Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Monday, October 17, 2022

1,343 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $228.65/cwt ≈ $702/hd at 307 lb · 68 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $202.21/cwt +6.66 vs last sale · ≈ $946/hd at 468 lb · 40 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $184.52/cwt +4.52 vs last sale · ≈ $867/hd at 470 lb · 38 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,343 1,263 2,411
Feeder cattle 668 492 419
Slaughter cattle 498 266 1,487
Replacement cattle 177 505 505

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on steers under 600 lbs, while steady to weak undertones were noticed on steer calves over 600 lbs. Heifer calves all sold with with higher undertones. Yearlings of both sexes were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate today for light offerings. Quality today was average to attractive and overall better than last week. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on breaking and boning cows lean cows sold weak. Feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower however quality was not as attractive as last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady undertones were noticed.

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
290 unweaned 290 37 264.00 $264.00 $766 —
310 unweaned 310 2 225.00 $225.00 $698 —
362 unweaned 362 6 220.00 $220.00 $796 +4.51
415 unweaned 415 2 216.00 $216.00 $896 +12.04
452–473 unweaned 468 40 198.00–208.00 $202.21 $946 +6.66
534–543 unweaned 538 36 189.00–194.00 $191.24 $1,029 +6.54
557 unweaned 557 16 185.00 $185.00 $1,030 +1.22
611–620 unweaned 613 12 175.00–176.00 $175.83 $1,078 -4.17
650 unweaned 650 10 171.00 $171.00 $1,112 -7.00
953 953 3 161.50 $161.50 $1,539 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311 unweaned 311 6 215.00 $215.00 $669 —
380 unweaned 380 4 212.50 $212.50 $808 —
434–442 unweaned 437 7 198.00–205.00 $201.97 $883 +4.47
470–496 unweaned 492 13 180.00–191.00 $189.38 $932 —
507 unweaned 507 3 180.00 $180.00 $913 —
575–576 unweaned 576 7 174.50–177.00 $176.29 $1,015 +2.63
695 unweaned 695 2 162.00 $162.00 $1,126 —
770 770 4 169.00 $169.00 $1,301 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
414 unweaned 414 12 127.50 $127.50 $528 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406 unweaned 406 9 172.00 $172.00 $698 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 unweaned 287 13 227.00 $227.00 $651 —
300–307 unweaned 307 68 205.00–229.00 $228.65 $702 —
379–389 unweaned 386 12 195.00–202.00 $197.29 $762 +0.84
464–493 unweaned 470 38 174.00–187.50 $184.52 $867 +4.52
528–536 unweaned 535 22 171.00–176.00 $175.55 $939 +13.34
558 558 9 156.00 $156.00 $870 —
550–599 unweaned 583 16 164.00–166.50 $165.45 $965 +2.50
904 904 14 160.00 $160.00 $1,446 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433–449 unweaned 438 17 172.00–179.00 $174.11 $763 +4.69
482 unweaned 482 14 167.00 $167.00 $805 —
505 unweaned 505 1 162.50 $162.50 $821 +3.86
552 unweaned 552 7 145.00 $145.00 $800 -8.98
816 816 6 160.00 $160.00 $1,306 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 unweaned 457 3 165.00 $165.00 $754 —
533 unweaned 533 5 151.00 $151.00 $805 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 unweaned 592 6 153.00 $153.00 $906 +3.00

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
481 unweaned 481 5 165.00 $165.00 $794 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 3 121.00 $121.00 $1,246 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
763 763 3 147.50 $147.50 $1,125 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
773–925 787 85-90% 23 45.00–47.00 $45.58 $359 —
1005–1395 1125 85-90% 26 64.00–73.00 $66.01 $743 —
1105–1258 1215 85-90% 15 45.00–48.00 $47.02 $571 -36.72
1010–1360 1216 85-90% 65 51.00–63.00 $56.30 $685 -27.44
1085–1443 1257 85-90% 33 66.00–75.50 $69.94 $879 —
1305 1305 85-90% 2 61.00 $61.00 $796 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1368–1620 1399 80-85% 12 56.50–65.50 $58.09 $813 -25.15
1310–1583 1413 80-85% 83 68.00–76.50 $72.58 $1,026 -3.84
1350–1500 1415 80-85% 3 65.00–67.50 $65.80 $931 -10.62
1420–1440 1430 80-85% 2 78.50–80.00 $79.24 $1,133 +2.82
1290–1525 1444 80-85% 28 68.00–73.50 $71.56 $1,033 -4.86
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1520–1570 1522 75-80% 23 76.00 $76.00 $1,157 -9.50
1536–1555 1539 75-80% 6 79.00–83.00 $79.67 $1,226 -5.83
1604 1604 75-80% 5 83.00 $83.00 $1,331 —
1505–1855 1628 75-80% 5 72.00–77.00 $75.68 $1,232 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1690 1690 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,352 -12.41
1660–2295 1919 4 70.00–85.00 $79.31 $1,522 —
1610–2480 2035 6 88.00–93.00 $90.19 $1,835 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850–1235 1030 (<2 yrs)Open 39 87.00–120.00 $106.08 $1,093
975–1408 1134 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 64.00–84.50 $78.77 $893
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
710 710 (<2 yrs)Open 1 95.00 $95.00 $674
980–1210 1088 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 57.00–77.00 $63.26 $688

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1158 1158 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 6 1,260.00 $1,260.00
1297 1297 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,225.00 $1,225.00
1358 1358 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 1,250.00 $1,250.00

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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.