Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, June 17, 2021

1,313 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 $178.10/cwt +5.56 vs last sale · ≈ $1,092/hd at 613 lb · 76 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $161.21/cwt +10.74 vs last sale · ≈ $821/hd at 509 lb · 48 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $118.66/cwt +0.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,043/hd at 879 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,313 3,430 735
Feeder cattle 614 1,415 173
Slaughter cattle 501 1,117 307
Replacement cattle 198 898 255

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Several sets of light fleshed cattle were on offer this week. Many of these offerings ran out of grass due to drought. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate to good on light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weight up cows comprised the majority of the sale this week. Packers opted to sent the majority of the cows to feed this week. Many very attractive cows were seen this week off reputation ranches. Packers purchased these high quality offerings on very good demand. Feeding cows sold a full 5.00 higher. Slaughter cows sold on light to moderate demand and sold generally steady on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Only lame or blemished cows not suitable to feed sold as slaughter cows this week. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Several ranchers were in the market for rebreed type cows this week. This helped provide some support to this class of cattle.

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
536 536 16 194.00 $194.00 $1,040 +25.86
563 563 12 185.00 $185.00 $1,042 +16.48
603–616 613 76 168.00–180.00 $178.10 $1,092 +5.56
723 723 29 162.00 $162.00 $1,171 +6.33
761 761 7 157.00 $157.00 $1,195 +10.26
957 957 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,225 +10.00
995 995 3 120.00 $120.00 $1,194 +2.00
1070 1070 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,220 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466–492 475 9 165.00–171.00 $167.51 $796 —
591 591 7 171.00 $171.00 $1,011 +16.00
605–638 627 3 162.00–164.00 $162.64 $1,020 +32.96
685 685 2 151.00 $151.00 $1,034 +61.00
832 832 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,107 +7.67
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
544 544 7 177.00 $177.00 $963 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
503–513 509 48 154.00–163.00 $161.21 $821 +18.66
558 thin fleshed 558 19 164.00 $164.00 $915 —
606–634 615 21 151.50–155.00 $153.03 $941 +5.30
681 681 4 144.00 $144.00 $981 +5.57
700 700 17 144.50 $144.50 $1,012 +26.50
763–778 769 27 128.00–135.00 $131.38 $1,010 +6.17
818 818 10 127.50 $127.50 $1,043 +6.13
855–865 858 10 124.00–126.00 $124.50 $1,068 +10.61
888 888 22 116.00 $116.00 $1,030 +2.11
930 930 11 117.00 $117.00 $1,088 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
483 483 4 150.00 $150.00 $724 +36.66
540–543 542 4 145.00–149.00 $148.00 $802 +28.63
645 645 2 124.00 $124.00 $800 -8.43
680–686 684 8 125.00–136.00 $131.90 $902 +8.59
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
516 516 4 127.00 $127.00 $655 —
618 618 12 126.00 $126.00 $779 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1022 1022 9 108.00 $108.00 $1,104 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
95 95 1 325.00 $325.00 —
240 240 1 385.00 $385.00 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
544 544 4 174.00 $174.00 $947 +42.25
658 658 2 133.00 $133.00 $875 +0.50
890 890 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,041 —
900 900 1 121.00 $121.00 $1,089 —
987–990 988 4 116.00–117.00 $116.75 $1,153 —
1140 1140 3 111.00 $111.00 $1,265 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070 1070 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,209 —
1138–1140 1139 4 115.00–116.00 $115.50 $1,316 —
1250 1250 1 100.00 $100.00 $1,250 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
90 90 1 325.00 $325.00 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1658 1410 80-85% 105 62.00–72.00 $67.84 $957 —
1225–1870 1425 80-85% 106 71.00–80.50 $76.32 $1,088 —
1271–1635 1425 80-85% 23 62.00–68.00 $63.73 $908 —
1350–1745 1484 80-85% 17 55.00–62.00 $58.16 $863 —
1360–1525 1498 80-85% 14 56.00–62.50 $61.14 $916 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–945 915 85-90% 3 52.00–57.50 $54.43 $498 —
1038–1225 1139 85-90% 5 65.00–71.00 $67.10 $764 +13.07
1050–1280 1159 85-90% 23 60.50–66.50 $63.00 $730 +4.46
975–1305 1180 85-90% 28 62.00–67.50 $64.97 $767 +6.43
1195–1275 1213 85-90% 12 71.50–77.50 $73.88 $896 —
1085–1375 1216 85-90% 19 56.00–60.00 $58.40 $710 —
1193–1263 1233 85-90% 9 55.00–61.00 $60.19 $742 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1526–1545 1534 75-80% 7 70.00–71.00 $70.57 $1,083 -3.43
1495–1609 1546 75-80% 9 76.00 $76.00 $1,175 +2.00
1565–1678 1640 75-80% 3 64.00–66.00 $64.64 $1,060 —
1660–1705 1671 75-80% 4 76.00–77.50 $77.12 $1,289 —
1555–1790 1700 75-80% 4 69.00–73.50 $70.89 $1,205 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1294 1294 6 85.00 $85.00 $1,100 —
1280–1725 1404 10 69.00–78.50 $76.55 $1,075 -0.89
1370–1840 1565 5 81.00–84.00 $82.69 $1,294 —
1400–2305 1689 38 84.50–94.00 $89.77 $1,516 —
1030–2435 1974 25 96.50–108.50 $100.72 $1,988 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
810–1377 1076 (<2 yrs)Open 119 74.50–104.50 $93.15 $1,002
870–1300 1080 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 47 68.00–88.00 $74.97 $810
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
835–850 843 (<2 yrs)Open 2 76.00–80.00 $78.02 $658
945 945 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 63.00 $63.00 $595

↑ Back to top

Dairy Steers

Large 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1023 1023 2 60.00 $60.00 $614 —

↑ 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.