Powell Livestock Market market report — October 22, 2026

Smithfield, NC · Thursday sale · USDA report published 10/23/2026 · Sale days

Head sold

328

Last week 294 (+34)
Last year 200

5-wt steers (500–599 lb)

$343.35 /cwt

$1,940 per head · 6 hd
vs last week +1.71

7-wt steers (700–799 lb)

$324.34 /cwt

$2,525 per head · 15 hd
vs last week +24.34

Compared to last week, slaughter cattle were mostly steady. Feeder cattle were 10.00 to 15.00 lower. Demand was moderate; market activity and buyer interest were moderate. Offerings of cattle were moderate. Cattle quality was average.
USDA Market News reporter, October 22, 2026

Feeder steers — Oct 22

Steers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 15. Last year = sale of Oct 23. No. 2 = lighter-muscled cattle, a separate grade line in the USDA report. These are kept out of the main price. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	No. 2 $/cwt
400–499 lb	2	448 lb	$375.00†	$1,680	−42.50	+5.00	—
500–599 lb	6	565 lb	$343.35	$1,940	+1.71	−11.65	$305.00 (1 hd)†
600–699 lb	16	642 lb	$315.30	$2,025	−9.70	+10.30	—
700–799 lb	15	779 lb	$324.34	$2,525	+24.34	+24.34	—

Feeder heifers — Oct 22

Heifers, Medium and Large frame, No. 1 and 1–2 muscle, regular lots, head-weighted by 100-lb band. Last week = sale of Oct 15. Last year = sale of Oct 23. Value added = lots USDA marks as value added (weaned and vaccinated programs). These are kept out of the main price. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price.
Weight	Head	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	vs last week	vs last year	Value added $/cwt
300–399 lb	16	358 lb	$388.29	$1,392	−1.71	+18.59	—
400–499 lb	12	448 lb	$338.79	$1,517	−20.72	−0.52	$366.00 (12 hd)
500–599 lb	16	524 lb	$307.09	$1,608	−9.98	+1.14	—
600–699 lb	13	650 lb	$286.51	$1,861	−31.92	−5.55	$314.00 (3 hd)†
700–799 lb	4	735 lb	$276.93†	$2,035	−33.07	—	—

Slaughter cows — Oct 22

Grade	Dressing	Head	Avg wt	Avg $/cwt	Range $/cwt
Boner 80-85%	High	1	902 lb	$145.00	$145.00–$145.00
Boner 80-85%	Average	15	1,184 lb	$125.14	$120.00–$130.00
Breaker 75-80%	High	2	1,487 lb	$150.00	$150.00–$150.00
Breaker 75-80%	Average	5	1,414 lb	$132.36	$125.00–$140.00
Breaker 75-80%	Low	1	1,986 lb	$105.00	$105.00–$105.00
Lean 85-90%	Average	5	1,220 lb	$111.82	$105.00–$120.00
Lean 85-90%	Low	5	1,091 lb	$91.91	$85.00–$100.00
Lean 85-90%	Very Low	5	986 lb	$65.47	$60.00–$70.00

Price trends

Steers 500–599 lb Falling

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $343.35/cwt
4-week average: $340.19
13-week average: $352.69
4-week vs 13-week: −3.5%

52-wk low $302.50high $483.23

Steers 700–799 lb Steady

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $324.34/cwt
4-week average: $306.45
13-week average: $304.33
4-week vs 13-week: +0.7%

52-wk low $270.00high $360.83

Sales in 10 of the last 13 weeks.

Heifers 500–599 lb Easing

Latest (week of October 19, 2026): $307.09/cwt
4-week average: $306.97
13-week average: $314.21
4-week vs 13-week: −2.3%

52-wk low $267.73high $392.65

Direction compares the 4-week average with the 13-week average: Rising +1% or more, Steady within ±1%, Easing −1% to −3%, Falling −3% or more. Weekly prices are head-weighted averages of Medium and Large No. 1 and 1–2 feeder cattle, regular lots.

The label describes recent prices; it is not a forecast. In our backtest of every barn since 2019 (about 35,000 barn-weeks), barns labeled Falling went on to beat other barns' average move over the next 13 weeks 61% of the time, and barns labeled Rising trailed it 56% of the time.

Last 52 weeks

Weekly average $/cwt4-week average

Price history since 2019

Weekly average $/cwt

When to sell: the seasonal pattern

5-weight steers

For 500–599 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Feb and Mar and lowest in Nov and Oct.

Each month's head-weighted average price compared with the centered 12-month average around it, then averaged across years. Past patterns are not a forecast.
Month	vs year avg	Years above	Years
Jan	+2.7%	86%	7
Feb	+10.5%	100%	7
Mar	+7.4%	100%	7
Apr	+6.7%	100%	7
May	+6.3%	86%	7
Jun	+3.2%	86%	7
Jul	−0.6%	29%	7
Aug	−1.4%	43%	7
Sep	−2.9%	33%	6
Oct	−7.7%	0%	6
Nov	−10.6%	0%	6
Dec	−7.1%	0%	7

7-weight steers

For 700–799 lb steers, prices since 2019 ran highest against their yearly average in Aug and May and lowest in Nov and Dec.

Each month's head-weighted average price compared with the centered 12-month average around it, then averaged across years. Past patterns are not a forecast.
Month	vs year avg	Years above	Years
Jan	+1.0%	33%	6
Feb	+1.8%	50%	6
Mar	+3.1%	100%	5
Apr	+1.8%	50%	6
May	+3.5%	67%	6
Jun	+1.6%	80%	5
Jul	+0.5%	50%	6
Aug	+3.9%	67%	6
Sep	+2.4%	80%	5
Oct	−2.4%	20%	5
Nov	−8.5%	20%	5
Dec	−2.9%	33%	6

Recent sales

Last 13 weeks. † Based on fewer than 5 head; treat as a rough price. Download the weekly history as CSV.
Sale	Head sold	Steers 500–599 $/cwt	Steers 700–799 $/cwt	Heifers 500–599 $/cwt
Thu Oct 22	328	$343.35	$324.34	$307.09
Thu Oct 15	306	$341.64	$300.00†	$317.08
Thu Oct 8	388	$323.80	—	$296.28
Thu Oct 1	338	$351.95	$295.00†	$307.44
Thu Sep 24	430	$353.84	$322.53†	$311.81
Thu Sep 17	258	$340.57	$292.77	$310.28
Thu Sep 10	336	$336.66†	$310.00†	$320.66
Thu Sep 3	125	$330.00†	$270.00†	$306.84
Thu Aug 27	212	$368.85†	—	$322.98
Thu Aug 20	237	$347.77	$294.93†	$307.03
Thu Aug 13	282	$371.73	$337.33†	$322.09
Thu Aug 6	180	$410.06†	—	$336.19
Thu Jul 30	201	$364.80†	$296.43†	$318.94
Thu Jul 23	224	$380.57	—	$332.69

Nearby barns this week

Straight-line distance between towns. Barns tagged unweaned show unweaned-calf prices. Every North Carolina sale this week.
Barn	Distance	Sale	Steers 500–599	Steers 700–799
Carolina Stockyards Livestock Auction, Staley	70 mi	Oct 23	$355.79	$299.38
Southeastern Auction Co Inc, Chadbourn	87 mi	Oct 19	$350.00†	—
Stanly County Livestock Market, Norwood	101 mi	Oct 21	$359.89	$303.65
Harward Brothers Livestock Market, Turnersburg	140 mi	Oct 19	$371.96	$309.63
Wilkes Livestock Exchange, North Wilkesboro	162 mi	Oct 19	$332.39†	$311.47
Cleveland County Agriculture & Livestock Exchange, Shelby	181 mi	Oct 20	$357.41	$308.15

Sale days

Sale	Latest report	Head	Sales in 52 weeks	USDA report
Thursday	October 22, 2026	328	46	AMS_2094

Source: USDA AMS Livestock, Poultry and Grain Market News, “Powell Livestock Market - Smithfield, NC” (AMS_2094). See something wrong? Report a correction. Feeder prices are Medium and Large frame No. 1 and 1–2 cattle, $/cwt, grouped into 100-lb bands by average weight and weighted by head count. Value-added, unweaned and No. 2 lots are shown in their own columns; other lot types (fancy, fleshy, thin-fleshed, spayed, replacement) are left out. $/head = $/cwt × average weight ÷ 100.