Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 22, 2024

753 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M 1 heifers $235.00/cwt -11.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,614/hd at 687 lb · 16 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $200.71/cwt -17.61 vs last sale · ≈ $1,999/hd at 996 lb · 14 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $208.00/cwt -15.00 vs last sale · ≈ $1,939/hd at 932 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 753 780 732
Feeder cattle 265 190 303
Slaughter cattle 397 532 401
Replacement cattle 91 58 28

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower to sharply lower undertones were noticed. CME positions have traded sharply lower since the last sale and feeder prices mirrored the lower movement of feeder contracts. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average on steers and average to attractive on heifers with several packages of tested open yearling heifers on offer. Most feeders were offered in small groups with many singles noted as well. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good with several buyers looking for this class of cattle. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold on lighter demand this week as fewer buyers were in the market actively bidding on offerings. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly average this week and lower than last week. Most cows and bulls are starting to show significantly lighter body condition as dry weather and big calves are pulling cows down. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week with many very full cows noticed. Bull quality this sale was mostly average. Many bulls have been turned out and were in light flesh. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested this sale to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly average this week.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 unweaned 457 12 270.00 $270.00 $1,234 —
536 unweaned 536 11 240.00 $240.00 $1,286 —
683 unweaned 683 5 227.00 $227.00 $1,550 —
719 719 9 240.00 $240.00 $1,726 -23.00
755 755 3 243.00–244.50 $244.00 $1,842 -2.00
925 925 1 222.50 $222.50 $2,058 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 6 254.00 $254.00 $1,638 -13.50
688 688 2 231.00 $231.00 $1,589 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 unweaned 538 2 260.00 $260.00 $1,399 —
662 662 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,721 —
715 715 1 253.00 $253.00 $1,809 —
923 923 2 228.00 $228.00 $2,104 -17.99
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1192 1192 5 184.00 $184.00 $2,193 -26.00
1205 1205 1 186.00 $186.00 $2,241 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 4 236.00 $236.00 $1,699 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 2 242.50 $242.50 $1,426 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 4 242.00 $242.00 $1,525 —
726 726 8 224.00 $224.00 $1,626 —
781 781 4 217.00 $217.00 $1,695 —
838 838 2 213.00 $213.00 $1,785 —
858–891 884 10 209.50–213.50 $211.79 $1,872 —
920–933 932 12 208.00 $208.00 $1,939 -15.00
993 993 4 197.50 $197.50 $1,961 -20.82
997 997 10 202.00 $202.00 $2,014 -16.32
1000–1020 1010 10 193.00–204.00 $201.11 $2,031 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
687 687 16 235.00 $235.00 $1,614 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 unweaned 431 7 237.00 $237.00 $1,021 —
559 unweaned 559 4 245.00 $245.00 $1,370 —
940 940 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,889 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505–549 536 10 230.00–232.50 $230.71 $1,237 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1075–1088 1081 9 192.00–200.00 $196.21 $2,121 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
418 unweaned 418 3 190.00 $190.00 $794 —
518 518 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,062 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303 unweaned 303 2 327.50 $327.50 $992 —
825 825 1 222.50 $222.50 $1,836 —
850–895 877 5 217.00–224.00 $220.71 $1,936 —
945 945 1 209.00 $209.00 $1,975 —
955–988 981 5 207.00 $207.00 $2,031 —
1013 fancy 1013 5 216.00 $216.00 $2,188 —
1025 1025 1 202.00 $202.00 $2,070 -26.00
1085–1095 1093 8 193.00–205.00 $194.49 $2,126 -26.92
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
565 565 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,412 —
776 776 4 232.50 $232.50 $1,804 —
945 945 1 201.00 $201.00 $1,899 —
955 955 1 202.00 $202.00 $1,929 —
1015 1015 1 187.50 $187.50 $1,903 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
705 705 3 197.00 $197.00 $1,389 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120 1120 1 195.00 $195.00 $2,184 -20.67

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955 955 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,242 —
959 959 85-90% 4 113.00 $113.00 $1,084 —
1015–1140 1073 85-90% 7 90.00–107.00 $99.46 $1,067 -29.54
1070–1275 1149 85-90% 6 126.00–138.00 $129.54 $1,488 -14.75
1000–1340 1162 85-90% 29 118.00–124.00 $122.29 $1,421 +1.40
1185–1280 1218 85-90% 5 141.00–143.00 $141.42 $1,722 —
1125–1320 1219 85-90% 14 116.00–124.00 $121.35 $1,479 —
1233–1281 1253 85-90% 30 125.00–138.00 $130.87 $1,640 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1640 1398 80-85% 40 134.00–144.00 $139.17 $1,946 —
1315–1525 1409 80-85% 13 119.00–132.00 $123.63 $1,742 -20.30
1360–1427 1416 80-85% 8 145.00–150.00 $146.35 $2,072 +2.42
1288–1660 1419 80-85% 21 115.00–127.50 $123.72 $1,756 -20.21
1360–1610 1485 80-85% 2 145.00–152.00 $148.21 $2,201 +1.99
1315–1655 1509 80-85% 12 129.00–142.00 $137.45 $2,074 -15.24
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1555 1555 75-80% 1 152.50 $152.50 $2,371 +6.00
1517–1700 1563 75-80% 4 133.00 $133.00 $2,079 -13.50
1595 1595 75-80% 1 149.00 $149.00 $2,377 +2.50
1605 1605 75-80% 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,247 —
1618 1618 75-80% 2 145.00 $145.00 $2,346 —
1510–1805 1647 75-80% 3 143.50–145.00 $144.51 $2,380 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1850 1554 17 140.00–156.00 $147.87 $2,298 -17.22
1295–2080 1592 27 153.00–165.00 $158.41 $2,522 -6.68
1200–2075 1717 18 132.00–155.00 $149.39 $2,565 +2.68
1660–1930 1833 4 168.00–172.00 $169.80 $3,112 —
1590–2200 1934 42 154.50–167.50 $162.04 $3,134 -2.59
2650 2650 1 151.00 $151.00 $4,002 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
967–1245 1090 (<2 yrs)Open 47 141.00–179.00 $168.28 $1,834
1110–1305 1214 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 8 143.00–157.00 $150.34 $1,825
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
900–1003 968 (<2 yrs)Open 4 163.00–172.50 $166.33 $1,610
1070–1115 1100 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 141.00–142.00 $141.32 $1,555

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1330 1330 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 2,200.00 $2,200.00

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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.