Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 18, 2022

1,776 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $184.76/cwt -5.63 vs last sale · ≈ $1,150/hd at 623 lb · 206 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $184.94/cwt -2.50 vs last sale · ≈ $965/hd at 522 lb · 203 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $192.38/cwt -7.60 vs last sale · ≈ $1,090/hd at 567 lb · 185 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,776 3,303 2,263
Feeder cattle 1,601 3,181 1,916
Slaughter cattle 99 112 265
Replacement cattle 76 10 82

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 500 lbs traded 10.00-15.00 lower in a narrow comparison, steer calves over 500 lbs traded steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold mostly steady to weak, heifers over 550 lbs sold steady to 8.00 lower. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Quality today was mostly plain to average, with a limited number of attractive offerings seen. Quality was significantly lower than last weeks attractive offering. Demand was uneven today as light receipts caused many buyers to be conservative as they filled and started loads. Many were not willing to start fresh loads with light receipts, this caused large price spreads in places. Weather also weighed on the market as extreme cold was seen overnight and many calves showed signs of stress. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate as fewer buyers were seen this week compared to last. Weigh up cows sold on light demand for light offerings. Slaughter and feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to lower undertones were noticed in both classes. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows were of mostly plain quality and many sold to slaughter and feeding cow buyers this sale. Too few offerings were seen to develop any market 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
405–423 unweaned 419 4 240.00–248.00 $241.94 $1,014 -14.17
453–489 unweaned 475 29 208.00–230.00 $216.34 $1,028 -14.23
479 479 14 214.00 $214.00 $1,025 —
502–520 507 11 185.00–196.00 $192.92 $978 -14.10
500–540 unweaned 526 78 198.00–210.00 $207.94 $1,094 +1.26
537–549 545 19 200.00–207.00 $202.54 $1,104 -4.48
553 553 28 206.50 $206.50 $1,142 —
553–595 unweaned 569 157 181.00–201.50 $189.86 $1,080 -6.70
600–630 unweaned 620 159 175.50–192.50 $184.64 $1,145 -6.87
627–632 631 47 180.00–190.00 $185.15 $1,168 -1.83
663–689 unweaned 675 50 171.00–181.50 $180.50 $1,218 -1.04
704–740 unweaned 716 14 170.50–172.00 $171.12 $1,225 -3.54
773 unweaned 773 9 169.00 $169.00 $1,306 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 unweaned 388 5 233.00 $233.00 $904 -22.42
388 388 3 205.00 $205.00 $795 —
433–445 unweaned 439 4 220.00–232.50 $226.34 $994 —
489 unweaned 489 26 193.00–197.00 $194.69 $952 -11.31
513–540 unweaned 525 7 192.50–196.00 $194.04 $1,019 +5.04
548 548 3 175.00 $175.00 $959 —
593 unweaned 593 3 183.50 $183.50 $1,088 +0.70
604–640 unweaned 618 34 171.00–177.00 $174.81 $1,080 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 13 230.00 $230.00 $920 —
493 493 6 158.00 $158.00 $779 —
506–541 unweaned 525 11 183.00–187.50 $184.97 $971 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 unweaned 440 12 210.00 $210.00 $924 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
544 unweaned 544 4 173.00 $173.00 $941 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–438 unweaned 433 13 210.00 $210.00 $909 -5.41
458–463 459 23 191.00–194.00 $191.66 $880 +2.88
509 509 58 185.00 $185.00 $942 -1.27
501–544 unweaned 527 145 181.00–193.50 $184.91 $974 -0.72
581 581 10 158.00 $158.00 $918 -20.50
567–599 unweaned 591 72 158.00–182.50 $175.84 $1,039 -3.55
601 fancy 601 17 186.00 $186.00 $1,118 —
605–649 unweaned 613 58 160.00–177.00 $168.89 $1,035 -7.73
680–689 unweaned 685 14 162.00–165.00 $163.51 $1,120 —
703 unweaned 703 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,090 —
836 836 5 160.00 $160.00 $1,338 —
980–989 982 39 145.00–151.00 $149.91 $1,472 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364 364 10 175.00 $175.00 $637 —
442 unweaned 442 9 176.00 $176.00 $778 -31.00
456 unweaned 456 18 171.00 $171.00 $780 —
547 unweaned 547 8 165.00 $165.00 $903 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
410–438 unweaned 428 12 187.00–205.00 $193.28 $827 -0.72
451 451 4 164.00 $164.00 $740 —
481 unweaned 481 10 181.00 $181.00 $871 +9.87
513–534 unweaned 525 7 162.50–174.00 $169.18 $888 —
567 unweaned 567 3 158.00 $158.00 $896 -9.00
613 unweaned 613 3 158.00 $158.00 $969 -7.00
960 960 3 145.00 $145.00 $1,392 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
529 unweaned 529 13 153.00 $153.00 $809 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
710 unweaned 710 2 153.00 $153.00 $1,086 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
676 676 9 140.00 $140.00 $946 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910 910 85-90% 1 43.00 $43.00 $391 —
974–1125 1015 85-90% 13 42.50–49.00 $47.52 $482 —
965–1138 1055 85-90% 12 50.00–61.00 $55.49 $585 +9.78
1130–1200 1163 85-90% 5 61.00–66.50 $65.02 $756 +10.02
1033–1255 1180 85-90% 15 51.00–55.00 $52.61 $621 -2.39
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300 1300 80-85% 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,040 —
1335 1335 80-85% 1 52.00 $52.00 $694 —
1395–1510 1441 80-85% 5 55.00–63.00 $58.35 $841 +2.35
1455–1585 1520 80-85% 2 42.00–45.00 $43.44 $660 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420 1420 75-80% 1 81.00 $81.00 $1,150 —
1675 1675 75-80% 1 71.00 $71.00 $1,189 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1068 1068 6 93.00 $93.00 $993 —
1370 1370 2 76.00 $76.00 $1,041 -6.00
1680 1680 1 80.00 $80.00 $1,344 —
2185 2185 1 92.00 $92.00 $2,010 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
795–1070 916 (<2 yrs)Open 17 85.00–114.00 $98.54 $903
968–1048 1012 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 75.00–82.00 $77.68 $786
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
812–1085 thin fleshed 853 (<2 yrs)Open 19 52.50–70.00 $57.57 $491
1170 1170 (<2 yrs)Open 3 75.00 $75.00 $878

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1001 1001 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 1,300.00 $1,300.00
1047 1047 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,300.00 $1,300.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
893 893 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 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.