Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 19, 2021

2,263 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $150.20/cwt +2.13 vs last sale · ≈ $779/hd at 518 lb · 179 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $164.36/cwt +0.96 vs last sale · ≈ $708/hd at 431 lb · 143 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $157.64/cwt +3.70 vs last sale · ≈ $750/hd at 476 lb · 141 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,263 4,510 3,199
Feeder cattle 1,916 4,119 2,918
Slaughter cattle 265 234 202
Replacement cattle 82 157 79

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last Friday: All yearlings were too scarcely tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for yearlings was mostly moderate. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher, 450-599 lbs sold sharply higher, steers over 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 lower. Heifer calves under 500lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, heifers over 500lbs sold steady to 2.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive. Demand was stronger and more consistent today as trucks have started to loosen up. Vaccinations remain vital to getting front end prices this year. Calves with two rounds of vaccinations sold with strong demand. Price spreads remain large. Market activity this week was moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows and feeding cows sold steady on a light test this week. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to firm. Bull quality was mostly average this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate 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
305–344 unweaned 324 10 197.00–217.50 $211.34 $685 +14.89
350–394 unweaned 377 46 191.00–210.00 $201.22 $759 +12.63
400 400 3 202.00 $202.00 $808 +4.62
402–423 unweaned 412 63 192.00–217.00 $210.07 $865 +17.47
468 468 41 194.00 $194.00 $908 +21.00
471–485 unweaned 476 32 188.50–198.00 $195.45 $930 +11.90
502 502 13 186.00 $186.00 $934 +22.50
513–549 unweaned 531 123 164.00–175.00 $169.40 $900 -0.51
569–589 unweaned 575 27 160.00–198.50 $185.10 $1,064 +23.73
592 592 19 161.00 $161.00 $953 +2.29
608–640 unweaned 633 75 149.00–158.50 $154.77 $980 -1.43
651–685 unweaned 662 98 150.00–153.50 $152.00 $1,006 +0.53
678 678 4 153.00 $153.00 $1,037 -2.54
723–733 unweaned 728 4 138.00–141.00 $139.49 $1,015 -18.50
789–795 unweaned 791 11 133.00–157.00 $150.42 $1,190 -4.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327–345 unweaned 338 8 175.00 $175.00 $592 +2.70
358 unweaned 358 4 175.00 $175.00 $626 +12.56
438–447 unweaned 443 13 156.00–157.50 $156.68 $694 -7.64
463 463 2 154.00 $154.00 $713 —
468–473 unweaned 470 5 153.00–160.00 $155.82 $732 -1.10
473–481 479 9 145.00–169.50 $164.13 $786 —
507 507 3 139.00 $139.00 $705 -14.00
507–523 unweaned 513 29 144.00–184.50 $148.87 $764 -1.21
539 539 9 140.00 $140.00 $755 -13.00
572 unweaned 572 5 151.00 $151.00 $864 +4.47
575 575 5 130.00 $130.00 $748 -18.50
603–628 unweaned 621 10 139.00–151.50 $145.06 $901 +7.78
658 unweaned 658 17 145.00 $145.00 $954 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 unweaned 400 11 197.00 $197.00 $788 +18.50
465 unweaned 465 19 174.00 $174.00 $809 +17.74
518 unweaned 518 50 160.00 $160.00 $829 +9.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
488 unweaned 488 9 130.00 $130.00 $634 —
523–540 unweaned 527 4 120.00–133.00 $123.33 $650 +2.33
546 546 8 137.50 $137.50 $751 —
567 unweaned 567 3 139.00 $139.00 $788 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 278 2 175.00 $175.00 $486 —
309–339 unweaned 327 23 165.00–178.00 $172.64 $565 +3.95
351 351 4 152.50 $152.50 $535 -18.62
355–386 unweaned 371 45 164.00–174.00 $167.80 $623 -2.45
407–442 unweaned 425 86 154.00–169.50 $164.44 $699 +1.15
421–448 439 57 154.00–172.00 $164.24 $721 +0.69
453–495 unweaned 475 107 150.00–178.00 $156.89 $745 +2.48
476–485 479 34 160.00 $160.00 $766 +17.00
510–530 unweaned 512 124 142.00–165.00 $152.30 $780 +2.94
513–542 533 55 140.00–148.00 $145.46 $775 +2.68
573 573 18 135.00 $135.00 $774 -7.64
555–595 unweaned 579 74 135.00–140.50 $137.99 $799 -8.31
603–637 unweaned 619 67 130.00–143.00 $138.92 $860 -0.27
625 625 13 130.00 $130.00 $812 —
837 837 7 117.00 $117.00 $979 -27.00
908 908 4 116.00 $116.00 $1,053 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
327 327 7 170.00 $170.00 $556 —
338 unweaned 338 3 155.00 $155.00 $524 +15.00
388–398 unweaned 394 5 155.00–162.00 $159.24 $627 +9.24
470–494 unweaned 486 17 132.00–148.00 $142.24 $691 +7.17
505–520 unweaned 511 10 133.00–137.50 $135.53 $693 +3.67
531 531 12 135.00 $135.00 $717 —
569–573 unweaned 571 10 129.00–134.00 $132.01 $754 -3.99
595 595 23 134.50 $134.50 $800 —
601–608 unweaned 603 15 132.00–136.00 $133.34 $804 —
620–623 622 11 126.00–138.00 $131.44 $818 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 unweaned 431 7 142.00 $142.00 $612 —
459 unweaned 459 25 144.50 $144.50 $663 +4.63
504 unweaned 504 4 122.00 $122.00 $615 -17.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384 unweaned 384 4 197.50 $197.50 $758 —
461 461 5 180.00 $180.00 $830 —
508–535 unweaned 522 4 150.00–160.00 $154.87 $808 —
750 unweaned 750 3 134.00 $134.00 $1,005 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
583 unweaned 583 2 127.50 $127.50 $743 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
951–1228 1043 85-90% 6 23.50–32.00 $28.67 $299 —
852–1151 1055 85-90% 57 34.00–40.50 $38.89 $410 —
890–1240 1107 85-90% 9 34.00–42.50 $38.04 $421 —
1249–1326 1291 85-90% 13 44.00–48.00 $47.15 $609 +0.91
1214–1425 1301 85-90% 15 45.00–48.00 $46.69 $607 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1363 1288 80-85% 33 42.00–46.00 $44.52 $573 —
1309 1309 80-85% 12 49.50 $49.50 $648 —
1330–1411 1399 80-85% 14 55.00–56.50 $56.30 $788 —
1505 1505 80-85% 1 35.00 $35.00 $527 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1685–1905 1795 75-80% 2 59.00–65.00 $62.18 $1,116 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2380 2380 1 62.00 $62.00 $1,476 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1026 1026 (<2 yrs)Open 7 110.00 $110.00 $1,129
1016–1130 1082 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 19 51.00–75.00 $61.69 $667
1130 thin fleshed 1130 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 47.00 $47.00 $531
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1075 1075 (<2 yrs)Open 2 70.00 $70.00 $752

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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.