifers250–300Small 1286310.35/cwt300.00–320.008882
Heifers250–300Medium 2290345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,0011
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2312359.81/cwt350.00–370.001,1232
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1330412.58/cwt390.00–430.001,36210
Heifers300–350Small 1Fleshy348280.00/cwt280.00–280.009741
Heifers350–400Small 1354300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,0621
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1381408.11/cwt380.00–430.001,55510
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2382370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,4131
Heifers400–450Medium 1400375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,5001
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Value Added429432.30/cwt425.00–442.501,8553
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1429406.57/cwt370.00–425.001,7448
Heifers400–450Small 1442305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,3481
Heifers450–500Medium 1467354.90/cwt350.00–360.001,6572
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1477384.09/cwt350.00–425.001,83221
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1514379.86/cwt350.00–405.001,95228
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1564357.20/cwt340.00–375.002,01512
Heifers550–600Medium 1572320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,8301
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1628328.01/cwt325.00–330.002,0605
Heifers600–650Medium 2648220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,4261
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1683313.38/cwt300.00–330.002,1405
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1864250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,1601
Feeder Cattle · Bulls30 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Small 1201337.44/cwt325.00–350.006782
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1220470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,0341
Bulls250–300Small 1254350.00/cwt350.00–350.008891
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1274445.07/cwt440.00–450.001,2192
Bulls250–300Medium 2288380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,0941
Bulls300–350Medium 1302370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,1171
Bulls300–350Small 1320300.00/cwt300.00–300.009601
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1329451.74/cwt410.00–480.001,4866
Bulls350–400Medium 1371380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,4102
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1380437.07/cwt400.00–475.001,6617
Bulls350–400Small 1398300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,1941
Bulls400–450Medium 1414390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,6151
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1416470.99/cwt420.00–500.001,9598
Bulls400–450Small 1442350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,5471
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1479435.85/cwt370.00–492.502,08811
Bulls450–500Medium 1484360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,7421
Bulls500–550Medium 1516350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,8061
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2516330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,7031
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1527399.01/cwt360.00–420.002,10323
Bulls550–600Medium 1567342.17/cwt320.00–365.001,9406
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1571386.87/cwt365.00–405.002,20910
Bulls550–600Medium 2574290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,6652
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Fleshy577357.51/cwt355.00–360.002,0632
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1615343.03/cwt335.00–350.002,1105
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1672343.56/cwt335.00–360.002,3097
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1727312.54/cwt310.00–315.002,2724
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1798320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,5541
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1Full910195.00/cwt195.00–195.001,7751
Bulls900–950Medium 2928160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,4851
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1942251.00/cwt251.00–251.002,3641
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,583201.22/cwt178.00–215.003,1856
Bulls——1,694223.35/cwt219.00–227.503,7846
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%929116.35/cwt102.50–130.001,0817
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,01880.00/cwt80.00–80.008141
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,035149.09/cwt140.00–159.001,5435
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,111167.49/cwt157.50–178.001,86118
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,146169.00/cwt169.00–169.001,9371
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,237182.93/cwt181.00–185.002,2634
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,527180.26/cwt157.50–188.002,75319
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Small 1-2732162.50/cwt162.50–162.501,1901
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-29182,700.00/head2,700.00–2,700.002,7001
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,0993,097.73/head3,000.00–3,200.003,0982

This sale against other markets

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.