Cattle Market Pulse

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

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 2, 2022

2,304 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 steers $209.77/cwt +4.31 vs last sale · ≈ $1,093/hd at 521 lb · 175 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $189.40/cwt +8.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,276/hd at 674 lb · 164 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $185.03/cwt +0.10 vs last sale · ≈ $983/hd at 531 lb · 154 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,304 1,776 3,127
Feeder cattle 2,078 1,601 3,082
Slaughter cattle 159 99 33
Replacement cattle 67 76 12

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: Steer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last sale to develop a full market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher with most of the advance seen on weaned calves. Heifer calves under 500 lbs were too lightly tested last sale to develop a full market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Heifer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive, however quality was more attractive this week compared to last sale. Demand for weaned calves was mostly good this sale as weaned calf quality has improved due to the fact that most offerings are weaned longer. Many sets of weaned calves have been off the cow for 60 days. Market activity this week was mostly active with a good buyer pool on hand actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Cow quality was mostly plain to average this sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average, with many full cows and bulls 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
425 425 8 236.00 $236.00 $1,003 —
400–444 unweaned 442 26 241.00–242.50 $241.05 $1,065 -0.89
457–486 478 101 233.00–244.00 $239.84 $1,146 +25.84
472–497 unweaned 484 34 211.00–221.00 $212.58 $1,029 -3.76
517–534 520 87 208.00–211.00 $210.51 $1,095 +17.59
502–549 unweaned 522 88 196.00–212.00 $209.04 $1,091 +1.10
550–578 564 72 191.00–208.00 $199.27 $1,124 -7.23
550–598 unweaned 571 68 188.00–206.00 $192.28 $1,098 +2.42
608–628 612 64 185.00–203.00 $197.50 $1,209 +12.35
605–645 unweaned 623 39 184.00–200.00 $190.10 $1,184 +5.46
651–682 673 120 183.00–197.50 $193.30 $1,301 —
650–694 unweaned 676 44 172.00–185.00 $178.78 $1,209 -1.72
702 unweaned 702 15 180.00 $180.00 $1,264 +8.88
702–731 721 16 181.00–195.00 $187.88 $1,355 —
750 750 22 182.50 $182.50 $1,369 —
770–783 unweaned 781 21 167.00–179.00 $177.31 $1,385 +8.31
870 unweaned 870 4 165.00 $165.00 $1,436 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
346 unweaned 346 4 232.50 $232.50 $804 —
375–395 390 26 220.00–232.50 $227.67 $888 +22.67
403–448 unweaned 408 34 217.50–224.00 $222.92 $910 -3.42
422–438 430 10 212.50–213.00 $212.75 $915 —
461 461 8 211.00 $211.00 $973 —
477 unweaned 477 3 201.00 $201.00 $959 +6.31
528 528 2 184.00 $184.00 $972 +9.00
515–547 unweaned 543 10 190.00–191.00 $190.50 $1,034 -3.54
560 560 2 178.00 $178.00 $997 —
555–566 unweaned 564 6 172.00–182.00 $180.36 $1,017 -3.14
621 unweaned 621 5 177.00 $177.00 $1,099 +2.19
738 738 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,210 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
463 unweaned 463 13 185.00 $185.00 $857 —
494 494 9 192.50 $192.50 $951 +34.50
549 549 6 185.00 $185.00 $1,016 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 11 210.00 $210.00 $840 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
482 482 5 183.00 $183.00 $882 —
633 633 3 146.00 $146.00 $924 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
397 unweaned 397 3 208.00 $208.00 $826 —
408 unweaned 408 3 211.00 $211.00 $861 +1.00
428–449 438 88 192.00–212.50 $203.43 $891 —
460–489 474 125 190.00–204.50 $201.38 $955 +9.72
483 unweaned 483 26 191.00–195.00 $193.00 $932 —
504–548 530 113 180.00–190.00 $184.26 $977 -0.74
516–548 unweaned 534 41 180.00–192.00 $187.17 $999 +2.26
563–587 583 27 176.00–187.00 $185.23 $1,080 +27.23
577–598 unweaned 591 41 173.00–185.00 $180.00 $1,064 +4.16
610–632 unweaned 622 25 159.00–176.00 $165.22 $1,028 -3.67
634–644 638 108 164.00–174.00 $168.11 $1,073 —
686 unweaned 686 15 164.00 $164.00 $1,125 +0.49
763 763 2 155.00 $155.00 $1,183 —
872 872 6 159.00 $159.00 $1,386 —
901 901 7 157.00 $157.00 $1,415 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 unweaned 342 15 196.00 $196.00 $670 —
364 364 13 195.00 $195.00 $710 —
373–398 unweaned 391 7 183.00–186.00 $185.18 $724 —
934 934 5 149.00 $149.00 $1,392 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 340 16 171.00 $171.00 $581 —
430 430 3 165.00 $165.00 $710 —
548 548 3 131.50 $131.50 $721 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500 unweaned 500 8 177.00 $177.00 $885 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534 unweaned 534 5 162.00 $162.00 $865 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
623 unweaned 623 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,028 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,227 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935 935 85-90% 2 53.00 $53.00 $496 +10.00
880–1178 1079 85-90% 3 42.00–44.00 $43.46 $469 -12.03
1055–1295 1155 85-90% 16 59.00–62.00 $61.46 $710 -3.56
985–1292 1194 85-90% 45 47.00–57.00 $55.06 $657 +2.45
1095–1423 1298 85-90% 7 48.00–57.00 $53.56 $695 —
1315–1365 1340 85-90% 2 61.00 $61.00 $817 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1448 1423 80-85% 10 57.00–63.00 $58.96 $839 +0.61
1265–1575 1458 80-85% 15 65.00–75.50 $67.91 $990 —
1400–1545 1460 80-85% 16 51.00–59.50 $56.15 $820 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1625 1625 75-80% 2 68.00 $68.00 $1,105 —
1593–1758 1626 75-80% 10 75.50–76.50 $75.72 $1,231 —
1500–1880 1694 75-80% 8 59.00–72.00 $66.86 $1,133 -4.14

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1590–1858 1769 3 94.00–96.00 $94.60 $1,673 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850–1130 987 (<2 yrs)Open 29 75.00–110.00 $95.97 $947
997–1360 1097 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 17 65.00–81.00 $76.00 $834
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915–948 940 (<2 yrs)Open 4 75.00–82.50 $80.67 $758
1055–1100 1083 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 56.00–59.00 $56.83 $615

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1063 thin fleshed 1063 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 6 950.00 $950.00
1135 1135 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 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.