Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 27, 2022

3,770 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 $204.64/cwt +13.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,163/hd at 568 lb · 264 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $192.15/cwt +8.51 vs last sale · ≈ $1,199/hd at 624 lb · 264 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $195.63/cwt +8.25 vs last sale · ≈ $923/hd at 472 lb · 236 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,770 4,049 5,797
Feeder cattle 3,275 3,604 5,327
Slaughter cattle 297 303 285
Replacement cattle 198 142 185

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifer were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on steers and lower undertones were noticed on heifers on a lower quality offering. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply higher, mostly 20.00-30.00 higher with instances of up to 40.00 higher. Steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 8.00-12.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold 10.00-15.00 higher, heifer calves over 450 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand was mostly good to very good on all offerings. The best demand was for lightweight calves suitable to develop into yearlings, with several packages of steer calves topping 300.00. Rain has fallen in the southern plains over the last two weeks and buyers were very aggressive as they pushed to fill loads of very attractive, green, light weight calves. With higher prices seen for fat cattle over the last couple weeks additional support was seen for heavier weight cattle as well. Cooperate buyers were particularly aggressive on attractive cattle of both sexes over 600 lbs. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive. Market activity was mostly very active this week with the most buyer participation seen this fall. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 2.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold unevenly steady. With higher prices seen on rebreed type cattle and weaker prices seen on feeding type.

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
331–349 unweaned 341 15 292.50–315.00 $305.36 $1,041 +47.86
351 fancy 351 8 319.00 $319.00 $1,120 —
351–395 unweaned 370 46 279.00–300.00 $290.12 $1,073 +33.93
400–449 unweaned 423 133 265.00–289.00 $278.79 $1,179 +41.81
450–499 unweaned 481 210 221.00–261.00 $236.19 $1,136 +23.71
500–545 unweaned 522 200 210.00–224.00 $215.57 $1,125 +12.19
550–598 unweaned 568 251 189.00–214.50 $204.36 $1,161 +13.62
573–590 574 13 210.00 $210.00 $1,205 —
600–647 unweaned 624 241 186.00–196.00 $191.88 $1,197 +8.24
625 625 23 195.00 $195.00 $1,219 —
651–695 unweaned 670 114 175.00–189.00 $183.87 $1,232 +8.44
712 712 9 179.00 $179.00 $1,274 —
700–748 unweaned 722 49 170.00–179.00 $175.09 $1,264 +2.09
755 755 7 180.50 $180.50 $1,363 +5.00
773 unweaned 773 14 174.00 $174.00 $1,345 +7.75
829 unweaned 829 6 154.00 $154.00 $1,277 —
909 fancy 909 28 185.00 $185.00 $1,682 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 unweaned 320 3 253.00 $253.00 $810 —
396 unweaned 396 7 267.00 $267.00 $1,057 +40.47
410–425 unweaned 416 4 243.00–262.50 $256.45 $1,067 +33.93
471–496 unweaned 492 38 202.00–217.00 $209.46 $1,031 —
500–548 unweaned 522 28 185.00–208.00 $198.86 $1,038 +9.27
585 unweaned 585 5 184.00 $184.00 $1,076 +9.40
606–644 unweaned 621 10 161.00–178.00 $170.95 $1,062 -2.55
764 unweaned 764 11 154.00 $154.00 $1,177 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 unweaned 362 5 240.00 $240.00 $869 —
502 unweaned 502 9 205.00 $205.00 $1,029 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
612 612 7 161.00 $161.00 $985 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
607 unweaned 607 3 181.00 $181.00 $1,099 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–344 unweaned 326 44 215.00–231.00 $225.16 $734 +13.11
365–398 unweaned 386 96 217.00–230.00 $222.91 $860 +14.94
401–442 unweaned 419 150 205.00–225.00 $216.25 $906 +12.56
453–498 unweaned 472 236 186.00–210.50 $195.63 $923 +8.25
506–547 unweaned 522 168 180.00–195.50 $189.17 $987 +8.34
532–539 fancy 538 46 200.00 $200.00 $1,076 —
553 fancy 553 9 187.00 $187.00 $1,034 —
554–598 unweaned 580 130 172.00–184.00 $178.89 $1,038 +6.82
603–649 unweaned 627 94 166.00–177.00 $174.26 $1,093 +9.59
650–697 unweaned 674 31 161.00–175.50 $170.00 $1,146 —
726 726 8 166.00 $166.00 $1,205 -1.50
768–789 786 21 164.00–164.50 $164.43 $1,292 —
869 869 5 159.00 $159.00 $1,382 -3.89
905–938 936 15 155.00–158.50 $157.23 $1,472 -7.08
974 974 10 151.00 $151.00 $1,471 -5.93
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
341–343 unweaned 342 6 207.50–212.50 $210.83 $721 —
353–396 unweaned 370 12 204.00–211.50 $208.26 $771 +8.26
410–420 unweaned 416 14 192.00–200.00 $194.70 $810 +4.58
455–493 unweaned 483 49 173.00–186.00 $182.88 $883 +6.13
514 514 6 165.00 $165.00 $848 —
505–537 unweaned 529 27 160.00–175.00 $170.30 $901 +6.30
555 unweaned 555 4 166.00 $166.00 $921 +11.22
653 unweaned 653 2 156.00 $156.00 $1,019 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
568–574 unweaned 570 13 165.00–169.00 $166.55 $949 —
1073 1073 4 148.50 $148.50 $1,593 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 unweaned 432 15 169.00 $169.00 $730 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
654–678 665 9 160.00–162.50 $161.37 $1,073 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
675 675 3 153.00 $153.00 $1,033 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
429–440 unweaned 430 9 229.00–254.00 $251.16 $1,080 —
484–486 unweaned 484 19 212.50–225.00 $222.36 $1,076 +31.56
525 unweaned 525 5 192.50 $192.50 $1,011 —
613 unweaned 613 8 162.00 $162.00 $993 —
660 unweaned 660 3 156.50 $156.50 $1,033 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–896 893 85-90% 5 44.50–50.00 $45.58 $407 —
1008–1330 1133 85-90% 48 41.00–48.00 $44.78 $507 —
1060–1216 1182 85-90% 18 50.00–60.00 $58.24 $688 —
1220 1220 85-90% 1 62.50 $62.50 $762 +3.59
1098–1450 1225 85-90% 48 51.00–58.50 $54.91 $673 -4.00
1110–1279 1266 85-90% 13 63.50–65.00 $63.60 $805 +15.59
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1382 1382 80-85% 3 80.00 $80.00 $1,106 —
1130–1463 1409 80-85% 9 54.00–58.00 $55.19 $778 -17.25
1207–1480 1424 80-85% 65 69.00–77.50 $75.76 $1,079 +3.32
1336–1490 1438 80-85% 21 58.00–67.00 $64.62 $929 +2.88
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1563 1563 75-80% 3 84.50 $84.50 $1,321 —
1585 1585 75-80% 2 72.00 $72.00 $1,141 —
1545–1760 1641 75-80% 5 67.00–74.00 $69.98 $1,148 -5.37
1790 1790 75-80% 1 62.00 $62.00 $1,110 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1221–1229 1225 9 101.00–102.00 $101.44 $1,243 —
1495 1495 3 81.00 $81.00 $1,211 —
1593–1920 1759 10 72.00–90.00 $82.23 $1,446 —
1870–2130 1944 7 91.50–95.50 $94.25 $1,832 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
835–1011 944 (<2 yrs)Open 26 96.00–126.50 $113.01 $1,067
850–1297 1082 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 33 71.00–95.00 $81.80 $885
1131–1275 1186 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 29 68.00–70.00 $68.97 $818
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1139–1145 1139 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 65.00–71.00 $65.33 $744

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1290 1290 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 12 69.00 $69.00 $890
1379 thin fleshed 1379 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 64.00 $64.00 $883
1310–1523 thin fleshed 1417 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 59.00–65.00 $61.77 $875
1431–1600 1463 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 19 67.00–71.00 $69.40 $1,015
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1112 1112 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 3 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1225–1445 1256 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,200.00–1,285.00 $1,271.03
1199–1481 1347 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 19 1,000.00–1,050.00 $1,028.92
1539 1539 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,285.00 $1,285.00

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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.