Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, December 15, 2022

3,772 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 heifers $191.02/cwt -4.73 vs last sale · ≈ $1,016/hd at 532 lb · 229 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $224.94/cwt -4.67 vs last sale · ≈ $1,068/hd at 475 lb · 209 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $200.28/cwt -0.20 vs last sale · ≈ $1,128/hd at 563 lb · 173 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,772 4,750 3,231
Feeder cattle 3,158 4,199 2,520
Slaughter cattle 429 368 484
Replacement cattle 185 183 227

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifer were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate. Yearling cattle were mostly plain to average in quality. Steer calves all sold unevenly steady. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 higher, heifers over 500 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower. Quality this week was mixed and varied greatly, much like last week. Demand for calves mostly moderate. A huge snow storm which hit much of the upper plains and corn belt limited demand this week as some buyers were out of the market due to transportation issues. Most long weaned calves were met with good demand this week. Weaned calf quality was mixed and varied greatly. High quality cattle sold mostly higher, while plain to average quality cattle were met with light demand. A large buyer pool was on hand this sale and market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed stronger demand this week for cows for immediate harvest. The large winter storm that hit the upper plains and corn belt had packers searching for cows for immediate harvest as producers will spend several days if not weeks trying to dig out from the upwards of 2 feet of snow that fell in some locations. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher as a result. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with lower undertones in a narrow comparison.

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
277 277 3 289.00 $289.00 $801 —
320–332 329 30 262.50–290.00 $272.83 $898 —
358–373 369 23 260.00–274.00 $270.46 $998 +17.28
389–398 unweaned 392 14 242.50–252.00 $248.74 $975 -26.26
404–423 414 47 241.00–253.00 $246.81 $1,022 +0.59
404–438 unweaned 424 26 235.00–250.00 $241.98 $1,026 -15.99
450–488 465 83 220.00–235.00 $227.85 $1,060 -1.69
450–498 unweaned 481 126 208.00–227.00 $223.02 $1,073 -7.39
512–546 529 54 209.00–222.00 $214.19 $1,133 -3.38
513–544 unweaned 531 34 193.00–209.00 $205.59 $1,092 -7.07
552–563 unweaned 554 115 183.00–202.00 $199.62 $1,106 -1.75
571–596 582 58 194.00–207.00 $201.60 $1,173 +1.94
609 fancy 609 13 198.00 $198.00 $1,206 —
605–646 623 37 178.00–199.00 $189.18 $1,179 -4.95
605–648 unweaned 626 88 177.50–193.00 $187.77 $1,175 -2.91
651–681 664 79 177.50–186.50 $183.44 $1,218 +0.34
663–691 unweaned 670 45 165.00–178.50 $175.06 $1,173 -6.23
704 704 38 176.00 $176.00 $1,239 -2.80
724–729 unweaned 727 32 170.00–171.00 $170.44 $1,239 -13.87
781 781 4 168.00 $168.00 $1,312 -3.31
837 837 13 178.00 $178.00 $1,490 +6.90
951–964 953 69 169.50–174.50 $173.69 $1,655 —
999 999 7 160.00 $160.00 $1,598 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
328 unweaned 328 2 257.50 $257.50 $845 ±0.00
392 392 21 229.00 $229.00 $898 -8.34
403 403 4 240.00 $240.00 $967 +10.57
428 unweaned 428 3 227.50 $227.50 $974 +1.24
486 486 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,021 +17.00
485–495 unweaned 493 15 195.00–199.00 $198.21 $977 -17.84
531 531 4 177.50 $177.50 $943 -18.39
523–547 unweaned 540 25 180.00–191.00 $182.98 $988 -12.54
577–578 577 9 177.50–180.00 $179.17 $1,034 -6.64
600 unweaned 600 2 170.00 $170.00 $1,020 -7.74
683–690 689 15 168.00–170.00 $169.74 $1,170 —
864–875 867 21 170.00–174.75 $173.38 $1,503 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 12 260.00 $260.00 $876 —
395 395 31 256.50 $256.50 $1,013 +34.00
431 431 12 256.00 $256.00 $1,103 +33.50
519 519 41 205.00 $205.00 $1,064 —
661 661 7 167.50 $167.50 $1,107 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
634 634 32 162.00 $162.00 $1,027 —
871 871 8 169.00 $169.00 $1,472 —
990 990 11 155.00 $155.00 $1,534 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 7 202.00 $202.00 $790 —
455–457 unweaned 456 9 140.00–150.00 $143.32 $654 —
642 642 6 152.00 $152.00 $976 —
693 693 6 155.00 $155.00 $1,074 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374 374 13 199.00 $199.00 $744 -9.00
363–391 unweaned 388 33 210.00–215.50 $215.03 $834 +4.38
427–430 unweaned 429 29 204.00–215.00 $207.02 $888 +2.17
448 448 10 214.00 $214.00 $959 +5.76
451–485 unweaned 455 97 192.50–208.00 $205.90 $937 +6.87
456–466 460 43 191.00–210.00 $196.57 $904 -7.29
505–535 unweaned 528 145 175.00–196.50 $193.95 $1,024 -3.99
528–547 539 84 172.00–194.50 $185.95 $1,002 -6.61
550–585 560 69 167.50–185.00 $178.33 $999 -11.92
555–580 unweaned 563 49 168.00–180.50 $173.21 $975 -14.36
575 575 2 162.00 $162.00 $932 -4.91
605–648 621 87 162.50–170.00 $168.41 $1,046 -1.51
628 628 4 153.00 $153.00 $961 -16.92
605–637 unweaned 630 33 162.00–164.00 $162.59 $1,024 -3.12
654–673 unweaned 657 23 159.00 $159.00 $1,045 -0.50
679 679 5 160.00 $160.00 $1,086 -10.50
739 739 73 173.00 $173.00 $1,278 +12.61
893–895 894 6 164.00–166.50 $165.25 $1,477 -7.39
961–996 981 30 151.50–152.00 $151.71 $1,488 -5.27
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
323 unweaned 323 10 195.00 $195.00 $630 —
338 338 5 195.00 $195.00 $659 —
375 375 2 190.00 $190.00 $712 -14.00
373–393 unweaned 380 18 185.00–188.00 $186.04 $707 -11.74
417–431 422 15 165.00–182.50 $176.54 $745 -8.56
450–485 455 28 159.00–180.00 $162.20 $738 -27.11
493 unweaned 493 8 175.00 $175.00 $863 +12.50
502–533 520 29 154.00–165.00 $160.65 $835 -5.27
543 unweaned 543 3 162.00 $162.00 $880 -16.32
583 unweaned 583 18 166.00 $166.00 $968 +6.71
592 592 12 156.00 $156.00 $924 -4.63
617 617 5 150.00 $150.00 $926 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
349 349 21 185.00–190.00 $187.38 $654 +2.38
373 373 4 187.50 $187.50 $699 -8.50
428 428 16 185.00 $185.00 $792 —
452–468 454 92 162.50–184.00 $165.39 $751 —
466 unweaned 466 4 175.00 $175.00 $816 —
697 697 5 148.00 $148.00 $1,032 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
351–352 351 46 142.50–167.50 $145.22 $510 —
496 unweaned 496 5 155.00 $155.00 $769 —
667 667 25 150.50 $150.50 $1,004 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
474 unweaned 474 13 174.00 $174.00 $825 -7.00
1059–1076 1069 23 137.00–144.00 $141.29 $1,510 -9.92
1163–1198 1191 15 131.00–133.00 $131.39 $1,565 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493 493 8 149.00 $149.00 $735 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1044 1044 5 142.00 $142.00 $1,482 -5.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 5 212.50 $212.50 $831 —
535 535 15 130.00 $130.00 $696 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 6 147.50 $147.50 $758 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1519 1393 80-85% 80 65.00–75.00 $68.97 $961 +5.37
1225–1505 1406 80-85% 44 51.00–59.50 $56.34 $792 —
1300–1610 1411 80-85% 76 54.00–63.50 $59.45 $839 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
735–975 783 85-90% 5 34.00–40.00 $35.49 $278 —
845–998 947 85-90% 3 51.00–54.00 $51.89 $491 —
1039–1240 1100 85-90% 15 59.00–65.00 $62.94 $692 —
1105–1235 1170 85-90% 2 71.00–72.00 $71.47 $836 +2.47
1140–1295 1244 85-90% 16 47.00–59.00 $54.94 $683 +4.10
1170–1273 1247 85-90% 4 44.00–45.00 $44.23 $552 —
1203–1295 1262 85-90% 12 58.00–61.00 $60.09 $758 —
1085–1325 1265 85-90% 25 52.00–59.00 $55.96 $708 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1459–1590 1505 75-80% 16 60.00–67.00 $62.57 $942 —
1660–1673 1669 75-80% 3 71.00–73.00 $71.66 $1,196 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1468–1927 1654 9 87.50–90.00 $88.61 $1,466 —
1422–1995 1698 24 75.00–83.00 $78.96 $1,341 —
1541–2235 1827 14 88.00–95.50 $91.00 $1,663 —
1780–1898 1859 3 75.00–77.00 $76.36 $1,420 —
1850–1979 1941 26 90.00–94.00 $92.74 $1,800 —
1845–2395 2120 2 99.00–100.00 $99.44 $2,108 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
765–1223 982 (<2 yrs)Open 76 80.00–115.00 $99.49 $977
960–1290 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 51 7.00–87.50 $70.33 $791
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
780 780 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 72.50 $72.50 $566
1058 1058 (<2 yrs)Open 2 81.00 $81.00 $857

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1478 1478 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 975.00 $975.00

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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.