Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 13, 2022

3,140 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 steers $195.76/cwt +2.23 vs last sale · ≈ $1,030/hd at 526 lb · 245 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $189.64/cwt -0.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,092/hd at 576 lb · 233 head

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $186.52/cwt ≈ $1,163/hd at 624 lb · 209 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	3,140	1,892	4,838
Feeder cattle	2,490	908	4,265
Slaughter cattle	488	725	370
Replacement cattle	162	259	203

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and yearling heifers sold generally steady in a very narrow comparison. Steer calves sold generally steady on all offerings. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold 5.00-8.00 higher, heifer calves over 450 sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand for all feeders was moderate to good this sale. Todays sale featured red angus and Hereford cattle and several very attractive consignments were seen. Overall quality was mostly average to attractive. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale and buyer participation was better this week as more buyers were active in purchasing feeders. Package sizes remain small to medium this week with no load lots on offer. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower than last week on all classes of slaughter cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as all cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill as they sold late in the day after the feeder cattle. Additionally, most cows were wet bagged as most hand freshly weaned calves. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cow quality was mostly average to attractive this week. These offerings sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly moderate to good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
327 unweaned	327	3	248.00	$248.00	$811	+33.02
341 fancy	341	4	271.00	$271.00	$924	—
352–385 unweaned	361	11	217.50–234.00	$228.28	$824	+8.28
402–449 unweaned	432	81	209.00–231.00	$218.12	$942	+0.50
453–493 unweaned	480	76	198.00–210.00	$205.08	$984	+6.33
516	516	18	197.00	$197.00	$1,017	—
505–548 unweaned	527	227	187.00–203.00	$195.66	$1,031	+2.13
553–595 unweaned	576	233	184.00–192.00	$189.64	$1,092	-0.77
608	608	28	182.00	$182.00	$1,107	—
606–640 unweaned	626	181	181.00–190.00	$187.22	$1,172	—
656–690 unweaned	671	100	177.00–187.00	$184.40	$1,237	+3.52
700–709	706	7	162.50–169.00	$164.34	$1,160	—
726–733 unweaned	729	12	170.00–179.50	$173.98	$1,268	—
784–791	787	19	177.00–180.50	$178.83	$1,407	—
798	798	2	167.00	$167.00	$1,333	—
877–892	884	16	170.50–172.00	$171.34	$1,515	—
937	937	25	174.50	$174.50	$1,635	—
980	980	2	167.00	$167.00	$1,637	+0.58

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
393 unweaned	393	2	210.00	$210.00	$825	—
430–440 unweaned	436	10	195.00–205.00	$200.79	$875	+8.29
476–485 unweaned	477	9	193.00–195.00	$193.23	$922	+2.21
562–597 unweaned	583	17	165.00–187.00	$178.53	$1,041	—
622–628 unweaned	624	12	166.00–170.00	$167.01	$1,042	+4.01
668–674 unweaned	672	13	170.00–174.00	$171.38	$1,152	—
740	740	9	179.50	$179.50	$1,328	—
778	778	11	162.50	$162.50	$1,264	—
910	910	5	169.00	$169.00	$1,538	+8.50

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
578 unweaned	578	3	180.00	$180.00	$1,040	—
616 unweaned	616	11	170.00	$170.00	$1,047	—
698 unweaned	698	8	172.00	$172.00	$1,201	—
746 unweaned	746	11	166.00	$166.00	$1,238	—
773–785 unweaned	777	3	153.00–162.00	$158.97	$1,235	—

Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
650–665	659	14	161.00–172.00	$165.65	$1,092	—

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
393 unweaned	393	8	175.00	$175.00	$688	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
316 unweaned	316	10	207.50	$207.50	$656	+2.50
370–385 unweaned	379	5	205.00–216.00	$211.70	$802	+6.37
405–443 unweaned	423	46	195.00–210.00	$201.18	$851	+9.56
464 fancy	464	4	197.50	$197.50	$916	—
452–498 unweaned	485	131	181.00–192.00	$184.78	$896	+2.88
508–543 unweaned	525	117	180.00–186.00	$182.36	$957	-0.71
552–590 unweaned	569	120	170.00–179.00	$173.33	$986	-3.90
600–645 unweaned	620	77	166.00–173.50	$171.09	$1,061	+3.13
650 unweaned	650	1	160.00	$160.00	$1,040	—
723 unweaned	723	3	164.00	$164.00	$1,186	—
750	750	15	169.50	$169.50	$1,271	-5.84
821	821	8	160.00	$160.00	$1,314	—
896	896	14	162.50	$162.50	$1,456	-3.54
910–933	924	27	163.00–163.50	$163.32	$1,509	-0.82
955–965	956	9	158.00–164.50	$163.77	$1,566	-0.53

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
339–343 unweaned	342	16	206.00–208.00	$207.38	$709	—
350 unweaned	350	3	194.00	$194.00	$679	—
418–449 unweaned	445	30	180.00–184.00	$183.75	$818	—
569–599 unweaned	592	46	153.00–166.50	$161.89	$958	—
849	849	4	159.00	$159.00	$1,350	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
510 unweaned	510	3	175.00	$175.00	$892	+20.00
571 unweaned	571	6	162.00	$162.00	$925	—
681–693 unweaned	684	8	156.00	$156.00	$1,067	—
1018–1035	1024	5	152.00–158.00	$155.98	$1,597	-5.59
1068	1068	3	145.00	$145.00	$1,549	-9.51

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
321 unweaned	321	9	100.00	$100.00	$321	—
399	399	7	100.00	$100.00	$399	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
680	680	11	162.00	$162.00	$1,102	-3.00

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
468 unweaned	468	4	159.00	$159.00	$744	—
805	805	6	157.00	$157.00	$1,264	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
410–448 unweaned	437	6	190.00–205.00	$201.23	$879	—
518–521 unweaned	521	38	185.00–189.00	$185.42	$966	+27.42
569–598 unweaned	573	34	169.00–181.00	$179.16	$1,027	—
628 unweaned	628	2	156.00	$156.00	$980	+2.00
660–678 unweaned	676	14	146.00–150.00	$148.21	$1,002	—
818	818	3	137.00	$137.00	$1,121	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
398 unweaned	398	2	202.00	$202.00	$804	+14.50
525–538 unweaned	536	8	173.00–175.00	$173.24	$929	—

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1252–1545	1364	80-85%	60	67.00–77.50	$70.58	$963	-2.35
1275–1570	1381	80-85%	34	67.00–75.00	$70.85	$978	-2.08
1242–1518	1386	80-85%	27	56.00–66.50	$64.64	$896	-8.29
1276–1665	1404	80-85%	68	56.00–66.50	$62.26	$874	-5.91
1475–1605	1518	80-85%	3	79.00–86.00	$81.47	$1,237	-1.97

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
930	930	85-90%	1	53.00	$53.00	$493	-9.00
1091–1275	1175	85-90%	18	68.00–74.50	$71.03	$835	+15.71
1025–1355	1188	85-90%	48	51.00–64.00	$57.48	$683	-9.03
1100–1285	1204	85-90%	20	65.00–73.00	$68.02	$819	—
1000–1390	1216	85-90%	92	51.00–64.50	$59.82	$727	-4.52

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1471–1875	1525	75-80%	28	71.00–77.00	$75.49	$1,151	-4.79
1510–1800	1626	75-80%	4	78.00–81.50	$78.90	$1,283	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1120–1330	1258	3	90.00–97.00	$93.87	$1,181	—
1585–1845	1733	6	73.00–87.00	$82.39	$1,428	—
1765–2025	1933	3	91.00–97.00	$94.01	$1,817	—
1970	1970	2	99.00	$99.00	$1,950	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
690 thin fleshed	690	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	104.00	$104.00	$718
840–1195	986	(<2 yrs)	Open	66	90.00–114.50	$105.49	$1,040
945–1475	1066	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	36	71.00–98.00	$90.19	$961
1048–1094	1074	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	14	69.00–70.00	$69.58	$747

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
845	845	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	80.00	$80.00	$676
1010–1060	1035	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	63.00–68.00	$65.56	$679

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
1265	1265	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	74.50	$74.50	$942

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1113	1113	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	1,350.00	$1,350.00
1055–1175	1135	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	1,200.00–1,350.00	$1,246.48
1397	1397	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	9	1,025.00	$1,025.00
1680	1680	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	1,250.00	$1,250.00

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
1280	1280	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	1,250.00	$1,250.00	$16,000

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1033	1033	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	1,325.00	$1,325.00
1034	1034	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	1,410.00	$1,410.00

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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.