Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, January 20, 2022

3,228 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $193.48/cwt +6.68 vs last sale · ≈ $1,095/hd at 566 lb · 243 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $169.91/cwt -2.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,143/hd at 673 lb · 221 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $176.87/cwt +5.04 vs last sale · ≈ $921/hd at 521 lb · 213 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,228 3,202 1,328
Feeder cattle 2,897 1,288 728
Slaughter cattle 201 1,285 394
Replacement cattle 130 629 206

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 steady to weak undertones were noticed. Yearling quality was average to attractive. Demand was mostly good for all yearlings on offer. Steer calves under 550 lbs sold generally steady. Steer calves over 550 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 800 lbs sold steady to firm, heifers over 800 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was average to attractive. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to run on grass. Most of this weeks offering were weaned for 45 days or longer. Some sets of weaned calves were showing some flesh this week and were discounted as a result. A large buyer pool was on hand again this week and market activity was mostly active as buyers pushed to fill orders throughout todays long sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers purchased most cows for immediate harvest this week as snow and cold have slowed down cattle available close to the plant. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a limited test. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average and lower than last week. Demand for young age cows was light to moderate.

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
411 unweaned 411 10 221.00 $221.00 $908 —
429–448 439 71 213.00–235.00 $219.07 $962 —
455–484 472 37 207.50–216.00 $210.65 $994 -3.74
475 unweaned 475 5 206.00 $206.00 $978 —
502–543 524 51 195.50–210.00 $200.98 $1,053 -0.26
557 fancy 557 36 207.50 $207.50 $1,156 —
557–580 567 184 189.00–200.00 $194.31 $1,102 +7.51
574 574 23 164.00–165.50 $164.91 $947 -21.89
600–635 620 117 175.00–189.00 $184.48 $1,144 +6.41
632 unweaned 632 31 175.00 $175.00 $1,106 —
645 645 16 166.00 $166.00 $1,071 -12.07
654–699 673 221 164.50–176.50 $169.91 $1,143 -2.09
704–733 723 199 160.00–167.00 $162.96 $1,178 —
751–777 766 93 156.00–166.00 $163.11 $1,249 +7.11
811 811 18 160.00 $160.00 $1,298 +6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
359–395 363 9 195.00–205.00 $196.21 $712 -14.41
406–430 414 6 207.00 $207.00 $857 -1.06
455 455 5 202.00 $202.00 $919 +10.00
501–539 521 15 179.00–185.00 $181.69 $947 —
563–598 590 38 168.00–185.00 $173.30 $1,022 +13.30
688 688 19 162.00 $162.00 $1,115 +7.00
703–729 720 6 148.00–153.00 $149.63 $1,077 —
757 757 5 146.00 $146.00 $1,105 —
806 806 6 143.50 $143.50 $1,157 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 24 185.00 $185.00 $723 —
431 431 6 183.00 $183.00 $789 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
509 509 11 192.00 $192.00 $977 —
585 585 9 179.00 $179.00 $1,047 +10.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 unweaned 395 7 165.00 $165.00 $652 —
426 426 32 190.50 $190.50 $812 +4.21
463 463 8 154.00 $154.00 $713 -30.56
466 unweaned 466 18 171.00 $171.00 $797 —
465–490 485 164 175.00–185.50 $181.76 $882 -2.80
508 fancy 508 105 184.00 $184.00 $935 —
532 532 5 162.00 $162.00 $862 -9.83
502–545 533 103 165.00–174.00 $170.33 $908 -1.50
550–587 575 88 164.00–176.00 $169.62 $975 +8.88
594 594 18 154.00 $154.00 $915 —
606 606 18 153.50 $153.50 $930 -8.61
621–646 634 92 157.50–162.00 $159.69 $1,012 -2.42
653–693 674 65 150.00–158.00 $153.57 $1,035 +4.55
708–730 716 66 144.50–153.00 $150.86 $1,080 -2.91
741 741 11 140.00 $140.00 $1,037 -13.77
805 805 5 138.50 $138.50 $1,115 -13.98
858 858 3 135.00 $135.00 $1,158 -13.54
850–892 885 24 139.00–139.50 $139.42 $1,234 -9.12
925 925 4 130.00 $130.00 $1,202 -17.57
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374–390 382 6 160.00–165.00 $162.55 $621 +0.05
426–445 436 32 157.50–179.00 $170.53 $744 —
451–491 473 42 159.00–170.00 $163.41 $773 -0.59
559–592 573 12 156.00–162.00 $158.58 $909 +0.08
749 749 5 135.50 $135.50 $1,015 —
781 781 10 135.00 $135.00 $1,054 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372–382 378 32 150.00–155.00 $150.93 $571 -41.57
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429 429 5 168.00 $168.00 $721 —
488 488 8 168.00 $168.00 $820 —
598 598 8 155.00 $155.00 $927 —
875 875 4 140.00 $140.00 $1,225 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 17 172.00 $172.00 $640 —
608 608 6 155.00 $155.00 $942 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 16 125.00 $125.00 $569 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 9 154.00 $154.00 $792 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378–387 unweaned 385 15 202.00–207.00 $206.02 $793 —
424 424 4 195.00 $195.00 $827 +4.50
455–493 unweaned 459 26 191.00–200.00 $198.89 $913 —
493 493 4 175.00 $175.00 $863 -25.00
538 unweaned 538 3 171.00 $171.00 $920 —
525–548 545 7 162.00–172.50 $163.45 $891 —
565 565 4 164.00 $164.00 $927 —
618 unweaned 618 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,014 —
633 633 6 154.00 $154.00 $975 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
551–597 577 9 148.00–152.00 $149.70 $864 —
739 739 8 143.00 $143.00 $1,057 —
922 922 3 115.00 $115.00 $1,060 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1003 1003 4 131.00 $131.00 $1,314 +24.00
1101 1101 4 106.00 $106.00 $1,167 —
1175 1175 2 94.00 $94.00 $1,104 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890–965 954 85-90% 7 44.00–47.00 $45.16 $431 —
1055 1055 85-90% 1 43.00 $43.00 $454 -4.38
1030–1295 1145 85-90% 23 44.00–51.00 $48.82 $559 -13.28
1155–1246 1216 85-90% 22 53.00–55.00 $53.65 $652 +1.20
1055–1345 1256 85-90% 29 52.50–59.50 $55.59 $698 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1305–1458 1369 80-85% 17 55.50–61.50 $58.09 $795 +2.46
1310–1460 1376 80-85% 7 48.00–54.50 $51.66 $711 -3.97
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1440–1548 1512 75-80% 3 67.50 $67.50 $1,021 —
1518 1518 75-80% 2 61.00 $61.00 $926 —
1613–1658 1636 75-80% 4 54.00–63.50 $58.68 $960 -17.27

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1273–1695 1428 6 81.00–86.00 $83.67 $1,195 —
1655–1825 1762 3 66.00–76.00 $70.48 $1,242 —
1835 1835 1 91.00 $91.00 $1,670 —
1705–2200 1956 14 82.00–86.50 $84.16 $1,646 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2365 2365 1 78.00 $78.00 $1,845 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
926 thin fleshed 926 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 57.00 $57.00 $528
770–1280 1022 (<2 yrs)Open 26 71.00–100.00 $83.40 $852
840–1132 1025 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 16 58.00–82.00 $65.06 $667
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
908–935 922 (<2 yrs)Open 6 61.00–79.00 $69.87 $644
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
955 955 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 45.00 $45.00 $430

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1174 1174 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 850.00 $850.00
1180 thin fleshed 1180 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 685.00 $685.00
1186 1186 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 14 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1265 thin fleshed 1265 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 725.00 $725.00
1489 1489 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 4 885.00 $885.00

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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.