Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 4, 2021

4,033 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 heifers $144.52/cwt -0.90 vs last sale · ≈ $750/hd at 519 lb · 355 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $141.87/cwt +1.26 vs last sale · ≈ $816/hd at 575 lb · 250 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $176.90/cwt -0.16 vs last sale · ≈ $846/hd at 478 lb · 226 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,033 5,797 5,926
Feeder cattle 3,407 5,327 5,291
Slaughter cattle 374 285 434
Replacement cattle 252 185 201

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop any accurate market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good. Yearling quality was average to attractive. Steer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Steers 450-599 lbs sold unevenly steady from 3.00 lower to 5.00 higher; steers over 600 lbs sold mostly 7.00-10.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, while heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to frim. Calf quality this week was mostly average, with a few consignments of attractive cattle. Calves were offered in mostly small packages today with no load lots on offer. Demand remains limited due to limited trucks. Several buyers filled loads and exited the market. Calf prices declined as the sale progressed. Wide price spreads continue to be seen as buyers continue to focus on buying front end calves and calves with two rounds of vaccinations. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packer and feeder buyers both showed good demand for cows this week which helped improve prices. The majority of cows this week were purchased for feed. Only very lame or severely blemished cows were purchased for immediate harvest. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. Higher undertones were noticed on breaking cows, while steady to weak undertones were noticed on boning and lean cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 3.00-6.00 lower. Demand was mostly light. Quality for this class of cows was plain to average this week.

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
265–284 unweaned 277 11 200.00–210.00 $203.48 $564 -1.52
305–338 unweaned 312 18 205.00–212.50 $207.22 $647 +9.39
362–399 unweaned 383 117 189.00–209.50 $197.46 $756 -5.00
420–435 unweaned 425 6 189.00–197.50 $194.60 $827 +5.51
462–493 unweaned 478 226 164.00–189.50 $176.90 $846 +3.83
510 510 10 147.00 $147.00 $750 -16.68
503–545 unweaned 533 141 155.00–166.50 $162.04 $864 -0.36
552–584 unweaned 575 166 150.75–164.50 $160.09 $921 +5.61
603 fancy 603 25 163.00 $163.00 $983 —
603–647 unweaned 627 200 143.00–152.50 $147.81 $927 -7.54
650–693 unweaned 658 41 145.50–150.50 $149.76 $985 -9.10
661–698 670 38 143.50–153.00 $150.66 $1,009 +4.16
704–730 unweaned 711 58 136.50–153.00 $148.90 $1,059 -9.43
725 725 7 144.00 $144.00 $1,044 +1.00
745 745 67 163.50 $163.50 $1,218 +14.25
753 unweaned 753 24 152.50 $152.50 $1,148 +8.50
805 unweaned 805 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,071 -8.50
939 939 10 145.00 $145.00 $1,362 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
315–335 unweaned 327 5 180.00–200.00 $187.71 $614 —
353 353 4 185.00 $185.00 $653 —
353–396 unweaned 379 20 180.00–181.50 $180.71 $685 +7.78
429–443 unweaned 437 17 152.00–165.00 $162.19 $709 -15.37
455–493 unweaned 481 26 146.50–163.00 $155.56 $748 -5.19
493 493 4 156.00 $156.00 $769 —
500 500 3 137.50 $137.50 $688 -2.50
500–546 unweaned 523 55 140.00–156.00 $148.77 $778 +0.45
584–599 unweaned 588 76 134.50–145.00 $139.33 $819 -0.99
588 588 10 133.00 $133.00 $782 -11.00
621–636 unweaned 626 18 127.00–143.00 $138.41 $866 —
653 653 3 134.00 $134.00 $875 —
664–671 unweaned 668 8 138.00–143.00 $140.51 $939 -4.49
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 425 8 152.50 $152.50 $648 —
439 unweaned 439 35 145.00 $145.00 $637 —
474 474 7 164.50 $164.50 $780 —
518–525 unweaned 521 12 148.00–150.00 $149.16 $777 -7.34
554–560 556 13 137.00–148.50 $141.45 $786 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
504–514 unweaned 507 47 110.00–138.00 $129.54 $657 -0.46
605 unweaned 605 10 131.00 $131.00 $793 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
622 622 24 133.00 $133.00 $827 —
665 665 12 122.00 $122.00 $811 —
672 unweaned 672 3 138.00 $138.00 $927 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
446 446 5 135.00 $135.00 $602 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–284 unweaned 276 12 175.00–197.50 $192.72 $532 —
308–325 unweaned 319 12 174.00 $174.00 $555 +0.42
370–399 unweaned 387 36 169.00–176.00 $172.09 $666 +5.47
421 421 10 165.00 $165.00 $695 -5.50
403–440 unweaned 428 92 150.00–170.50 $165.00 $706 +5.13
450–496 unweaned 482 81 148.00–168.50 $149.92 $723 -2.09
483 fancy 483 20 173.00 $173.00 $836 —
501–534 517 55 140.00–150.00 $144.34 $746 -10.16
502–543 unweaned 519 300 136.50–148.50 $144.55 $750 +0.95
554–587 572 65 140.00–145.25 $142.76 $817 —
550–594 unweaned 576 185 137.00–146.00 $141.56 $815 +0.95
606 606 25 135.50 $135.50 $821 —
600–625 unweaned 609 42 133.00–142.00 $137.95 $840 -0.38
660 unweaned 660 4 127.00 $127.00 $838 -12.73
929 929 22 139.50 $139.50 $1,296 +2.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 unweaned 335 1 164.00 $164.00 $549 -3.50
431 unweaned 431 4 147.50 $147.50 $636 —
461–499 unweaned 483 44 139.00–142.00 $140.87 $680 +4.87
517–546 unweaned 540 63 131.00–139.50 $132.02 $713 -8.98
558–573 unweaned 564 44 118.00–134.00 $130.63 $737 +1.02
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 unweaned 370 24 160.00 $160.00 $592 —
420 420 7 144.00 $144.00 $605 —
440 unweaned 440 3 142.00 $142.00 $625 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 unweaned 383 10 140.00 $140.00 $536 -4.00
400 unweaned 400 2 147.00 $147.00 $588 —
490 unweaned 490 5 124.00 $124.00 $608 —
509 unweaned 509 5 105.00 $105.00 $534 —
514 514 8 120.00 $120.00 $617 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1007–1020 1010 15 125.00–131.50 $130.19 $1,315 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 3 120.00 $120.00 $1,200 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369 369 7 155.00 $155.00 $572 —
492 492 9 129.00 $129.00 $635 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 unweaned 595 6 118.50 $118.50 $705 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1234–1540 1353 80-85% 71 44.50–57.00 $49.00 $663 -6.96
1395 1395 80-85% 1 65.50 $65.50 $914 +9.54
1245–1513 1432 80-85% 31 57.50–62.00 $58.63 $840 +19.13
1115–1715 1433 80-85% 24 40.50–53.50 $46.72 $669 +7.22
1440 1440 80-85% 1 58.00 $58.00 $835 +18.50
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
868 868 85-90% 2 36.50 $36.50 $317 —
1005–1339 1197 85-90% 16 33.00–37.00 $35.81 $429 -5.81
1122–1346 1200 85-90% 72 40.50–48.50 $43.87 $526 —
1110–1295 1204 85-90% 5 50.00–53.00 $51.06 $615 —
1165–1280 1223 85-90% 2 37.50–39.50 $38.55 $471 -6.50
1213–1276 1254 85-90% 14 37.50–38.50 $38.15 $478 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1550 1550 75-80% 2 66.00 $66.00 $1,023 —
1565 1565 75-80% 1 67.50 $67.50 $1,056 —
1723 1723 75-80% 2 69.50 $69.50 $1,197 —
1760 1760 75-80% 1 65.50 $65.50 $1,153 —
1735–1800 1762 75-80% 13 59.00–63.00 $60.69 $1,069 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2105 2105 1 92.50 $92.50 $1,947 —
2370 2370 1 75.50 $75.50 $1,789 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890–1160 963 (<2 yrs)Open 54 66.00–96.00 $86.83 $836
970 thin fleshed 970 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 46.00 $46.00 $446
906–1385 1056 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 89 50.50–82.00 $67.40 $712
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
950 950 (<2 yrs)Open 2 65.00 $65.00 $618

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1099–1143 1109 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 9 1,060.00–1,075.00 $1,063.44
1259 thin fleshed 1259 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 625.00 $625.00
1315 1315 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 775.00 $775.00
1235–1394 1364 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 18 760.00–800.00 $788.90
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1265 1265 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 1,075.00 $1,075.00

↑ 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.