Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, November 10, 2022

3,295 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 $195.12/cwt +1.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,125/hd at 577 lb · 321 head

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $191.84/cwt -3.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,186/hd at 618 lb · 232 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $179.43/cwt +1.25 vs last sale · ≈ $1,023/hd at 570 lb · 228 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	3,295	3,728	5,569
Feeder cattle	3,037	3,224	5,127
Slaughter cattle	179	244	328
Replacement cattle	79	260	114

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifer were too lightly tested last week develop an accurate market trend, however sharply higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Yearling quality was very attractive this week. All yearlings were coming straight off grass and offered buyers good weigh conditions. Steer calves all sold steady to firm. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold steady in a narrow comparison, heifer calves over 550 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher. Demand was mostly moderate to good this week. Quality was average to very attractive, and significantly higher than last week. Most weaned cattle were weaned over 45 days this week and many were of attractive quality. Market activity was mostly active as a good buyer pool was on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady to firm undertones were noticed. Most cows returned to feed as packers continue to buy cows to put away for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday. These cows were most thin and would normally go to slaughter. High quality feeding cows purchased to feed to premium white sold with steady undertones. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-8.00 lower in a narrow comparison. The best demand continues to be for high quality rebreed type cows. Quality was not as attractive as last week.

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
364–393 unweaned	379	58	272.50–308.00	$286.82	$1,087	+34.35
400–449 unweaned	430	16	250.00–261.00	$254.86	$1,096	+3.72
453–474	467	9	221.00–248.00	$229.73	$1,073	+18.23
453–491 unweaned	473	74	211.00–250.00	$226.68	$1,072	+6.54
512	512	22	212.00	$212.00	$1,085	—
510–547 unweaned	526	179	200.00–215.00	$206.81	$1,088	+1.60
558–571	562	86	193.00–198.00	$196.12	$1,102	+6.12
560–599 unweaned	582	235	187.00–198.50	$194.75	$1,133	+0.20
601–641 unweaned	618	232	187.00–199.50	$191.84	$1,186	+4.70
650–666	657	125	187.50–198.00	$192.96	$1,268	+16.96
707–736 unweaned	726	36	172.00–184.00	$181.27	$1,316	—
742	742	3	185.00	$185.00	$1,373	+5.01
755 unweaned	755	2	169.50	$169.50	$1,280	-2.50
798	798	11	188.50	$188.50	$1,504	—
866–892	887	107	185.50–192.00	$190.75	$1,692	+20.75
903	903	12	189.00	$189.00	$1,707	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
300–348 unweaned	326	10	265.00–280.00	$275.86	$899	+22.09
435–442 unweaned	440	33	230.00–245.00	$240.63	$1,059	+14.78
455 unweaned	455	4	217.50	$217.50	$990	+17.78
515–549 unweaned	523	18	184.00–192.00	$190.13	$994	+1.63
568–592 unweaned	574	24	180.00–186.00	$182.91	$1,050	+3.89
618–644 unweaned	640	33	175.00–180.50	$179.74	$1,150	+8.00
672–687 unweaned	683	10	164.00–170.00	$168.23	$1,149	—
734 unweaned	734	5	171.00	$171.00	$1,255	+4.00
870	870	2	180.00	$180.00	$1,566	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
673 unweaned	673	3	175.00	$175.00	$1,178	+5.65
873 unweaned	873	9	165.00	$165.00	$1,440	—
1040	1040	9	157.50	$157.50	$1,638	—

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
275–295 unweaned	282	11	222.50	$222.50	$627	-22.50
313–326 unweaned	322	6	215.00–237.50	$222.30	$716	+5.99
356–399 unweaned	372	33	212.00–216.00	$214.23	$797	-0.37
412	412	15	208.00	$208.00	$857	+9.00
412–449 unweaned	431	83	199.00–218.00	$208.14	$897	+2.86
472	472	27	193.00	$193.00	$911	+8.50
454–488 unweaned	473	40	190.00–202.00	$195.03	$922	+1.12
519–546 unweaned	536	124	181.00–186.00	$183.83	$985	+4.18
537	537	84	191.50	$191.50	$1,028	—
550–586 unweaned	568	194	172.00–184.00	$180.56	$1,026	+2.38
583	583	34	173.00	$173.00	$1,009	—
604	604	20	175.00	$175.00	$1,057	+6.00
608–634 unweaned	613	111	168.00–178.00	$175.70	$1,077	+6.44
683–692 unweaned	690	26	160.00–166.00	$164.40	$1,134	+7.80
707 unweaned	707	5	156.00	$156.00	$1,103	+1.89
730 thin fleshed	730	17	196.00	$196.00	$1,431	—
750–796 thin fleshed	793	172	193.50–194.00	$193.97	$1,538	—
811–834 thin fleshed	831	60	183.00–187.00	$183.59	$1,526	—
869–884 thin fleshed	879	32	183.50–186.50	$184.52	$1,622	—
903 thin fleshed	903	17	181.50	$181.50	$1,639	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
393 unweaned	393	2	195.00	$195.00	$766	-7.35
408	408	2	192.50	$192.50	$785	—
433 unweaned	433	4	193.00	$193.00	$836	+3.46
477–491 unweaned	489	18	172.00–184.00	$182.05	$890	-0.33
495	495	9	177.50	$177.50	$879	—
505–549 unweaned	524	32	169.00–179.00	$173.30	$908	+4.24
530	530	3	170.00	$170.00	$901	+4.00
559–590 unweaned	571	12	150.00–166.00	$153.89	$879	+2.89
624 unweaned	624	4	151.00	$151.00	$942	+0.66
830	830	5	172.00	$172.00	$1,428	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
431 unweaned	431	7	233.00	$233.00	$1,004	+44.00
528 unweaned	528	6	176.00	$176.00	$929	+11.62

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
692	692	13	178.50	$178.50	$1,235	—

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
383 unweaned	383	3	258.00	$258.00	$988	—
426 unweaned	426	5	240.00	$240.00	$1,022	+7.76
516 unweaned	516	15	197.00	$197.00	$1,017	+17.52
563 unweaned	563	3	165.00	$165.00	$929	-1.25
688 unweaned	688	3	165.00	$165.00	$1,135	±0.00
805 unweaned	805	2	158.00	$158.00	$1,272	—

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1305–1495	1388	80-85%	11	52.00–64.00	$58.87	$817	+0.09
1355–1535	1414	80-85%	35	61.00–68.00	$63.56	$899	+2.65
1395–1450	1432	80-85%	3	72.00–76.00	$74.70	$1,070	+5.20
1368–1565	1445	80-85%	8	71.50–79.00	$76.72	$1,109	+7.22
1485	1485	80-85%	1	80.00	$80.00	$1,188	—
1540	1540	80-85%	1	80.00	$80.00	$1,232	+9.00

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
940	940	85-90%	1	44.00	$44.00	$414	-7.03
1010–1415	1152	85-90%	15	50.00–62.00	$55.41	$638	—
985–1300	1166	85-90%	7	60.00–61.00	$60.12	$701	+17.12
1100–1293	1206	85-90%	17	63.00–66.00	$64.92	$783	+11.54
1145–1310	1213	85-90%	10	60.00–65.00	$61.85	$750	+8.47
1225–1274	1264	85-90%	5	37.00–43.00	$41.84	$529	-14.64

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1581	1581	75-80%	18	80.00	$80.00	$1,265	+12.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1920	1920	3	87.00	$87.00	$1,670	—
1825–2131	2070	5	94.00	$94.00	$1,946	—
2545	2545	1	74.00	$74.00	$1,883	—

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
795–981	934	(<2 yrs)	Open	42	95.00–117.50	$108.80	$1,016
943–1190	1058	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	13	68.00–94.00	$79.88	$845

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
975	975	(<2 yrs)	Open	3	85.00	$85.00	$829

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
1035	1035	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	61.00	$61.00	$631

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1069	1069	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	1,375.00	$1,375.00
1230	1230	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	1,275.00	$1,275.00

↑ Back to top

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.