Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 12, 2023

2,078 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 steers $286.79/cwt -1.55 vs last sale · ≈ $1,500/hd at 523 lb · 164 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $271.34/cwt +4.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,706/hd at 629 lb · 126 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $279.02/cwt +8.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,301/hd at 466 lb · 86 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,078 938 3,140
Feeder cattle 1,812 561 2,490
Slaughter cattle 148 276 488
Replacement cattle 118 101 162

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves over 500 lbs sold with steady undertones. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested last sale to develop a full market trend however higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold with sharply higher undertones, heifer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Most cattle were offered in small packages this sale, with no load lots seen. Selection was limited again this week forcing buyers to piece together loads. Demand was good to very good for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Demand for calves over 500 lbs and yearlings sold on mostly moderate demand. CME positions sold mostly higher throughout the week and buyers showed much stronger demand for all feeder offerings this week compared to last. Cooler and rainy conditions were seen much of the day and some calves showed some stress as a result. Market activity was mostly moderate to active today. Weigh up cows were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate trend, however lower undertones were noticed on both feeding and slaughter cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average again today as most cows were pushing fill, as a big change of weather was seen. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand today as rebreed buyers and feeding buyers both competed over offerings. Young age cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average.

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
325–349 unweaned 339 22 387.50–402.50 $393.56 $1,334 —
369–390 unweaned 376 26 390.00–405.00 $394.13 $1,482 —
404–420 unweaned 410 41 266.00–384.00 $371.70 $1,524 +54.70
450–480 unweaned 461 32 306.00–362.00 $336.31 $1,550 +32.61
502–546 unweaned 523 164 278.00–296.00 $286.79 $1,500 -1.55
556 556 14 279.00 $279.00 $1,551 —
550–595 unweaned 569 49 274.00–280.50 $277.25 $1,578 +1.28
618 fancy 618 34 280.00 $280.00 $1,730 —
629 629 28 276.00 $276.00 $1,736 —
615–645 unweaned 634 64 255.50–271.00 $264.71 $1,678 -1.84
660 unweaned 660 4 257.50 $257.50 $1,700 -7.50
705 705 16 274.00 $274.00 $1,932 —
759 759 34 262.00 $262.00 $1,989 +7.08
830 830 5 234.00 $234.00 $1,942 -5.50
910 910 9 232.00 $232.00 $2,111 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–348 unweaned 342 3 372.00–375.00 $372.96 $1,276 +48.47
397 unweaned 397 25 379.00 $379.00 $1,505 +58.40
408–448 unweaned 434 32 330.00–355.00 $345.90 $1,501 +36.54
453–490 unweaned 474 20 290.00–308.00 $302.92 $1,436 +9.66
529 unweaned 529 7 258.00 $258.00 $1,365 -20.02
563–590 unweaned 576 27 255.00–270.00 $263.79 $1,519 —
607 unweaned 607 7 250.00 $250.00 $1,518 +17.00
744 744 5 260.00 $260.00 $1,934 —
852–886 873 20 230.00–239.50 $236.88 $2,068 —
955 955 1 214.00 $214.00 $2,044 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
474–485 unweaned 477 8 224.00–250.00 $230.61 $1,100 —
529–535 unweaned 533 10 220.00–225.00 $221.99 $1,183 —
741 741 9 231.00 $231.00 $1,712 —
783–792 787 12 224.50–247.50 $234.15 $1,843 —
830 830 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,826 —
883 883 5 226.00 $226.00 $1,996 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570 570 27 256.00 $256.00 $1,459 —
648 648 6 259.50 $259.50 $1,682 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
652 652 7 266.00 $266.00 $1,734 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
626 unweaned 626 6 232.50 $232.50 $1,455 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
597 597 5 237.00 $237.00 $1,415 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 unweaned 332 3 330.00 $330.00 $1,096 —
359–398 unweaned 380 32 310.00–330.00 $319.21 $1,213 +25.21
400–444 unweaned 424 37 285.00–315.00 $294.68 $1,249 +18.28
450–483 unweaned 465 70 273.00–280.00 $276.51 $1,286 +6.14
472 472 16 290.00 $290.00 $1,369 —
507–540 unweaned 515 27 254.00–274.00 $266.79 $1,374 +7.52
516 516 14 286.00 $286.00 $1,476 —
538 538 26 281.00 $281.00 $1,512 —
567 fancy 567 25 271.00 $271.00 $1,537 —
550–580 unweaned 568 29 252.00–262.00 $255.41 $1,451 +4.98
634–649 unweaned 643 12 246.00–251.00 $248.95 $1,601 +6.32
734 734 14 245.50 $245.50 $1,802 -3.50
753–767 757 14 239.50–242.50 $241.78 $1,830 —
816–835 832 35 237.00–237.25 $237.21 $1,974 +10.87
858–888 879 30 224.50–227.50 $226.19 $1,988 +12.19
940 940 31 224.50 $224.50 $2,110 +14.10
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–311 unweaned 309 16 312.50–320.00 $313.74 $969 —
350–390 unweaned 372 28 280.00–308.50 $297.92 $1,108 —
437–448 unweaned 438 53 250.00–273.00 $271.63 $1,190 +6.63
453–492 unweaned 476 5 267.50–268.00 $267.81 $1,275 —
541 unweaned 541 7 251.00 $251.00 $1,358 -1.85
770–786 781 24 235.50–238.00 $236.60 $1,848 +13.60
828–836 834 19 225.00–226.00 $225.21 $1,878 —
873 873 2 221.50 $221.50 $1,934 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 unweaned 394 13 222.50 $222.50 $877 —
447 unweaned 447 3 220.00 $220.00 $983 —
798 798 3 203.00 $203.00 $1,620 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
399 unweaned 399 5 300.00 $300.00 $1,197 +65.00
697 697 13 246.00 $246.00 $1,715 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
501 unweaned 501 5 253.00 $253.00 $1,268 —
550 unweaned 550 3 234.00 $234.00 $1,287 —
1105 1105 2 196.00 $196.00 $2,166 +3.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 unweaned 380 1 375.00 $375.00 $1,425 —
474 unweaned 474 4 290.00 $290.00 $1,375 +11.00
585 unweaned 585 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,492 —
691 691 6 241.00 $241.00 $1,665 —
791 791 12 234.50 $234.50 $1,855 —
965 965 11 215.50 $215.50 $2,080 +14.29
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 unweaned 565 6 205.00 $205.00 $1,158 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1070 1070 3 195.00 $195.00 $2,086 +10.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1091–1170 1112 85-90% 23 60.00–70.00 $69.11 $769 —
1065–1330 1184 85-90% 31 79.00–93.00 $85.26 $1,009 -2.30
1195–1205 1200 85-90% 2 80.00–89.00 $84.52 $1,014 —
1143–1265 1212 85-90% 14 92.00–98.00 $95.51 $1,158 —
1303 1303 85-90% 3 94.00 $94.00 $1,225 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205 1205 80-85% 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,145 —
1325–1343 1337 80-85% 3 88.00–92.00 $89.32 $1,194 —
1375–1470 1403 80-85% 4 95.00–97.00 $96.50 $1,354 +7.06
1260–1538 1435 80-85% 14 97.50–108.00 $103.13 $1,480 +13.69
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1460 1460 75-80% 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,606 —
1535 1535 75-80% 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,428 —
1805 1805 75-80% 1 105.50 $105.50 $1,904 —
1835 1835 75-80% 1 108.50 $108.50 $1,991 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1153–1695 1375 5 92.00–100.00 $95.95 $1,319 —
1760 1760 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,971 +15.52
1590–2065 1807 5 95.00–106.00 $100.86 $1,823 -10.82

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–1200 964 (<2 yrs)Open 26 147.00–171.00 $156.57 $1,509
895–1230 1062 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 33 111.00–147.50 $125.12 $1,329
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–1145 1033 (<2 yrs)Open 3 130.00–140.00 $135.91 $1,404
993–1245 1077 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 107.00–112.50 $110.38 $1,189

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1012–1224 1140 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 16 1,825.00–1,960.00 $1,862.13

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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.