Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 5, 2020

5,926 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $157.72/cwt +1.49 vs last sale · ≈ $824/hd at 523 lb · 366 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $149.06/cwt +2.10 vs last sale · ≈ $853/hd at 572 lb · 350 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $174.39/cwt -0.01 vs last sale · ≈ $831/hd at 476 lb · 286 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,926 3,623 5,895
Feeder cattle 5,291 3,234 5,524
Slaughter cattle 434 274 45
Replacement cattle 201 115 326

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers sold mostly 6.00-12.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Unweaned steer calves under 400 lbs sold mostly sharply lower, with most sale 15.00-20.00 lower; 400-599 lbs sold mostly steady to 4.00 higher; unweaned steers over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Yearling heifers sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Unweaned heifers sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher on all weights. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was mostly moderate for moderate to heavy offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate offerings. Packers started buying short term feeding cows for the holiday season this sale. These cows were mostly thin to very thin and some even had slight blemishes. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower on a lower quality cow compared to last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were below average as all cows and bulls were very full. 2-3 year olds sold steady to 4.00 higher.

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
322–342 unweaned 327 30 185.00–200.00 $191.79 $627 -17.91
369–386 unweaned 371 107 180.00–187.00 $181.29 $673 -19.24
400 fancy 400 21 189.00 $189.00 $756 —
401–442 unweaned 423 209 178.00–184.00 $182.89 $774 +7.16
469 fancy 469 74 186.00 $186.00 $872 +4.00
455–498 unweaned 479 212 163.00–180.00 $170.34 $816 -3.04
502–547 unweaned 522 341 151.50–165.00 $157.70 $823 +1.47
530 530 25 158.00 $158.00 $837 —
550–597 unweaned 572 350 144.00–152.00 $149.06 $853 +2.10
605–647 unweaned 624 109 141.00–143.50 $142.44 $889 -1.45
652 fancy 652 31 145.50 $145.50 $949 —
650–698 unweaned 665 137 134.00–143.25 $139.28 $926 -1.91
689 689 4 136.25 $136.25 $939 —
701–735 unweaned 714 45 130.00–140.50 $136.23 $973 -6.35
763 unweaned 763 13 136.50 $136.50 $1,041 -1.02
774 774 22 146.50 $146.50 $1,134 +8.79
803–828 809 69 142.00–147.00 $145.86 $1,180 —
853–856 856 71 135.00–143.25 $143.01 $1,224 +12.51
915–930 917 28 124.00–132.50 $132.20 $1,212 +5.95
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1033 1018 227 124.50–127.25 $126.96 $1,292 —
1051 1051 75 123.25 $123.25 $1,295 +3.21
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
298 unweaned 298 6 192.50 $192.50 $574 —
330–349 unweaned 333 60 170.00–179.00 $171.42 $571 -27.58
371–398 unweaned 379 43 175.00–180.00 $177.80 $674 +2.39
400–438 unweaned 405 18 164.00–177.00 $167.58 $679 -0.06
467–497 unweaned 483 45 153.00–164.00 $158.74 $767 +2.64
516–543 unweaned 532 24 145.00–152.00 $149.55 $796 +2.42
563–578 unweaned 568 16 140.00–142.00 $140.76 $800 +1.87
613 unweaned 613 8 134.00 $134.00 $821 -1.09
665 665 11 145.00 $145.00 $964 —
674–694 unweaned 683 23 131.00–134.00 $132.48 $905 -0.92
832–844 837 34 132.50–140.00 $135.39 $1,133 +8.39
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
316 unweaned 316 4 175.00 $175.00 $553 —
399 unweaned 399 9 173.00 $173.00 $690 —
830–838 837 38 123.00–127.00 $123.31 $1,032 —
872 872 3 124.00 $124.00 $1,081 —
960 960 11 110.00 $110.00 $1,056 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
417–422 unweaned 420 21 168.00 $168.00 $706 —
475–489 unweaned 484 33 151.50–164.00 $159.54 $772 —
548 unweaned 548 4 150.00 $150.00 $822 +16.00
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312 unweaned 312 12 152.00 $152.00 $474 —
406 unweaned 406 34 126.00 $126.00 $512 —
759 759 6 120.00 $120.00 $911 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 37 116.00 $116.00 $1,235 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 unweaned 296 4 172.50 $172.50 $511 ±0.00
301–347 unweaned 341 128 155.00–162.50 $160.95 $549 -2.50
359–399 unweaned 391 216 151.50–163.50 $154.61 $605 -2.27
400–449 unweaned 437 155 149.00–156.00 $152.78 $668 -0.72
450–496 unweaned 475 221 145.00–151.00 $149.10 $708 +2.63
500 fancy 500 54 149.25 $149.25 $746 —
500–538 unweaned 508 195 137.00–147.00 $144.29 $733 +3.22
550–595 unweaned 577 230 131.00–138.00 $134.68 $777 -0.87
603–646 unweaned 616 95 129.00–135.00 $133.22 $821 +0.44
666 666 9 129.00 $129.00 $859 —
661–681 unweaned 670 11 125.00–129.50 $127.30 $853 -4.19
717 717 7 134.50 $134.50 $964 -0.50
722 unweaned 722 12 129.00 $129.00 $931 -1.50
786 786 40 133.50–135.50 $134.92 $1,060 +2.42
824 824 12 132.50 $132.50 $1,092 -1.11
889–898 892 10 122.00–129.00 $126.89 $1,132 -0.36
978–990 987 28 119.25–121.00 $119.62 $1,181 +0.62
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367–378 unweaned 370 19 140.00 $140.00 $518 -8.82
402–448 unweaned 426 13 137.50–143.00 $140.49 $598 +1.12
452–497 unweaned 475 76 136.00–143.50 $141.53 $672 +2.72
511–546 unweaned 537 16 133.00–134.00 $133.76 $718 +0.59
614 unweaned 614 4 126.50 $126.50 $777 —
709 709 4 127.00 $127.00 $900 —
830–836 835 11 123.00–124.50 $123.27 $1,029 —
859–888 869 19 120.00–122.00 $120.83 $1,050 +5.33
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
294 unweaned 294 14 130.00 $130.00 $382 —
358–399 unweaned 364 47 105.00–122.00 $119.23 $434 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 unweaned 400 10 146.00 $146.00 $584 —
434 434 8 143.00 $143.00 $621 —
530 unweaned 530 11 134.00 $134.00 $710 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427 unweaned 427 3 161.00 $161.00 $687 -11.43
464 unweaned 464 20 153.00 $153.00 $710 +10.35
553–556 unweaned 555 8 137.00–145.00 $142.75 $792 +13.75
630 unweaned 630 3 131.50 $131.50 $828 —
705 unweaned 705 2 127.50 $127.50 $899 —
758 unweaned 758 2 120.00 $120.00 $910 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308 unweaned 308 2 145.00 $145.00 $447 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 85-90% 1 49.00 $49.00 $512 —
890–1157 1072 85-90% 30 34.00–42.00 $40.59 $435 —
998–1428 1108 85-90% 21 33.00–42.00 $37.09 $411 —
1020–1345 1193 85-90% 182 43.00–48.00 $46.22 $551 —
1195 1195 85-90% 2 44.00 $44.00 $526 —
1085–1293 1212 85-90% 24 49.00–55.50 $51.76 $627 +3.27
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1535 1369 80-85% 40 45.00–50.00 $47.39 $649 —
1379 1379 80-85% 4 45.00 $45.00 $621 —
1245–1785 1430 80-85% 37 51.00–60.00 $54.11 $774 -0.27
1146–1578 1449 80-85% 19 62.00–63.00 $62.77 $910 +8.39
1498 1498 80-85% 3 55.50 $55.50 $831 +12.14
1535 1535 80-85% 1 40.00 $40.00 $614 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1705 1705 75-80% 2 57.00 $57.00 $972 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1560 1560 1 74.00 $74.00 $1,154 —
1590–2020 1805 2 65.00–67.00 $65.88 $1,189 —
1803–1995 1851 4 79.00 $79.00 $1,462 —
2065 2065 2 81.50 $81.50 $1,683 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
823–1120 924 (<2 yrs)Open 73 62.00–85.00 $77.00 $711
890–1249 1077 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 45 53.00–72.50 $62.57 $674
1124 thin fleshed 1124 (<2 yrs)Open 5 56.00 $56.00 $629

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1039–1111 1077 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 825.00–1,000.00 $884.61
1105–1120 1117 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,000.00 $1,000.00

↑ Back to top

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.