Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 13, 2022

3,202 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 $171.83/cwt +2.41 vs last sale · ≈ $897/hd at 522 lb · 103 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $186.29/cwt +2.58 vs last sale · ≈ $822/hd at 441 lb · 72 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $148.54/cwt +0.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,301/hd at 876 lb · 65 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,202 1,718 1,470
Feeder cattle 1,288 1,646 177
Slaughter cattle 1,285 55 516
Replacement cattle 629 17 777

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling quality was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for all yearlings on offer. Steer calves sold generally steady on all weights. Steer quality is average to attractive. Heifer calves sold mostly 5.00 higher on all weights. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Buyers showed very good demand for cattle suitable to run on grass this summer. Small packages and singles continue to sell with light demand. Market activity this week was mostly active with a large buyer pool actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. All cows and bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heavy offerings allowed for several buyers to actively be in the market without moving prices higher. Both packers and feeding cow buyers were active in buying cows to feed to premium white this week. Feeding cows sold with steady to lower undertones. Slaughter cows sold with steady undertones on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold with lower undertones. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand this sale. Offerings were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend.

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
397 397 9 215.00 $215.00 $854 —
459–485 478 41 205.00–218.00 $214.39 $1,025 +1.47
500–521 514 10 193.00–208.00 $201.24 $1,034 -1.98
562–597 580 18 180.00–194.00 $186.80 $1,083 -3.51
608–623 614 8 177.50–179.00 $178.07 $1,093 +0.37
677 677 14 172.00 $172.00 $1,164 +6.00
793 793 30 156.00 $156.00 $1,237 —
823 823 2 154.00 $154.00 $1,267 —
887 887 5 147.00 $147.00 $1,304 -6.24
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
356–384 366 11 210.00–211.00 $210.62 $771 —
415–448 427 9 205.00–210.00 $208.06 $888 —
476 476 11 192.00 $192.00 $914 +1.73
567 567 6 160.00 $160.00 $907 -16.00
647 647 11 167.50 $167.50 $1,084 +4.95
668 668 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,035 —
933 933 2 141.00 $141.00 $1,316 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 9 200.00 $200.00 $800 —
812–828 820 10 141.00–145.00 $142.98 $1,172 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
599 599 5 169.00 $169.00 $1,012 —
1026 1026 8 136.00 $136.00 $1,395 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
754 754 4 142.00 $142.00 $1,071 —
856 856 7 142.50 $142.50 $1,220 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
371–388 380 31 185.00–192.00 $189.50 $720 +9.00
433–443 441 72 184.00–187.00 $186.29 $822 +2.58
455–463 462 16 176.00–186.50 $184.56 $853 +13.10
514–533 522 103 161.00–174.00 $171.83 $897 +4.48
556–577 558 37 160.50–163.00 $160.74 $897 +4.03
621–638 625 54 158.00–165.00 $162.11 $1,013 +11.60
664–676 675 46 145.00–149.50 $149.02 $1,006 -3.98
712–748 716 60 150.00–158.00 $153.77 $1,101 —
775–790 781 23 150.00–156.00 $151.55 $1,184 +1.85
813–823 815 49 150.50–153.00 $152.48 $1,243 —
859–885 876 65 148.00–149.50 $148.54 $1,301 +0.04
916–918 917 7 147.00–148.00 $147.57 $1,353 —
967 967 35 141.50–148.00 $142.80 $1,381 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 5 162.50 $162.50 $635 -11.50
491 491 4 164.00 $164.00 $805 +8.06
557 557 7 158.50 $158.50 $883 —
703 703 2 142.00 $142.00 $998 —
822–844 840 18 134.00–146.00 $135.96 $1,142 —
913 913 3 137.50 $137.50 $1,255 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1014 1014 7 130.00 $130.00 $1,318 —
1095 1095 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,424 —
1130 1130 11 110.00 $110.00 $1,243 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 7 130.00 $130.00 $819 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351 351 6 192.50 $192.50 $676 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 3 150.00 $150.00 $652 -26.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
803 803 9 132.00 $132.00 $1,060 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 410 1 190.50 $190.50 $781 —
461 461 6 200.00 $200.00 $922 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1027 1027 3 107.00 $107.00 $1,099 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–975 846 85-90% 6 42.00–47.00 $43.95 $372 —
840–916 901 85-90% 5 23.00–33.00 $24.87 $224 —
990–1143 1057 85-90% 83 46.00–49.00 $47.38 $501 -4.76
1016–1285 1124 85-90% 349 51.00–58.00 $52.70 $592 -8.30
1033–1193 1129 85-90% 5 61.00–64.00 $62.10 $701 +1.10
1002–1375 1156 85-90% 211 41.00–51.00 $46.44 $537 —
1070–1485 1239 85-90% 46 51.00–56.00 $52.45 $650 -4.98
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1340 1290 80-85% 3 65.00–71.00 $67.08 $865 —
1318–1413 1356 80-85% 15 46.00–53.50 $51.38 $697 —
1305–1510 1363 80-85% 31 53.00–57.00 $54.89 $748 —
1263–1675 1367 80-85% 30 44.00–53.00 $49.01 $670 —
1303–1530 1369 80-85% 131 54.00–60.50 $55.63 $762 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555–1580 1563 75-80% 5 64.00–68.00 $64.80 $1,013 +0.30
1420–1773 1622 75-80% 27 52.50–62.00 $60.14 $975 —
1543–1795 1627 75-80% 3 69.00–80.00 $75.95 $1,236 —
1620–1825 1696 75-80% 4 55.00–62.00 $58.82 $998 —
1555–2050 1802 75-80% 10 63.00–66.00 $64.43 $1,161 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250 1250 2 75.00 $75.00 $938 —
1375–1995 1693 29 72.50–81.00 $76.73 $1,299 —
1658–2430 1995 23 81.50–88.50 $83.78 $1,671 —
2280 2280 1 90.50 $90.50 $2,063 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
802–1336 924 (<2 yrs)Open 302 69.00–111.00 $95.14 $879
769–1288 1041 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 91 54.00–94.00 $76.33 $795
1155 1155 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 57.00 $57.00 $658
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735–840 788 (<2 yrs)Open 8 80.00–87.00 $83.73 $660
1065 1065 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 52.00 $52.00 $554

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
977 977 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 17 1,110.00 $1,110.00
1099 1099 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 5 785.00 $785.00
1170–1335 1280 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,125.00–1,250.00 $1,163.09
1306 1306 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1318 1318 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 12 910.00 $910.00
1403 1403 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 16 850.00 $850.00

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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.