Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, June 2, 2022

1,440 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $184.88/cwt +15.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,339/hd at 724 lb · 203 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 steers $176.93/cwt +10.93 vs last sale · ≈ $1,224/hd at 692 lb · 57 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $198.50/cwt -2.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,350/hd at 680 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,440 2,938 0
Feeder cattle 638 1,955 0
Slaughter cattle 516 292 0
Replacement cattle 286 691 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive with consigned cattle and load lots offering the best quality. Demand for grass cattle was very good this week as recent rains and sharply higher CME positions help bolster demand. Market activity today was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows today pushing all offerings higher. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 higher on all offerings. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Quality today was average to attractive and overall better than last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today, however weigh conditions were better overall compared to last week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Bull quality was mostly attractive this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to weak. Quality was mostly average to attractive today.

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
616 616 18 211.00 $211.00 $1,300 +25.00
680 680 32 198.50 $198.50 $1,350 -2.75
723–744 724 203 178.00–185.50 $184.88 $1,339 +24.88
878 878 2 146.00 $146.00 $1,282 +2.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 8 194.00 $194.00 $916 —
555 555 11 184.00 $184.00 $1,021 —
649 649 6 190.00 $190.00 $1,233 +7.46
675–693 692 57 175.00–177.00 $176.93 $1,224 +10.93
748 748 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,234 —
962–990 973 5 131.50–133.00 $132.39 $1,288 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
692 692 13 155.00 $155.00 $1,073 —
811 811 4 142.00 $142.00 $1,152 —
831 831 8 137.00 $137.00 $1,138 —
1082 1082 8 129.00 $129.00 $1,396 —
1147 1147 19 127.00 $127.00 $1,457 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473 unweaned 473 10 177.00 $177.00 $837 +9.50
543 unweaned 543 15 171.00 $171.00 $929 +0.30
611 611 9 162.00 $162.00 $990 -1.69
667–679 674 7 164.50–165.00 $164.71 $1,110 +2.68
702 702 5 155.00 $155.00 $1,088 +3.54
784 784 5 138.00 $138.00 $1,082 -10.00
811–819 814 15 134.00–139.00 $135.34 $1,102 -6.74
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 1 166.00 $166.00 $863 +12.00
605–620 607 20 146.00–155.00 $147.82 $897 -8.18
668–693 681 6 144.00–145.00 $144.49 $984 -2.60
708 708 4 136.00 $136.00 $963 -7.13
866 866 5 133.50 $133.50 $1,156 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
688 688 7 133.00–134.00 $133.29 $917 —
751–782 754 20 130.00–135.00 $130.52 $984 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006–1020 1009 7 113.00–122.00 $120.42 $1,215 —
1120–1128 1125 3 106.00–111.00 $107.66 $1,211 —
1150 fancy 1150 2 116.00 $116.00 $1,334 —
1175 1175 4 106.00 $106.00 $1,246 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1328–1550 1384 80-85% 23 66.00–73.50 $71.30 $987 —
1307–1625 1388 80-85% 119 75.00–80.50 $77.12 $1,070 —
1345–1675 1402 80-85% 15 67.00–82.00 $72.59 $1,018 -1.58
1312–1545 1424 80-85% 29 80.50–86.50 $82.88 $1,180 +14.67
1328–1563 1429 80-85% 25 74.50–78.50 $76.04 $1,087 +7.83
1348–1498 1451 80-85% 15 81.00–85.00 $82.60 $1,199 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880 880 85-90% 1 52.00 $52.00 $458 -4.08
870–965 915 85-90% 3 62.00–63.00 $62.49 $572 —
955–970 963 85-90% 2 70.00–73.00 $71.51 $689 —
1048–1100 1056 85-90% 13 53.50–59.00 $54.38 $574 —
1005–1370 1151 85-90% 70 61.50–71.50 $67.49 $777 -9.34
1040–1420 1203 85-90% 34 72.00–78.50 $73.98 $890 +7.80
1140–1300 1212 85-90% 5 69.00–71.50 $70.34 $853 +4.16
975–1288 1235 85-90% 45 72.00–78.00 $74.22 $917 +0.30
1238–1243 1241 85-90% 4 79.00–84.50 $81.76 $1,015 +7.84
1220–1337 1306 85-90% 10 79.00–81.00 $79.47 $1,038 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590 1590 75-80% 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,272 —
1435–1681 1603 75-80% 7 74.00–77.50 $76.86 $1,232 —
1535–1680 1608 75-80% 2 79.00 $79.00 $1,270 —
1690 1690 75-80% 1 77.00 $77.00 $1,301 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1238–1542 1354 13 93.00–105.00 $100.87 $1,366 +7.04
1290–2375 1713 8 82.00–93.00 $88.48 $1,516 —
1455–2081 1851 23 94.50–106.50 $102.10 $1,890 —
1983 1983 5 113.00 $113.00 $2,241 +14.47
1725–2235 2002 11 108.00–118.00 $111.89 $2,240 —
2510 2510 1 99.00 $99.00 $2,485 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2370 2370 1 111.00 $111.00 $2,631 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
735–1375 1026 (<2 yrs)Open 57 89.00–120.00 $103.13 $1,058
853–1380 1121 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 129 75.00–107.00 $88.75 $995
1020–1405 1223 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 27 72.00–79.00 $75.21 $920
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935 935 (<2 yrs)Open 1 94.00 $94.00 $879
950–1058 996 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 72.00–93.00 $82.96 $826
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
780 780 (<2 yrs)Open 1 100.00 $100.00 $780

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1295–1406 1388 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,200.00–1,285.00 $1,271.78
1433 1433 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,050.00 $1,050.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1473 1473 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 5 1,335.00 $1,335.00 -81.94
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1610 1610 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 2 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

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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.