Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 11, 2021

5,569 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $188.61/cwt +11.71 vs last sale · ≈ $873/hd at 463 lb · 615 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $160.53/cwt +11.04 vs last sale · ≈ $994/hd at 619 lb · 322 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $171.75/cwt +6.75 vs last sale · ≈ $717/hd at 417 lb · 317 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,569 4,033 4,846
Feeder cattle 5,127 3,407 4,610
Slaughter cattle 328 374 179
Replacement cattle 114 252 57

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. Steer calves under 500lbs sold 3.00-5.00 higher with moderate to good demand; Steers 450-599 lbs sold 5.00 to sharply higher; steers over 600 lbs sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold 3.00 to 5.00 higher, while heifers over 500 lbs sold 3.00 to sharply higher. Calf quality this week was average to attractive, with a few consignments of attractive cattle. Calves were offered in mostly small to medium packages today that sold with moderate demand, with a few load lots on offer that sold with good demand for both steers and heifers. 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 with moderate to heavy receipts of feeder cattle. 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. Primarily very lame or severely blemished cows were purchased for immediate harvest. Lower undertones were noticed on breaking cows, while steady to firm 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 firm on a light comparison, with bred cows selling weak on a light test this week. 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
235 unweaned 235 13 180.00 $180.00 $423 —
265 unweaned 265 3 200.00 $200.00 $530 -3.48
302–340 unweaned 312 58 190.00–221.00 $212.88 $664 +5.66
370 370 16 191.00 $191.00 $707 —
354–389 unweaned 374 286 186.00–214.50 $210.46 $787 +13.00
412–415 412 44 181.00–200.50 $199.61 $822 —
403–446 unweaned 434 97 181.00–196.00 $186.77 $811 -7.83
453–491 unweaned 461 567 176.00–192.00 $189.42 $873 +12.52
467–494 488 48 175.00–193.50 $179.06 $874 —
508 508 6 145.00 $145.00 $737 -2.00
507–545 unweaned 530 217 162.00–179.00 $167.69 $889 +5.65
521–537 535 94 174.00 $174.00 $931 +27.00
561 561 7 140.50 $140.50 $788 —
557–578 567 22 162.00–165.50 $163.88 $929 —
551–595 unweaned 575 54 150.00–170.00 $161.33 $928 +1.24
604–636 unweaned 619 232 156.50–164.00 $159.10 $985 +11.29
610–646 620 90 154.00–167.00 $164.23 $1,018 —
655 unweaned 655 38 155.00 $155.00 $1,015 +5.24
713 713 27 154.00 $154.00 $1,098 +10.00
733–747 unweaned 740 18 135.00–149.00 $142.07 $1,051 -6.83
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 unweaned 287 6 155.00 $155.00 $445 —
305–345 unweaned 340 21 175.00–187.00 $184.56 $628 -3.15
363–398 unweaned 380 17 165.00–170.00 $167.92 $638 -12.79
403–441 unweaned 424 25 159.00–175.00 $166.51 $706 +4.32
426 426 5 167.50 $167.50 $714 —
460–495 unweaned 468 59 161.00–173.50 $170.16 $796 +14.60
471–480 472 7 145.00–151.00 $145.87 $689 -10.13
478 478 2 166.00 $166.00 $793 +10.00
514–548 unweaned 534 66 143.00–156.00 $152.41 $814 +3.64
568 568 5 138.00 $138.00 $784 +5.00
558–576 unweaned 571 35 137.00–153.00 $147.18 $840 +7.85
601–649 unweaned 621 98 135.00–155.00 $146.45 $909 +8.04
668–670 668 43 142.50–154.00 $152.93 $1,022 +18.93
663–690 unweaned 681 26 141.00–153.50 $151.30 $1,030 +10.79
723 unweaned 723 3 130.00 $130.00 $940 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–346 unweaned 343 10 135.00–155.00 $151.15 $518 —
394 unweaned 394 14 164.00 $164.00 $646 —
405 405 3 152.00 $152.00 $616 -0.50
563–598 unweaned 586 6 132.00–147.00 $142.20 $833 —
607–624 unweaned 617 14 134.00–148.00 $139.91 $863 —
635 635 3 137.00 $137.00 $870 —
686 unweaned 686 9 131.00 $131.00 $899 —
700 700 7 136.00 $136.00 $952 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
541 541 5 154.00 $154.00 $833 —
558–598 unweaned 591 23 144.00–150.00 $149.01 $881 —
657–678 unweaned 665 8 140.00–149.00 $144.89 $964 +6.89
709–723 unweaned 712 10 141.00–153.00 $150.56 $1,072 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255–258 unweaned 258 15 170.00–180.00 $179.34 $463 -13.38
307–347 unweaned 332 97 167.00–184.50 $180.10 $598 +6.10
350–381 unweaned 359 131 164.00–190.00 $180.35 $647 +8.26
404–445 unweaned 417 311 155.00–178.75 $172.02 $717 +7.02
438 438 6 157.50 $157.50 $690 -7.50
456–491 unweaned 473 197 147.00–160.00 $151.22 $715 +1.30
478–490 485 28 147.00–151.50 $149.60 $726 —
485 485 5 143.00 $143.00 $694 —
502–548 unweaned 530 198 144.00–156.50 $149.30 $791 +4.75
509–546 530 30 139.00–148.00 $142.75 $757 -1.59
557–599 unweaned 572 120 143.00–161.00 $155.86 $892 +14.30
613–633 unweaned 615 26 135.00–138.00 $137.76 $847 -0.19
628 628 59 135.50–152.00 $137.18 $861 +1.68
656–683 663 61 133.00–143.50 $142.46 $945 —
660–696 unweaned 680 42 138.00–142.50 $140.98 $959 +13.98
700 unweaned 700 4 131.00 $131.00 $917 —
730 730 4 148.00 $148.00 $1,080 —
759 759 147 155.00 $155.00 $1,176 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268–291 unweaned 286 10 150.00–155.00 $154.06 $441 —
323–349 unweaned 338 40 140.00–155.00 $150.88 $510 -13.12
372 372 3 145.00 $145.00 $539 —
395 unweaned 395 5 160.00 $160.00 $632 —
400–436 unweaned 414 66 137.00–153.00 $143.72 $595 -3.78
414–443 424 103 135.00–152.00 $147.99 $627 —
459 459 6 139.00 $139.00 $638 —
455–495 unweaned 487 63 138.00–143.00 $139.59 $680 -1.28
503 503 5 139.00 $139.00 $699 —
505–546 unweaned 529 68 125.00–140.50 $136.51 $722 +4.49
556–559 557 9 131.00–132.00 $131.45 $732 —
550–595 unweaned 569 140 132.00–140.75 $137.15 $780 +6.52
636 unweaned 636 8 135.00 $135.00 $859 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 530 8 134.50 $134.50 $713 —
545 unweaned 545 3 130.00 $130.00 $708 —
584 584 28 140.00 $140.00 $818 —
605–615 unweaned 606 12 123.00–133.00 $123.85 $751 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 unweaned 387 6 141.00 $141.00 $546 -19.00
473 unweaned 473 3 139.00 $139.00 $657 —
555 unweaned 555 5 133.00 $133.00 $738 —
613–634 unweaned 627 12 132.00–135.50 $134.36 $842 —
700 700 7 136.00 $136.00 $952 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
437–447 unweaned 442 11 152.50–166.00 $158.56 $701 —
533 unweaned 533 5 136.00 $136.00 $725 —
567–570 unweaned 568 13 133.00–137.00 $135.46 $769 —
575 575 5 125.00 $125.00 $719 —
662–698 unweaned 672 7 132.00–135.00 $134.11 $901 —
709 unweaned 709 5 129.00 $129.00 $915 —
905 unweaned 905 4 112.00 $112.00 $1,014 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1221 1085 85-90% 38 50.00–61.00 $52.64 $571 —
1033–1405 1137 85-90% 33 28.00–32.50 $30.21 $343 —
1110–1376 1268 85-90% 52 34.00–41.50 $38.86 $493 +0.71
1293–1551 1441 85-90% 7 35.50–41.00 $39.59 $570 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330–1412 1365 80-85% 7 40.50–55.00 $46.93 $641 -2.07
1390–1398 1394 80-85% 4 63.50–64.00 $63.75 $889 -1.75
1420 1420 80-85% 15 39.00 $39.00 $554 -19.63
1508–1544 1532 80-85% 8 45.00–54.00 $47.84 $733 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590–1820 1667 75-80% 3 51.00–52.00 $51.64 $861 —
1715 1715 75-80% 5 60.00 $60.00 $1,029 -9.50

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1735 1735 2 75.00 $75.00 $1,301 —
1915–2030 1988 3 83.00–84.50 $83.48 $1,660 —
1975–2045 2010 2 60.50–72.00 $66.35 $1,334 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
847–1120 858 (<2 yrs)Open 26 72.00–99.00 $97.64 $838

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1205–1456 1361 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 21 725.00–1,100.00 $865.31
1406 1406 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 900.00 $900.00
1433 1433 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 750.00 $750.00
1514 1514 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 875.00 $875.00

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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.