heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers$218.32/cwt≈ $2,102/hd at 963 lb · 27 head
heavy 7-weight M 1 bulls$231.00/cwt≈ $1,732/hd at 750 lb · 15 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers$235.00/cwt-14.00 vs last sale · ≈ $2,275/hd at 968 lb · 10 head
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
780
1,276
852
Feeder cattle
190
386
316
Slaughter cattle
532
765
494
Replacement cattle
58
125
42
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last sale: The last sale held at Billings Livestock commission was a month ago, thus no comparisons can be made. Feeder cattle sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average with a limited selection of attractive quality offerings seen. Most feeders were offered in small groups. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good with several buyers looking for this class of cattle. Market activity was mostly moderate to active with several buyers actively bidding on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. With limited offerings to start the sale buyers were very aggressive as they pushed to fill loads early in the sale. However, demand for cows and bulls both softened as buyers filled loads. The majority of offerings were purchased to feed this week. Cow and bull quality was mostly average to very attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. All cows were pushing light to moderate amounts of fill this week. Bull quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were very lightly tested this sale. Quality was mostly average this week.
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.
Cattle Market
Compared to last sale: The last sale held at Billings Livestock commission was a month ago, thus no comparisons can be made. Feeder cattle sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average with a limited selection of attractive quality offerings seen. Most feeders were offered in small groups. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good with several buyers looking for this class of cattle. Market activity was mostly moderate to active with several buyers actively bidding on limited offerings. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. With limited offerings to start the sale buyers were very aggressive as they pushed to fill loads early in the sale. However, demand for cows and bulls both softened as buyers filled loads. The majority of offerings were purchased to feed this week. Cow and bull quality was mostly average to very attractive this week. Weigh up conditions were mixed this week. All cows were pushing light to moderate amounts of fill this week. Bull quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were very lightly tested this sale. Quality was mostly average this week.