Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 13, 2020

3,511 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 $150.93/cwt +2.63 vs last sale · ≈ $861/hd at 570 lb · 436 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $146.39/cwt +5.26 vs last sale · ≈ $763/hd at 521 lb · 334 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $160.84/cwt +6.97 vs last sale · ≈ $859/hd at 534 lb · 291 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,511 3,952 2,370
Feeder cattle 3,345 3,613 2,190
Slaughter cattle 131 199 60
Replacement cattle 35 140 120

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 sold sharply higher with most sales 18.00-22.00 higher; 400-549 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher; 550-699 lbs steers sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Unweaned heifer calves under 450 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison; all other heifers sold mostly 3.00-6.00 higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive. Quality was significantly higher this sale than last week. Demand was mostly moderate to good for moderate to heavy offerings. Short weaned calves continue to sell with a discount to calves straight off the cow. Most short weaned calves are dirty, full and not eye appealing to buyers. Even calves weaned for 45 days or longer sold with little to no premium to unweaned calves. Market activity was mostly moderate this sale. Weigh up cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both slaughter and feeding cows. Packers showed stronger demand for cows this sale as they purchased a larger portion of the offering for immediate harvest. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to trend.

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
331–345 unweaned 333 9 202.00–204.00 $203.77 $679 +19.97
369–376 unweaned 374 31 189.00–210.00 $202.34 $757 +22.26
429–445 unweaned 439 37 177.00–186.00 $179.45 $788 +4.84
440 440 49 182.00 $182.00 $801 —
453–463 fancy 459 122 186.50–189.50 $187.57 $861 —
455–499 unweaned 485 111 163.50–178.00 $167.91 $814 +5.39
501–548 unweaned 534 291 153.00–166.00 $160.84 $859 +6.94
550–596 unweaned 570 403 146.00–155.00 $151.00 $861 +2.82
570–577 575 33 147.00–151.75 $150.08 $863 -0.42
608–627 620 14 140.50–144.50 $141.90 $880 —
605–646 unweaned 627 163 140.00–149.50 $145.71 $914 +2.46
652–686 unweaned 670 65 137.50–145.00 $141.41 $947 +2.98
655–693 680 60 140.00–148.00 $142.12 $966 +1.12
701 unweaned 701 4 133.50 $133.50 $936 -1.47
740–748 743 37 138.00–139.00 $138.33 $1,028 —
745 745 4 132.00 $132.00 $983 —
763 unweaned 763 3 135.00 $135.00 $1,030 -3.72
799 799 13 134.00 $134.00 $1,071 —
910 910 13 135.25 $135.25 $1,231 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 14 188.50 $188.50 $654 —
377–394 unweaned 386 10 176.00–177.50 $176.77 $682 +15.77
400–443 unweaned 432 12 155.00–176.00 $159.86 $691 -4.49
474 474 10 155.00 $155.00 $735 —
468–496 unweaned 484 35 150.00–159.50 $157.77 $764 +2.42
510–543 unweaned 531 8 151.00–154.00 $152.08 $808 +7.11
544 544 4 151.50 $151.50 $824 —
555–596 unweaned 584 39 145.00–146.00 $145.31 $849 +13.31
590 590 24 143.00 $143.00 $844 —
603–615 unweaned 613 16 136.00–138.00 $136.37 $836 +12.37
874 874 7 137.00 $137.00 $1,197 —
995 995 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,194 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
323 unweaned 323 9 162.50 $162.50 $525 —
412 unweaned 412 21 159.00 $159.00 $655 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
736 736 4 128.00 $128.00 $942 —
1048 1048 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,258 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311 311 10 155.00 $155.00 $482 —
305–317 unweaned 312 5 160.00 $160.00 $499 +2.87
361 unweaned 361 13 166.00 $166.00 $599 +12.93
384 384 49 157.00 $157.00 $603 —
406–432 unweaned 423 121 149.00–165.25 $157.15 $665 +8.91
484 484 122 152.50 $152.50 $738 +2.50
461–499 unweaned 486 72 146.00–149.00 $147.00 $714 +2.59
502–540 unweaned 519 310 139.50–149.50 $146.92 $763 +9.24
549 549 24 139.50 $139.50 $766 -5.54
559–588 576 17 134.00–137.00 $135.20 $779 —
557–598 unweaned 586 170 134.00–141.00 $136.41 $799 +2.94
605–634 unweaned 611 43 131.50–138.00 $134.96 $825 +6.14
639 639 8 133.50 $133.50 $853 +3.50
651–667 unweaned 656 9 127.00–139.00 $131.07 $860 +4.35
670 670 4 122.00 $122.00 $817 —
702 unweaned 702 3 125.00 $125.00 $878 +11.00
728 728 10 130.00 $130.00 $946 —
800 800 15 132.50 $132.50 $1,060 —
884 884 14 131.00 $131.00 $1,158 -0.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
411–446 unweaned 432 46 134.00–145.50 $142.63 $616 -0.37
452–486 unweaned 467 39 142.00–144.00 $142.95 $668 +7.04
505–547 unweaned 531 28 132.00–143.00 $134.53 $714 +3.22
566 unweaned 566 4 131.00 $131.00 $741 —
618 unweaned 618 3 126.00 $126.00 $779 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
299 unweaned 299 9 140.00 $140.00 $419 —
399 unweaned 399 35 140.50 $140.50 $561 —
451 unweaned 451 4 129.00 $129.00 $582 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 383 7 135.00 $135.00 $517 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 unweaned 350 3 185.00 $185.00 $648 +12.00
488 unweaned 488 3 147.00 $147.00 $717 —
650 650 5 127.00 $127.00 $826 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 unweaned 394 5 147.50 $147.50 $581 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
963–990 972 85-90% 3 46.00 $46.00 $447 —
1057–1320 1190 85-90% 32 35.00–40.00 $37.92 $451 -21.41
1195–1220 1209 85-90% 6 49.50–50.00 $49.75 $601 —
1190–1245 1218 85-90% 2 49.50 $49.50 $603 +0.20
1080–1338 1235 85-90% 18 43.00–49.00 $46.99 $580 -2.31
1210–1375 1334 85-90% 6 51.50–54.00 $52.20 $696 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1240–1430 1268 80-85% 9 61.00–63.00 $61.40 $779 —
1297–1420 1328 80-85% 4 47.00–47.50 $47.13 $626 —
1220–1505 1381 80-85% 12 52.00–57.50 $54.97 $759 +3.98
1315–1532 1413 80-85% 16 52.00–57.50 $54.06 $764 +9.38
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1510–1685 1568 75-80% 3 61.00–64.00 $62.93 $987 —
1513–1785 1598 75-80% 5 58.00–60.00 $58.64 $937 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1380–1825 1603 2 75.50–80.50 $78.35 $1,256 —
1695 1695 3 74.00 $74.00 $1,254 -2.41

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1010 thin fleshed 1010 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 52.50 $52.50 $530
987–1300 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 60.00–68.00 $64.16 $715
1092–1350 1144 (<2 yrs)Open 5 65.50–76.00 $72.76 $832
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
898 898 (<2 yrs)Open 6 58.00 $58.00 $521

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1047–1510 1177 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,025.00–1,075.00 $1,047.24

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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.