Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, September 7, 2023

1,611 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $250.51/cwt ≈ $1,759/hd at 702 lb · 120 head
light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $229.82/cwt +2.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,920/hd at 835 lb · 69 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $213.05/cwt +1.05 vs last sale · ≈ $1,971/hd at 925 lb · 61 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,611 732 1,942
Feeder cattle 1,134 303 1,511
Slaughter cattle 462 401 336
Replacement cattle 15 28 95

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale(8/24/23): The best comparison today was for 800-849 lbs steers which sold fully steady and 800-950 lbs heifers which sold steady to 3.00 higher. All other weights of feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality today was mostly average. Most cattle were in light flesh, with the exception of a few consignments of heifers over 900 lbs which offered moderate flesh. Most cattle were coming off grass this week. Several sets of cattle out of Eastern Montana were in very light flesh as grasshoppers and cattle competed over feed in that part of the state. Load lots of cattle saw very good demand this week with small packages and singles selling back slightly. Market activity was mostly active this week with good participation seen from buyers. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed very good demand for feeding cows today; a switch from the past two weeks. Quality today was mostly average to attractive and overall better than the last sale. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on breaking and boning cows, lean cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher as packer buyers started to purchase feeding cows again after a two week break. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions were mixed with some cows offering buyers good weigh conditions, while others were pushing fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly teste to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average and most offerings were purchased to feed.

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
332 unweaned 332 5 360.00 $360.00 $1,195 —
355–377 unweaned 368 5 345.00–360.00 $350.78 $1,291 +12.67
489–498 unweaned 490 23 271.00–290.00 $273.52 $1,340 -11.48
530 unweaned 530 4 280.00 $280.00 $1,484 —
559–598 unweaned 584 24 262.50–268.00 $264.77 $1,546 —
668 unweaned 668 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,376 —
705 705 2 262.00 $262.00 $1,847 -5.00
760 760 12 260.50 $260.50 $1,980 —
760 760 21 256.00 $256.00 $1,946 —
802–825 816 32 244.00–254.00 $252.12 $2,057 -0.20
854–888 865 36 241.00–245.50 $243.67 $2,108 —
907–937 931 32 234.50–238.00 $235.00 $2,188 +9.00
960–988 970 6 226.00–232.00 $229.68 $2,228 —
981 981 4 222.00 $222.00 $2,178 —
1011–1030 1016 11 221.00–223.00 $221.55 $2,251 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
626 626 12 277.00 $277.00 $1,734 —
650–683 669 33 269.00–275.50 $271.97 $1,819 +4.97
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431–446 unweaned 439 8 270.00–275.00 $272.46 $1,196 -7.54
591 unweaned 591 8 220.00 $220.00 $1,300 —
721 721 6 250.00 $250.00 $1,802 —
793 793 2 250.00 $250.00 $1,982 —
855 855 4 236.00 $236.00 $2,018 —
909 909 7 215.00 $215.00 $1,954 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745 745 1 243.00 $243.00 $1,810 —
1028 1028 3 214.00 $214.00 $2,200 —
1095 1095 6 203.00 $203.00 $2,223 —
1129 1129 5 202.00 $202.00 $2,281 —
1165 1165 1 202.00 $202.00 $2,353 +11.50
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
726 726 8 230.00 $230.00 $1,670 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
804–805 804 8 217.50–229.00 $227.56 $1,830 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
514 514 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,105 —
718 718 3 162.50 $162.50 $1,167 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308–340 unweaned 319 3 315.00–317.50 $315.89 $1,008 —
402–447 unweaned 439 16 268.00–274.00 $269.03 $1,181 -15.97
513 unweaned 513 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,272 —
593 unweaned 593 2 252.00 $252.00 $1,494 —
670 unweaned 670 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,608 —
700–730 702 120 240.00–251.50 $250.51 $1,759 —
768–799 791 17 230.50–233.00 $231.71 $1,833 —
813 fancy 813 2 237.00 $237.00 $1,927 —
807–849 836 67 224.50–231.50 $229.61 $1,920 +2.14
864–870 867 9 221.50–223.50 $222.45 $1,929 -1.17
883 883 2 217.00 $217.00 $1,916 +5.00
900–937 924 57 211.00–217.00 $213.55 $1,973 +1.55
940 940 4 206.00 $206.00 $1,936 -6.00
952–966 960 7 214.50–215.50 $214.93 $2,063 +5.08
1000–1049 1008 108 201.00–209.50 $207.99 $2,097 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
631 631 37 252.00 $252.00 $1,590 —
669 669 11 251.00 $251.00 $1,679 —
747 747 12 227.00 $227.00 $1,696 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 unweaned 425 2 240.00 $240.00 $1,020 —
527 unweaned 527 5 219.00 $219.00 $1,154 —
717 717 7 232.00 $232.00 $1,663 —
799 799 13 221.00 $221.00 $1,766 —
881 881 22 212.50 $212.50 $1,872 +5.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
846 846 8 202.00 $202.00 $1,709 —
1070 1070 2 207.00 $207.00 $2,215 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
676–681 678 10 235.00–245.00 $239.81 $1,626 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
542 542 3 200.00 $200.00 $1,084 —
728 728 4 180.00 $180.00 $1,310 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1083 1083 2 192.00 $192.00 $2,079 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
552 unweaned 552 3 231.00 $231.00 $1,275 —
1090 1090 1 184.00 $184.00 $2,006 -11.00
1110–1133 1127 8 175.50–187.50 $177.73 $2,003 -4.97
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860 860 4 216.00 $216.00 $1,858 -12.00
930 930 2 212.00–214.00 $213.00 $1,981 -1.98
993 993 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,936 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,864 —
1147 1147 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,950 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1780 1390 80-85% 46 105.00–114.00 $108.33 $1,506 -0.76
1275–1455 1416 80-85% 11 92.00–104.50 $103.18 $1,461 +1.08
1290–1563 1456 80-85% 33 114.00–118.50 $116.82 $1,701 +5.25
1365–1598 1504 80-85% 20 104.00–111.00 $108.42 $1,631 —
1328–1769 1511 80-85% 61 87.00–103.00 $97.92 $1,480 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
860–970 927 85-90% 3 80.00–87.50 $83.44 $773 —
1090–1225 1165 85-90% 6 102.00–108.50 $106.04 $1,235 +9.72
1190–1220 1205 85-90% 2 111.00–112.00 $111.49 $1,343 +10.91
1095–1295 1226 85-90% 22 100.00–105.00 $102.56 $1,257 +1.98
915–1463 1229 85-90% 53 85.00–98.00 $91.68 $1,127 -16.11
1225–1265 1258 85-90% 6 75.50–82.00 $76.55 $963 -39.45
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445–1630 1532 75-80% 10 116.50–120.00 $118.12 $1,810 —
1485–1710 1571 75-80% 8 108.50–115.50 $112.91 $1,774 +0.25
1548–1665 1594 75-80% 13 113.50–115.00 $114.49 $1,825 +8.20
1495–1950 1704 75-80% 8 115.50–118.50 $116.31 $1,982 —
1600–1985 1763 75-80% 10 104.00–107.50 $105.60 $1,862 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1268 1268 2 101.00 $101.00 $1,281 —
1255–1855 1572 16 107.00–113.50 $111.59 $1,754 —
1315–1880 1589 23 114.00–121.00 $116.35 $1,849 —
1335–1910 1618 12 102.00–114.00 $108.03 $1,748 -8.93
1695–2125 1961 19 115.00–124.00 $119.88 $2,351 —
1700–2460 2036 12 125.00–131.00 $128.07 $2,608 -0.63
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1885 1885 1 117.00 $117.00 $2,205 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1015–1345 1178 (<2 yrs)Open 3 121.00–140.00 $128.95 $1,519
1302 1302 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 111.00 $111.00 $1,445
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1139 1139 (<2 yrs)Open 4 127.00 $127.00 $1,447

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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.