Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report, Billings, MT

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 4, 2022

3,159 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 $189.38/cwt +6.19 vs last sale · ≈ $982/hd at 519 lb · 274 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $196.40/cwt +0.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,132/hd at 577 lb · 219 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $172.73/cwt -14.62 vs last sale · ≈ $993/hd at 575 lb · 194 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,159 2,123 3,606
Feeder cattle 2,797 1,946 3,087
Slaughter cattle 261 116 381
Replacement cattle 101 61 138

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 450 lbs traded mostly 10.00-15.00 higher in a narrow comparison, steer calves 450-499 lbs traded unevenly steady, steers over 500 lbs sold steady. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower, heifers over 450 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Demand was mostly moderate to good for moderate offerings. Quality today was average to very attractive. Several buyers were looking for very attractive heifers that could be developed into replacements, this pushed heavier heifers higher today as feeding buyers pushed to fill loads. Demand for light weight cattle to develop into yearlings remains very good, however more takers were seen for steer calves today than for heifers. Market activity this week was mostly active with good buyer participation noticed. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Packers continue to put most of the cow offering away on feed either for short term feed for the upcoming holiday or to feed to premium white. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were not tested last sale thus no trend is available. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher. Quality this week was slightly better than last week. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop any market trend. Young age cows were not well compared. Demand for high quality offerings suitable to rebreed remains very good. Quality today was mostly plain to average.

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
344 unweaned 344 6 305.00 $305.00 $1,049 +20.00
352–379 unweaned 365 19 285.00–295.00 $290.08 $1,059 +25.65
403–444 unweaned 423 92 249.00–272.00 $263.59 $1,115 +9.17
452–493 unweaned 478 98 205.00–250.00 $222.04 $1,061 -7.40
505–548 unweaned 528 116 198.50–210.00 $205.82 $1,087 -2.41
536 536 7 195.00 $195.00 $1,045 —
550 fancy 550 11 210.50 $210.50 $1,158 —
560–591 unweaned 578 208 187.50–202.00 $195.65 $1,131 -0.81
612 612 3 187.00 $187.00 $1,144 —
625–645 unweaned 630 130 181.50–194.00 $188.69 $1,189 +0.29
653–682 unweaned 673 71 168.00–180.00 $175.41 $1,181 -2.00
685 685 13 180.50 $180.50 $1,236 —
704–747 unweaned 708 66 165.00–180.00 $177.30 $1,255 +0.80
878 878 2 174.00 $174.00 $1,528 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284–298 unweaned 290 15 267.50–275.00 $271.91 $789 —
376–396 unweaned 385 26 249.00–269.00 $259.44 $999 +19.44
430 unweaned 430 2 235.00 $235.00 $1,010 +13.00
477–492 unweaned 487 52 195.00–205.00 $200.21 $975 -5.92
511–540 unweaned 515 11 185.00–193.00 $191.51 $986 +4.42
558–585 unweaned 579 47 177.50–185.00 $179.42 $1,039 -5.06
625–635 unweaned 632 12 167.00–173.00 $171.02 $1,081 -0.04
973 973 5 155.00 $155.00 $1,508 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 270 17 266.00 $266.00 $718 —
341 341 29 234.00 $234.00 $798 —
439 439 13 206.00 $206.00 $904 —
499 499 52 190.25 $190.25 $949 —
548 unweaned 548 3 174.00 $174.00 $954 -17.50
661 unweaned 661 11 175.00 $175.00 $1,157 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
590 unweaned 590 4 179.00 $179.00 $1,056 —
1383 1383 19 121.00 $121.00 $1,673 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450 unweaned 450 4 200.00 $200.00 $900 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
312–335 unweaned 322 10 212.50–232.50 $225.69 $727 -2.47
355–383 unweaned 361 14 209.00–214.00 $212.86 $768 -6.36
405–448 unweaned 423 82 200.00–208.00 $204.81 $866 -4.42
452–499 unweaned 471 180 187.00–198.50 $193.56 $912 +4.72
501–531 fancy 510 47 193.50–196.00 $195.09 $995 —
513 513 34 198.50 $198.50 $1,018 —
519 519 54 180.50 $180.50 $937 —
501–540 unweaned 523 139 182.50–190.50 $188.66 $987 +5.47
565 565 14 173.00 $173.00 $977 +2.00
552–594 unweaned 573 162 168.00–182.50 $174.29 $999 -3.63
598 598 18 158.50 $158.50 $948 -37.37
601–623 unweaned 617 132 167.00–177.00 $173.21 $1,069 +2.94
661–694 unweaned 674 10 156.00–159.50 $157.44 $1,061 —
703 703 20 173.50 $173.50 $1,220 -6.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
248 unweaned 248 3 222.50 $222.50 $552 —
250 unweaned 250 4 217.50 $217.50 $544 —
333–348 unweaned 342 25 201.00–208.50 $205.01 $701 -8.11
364–399 unweaned 386 23 190.00–198.00 $194.97 $753 -15.40
401–423 unweaned 413 28 181.00–191.00 $188.50 $779 +0.83
443 443 3 180.00 $180.00 $797 —
451 451 12 181.00 $181.00 $816 —
493 unweaned 493 6 174.00 $174.00 $858 +2.98
536 unweaned 536 8 175.00 $175.00 $938 +0.45
800 800 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,240 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
523 unweaned 523 4 165.00 $165.00 $863 —
592 unweaned 592 28 165.00 $165.00 $977 —
647 unweaned 647 5 156.00 $156.00 $1,009 —
1015 1015 9 150.50 $150.50 $1,528 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 372 16 141.00 $141.00 $525 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 unweaned 348 14 111.00 $111.00 $386 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1069 1069 6 141.00 $141.00 $1,507 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
401 401 6 183.00 $183.00 $734 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1005 1005 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,306 —
1107 1107 16 111.50 $111.50 $1,234 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 unweaned 338 6 252.50 $252.50 $853 —
490 unweaned 490 1 201.00 $201.00 $985 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
834 834 85-90% 17 43.00 $43.00 $359 —
868 868 85-90% 4 48.00 $48.00 $417 —
940 940 85-90% 1 57.00 $57.00 $536 —
1085–1275 1121 85-90% 16 36.00–47.00 $41.91 $470 —
1000–1280 1154 85-90% 12 49.00–59.00 $54.10 $624 +0.09
1157–1198 1173 85-90% 5 73.00–74.00 $73.41 $861 +19.40
1010–1358 1202 85-90% 26 61.00–71.00 $64.86 $780 -1.77
1053–1300 1236 85-90% 20 52.00–60.00 $56.31 $696 -10.32
1090–1280 1236 85-90% 7 60.00–63.00 $62.18 $769 -4.45
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1333–1453 1372 80-85% 30 62.00–70.50 $67.83 $931 +2.81
1328–1502 1383 80-85% 11 71.00–78.00 $74.29 $1,027 +9.27
1392–1488 1448 80-85% 15 54.00–65.00 $59.19 $857 +2.83
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1398–1548 1495 75-80% 7 79.00–82.50 $81.20 $1,214 —
1595 1595 75-80% 1 82.00 $82.00 $1,308 —
1790 1790 75-80% 1 59.50 $59.50 $1,065 —
2075 2075 75-80% 2 76.50 $76.50 $1,587 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1185 1185 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,126 —
1150–1261 1243 6 83.00–86.00 $83.46 $1,037 —
1430–2080 1769 19 74.50–87.00 $82.96 $1,468 —
2095 2095 1 93.50 $93.50 $1,959 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
790–1260 935 (<2 yrs)Open 10 81.00–117.00 $101.82 $952
1015–1188 1096 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 62.00–85.00 $78.59 $861
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1080 1080 (<2 yrs)Open 3 84.00 $84.00 $907
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1340 1340 (<2 yrs)Open 2 82.00 $82.00 $1,099

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1079 1079 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,400.00 $1,400.00
1085–1140 1103 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 6 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1151 1151 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 900.00 $900.00
1195 1195 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 850.00 $850.00
1279 1279 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 7 835.00 $835.00
1286–1449 1362 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 15 1,125.00–1,135.00 $1,130.04
1378 1378 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 13 1,000.00 $1,000.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1183 1183 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 1,000.00 $1,000.00

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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.