Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 21, 2022

2,439 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 $194.29/cwt +4.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,111/hd at 572 lb · 293 head

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $210.45/cwt +15.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,105/hd at 525 lb · 213 head

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $188.86/cwt +1.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,168/hd at 619 lb · 198 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	2,439	2,733	5,656
Feeder cattle	2,098	2,505	5,304
Slaughter cattle	223	190	272
Replacement cattle	118	38	80

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher, steer calves over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Heifers under 450 lbs sold generally steady, heifer calves over 450 lbs sold 4.00-6.00 higher. Yearlings of both sexes were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand today was mostly moderate to good for moderate offerings. Quality today was mostly attractive. Todays sale featured preconditioned calves and the majority of calves had both spring and preconditioning shots. The best demand remains for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings, and buyers purchased steers up to 575 lbs and heifers up to 525 lbs for that purpose. The cattle on feed report added some fuel to todays market as it showed cattle on feed down 1%, placements down 1% and cattle marketed up 1% from last year. Market activity was mostly active this sale as a good crowd of buyers was on hand rapidly bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as many cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows sold generally steady to weak. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher 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 $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
323–347 unweaned	335	9	247.50–271.00	$261.46	$876	—
375–396 unweaned	387	9	248.00–260.00	$255.39	$988	+16.32
400–449 unweaned	439	46	230.00–249.00	$240.22	$1,055	+12.96
450–498 unweaned	460	55	226.00–244.00	$230.92	$1,062	+12.87
500–549 unweaned	525	213	200.00–226.00	$210.45	$1,105	+14.72
550–598 unweaned	572	293	185.00–201.50	$194.29	$1,111	+3.33
600–647 unweaned	618	181	175.00–194.00	$188.71	$1,166	+1.67
625	625	17	190.50	$190.50	$1,191	—
655–682 unweaned	663	52	174.00–182.00	$179.84	$1,192	-1.45
706–731	721	13	171.00–172.00	$171.38	$1,236	—
726–747 unweaned	740	16	173.00–178.50	$176.81	$1,308	+9.30
758 unweaned	758	5	169.00	$169.00	$1,281	+6.00
891	891	9	179.00	$179.00	$1,595	+6.00

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
346 unweaned	346	4	245.00	$245.00	$848	+29.79
420 unweaned	420	4	212.50	$212.50	$892	+8.33
470–484 unweaned	481	30	197.00–211.50	$203.27	$978	+10.74
548 unweaned	548	6	185.50	$185.50	$1,017	+0.63
915–944	939	6	158.50–166.00	$159.72	$1,500	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
450 unweaned	450	3	215.00	$215.00	$968	—
657 unweaned	657	3	165.00	$165.00	$1,084	—

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
286 unweaned	286	5	225.00	$225.00	$644	—
340 unweaned	340	12	212.00	$212.00	$721	-11.35
353–394 unweaned	374	41	208.00–218.00	$214.59	$803	+2.31
408–442 unweaned	426	53	194.00–214.00	$200.79	$855	-2.47
451–495 unweaned	469	109	186.50–205.00	$191.93	$900	+6.55
502–547 unweaned	524	196	170.00–186.00	$179.52	$941	+6.01
550–577 unweaned	560	103	167.00–185.75	$178.61	$1,000	+8.47
603–638 unweaned	622	42	164.00–172.50	$170.44	$1,060	+3.96
656–675 unweaned	660	24	161.00–168.50	$164.78	$1,088	+8.50
710 unweaned	710	9	162.50	$162.50	$1,154	—
996	996	4	150.00	$150.00	$1,494	-11.14

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
323–349 unweaned	339	10	191.00–206.00	$200.28	$679	-9.91
420–442 unweaned	438	17	185.50–191.00	$188.05	$824	+8.11
541 unweaned	541	7	171.00	$171.00	$925	+4.00

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
453 unweaned	453	8	155.00	$155.00	$702	—
567–597 unweaned	577	24	145.00–162.50	$156.46	$903	—

Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
593	593	6	151.00	$151.00	$895	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
532 unweaned	532	3	167.00	$167.00	$888	—

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
335–345 unweaned	340	2	232.50–235.00	$233.73	$795	—
390 unweaned	390	1	242.50	$242.50	$946	—
420–440 unweaned	432	9	225.00–236.00	$231.35	$999	+11.35
503 unweaned	503	3	201.00	$201.00	$1,011	+13.50
573–588 unweaned	586	12	163.00–176.00	$173.88	$1,019	—
699 unweaned	699	7	156.00	$156.00	$1,090	—
702 unweaned	702	3	157.00	$157.00	$1,102	—
752	752	32	166.00	$166.00	$1,248	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
326 unweaned	326	4	225.00	$225.00	$734	—
556–590 unweaned	564	9	151.00–154.00	$151.70	$856	—

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
880	880	85-90%	1	55.00	$55.00	$484	—
1104	1104	85-90%	23	46.00	$46.00	$508	—
1030–1319	1209	85-90%	10	52.00–61.50	$59.66	$721	-11.00
1130–1332	1215	85-90%	73	50.00–61.00	$55.69	$677	-14.97
1195–1314	1266	85-90%	15	65.50–72.50	$68.71	$870	—
1233–1383	1270	85-90%	19	61.50–66.00	$63.71	$809	—

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1313	1313	80-85%	11	63.00	$63.00	$827	—
1350–1513	1409	80-85%	35	56.00–63.00	$57.96	$817	-7.95
1389–1467	1442	80-85%	20	69.50–72.00	$71.23	$1,027	+11.05

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1438	1438	75-80%	2	76.00	$76.00	$1,093	—
1540–1755	1575	75-80%	11	70.00–76.50	$74.50	$1,173	-2.50

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1280	1280	1	72.00	$72.00	$922	—
1740–1905	1823	2	87.00–93.00	$90.14	$1,643	—

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
787–1138	964	(<2 yrs)	Open	40	91.00–125.00	$110.15	$1,062
935–1201	1112	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	15	74.00–94.00	$82.34	$916

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
1035	1035	(<2 yrs)	Open	1	70.00	$70.00	$724

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1236	1236	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	18	1,060.00	$1,060.00
1326	1326	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	22	1,150.00	$1,150.00

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1118	1118	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	1,175.00	$1,175.00

↑ Back to top

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.