Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 8, 2022

1,942 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $160.41/cwt +3.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,571/hd at 979 lb · 105 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $165.62/cwt -1.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,441/hd at 870 lb · 82 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $162.51/cwt -0.14 vs last sale · ≈ $1,518/hd at 934 lb · 71 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,942 1,185 3,216
Feeder cattle 1,511 577 2,369
Slaughter cattle 336 465 589
Replacement cattle 95 143 258

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers 700-999 lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison, heifers under 700 lbs and over 1000 lbs were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate to good, while demand for calves was mixed. Yearling quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Calf quality was mostly average to attractive. Several load lots of yearlings were seen today along with many moderate size packages. Calves were offered in mostly moderate size packages. Demand for calves dropped off significantly as buyers filled loads. Hot weather has been seen over the past few weeks and cooler, wet weather was seen today and is forecasted for the next few days, after buyers filled loads many exited the market and prices slipped. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Western packers and feeding cow buyers drove the market this week as both showed good demand for cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher than last week. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 1.00 lower. Feeding bull buyers were mostly inactive this week which allowed packers to buy the majority of the bulls. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Offerings were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed.

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
257–293 unweaned 277 18 260.00–267.50 $264.41 $732 —
323–346 unweaned 329 33 242.50–250.00 $247.18 $813 +2.99
398 unweaned 398 3 231.00 $231.00 $919 —
400–411 unweaned 402 51 229.50–236.50 $235.10 $945 —
487–488 unweaned 487 26 220.00–228.00 $223.39 $1,088 —
515–546 unweaned 533 7 192.00–193.00 $192.59 $1,027 —
553–574 unweaned 566 13 180.00–181.00 $180.47 $1,021 -6.03
623 unweaned 623 8 179.00 $179.00 $1,115 -21.00
636 636 26 207.50 $207.50 $1,320 —
654–682 662 11 205.00–208.00 $207.16 $1,371 —
704–726 719 50 196.50–208.50 $199.04 $1,431 —
800–832 816 65 178.50–185.75 $183.44 $1,497 —
862–894 880 32 172.50–178.00 $174.67 $1,537 —
900–928 912 28 169.00–174.50 $172.87 $1,577 +4.12
956–970 965 22 166.00–170.50 $168.73 $1,628 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473 unweaned 473 5 201.00 $201.00 $951 +15.77
731 731 4 190.00 $190.00 $1,389 —
809 809 21 176.50 $176.50 $1,428 —
883–898 893 6 169.00–171.00 $169.66 $1,515 +2.66
908–948 941 71 163.00–168.75 $168.22 $1,583 +3.22
970–976 976 55 159.00–163.50 $163.42 $1,595 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005–1036 1029 22 163.00–167.00 $166.11 $1,709 —
1105–1123 1113 12 152.00–152.50 $152.29 $1,695 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
593 593 14 195.50 $195.50 $1,159 —
612 612 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,163 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 unweaned 310 3 185.00 $185.00 $574 —
452 unweaned 452 13 152.50 $152.50 $689 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
713 713 8 173.50 $173.50 $1,237 —
851 851 5 159.00 $159.00 $1,353 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
286 unweaned 286 11 207.00 $207.00 $592 —
345 unweaned 345 22 204.00 $204.00 $704 —
400 unweaned 400 11 205.00 $205.00 $820 —
459 unweaned 459 8 200.00 $200.00 $918 —
505–549 unweaned 520 18 167.00–192.00 $179.96 $936 —
550 unweaned 550 3 171.00 $171.00 $940 —
656–678 674 41 181.00–184.50 $183.71 $1,238 +6.71
760–781 773 21 172.00–175.00 $173.27 $1,339 -0.68
802–847 808 63 169.50–172.50 $171.69 $1,387 +1.69
858–859 859 31 159.50–162.00 $160.14 $1,376 -6.48
854–897 877 51 165.00–170.00 $168.95 $1,482 +2.33
903–943 934 71 161.50–168.00 $162.51 $1,518 -0.14
955–975 969 40 160.00–165.50 $163.71 $1,586 +6.54
972–988 977 29 145.00–148.00 $147.06 $1,437 -10.11
993 fancy 993 36 167.50 $167.50 $1,663 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1016–1048 1036 14 158.50–164.00 $161.93 $1,678 +11.92
1060–1082 1080 11 155.75–160.00 $156.13 $1,686 +3.13
1174 1174 5 147.50 $147.50 $1,732 +7.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 unweaned 305 10 160.00 $160.00 $488 —
621 621 5 183.50 $183.50 $1,140 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
469 unweaned 469 12 146.00 $146.00 $685 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040 1040 6 140.50 $140.50 $1,461 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910 910 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,429 —
963 963 2 149.00 $149.00 $1,435 -7.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
761 761 4 136.00 $136.00 $1,035 —
826 826 5 133.00 $133.00 $1,099 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423 unweaned 423 7 137.50 $137.50 $582 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,650 +24.98

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1293–1330 1296 80-85% 13 91.50 $91.50 $1,186 —
1075–1490 1322 80-85% 49 83.00–91.00 $87.91 $1,162 —
1197–1625 1370 80-85% 62 81.00–89.50 $86.24 $1,181 -7.44
1335–1400 1375 80-85% 5 75.00–82.00 $79.41 $1,092 -14.27
1430 1430 80-85% 1 67.00 $67.00 $958 -10.32
1320–1545 1469 80-85% 7 89.50–93.75 $91.80 $1,349 +7.30
1345–1700 1523 80-85% 9 73.00–81.50 $78.49 $1,195 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–875 868 85-90% 2 57.00–58.00 $57.50 $499 —
800–990 937 85-90% 24 63.00–73.00 $68.16 $639 —
1090 1090 85-90% 2 67.00 $67.00 $730 +3.77
1112–1145 1118 85-90% 6 82.00–87.00 $86.15 $963 —
1140 1140 85-90% 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,026 —
1120–1205 1141 85-90% 4 74.00–77.00 $74.79 $853 —
1090–1230 1188 85-90% 14 79.00–85.00 $81.81 $972 —
1060–1306 1252 85-90% 20 72.00–79.50 $76.93 $963 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1541 1541 75-80% 5 89.50 $89.50 $1,379 —
1572 1572 75-80% 3 87.00 $87.00 $1,368 —
1550–1774 1696 75-80% 7 82.50–87.50 $83.73 $1,420 —
1545–1820 1711 75-80% 5 90.25–93.00 $91.42 $1,564 —
1815 1815 75-80% 1 71.00 $71.00 $1,289 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1210–1480 1330 7 100.00–107.00 $101.08 $1,344 —
1490–2215 1740 20 85.00–97.00 $92.05 $1,602 —
1556–2315 1761 26 98.00–105.50 $101.89 $1,794 —
1995 1995 1 109.50 $109.50 $2,185 —
2500 2500 1 100.00 $100.00 $2,500 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2145 2145 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,930 —
2385 2385 2 106.00 $106.00 $2,528 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1035–1253 1139 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 85.00–94.00 $91.76 $1,045
910–1343 1170 (<2 yrs)Open 35 90.00–109.50 $99.33 $1,162
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1085–1095 1090 (<2 yrs)Open 2 92.50–101.00 $96.73 $1,054

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1119–1171 1143 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 25 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1286 1286 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 6 1,125.00 $1,125.00

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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.