Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 16, 2021

2,896 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $172.42/cwt -14.46 vs last sale · ≈ $672/hd at 390 lb · 103 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $177.25/cwt -1.05 vs last sale · ≈ $831/hd at 469 lb · 74 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $193.13/cwt -21.91 vs last sale · ≈ $742/hd at 384 lb · 71 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,896 3,216 949
Feeder cattle 1,226 2,369 566
Slaughter cattle 996 589 328
Replacement cattle 674 258 55

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely traded this week thus no trend is available. Steer calves sold sharply lower on calves under 400 lbs, steer calves over 400 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves under 400 lbs sold sharply lower, calves over 400 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Demand was mostly light to moderate for yearlings as very few were seen this week making it difficult to put together loads. Calves sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Buyer attendance was lighter this week and fewer takers were seen especially on very light calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Both calf and yearling quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Market activity this week was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Packers continue to lower bids on thin lean cows. Feeding buyers were less active this week on thin cow offerings which allowed prices to slide lower. However, packers did show stronger demand for cows with some yield as well as all fleshy cows on offer. Slaughter cows sold mostly unevenly steady on boning and lean cows from 3.00 lower to firm. Breaking cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Packers were aggressive as they purchased feeding cows today pushing to own the best end of the cows suitable to feed. A large price gap is starting to be seen between slaughter cows and feeding cows. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak as feeding buyers continue to force packer buyers to be competitive. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher on a very attractive offering. Many sets were one iron and home-raised this week. Demand for rebreed cattle was very good.

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
323–345 unweaned 336 36 201.00–219.00 $208.03 $699 -22.19
351–396 unweaned 384 71 190.00–200.00 $193.13 $742 -21.91
430–440 unweaned 432 45 182.50–184.00 $183.66 $793 +0.12
453–490 unweaned 469 74 170.00–183.50 $177.25 $831 -1.05
505–543 unweaned 522 10 164.50–169.00 $167.21 $873 -2.72
561–574 unweaned 565 49 160.00–167.00 $165.05 $933 -1.78
663–665 unweaned 664 3 148.00–155.50 $150.51 $999 -5.49
818–845 823 17 146.50–149.00 $146.95 $1,209 -16.55
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
277 unweaned 277 7 202.50 $202.50 $561 —
408–440 unweaned 427 22 161.00–178.00 $167.88 $717 -6.99
478 unweaned 478 3 165.00 $165.00 $789 -5.95
514–545 unweaned 529 14 161.00–164.50 $162.77 $861 +2.77
551 unweaned 551 12 157.50 $157.50 $868 +2.50
708 708 9 158.00 $158.00 $1,119 +1.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 unweaned 396 39 176.00 $176.00 $697 —
438 unweaned 438 6 177.00 $177.00 $775 —
667 667 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,067 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
474 unweaned 474 5 164.00 $164.00 $777 —
1291 1291 7 112.00 $112.00 $1,446 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
309–347 unweaned 331 33 178.00–189.00 $180.44 $597 -20.93
378–396 unweaned 390 103 167.00–176.50 $172.42 $672 -14.46
403–445 unweaned 419 35 165.50–172.00 $169.49 $710 +1.05
450–463 unweaned 460 44 157.50–168.00 $160.48 $738 -3.50
506–547 unweaned 524 40 150.00–158.50 $154.10 $807 -2.93
550–585 unweaned 557 15 145.00–155.50 $153.29 $854 +3.29
783 783 10 145.00 $145.00 $1,135 -8.48
819–840 830 18 143.00–145.00 $144.44 $1,199 -1.44
875–881 877 27 141.00–143.75 $142.93 $1,253 +0.79
918–935 929 8 137.50–139.00 $138.12 $1,283 +2.12
955–973 965 9 132.00–133.50 $132.55 $1,279 -4.63
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
306–337 unweaned 316 34 155.00–159.50 $157.95 $499 —
370 unweaned 370 22 153.50 $153.50 $568 —
1000 1000 3 127.00 $127.00 $1,270 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
272–285 unweaned 277 10 170.00–180.00 $174.11 $482 -8.39
321–347 unweaned 335 11 171.00–172.00 $171.44 $574 -11.95
392 unweaned 392 3 163.00 $163.00 $639 -12.50
423 unweaned 423 5 159.00 $159.00 $673 -1.00
471 unweaned 471 4 145.00 $145.00 $683 -10.00
715–720 718 6 144.00–145.50 $144.75 $1,039 -5.13
752–780 763 5 142.00–143.00 $142.41 $1,087 -5.59
903–927 921 8 131.00–132.50 $132.13 $1,217 —
978 978 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,252 +1.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 unweaned 320 22 172.00 $172.00 $550 —
636 636 16 151.50 $151.50 $964 -1.76
650 650 5 154.00 $154.00 $1,001 ±0.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390 unweaned 390 11 156.00–158.00 $157.27 $613 —
442 unweaned 442 7 161.00 $161.00 $712 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015 1015 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,167 —
1088 1088 2 113.00 $113.00 $1,229 —
1105–1145 1125 5 100.00–106.00 $104.58 $1,177 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
851 851 8 133.00 $133.00 $1,132 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–990 856 85-90% 57 26.50–46.00 $29.27 $251 —
920–960 926 85-90% 7 46.00–48.00 $47.70 $442 -7.30
970 970 85-90% 1 53.50 $53.50 $519 —
1003–1259 1179 85-90% 29 42.00–47.00 $45.83 $540 —
1080–1291 1180 85-90% 28 54.50–60.50 $56.97 $672 —
1000–1336 1187 85-90% 86 47.00–53.00 $50.16 $595 —
1205 1205 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $868 +18.23
1125–1309 1257 85-90% 70 58.00–64.00 $58.61 $737 +1.45
1217–1293 1267 85-90% 37 53.00–56.50 $54.43 $690 -2.73
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135–1550 1375 80-85% 184 61.00–70.50 $66.95 $921 -6.87
1343–1675 1380 80-85% 21 60.00–63.50 $61.34 $846 -12.48
1365–1460 1387 80-85% 42 51.00–59.00 $57.96 $804 -3.93
1300–1625 1396 80-85% 40 71.50–76.00 $72.77 $1,016 +10.88
1362–1510 1403 80-85% 16 48.00–55.00 $52.10 $731 -3.17
1450–1475 1463 80-85% 2 67.00–72.00 $69.52 $1,017 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1625 1625 75-80% 4 63.00 $63.00 $1,024 —
1520–1721 1642 75-80% 9 71.00–74.50 $72.03 $1,183 —
1585–1883 1706 75-80% 5 82.50–86.00 $84.42 $1,440 +4.42
1793 1793 75-80% 2 78.50 $78.50 $1,408 +0.94

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295–1698 1459 12 64.00–76.50 $73.02 $1,065 —
1427–1835 1608 10 66.00–78.50 $75.17 $1,209 —
1335–1900 1695 14 79.50–86.00 $82.40 $1,397 +3.90
1535–1995 1763 29 79.50–87.00 $84.51 $1,490 —
1695–2135 1962 9 88.00–94.50 $91.85 $1,802 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
765–1325 967 (<2 yrs)Open 207 68.00–106.25 $95.62 $925
1020–1095 thin fleshed 1058 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 54.00–56.00 $55.04 $582
895–1375 1103 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 78 59.00–88.50 $73.76 $814
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
927–1025 943 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 57.00–58.50 $58.23 $549
913–1125 955 (<2 yrs)Open 32 71.00–85.00 $80.75 $771
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–1150 1007 (<2 yrs)Open 7 61.00–74.00 $65.21 $657
1040 1040 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 58.00 $58.00 $603
1080 thin fleshed 1080 (<2 yrs)Open 1 55.00 $55.00 $594

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1085 thin fleshed 1085 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 750.00 $750.00
966–1344 1138 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 61 1,060.00–1,310.00 $1,196.98
1179 1179 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 5 1,185.00 $1,185.00
1312 1312 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 11 1,210.00 $1,210.00
1247–1514 1336 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 12 960.00–1,000.00 $975.11
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1298–1312 1311 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 31 56.00–59.50 $59.28 $777
1179–1376 1340 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 38 60.50–62.00 $60.74 $814
Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
720 720 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 37 42.50 $42.50 $306
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1373 1373 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 62.00 $62.00 $851

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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.