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%
View

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 classPick one — the panels below update

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 17 of 31 comparable sales and sits +1.97 against this barn's trailing median of $362.30.
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

Price by quality 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.

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 median31 sales
362.30
+1.97
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

31 sales
428378327277median 362.3003/0504/3007/1609/1010/29
Bulls 500–600 lb: high $414.25, low $290.80, median $362.30 across 31 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—Average1,586214.683,40612
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

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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers8 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1380525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,9951
Steers400–450Medium 1416450.12/cwt445.00–455.001,8722
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1444490.00/cwt490.00–490.002,1761
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1492460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,2631
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1508430.06/cwt420.00–435.002,1853
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1568451.80/cwt433.00–465.002,5664
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1638398.02/cwt385.00–420.002,53911
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1670371.33/cwt357.50–385.002,4882
Feeder Cattle · Heifers29 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Small 1204365.00/cwt365.00–365.007451
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1224551.91/cwt500.00–610.001,2368
Heifers200–250Medium 1228480.00/cwt480.00–480.001,0941
Heifers250–300Medium 2276390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,0761
Heifers250–300Small 1278430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,1951
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1281505.21/cwt470.00–560.001,4205
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1324467.38/cwt450.00–490.001,5147
Heifers300–350Medium 2330374.85/cwt370.00–380.001,2372
Heifers350–400Medium 1367400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,4683
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1371451.83/cwt420.00–475.001,67610
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2378407.38/cwt405.00–410.001,5402
Heifers350–400Small 1385313.51/cwt300.00–330.001,2073
Heifers350–400Medium 2388350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,3581
Heifers400–450Small 1410334.85/cwt320.00–350.001,3732
Heifers400–450Medium 1426350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,4911
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1429435.03/cwt400.00–450.001,86613
Heifers400–450Medium 2442364.93/cwt350.00–380.001,6132
Heifers450–500Small 1460300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,3801
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1478398.34/cwt350.00–455.001,90412
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2490320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,5681
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Value Added508414.00/cwt414.00–414.002,1032
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1521367.50/cwt350.00–390.001,91519
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1573379.87/cwt375.00–400.002,1775
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2606285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,7271
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1625345.04/cwt335.00–355.002,1575
Heifers600–650Medium 1626275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,7221
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2670270.00/cwt270.00–270.001,8091
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1678338.45/cwt335.00–345.002,2955
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1726299.72/cwt290.00–310.002,1762
Feeder Cattle · Bulls41 lots · lightest first
Bulls200–250Small 1215395.63/cwt380.00–410.008512
Bulls200–250Medium and Large 1218627.00/cwt590.00–645.001,3674
Bulls200–250Medium 1218500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,0901
Bulls250–300Medium and Large 1274567.17/cwt550.00–590.001,5547
Bulls250–300Small 1275391.76/cwt370.00–415.001,0772
Bulls250–300Medium 1278495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,3761
Bulls250–300Medium 2284450.00/cwt450.00–450.001,2781
Bulls300–350Small 2310300.00/cwt300.00–300.009302
Bulls300–350Small 1322411.82/cwt385.00–440.001,3262
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1323542.41/cwt490.00–585.001,75217
Bulls300–350Medium 1344470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,6171
Bulls350–400Small 1350380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,3301
Bulls350–400Small 2364300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,0921
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1378486.90/cwt450.00–515.001,8409
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 2382402.50/cwt402.50–402.501,5381
Bulls350–400Medium 1387439.24/cwt400.00–475.001,7006
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1413474.50/cwt460.00–480.001,96011
Bulls400–450Medium 1416416.45/cwt380.00–440.001,7324
Bulls400–450Small 1418405.71/cwt390.00–422.501,6962
Bulls400–450Small 2428290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,2411
Bulls400–450Medium 2436395.09/cwt390.00–400.001,7232
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 2462384.87/cwt370.00–400.001,7782
Bulls450–500Medium 2465359.81/cwt350.00–380.001,6733
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1473449.90/cwt420.00–470.002,1289
Bulls450–500Medium 1482350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,6871
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2514315.23/cwt300.00–330.001,6202
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1518388.96/cwt375.00–420.002,0156
Bulls500–550Medium 1529320.18/cwt300.00–340.001,6943
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2564343.19/cwt310.00–375.001,9362
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1582382.03/cwt352.50–410.002,2237
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1625373.46/cwt345.00–395.002,3344
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Value Added626425.00/cwt425.00–425.002,6612
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1658300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,9741
Bulls650–700Medium 1668300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,0041
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1715311.04/cwt290.00–327.502,2243
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1760317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,4131
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 2822250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,0551
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1842280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,3581
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1864275.00/cwt275.00–275.002,3761
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 2944230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,1711
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1972250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,4301
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,157194.26/cwt187.50–200.002,2484
Bulls——1,801224.89/cwt219.00–238.004,0508
Slaughter Cattle · Cows7 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%76899.10/cwt90.00–107.007612
Cows—Lean 85-90%907118.65/cwt113.00–125.001,0763
Cows—Lean 85-90%942144.25/cwt135.00–157.501,3597
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,017176.54/cwt157.50–187.001,7957
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,162195.85/cwt191.00–200.002,2766
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,367192.00/cwt182.50–200.002,6257
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,418155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,1981
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows1 lot · lightest first
Stock Cows—Small 1-2744150.00/cwt150.00–150.001,1161
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Small 1-27562,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,216212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,5781

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.