Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 2, 2020

1,594 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 $125.95/cwt ≈ $770/hd at 611 lb · 43 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $135.49/cwt +5.49 vs last sale · ≈ $631/hd at 466 lb · 36 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $138.86/cwt ≈ $611/hd at 440 lb · 32 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,594 186 5,895
Feeder cattle 517 76 5,524
Slaughter cattle 822 96 45
Replacement cattle 255 14 326

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both steer and heifer calves. Not enough yearlings tested to develop any market trend. Light feeder receipts were seen this week and buyers showed light to moderate demand for all feeders on offer. Market activity today was mostly slow to moderate. Weigh up cow sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers sent a large portion of the cow offering to feed this week as they purchased a large portion of the offering as short term feeding cows for the upcoming holidays. Even some slightly blemished cows were sent to short term feed by packers this sale. Slaughter cows and feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale with many cows pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady as feeding buyers continue to compete with slaughter bull buyers over offerings. Cow and bull quality was mixed this week from plain to very attractive. Young 2-3 year old's' suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering than was seen last week.

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
403 unweaned 403 6 171.00 $171.00 $689 —
477–480 unweaned 480 27 152.00–164.00 $153.33 $736 +2.21
506–542 unweaned 512 17 140.00–147.00 $145.69 $746 +0.19
572 unweaned 572 8 139.50 $139.50 $798 +4.26
600–638 unweaned 616 27 128.00–136.00 $134.56 $829 —
655–692 unweaned 687 15 126.50–129.00 $126.82 $871 —
708 unweaned 708 3 132.00 $132.00 $935 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
357–397 unweaned 388 13 176.00 $176.00 $683 —
428 unweaned 428 2 151.00 $151.00 $646 —
472 unweaned 472 3 142.50 $142.50 $673 —
525–542 unweaned 535 5 139.00–144.00 $140.96 $754 —
593 unweaned 593 4 129.00 $129.00 $765 —
630 unweaned 630 1 126.00 $126.00 $794 —
710 unweaned 710 3 121.00 $121.00 $859 —
910 910 2 119.50 $119.50 $1,087 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
513 513 6 100.00 $100.00 $513 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
439–448 unweaned 440 32 138.00–147.00 $138.86 $611 —
466–475 unweaned 466 36 135.00–135.50 $135.49 $631 +5.49
510–547 unweaned 538 14 131.00–132.00 $131.20 $706 +5.20
593 unweaned 593 3 125.00 $125.00 $741 —
606–642 unweaned 611 43 123.00–126.50 $125.95 $770 —
938 938 10 124.25 $124.25 $1,165 —
968 968 2 119.00 $119.00 $1,152 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 unweaned 340 2 130.00 $130.00 $442 —
361–396 unweaned 384 14 131.00–138.00 $133.35 $512 +10.85
454–488 unweaned 471 24 126.00–131.00 $129.94 $612 —
543 unweaned 543 2 127.00 $127.00 $690 —
572 unweaned 572 3 132.00 $132.00 $755 —
843 843 5 116.00 $116.00 $978 —
880 880 2 115.00 $115.00 $1,012 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
494 unweaned 494 6 115.00 $115.00 $568 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1060 1060 3 115.00 $115.00 $1,219 —
1105 1105 2 114.00 $114.00 $1,260 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
478 unweaned 478 4 146.00 $146.00 $698 —
529 unweaned 529 5 125.00 $125.00 $661 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 85-90% 1 35.00 $35.00 $298 -0.39
990 990 85-90% 1 38.00 $38.00 $376 —
995 995 85-90% 1 42.00 $42.00 $418 —
1065–1375 1143 85-90% 41 32.00–39.50 $34.46 $394 -9.19
1020–1301 1198 85-90% 84 46.00–57.00 $51.29 $614 +11.77
1035–1325 1203 85-90% 120 40.00–46.00 $43.73 $526 —
1000–1378 1207 85-90% 64 38.00–45.00 $42.51 $513 —
1150–1310 1246 85-90% 5 45.00–49.00 $46.30 $577 —
1280 1280 85-90% 1 59.50 $59.50 $762 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1277–1610 1353 80-85% 31 42.00–48.00 $44.73 $605 -10.85
1175–1595 1379 80-85% 47 60.00–63.50 $61.03 $842 +9.71
1180–1575 1398 80-85% 110 47.00–58.00 $51.46 $719 +0.14
1226–1588 1407 80-85% 58 41.00–45.00 $43.43 $611 -19.07
1390–1500 1442 80-85% 7 45.00–53.00 $46.95 $677 -15.55
1405–1485 1445 80-85% 2 38.00–39.00 $38.49 $556 -24.01
1435–1625 1551 80-85% 4 58.00–63.00 $60.02 $931 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1333–1530 1486 75-80% 9 46.00–52.00 $48.46 $720 —
1578–1610 1584 75-80% 5 58.00–61.00 $58.61 $928 —
1450–1673 1597 75-80% 8 61.00–66.00 $64.46 $1,029 —
1720–1745 1733 75-80% 2 67.00–68.00 $67.50 $1,170 —
1760 1760 75-80% 3 48.00 $48.00 $845 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1525–1655 1595 3 75.00–81.50 $77.25 $1,232 —
1610–1870 1764 4 66.00–72.00 $69.50 $1,226 —
1535–2285 1910 2 76.00–80.00 $77.61 $1,482 —
1878–2100 1937 5 66.00–72.00 $70.41 $1,364 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
792–915 thin fleshed 833 (<2 yrs)Open 5 52.00–71.00 $63.40 $528
858–1325 1012 (<2 yrs)Open 127 61.00–89.50 $76.80 $777
810–1260 1058 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 28 58.50–72.00 $63.35 $670

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1231–1389 1294 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 44.50–46.00 $45.14 $584
1515 1515 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 53.50 $53.50 $811
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1178 1178 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 850.00 $850.00
1060–1340 1206 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,000.00–1,100.00 $1,050.26
1256 1256 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 785.00 $785.00

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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.