Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 22, 2020

2,490 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $140.01/cwt -3.37 vs last sale · ≈ $865/hd at 618 lb · 209 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $147.92/cwt -8.90 vs last sale · ≈ $790/hd at 534 lb · 153 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $139.01/cwt -0.55 vs last sale · ≈ $727/hd at 523 lb · 140 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,490 4,990 5,395
Feeder cattle 2,274 4,990 4,825
Slaughter cattle 140 — 160
Replacement cattle 76 — 410

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling feeder steers sold mostly 5.00-9.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Unweaned steer calves weighing less than 400 lbs sold fully steady; 400-599 lbs sold mostly 5.00 to 10.00 lower; 600-699 lbs steers sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold mostly 3.00-8.00 lower. Unweaned heifer calves under 400 lbs sold steady to weak; 400-649 lbs sold mostly 3.00-7.00 lower, other weights of heifers were too lightly tested to trend. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many calves continue to be in mostly light flesh. CME positions shifted lower over the past week and feedlot buyers have been gun shy to take calves. This coupled with a cold and very snowy weather pattern has many buyers reserved as they bid on calves. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for very light offerings. Not enough cows or bulls to develop any market test. Quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were average.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335–345 unweaned 341 7 202.00–212.50 $206.42 $704 —
351–393 unweaned 381 18 184.00–207.00 $188.71 $719 —
400–448 unweaned 424 63 163.50–185.00 $174.45 $740 —
450–496 unweaned 483 89 151.00–164.00 $155.04 $749 —
500–548 unweaned 534 153 145.00–154.00 $147.92 $790 —
573–595 unweaned 588 84 138.00–140.50 $139.68 $821 -1.32
600–644 unweaned 618 209 136.00–142.25 $140.01 $865 -5.49
650–698 unweaned 678 71 130.00–140.00 $136.83 $928 —
701 701 4 138.00 $138.00 $967 +1.50
720–723 unweaned 722 8 130.50–137.00 $135.38 $977 —
775 775 5 137.00 $137.00 $1,062 -3.22
783 unweaned 783 2 125.00 $125.00 $979 —
834–840 839 41 131.75 $131.75 $1,105 -7.14
877 877 3 129.00 $129.00 $1,131 -6.54
879 879 21 130.50 $130.50 $1,147 -5.04
903–940 908 86 127.00–130.00 $129.60 $1,177 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378–394 unweaned 387 9 177.50–182.50 $180.33 $698 —
419–431 unweaned 424 7 165.00–167.00 $165.87 $703 —
456–499 unweaned 489 51 147.00–153.00 $148.07 $724 —
515–545 unweaned 536 7 134.50–139.00 $135.73 $728 —
561–590 unweaned 581 18 124.00–136.00 $131.95 $767 —
607 607 5 127.00 $127.00 $771 -7.68
635 unweaned 635 16 130.00 $130.00 $826 —
716–721 718 20 129.75–134.50 $131.42 $944 —
753 unweaned 753 2 124.00 $124.00 $934 —
765 765 3 131.00 $131.00 $1,002 -4.00
828 828 7 125.00 $125.00 $1,035 -8.62
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050 1050 5 111.50 $111.50 $1,171 —
1195 1195 14 107.00 $107.00 $1,279 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 4 128.00 $128.00 $614 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327–328 unweaned 328 6 160.00–167.00 $163.49 $536 —
360–398 unweaned 375 6 152.00–163.00 $158.15 $593 —
403–423 unweaned 413 47 144.50–150.50 $148.05 $611 —
455–497 unweaned 473 78 138.00–143.00 $139.90 $662 —
504–545 unweaned 523 140 131.00–143.50 $139.01 $727 —
552–599 unweaned 577 107 127.00–137.00 $132.16 $763 —
610–649 unweaned 634 40 127.50–132.00 $129.65 $822 —
656–664 unweaned 659 29 123.50–129.00 $127.09 $838 —
764–787 774 97 127.50–132.50 $129.73 $1,004 -8.89
849 849 58 125.50 $125.50 $1,065 —
850–852 851 18 123.00–123.75 $123.29 $1,049 -10.21
878 878 21 126.75 $126.75 $1,113 -0.79
905–938 916 64 122.00–124.75 $122.97 $1,126 -5.39
972 972 9 119.00 $119.00 $1,157 -6.95
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
343 unweaned 343 2 149.00 $149.00 $511 —
393 unweaned 393 3 145.00 $145.00 $570 —
415–448 unweaned 427 42 139.00–143.00 $141.09 $602 —
459–485 unweaned 467 13 133.00–137.00 $134.40 $628 —
533–538 unweaned 534 8 129.00 $129.00 $689 —
573–594 unweaned 587 14 125.00–128.00 $126.95 $745 —
756–795 778 17 124.00–126.50 $125.49 $976 -2.56
823 823 2 124.00 $124.00 $1,021 +9.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
674 674 4 127.00 $127.00 $856 —
710–732 724 13 123.75–127.50 $125.17 $906 —
779 779 7 125.00 $125.00 $974 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1098 1098 17 116.75 $116.75 $1,282 -1.16
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466 unweaned 466 16 131.00 $131.00 $610 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 8 127.00 $127.00 $813 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 unweaned 390 2 179.00 $179.00 $698 —
445 unweaned 445 4 153.00 $153.00 $681 —
510 unweaned 510 7 129.00 $129.00 $658 —
633 unweaned 633 7 128.00 $128.00 $810 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085 1085 85-90% 1 35.00 $35.00 $380 —
1045–1275 1148 85-90% 24 44.00–50.00 $48.57 $558 —
1075–1186 1174 85-90% 11 52.00–56.00 $54.81 $643 —
1180–1190 1182 85-90% 5 46.50–49.50 $47.10 $557 —
1198 1198 85-90% 2 64.00 $64.00 $767 —
1170–1311 1270 85-90% 28 49.00–51.50 $49.78 $632 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1399 1399 80-85% 4 51.00 $51.00 $713 —
1402–1490 1448 80-85% 40 57.00–58.00 $57.46 $832 —
1500–1715 1643 80-85% 3 53.00–55.00 $54.39 $894 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1443 1443 75-80% 3 65.00 $65.00 $938 —
1755 1755 75-80% 1 72.50 $72.50 $1,272 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1770 1480 2 75.00–80.00 $77.99 $1,154 —
2048 2048 2 85.00 $85.00 $1,741 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
710–970 thin fleshed 840 (<2 yrs)Open 2 67.00–74.00 $69.96 $588
860–1065 991 (<2 yrs)Open 49 70.00–94.50 $77.51 $768
1055 thin fleshed 1055 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 58.00 $58.00 $612
905–1135 1065 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 62.00–69.00 $64.82 $690

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Reading this report

What does "Medium and Large 1" mean?

USDA feeder grades describe frame size and muscle thickness, not quality of the individual animal. "Medium and Large" is the frame score; the number is muscle (1 = heaviest muscled). "Medium and Large 1–2" pens mix both muscle scores — common across the Southeast.

What is $/cwt?

Dollars per hundredweight — per 100 lb of animal. A 500-lb calf at $450/cwt brings 5 × $450 = $2,250. Lighter cattle usually bring more per cwt but less per head.

Why are some prices per head?

Bred cows, cow-calf pairs, and some replacement classes sell by the head, not by weight. We show those exactly as USDA reports them — a $/head figure is never converted into $/cwt on this site.

Where do these numbers come from?

From the USDA Agricultural Marketing Service's Livestock Market News — federal reporters at the sale. We publish each report in full and link the official USDA document at the top of the page.