Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 6, 2020

3,952 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction report →

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $148.30/cwt +1.90 vs last sale · ≈ $844/hd at 569 lb · 350 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $153.88/cwt -0.60 vs last sale · ≈ $813/hd at 528 lb · 324 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $145.05/cwt -0.30 vs last sale · ≈ $691/hd at 476 lb · 244 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,952 2,679 4,140
Feeder cattle 3,613 2,425 3,800
Slaughter cattle 199 214 158
Replacement cattle 140 40 182

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Friday: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Unweaned steers under 400 lbs were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however sharply lower undertones were noticed. Feeder steers over 400 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower, except 550-599 lbs steers which sold mostly 2.00 higher. Unweaned heifers under 400 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher; heifers over 400 lbs sold steady to 4.00 lower. Demand was mostly light to moderate today for moderate to heavy offerings. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Calves with 2 rounds of preconditioning shots sold with the best demand. Weaned calves are beginning to be marketed, demand was similar to unweaned calves this sale. Transportation is tight this week and demand lightened as buyers filled trucks. Many continental cross breed cattle sold this sale. Market activity was slow to moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to firm as packers attempted to fill loads for the week. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak. Cows and bulls offered average to below average weigh up conditions this sale. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed as feeding bull buyers pushed bull prices higher. Young age 2-3 year olds sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Quality was mostly average this 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
286–295 unweaned 290 7 185.00–196.00 $191.20 $554 —
311–340 unweaned 328 19 183.00–185.00 $183.80 $603 —
379–394 unweaned 389 47 175.00–182.00 $180.08 $701 -16.81
403–446 unweaned 426 161 167.00–182.00 $174.61 $744 -3.29
451–498 unweaned 476 115 155.00–169.00 $162.52 $774 -3.41
508 508 9 153.00 $153.00 $777 —
511–544 unweaned 529 315 146.00–160.50 $153.90 $814 -0.58
552–591 unweaned 569 332 144.00–150.00 $148.18 $843 +1.78
573 573 18 150.50 $150.50 $862 —
602–630 unweaned 618 169 133.00–145.00 $143.25 $885 -0.61
655 655 4 141.00 $141.00 $924 +10.50
651–698 unweaned 677 102 132.00–143.00 $138.43 $937 -1.72
710–721 unweaned 718 23 131.50–137.00 $134.97 $969 -0.36
750–764 unweaned 755 34 132.00–142.00 $138.72 $1,047 +10.14
756 756 10 138.00 $138.00 $1,043 -5.00
844 844 7 139.00 $139.00 $1,173 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374 unweaned 374 12 161.00 $161.00 $602 -11.00
404–448 unweaned 422 39 154.00–169.00 $164.35 $694 +0.24
463–499 unweaned 473 53 149.50–157.00 $155.35 $735 +0.85
502–545 unweaned 516 60 141.50–148.00 $144.97 $748 +4.99
592 unweaned 592 6 132.00 $132.00 $781 -7.95
646 unweaned 646 4 124.00 $124.00 $801 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
548 unweaned 548 19 147.50 $147.50 $808 —
646 646 4 133.00 $133.00 $859 —
647 unweaned 647 52 138.50 $138.50 $896 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 unweaned 505 30 135.50 $135.50 $684 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
544 544 20 146.50 $146.50 $797 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
414 414 11 163.00 $163.00 $675 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
302–328 unweaned 310 25 153.00–159.50 $157.13 $487 +3.13
366–391 unweaned 380 31 150.00–156.00 $153.07 $582 +0.48
402–444 unweaned 421 112 143.50–152.00 $148.24 $624 -3.99
462 462 28 150.00 $150.00 $693 —
450–493 unweaned 478 216 139.50–150.50 $144.41 $690 -0.94
509–546 517 110 136.75–148.00 $145.04 $750 —
502–537 unweaned 523 125 134.00–144.00 $137.68 $720 -4.01
560–587 unweaned 576 135 126.00–135.25 $133.47 $769 -3.01
615 615 2 130.00 $130.00 $800 —
626–644 unweaned 637 15 127.00–130.00 $128.82 $821 -2.28
654–673 unweaned 662 16 126.50–127.00 $126.72 $839 —
726 unweaned 726 9 114.00 $114.00 $828 -12.68
764 764 15 136.00 $136.00 $1,039 —
856–885 871 17 129.75–133.00 $131.25 $1,143 —
932 932 3 126.50 $126.50 $1,179 —
997 997 8 116.00 $116.00 $1,157 -5.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 unweaned 295 10 156.00 $156.00 $460 —
300 unweaned 300 10 142.50 $142.50 $428 —
372–396 unweaned 393 61 140.00–143.50 $143.07 $562 +11.07
447 unweaned 447 32 143.00 $143.00 $639 +5.32
462–495 unweaned 487 56 135.00–137.00 $135.91 $662 -1.66
518–548 unweaned 537 14 130.00–132.00 $131.31 $705 -3.19
990 990 5 112.00 $112.00 $1,109 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
509–522 unweaned 513 16 135.00 $135.00 $693 —
576–584 unweaned 583 58 132.50–133.25 $133.12 $776 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 496 21 140.50 $140.50 $697 —
524 unweaned 524 8 120.00 $120.00 $629 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
345 unweaned 345 18 135.00 $135.00 $466 —
348 348 10 142.00 $142.00 $494 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362 unweaned 362 6 173.00 $173.00 $626 —
423–449 unweaned 426 73 152.00–153.00 $152.87 $651 —
511–547 unweaned 521 18 144.00–146.00 $145.42 $758 —
586 unweaned 586 22 132.00 $132.00 $774 —
602 unweaned 602 6 127.00 $127.00 $765 +3.50
665 unweaned 665 2 122.00 $122.00 $811 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
349 unweaned 349 21 150.00 $150.00 $524 —
489 unweaned 489 6 140.00 $140.00 $685 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–1180 1020 85-90% 11 35.00–40.00 $38.95 $397 —
1124 1124 85-90% 9 36.00 $36.00 $405 -4.33
935–1287 1161 85-90% 21 43.00–48.50 $45.83 $532 —
1198–1200 1199 85-90% 3 58.00–62.00 $59.33 $711 —
1110–1385 1245 85-90% 20 46.00–52.00 $49.30 $614 +3.86
1065–1319 1273 85-90% 6 45.00–46.50 $46.04 $586 -3.21
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1138–1378 1234 80-85% 5 49.00–50.50 $49.67 $613 —
1145–1580 1351 80-85% 23 48.00–58.50 $52.02 $703 +2.79
1318–1515 1398 80-85% 25 49.00–53.00 $50.99 $713 —
1375–1473 1440 80-85% 3 44.00–45.00 $44.68 $643 -8.33
1375–1505 1458 80-85% 4 59.00–63.50 $62.31 $908 +17.26
1525 1525 80-85% 1 41.50 $41.50 $633 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1500–1988 1660 75-80% 10 58.00–63.50 $59.07 $981 —
1680 1680 75-80% 1 62.00 $62.00 $1,042 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1330 1330 1 75.00 $75.00 $998 —
1430–1910 1661 4 75.00–79.00 $76.41 $1,269 —
1940 1940 2 72.00 $72.00 $1,397 —
1955–2285 2120 2 72.00–74.50 $73.35 $1,555 —
2245 2245 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,908 —
2700 2700 1 70.00 $70.00 $1,890 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
863–1025 938 (<2 yrs)Open 24 68.00–80.00 $76.60 $719
918–1305 986 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 17 58.00–63.00 $62.00 $611
1145 thin fleshed 1145 (<2 yrs)Open 7 55.00 $55.00 $630

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
918 918 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 750.00 $750.00
1003 1003 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 835.00 $835.00
1040 1040 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 17 650.00 $650.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
993 993 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 800.00 $800.00
1156 1156 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 1,050.00 $1,050.00
1223 1223 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 875.00 $875.00
1233 1233 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 800.00 $800.00
1367 1367 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 750.00 $750.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1022–1205 thin fleshed 1068 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 48.00 $48.00 $513

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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.