Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 9, 2023

3,411 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $202.39/cwt +16.39 vs last sale · ≈ $1,255/hd at 620 lb · 218 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $201.49/cwt +11.95 vs last sale · ≈ $1,358/hd at 674 lb · 186 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $215.65/cwt +11.78 vs last sale · ≈ $1,124/hd at 521 lb · 176 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,411 998 4,095
Feeder cattle 3,091 696 3,451
Slaughter cattle 219 214 423
Replacement cattle 101 88 221

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves sold mostly 6.00-12.00 higher on all weights over 500 lbs. Steers under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Heifer calves 450 lbs and heavier sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher. Heifers under 450 lbs were not well compared. Demand was mostly good to very good for all offerings. Order buyers, buying for packers, showed very good demand for attractive, high quality, feed lot ready cattle. Demand for grass cattle was very good with both steers and heifers seeing increased demand from buyers. Several ranchers looking for heifers to spay were very aggressive as they bid on attractive offerings. Heifer demand was very good this sale as a result. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. Package sizes varied greatly this week but there were enough buyers that demand was good for all size packages. Most calves were long weaned from 60-90 days. Market activity was mostly active today as a large crowd of order buyers was on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for mostly light to moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Feeding buyers pushed to own as many offerings as possible and were very competitive when bidding on cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower on all offerings after last weeks sharply higher market. Feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend.

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
443–448 446 7 261.00–265.00 $263.30 $1,174 —
464–492 486 29 250.50–260.00 $252.38 $1,227 +19.56
510–544 527 69 231.00–255.00 $242.24 $1,277 +11.36
553–599 583 161 210.00–226.50 $220.28 $1,284 +6.85
608–628 619 27 203.00–212.00 $210.18 $1,301 +13.84
654–695 673 178 193.00–210.00 $202.10 $1,360 +12.56
692 692 8 188.00 $188.00 $1,301 -1.54
700–739 720 118 186.00–196.00 $190.61 $1,372 —
766–783 773 7 180.50–185.00 $182.45 $1,410 -4.55
786–797 790 28 178.00–180.00 $179.28 $1,416 -7.72
816–846 839 128 180.00–189.50 $184.56 $1,548 —
854–885 870 157 179.00–185.00 $182.60 $1,589 —
942 942 12 167.50 $167.50 $1,578 —
962–984 968 25 164.75–172.00 $168.61 $1,632 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381–390 385 10 240.00–255.00 $246.08 $947 +11.08
450–499 480 18 221.00–256.00 $234.71 $1,127 —
501–549 521 31 210.00–222.50 $221.50 $1,154 —
636–645 642 30 190.00–201.00 $194.71 $1,250 —
679–695 684 21 188.00–190.00 $189.36 $1,295 +9.36
720 720 3 180.00 $180.00 $1,296 —
789 789 13 173.00 $173.00 $1,365 —
867 867 3 160.50 $160.50 $1,392 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466 466 11 230.00 $230.00 $1,072 +25.00
636 636 11 202.00 $202.00 $1,285 —
818 818 43 178.75 $178.75 $1,462 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
646 646 4 187.00 $187.00 $1,208 —
1121 1121 21 145.00 $145.00 $1,625 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
441 441 8 151.00 $151.00 $666 —
532 532 15 141.00 $141.00 $750 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 6 187.50 $187.50 $1,022 —
663 663 4 175.00 $175.00 $1,160 —
729 729 6 169.00 $169.00 $1,232 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 2 220.00 $220.00 $832 —
440–444 443 5 215.00–221.00 $216.19 $958 —
475–493 488 113 214.00–227.00 $222.10 $1,084 +11.60
505–545 521 176 208.00–219.00 $215.65 $1,124 +11.78
562–563 fancy 562 19 214.00–217.00 $216.53 $1,217 —
551–593 575 119 200.00–211.00 $206.59 $1,188 +16.82
601–640 620 218 195.00–206.00 $202.39 $1,255 +16.39
664 fancy 664 4 208.00 $208.00 $1,381 —
654–692 669 25 181.00–197.00 $187.15 $1,252 +14.69
710–714 fancy 711 95 185.00–191.00 $186.33 $1,325 —
730 730 12 168.50 $168.50 $1,230 —
713–741 738 52 171.00–183.00 $172.34 $1,272 —
762–784 769 32 171.00–183.00 $179.14 $1,378 —
810–844 840 56 172.00–176.50 $174.16 $1,463 —
863 863 14 174.00 $174.00 $1,502 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
416–448 435 28 210.00 $210.00 $914 +17.00
457–496 486 30 185.00–212.50 $197.64 $961 —
510–545 524 28 186.00–197.00 $191.79 $1,005 —
555–590 582 11 180.00–196.00 $187.24 $1,090 +11.24
602–635 625 40 179.50–190.00 $186.17 $1,164 +7.17
658–698 670 14 174.50–176.00 $175.36 $1,175 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 398 23 201.00 $201.00 $800 —
416–439 425 20 193.00–213.00 $204.74 $870 —
462–468 463 17 189.00–208.00 $204.61 $947 +23.61
500 500 2 190.00 $190.00 $950 +19.00
690 690 4 171.00 $171.00 $1,180 +10.00
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
467–499 476 33 140.00 $140.00 $666 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 10 182.00 $182.00 $1,077 —
813 813 2 166.00 $166.00 $1,350 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
459 459 8 170.00 $170.00 $780 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
556 556 8 169.00 $169.00 $940 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 5 235.00 $235.00 $926 —
785 785 1 157.00 $157.00 $1,232 —
805 805 5 156.00 $156.00 $1,256 —
867 867 6 146.00 $146.00 $1,266 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 7 160.00 $160.00 $947 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1312 1312 80-85% 3 86.00 $86.00 $1,128 —
1226–1710 1338 80-85% 11 81.50–83.50 $82.89 $1,109 —
1321–1430 1360 80-85% 20 77.00–81.50 $78.00 $1,061 -5.00
1300–1455 1399 80-85% 13 81.00–87.00 $84.80 $1,186 —
1315–1485 1432 80-85% 24 73.00–80.00 $76.15 $1,090 -4.27
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
848 848 85-90% 3 62.50 $62.50 $530 —
1060–1288 1153 85-90% 14 78.00–81.50 $79.97 $922 -4.87
1010–1290 1193 85-90% 15 64.00–77.00 $73.71 $879 -13.79
1160–1273 1209 85-90% 10 78.50–83.00 $79.64 $963 —
1020–1315 1215 85-90% 20 69.00–77.50 $74.06 $900 —
1245 1245 85-90% 2 85.50 $85.50 $1,064 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1498–1830 1626 75-80% 15 74.50–83.00 $77.92 $1,267 —
1740 1740 75-80% 1 83.50 $83.50 $1,453 +3.50

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1410 1343 5 78.00–93.00 $89.46 $1,201 —
1434–2260 1672 20 97.00–105.00 $99.32 $1,661 —
1400–2205 1738 11 85.00–96.00 $92.19 $1,602 —
1988 1988 3 108.50 $108.50 $2,157 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2000 2000 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,920 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
792–1325 964 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 55 83.50–118.00 $104.84 $1,011
845–1280 1067 (<2 yrs)Open 20 120.00–145.00 $130.14 $1,389
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
875 875 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 90.00 $90.00 $788
1190 1190 (<2 yrs)Open 3 115.00 $115.00 $1,368
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
778 778 (<2 yrs)Open 2 142.00 $142.00 $1,105

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1243 1243 (<2 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,350.00 $1,350.00
1249 1249 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 5 1,300.00 $1,300.00

↑ 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.