Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, November 16, 2020

2,629 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 $158.14/cwt ≈ $829/hd at 524 lb · 160 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $146.26/cwt ≈ $717/hd at 490 lb · 112 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $145.23/cwt ≈ $744/hd at 512 lb · 112 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,629 841 3,440
Feeder cattle 1,275 140 3,152
Slaughter cattle 1,189 621 40
Replacement cattle 165 80 248

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Monday: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was moderate for light to moderate offerings. Quality was average to attractive. Market activity today was mostly moderate. Weigh up cow sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Packers continue to purchase cows to put away on feed for the upcoming holidays as well as cows suitable to feed to premium white. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale with many full cows on offer. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive. Many cows continue to sell in thin body condition. Several buyers were buying exposed cows or cows they believed to be bred to feed. Some buyers will calves these cows out while others will ship them before they calve. Young 2-3 year old's suitable to feed or rebreed sold sharply higher with most sales 5.00-10.00 higher. Demand for these offerings was mostly good and much stronger than last sale.

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
370–398 unweaned 385 23 175.00–190.00 $184.19 $709 —
403–430 unweaned 416 39 167.50–180.00 $176.46 $734 —
459–478 unweaned 466 46 160.00–170.00 $166.21 $775 —
481 481 7 154.00 $154.00 $741 —
500–545 unweaned 524 160 154.00–161.00 $158.14 $829 —
553–589 unweaned 566 68 144.00–154.50 $149.39 $846 —
600–615 unweaned 613 11 141.00–147.50 $146.09 $896 —
665–675 unweaned 670 2 136.00–137.00 $136.50 $915 —
675 675 5 130.00 $130.00 $878 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
332 unweaned 332 15 175.00 $175.00 $581 +10.00
411 unweaned 411 6 168.00 $168.00 $690 —
473 473 5 149.00 $149.00 $705 —
514 unweaned 514 6 145.00 $145.00 $745 —
575–595 unweaned 592 14 131.00–143.00 $141.34 $837 —
630–631 unweaned 631 6 133.00 $133.00 $839 —
833 833 3 135.50 $135.50 $1,129 —
865 865 4 133.00 $133.00 $1,150 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
353–396 unweaned 375 24 150.00–159.00 $155.53 $583 —
470–489 unweaned 481 27 137.00–142.00 $139.17 $669 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
673 unweaned 673 16 134.00 $134.00 $902 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 unweaned 348 3 158.00 $158.00 $550 —
350–372 unweaned 366 7 151.00–162.50 $159.36 $583 —
443–449 unweaned 445 16 146.00–151.00 $149.11 $664 —
486–491 unweaned 490 112 143.00–147.00 $146.26 $717 —
505–525 unweaned 512 112 138.00–147.50 $145.23 $744 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366–394 unweaned 388 70 136.00–148.50 $144.24 $560 —
418–441 unweaned 430 27 133.00–142.00 $139.00 $598 +4.38
484 484 5 132.00 $132.00 $639 —
538–545 unweaned 544 50 133.00 $133.00 $724 —
707 unweaned 707 3 116.00 $116.00 $820 —
982 982 5 117.50 $117.50 $1,154 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 unweaned 538 2 127.00 $127.00 $683 —
588 unweaned 588 15 128.50 $128.50 $756 —
1160 1160 2 108.00 $108.00 $1,253 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
518 unweaned 518 9 121.00 $121.00 $627 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427 unweaned 427 8 100.00 $100.00 $427 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410 unweaned 410 3 160.00 $160.00 $656 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 unweaned 400 2 150.00 $150.00 $600 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905 905 85-90% 1 35.00 $35.00 $317 —
940 940 85-90% 1 43.00 $43.00 $404 —
995 995 85-90% 2 52.00 $52.00 $517 +9.82
999–1260 1069 85-90% 27 36.00–40.00 $39.15 $419 -1.59
1080–1310 1168 85-90% 28 41.00–48.00 $44.62 $521 -2.08
950–1315 1186 85-90% 118 43.00–51.25 $48.12 $571 +1.42
970–1285 1199 85-90% 57 51.00–57.00 $53.62 $643 —
1240 1240 85-90% 1 50.00 $50.00 $620 +1.30
1340 1340 85-90% 1 62.00 $62.00 $831 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1310–1405 1329 80-85% 5 51.00–55.00 $51.85 $689 +5.15
1235–1570 1365 80-85% 28 47.00–50.00 $48.83 $667 +1.17
1250–1730 1376 80-85% 55 50.50–61.00 $56.75 $781 +9.09
1280–1520 1381 80-85% 5 44.50–48.00 $46.60 $644 -1.06
1374–1873 1519 80-85% 7 62.50–68.00 $64.50 $980 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1528–1575 1544 75-80% 3 63.00–64.50 $63.51 $981 —
1605 1605 75-80% 1 56.00 $56.00 $899 -8.69
1750 1750 75-80% 1 73.50 $73.50 $1,286 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1520 1520 1 71.00 $71.00 $1,079 —
1450–1953 1778 5 75.00–79.00 $77.83 $1,384 —
1885 1885 1 82.00 $82.00 $1,546 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
795–887 thin fleshed 864 (<2 yrs)Open 4 71.00–79.00 $77.16 $667
895–1430 1025 (<2 yrs)Open 17 65.00–93.00 $84.50 $866
942–1120 1031 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 22 61.00–88.50 $76.88 $793
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1005 1005 (<2 yrs)Open 2 62.00 $62.00 $623

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1083 1083 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,125.00 $1,125.00
1210 1210 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 675.00 $675.00
1213 1213 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 735.00 $735.00

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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.