Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 17, 2023

1,507 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 heifers $245.76/cwt -0.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,406/hd at 572 lb · 104 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $253.23/cwt -16.58 vs last sale · ≈ $1,453/hd at 574 lb · 102 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $302.40/cwt -5.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,415/hd at 468 lb · 96 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,507 3,962 1,776
Feeder cattle 1,405 3,962 1,601
Slaughter cattle 80 — 99
Replacement cattle 22 — 76

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: Steers under 500 lbs 15.00-25.00 lower in a narrow comparison; steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-20.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 600 lbs generally steady in a narrow comparison, heifer calves over 600 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall not as attractive as last week. Demand was mostly light this week as offerings were limited. Many buyers were concerned about filling loads as consignments were light for todays sale. Some buyers finished loads from yesterdays sale and exited the market. Calves with only one round of vaccinations sold with large discounts to calves with both spring and fall shots. Package sizes were small to moderate today with many singles and lots of less than 5 head seen. Demand for small lots was very light this sale. No load lots were seen today. Todays buyer pool was noticeably smaller than last week. The monthly cattle on feed report was released today and it showed cattle on feed up 2% from November 2022, Placements were 4% higher than last year and marketings were 3% below last year. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. No cows and bulls were reported last week due to the federal holiday. Demand was moderate for light offerings. Packers showed stronger demand today as they pushed to fill loads from Wednesdays sale. Young age cows sold on light demand today. Most offerings sold to feeding buyers this week.

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
308–343 unweaned 335 14 330.00–350.00 $333.95 $1,119 -36.05
350–392 unweaned 382 27 332.50–340.00 $333.38 $1,274 -29.76
405–434 unweaned 423 43 320.00–330.00 $324.18 $1,371 -14.17
453–490 unweaned 468 91 290.00–319.00 $302.86 $1,417 -6.17
468 468 5 294.00 $294.00 $1,376 -11.00
503–548 unweaned 521 66 263.00–293.00 $272.42 $1,419 -26.90
572 572 10 248.00 $248.00 $1,419 -34.00
550–598 unweaned 574 92 244.50–271.00 $253.80 $1,457 -15.83
610–620 unweaned 619 55 230.00–240.00 $232.90 $1,442 -25.77
652–699 unweaned 678 54 217.00–236.00 $225.52 $1,529 -19.29
707–725 unweaned 716 12 217.00–221.00 $219.07 $1,569 -14.85
912 912 12 210.50 $210.50 $1,920 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 7 320.00 $320.00 $1,024 —
366 unweaned 366 10 322.50 $322.50 $1,180 -24.34
379 379 4 320.00 $320.00 $1,213 -20.00
432 unweaned 432 3 305.00 $305.00 $1,318 —
475 475 3 280.00 $280.00 $1,330 —
567–598 unweaned 585 7 220.00–232.50 $225.19 $1,317 -23.40
673 673 11 225.00 $225.00 $1,514 —
770 770 2 215.00 $215.00 $1,656 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
299 unweaned 299 7 332.50 $332.50 $994 —
355–385 unweaned 370 2 270.00–320.00 $293.99 $1,088 —
449 unweaned 449 7 270.00 $270.00 $1,212 -32.08
621 unweaned 621 7 210.00 $210.00 $1,304 —
683 683 8 212.50 $212.50 $1,451 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
699 699 22 211.00 $211.00 $1,475 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
310 unweaned 310 2 305.00 $305.00 $946 —
382 unweaned 382 3 300.00 $300.00 $1,146 -5.00
615 unweaned 615 3 215.00 $215.00 $1,322 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 9 293.00 $293.00 $1,017 —
385 unweaned 385 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,097 -7.00
427–443 unweaned 435 36 278.00–287.00 $282.68 $1,230 +1.79
461–477 unweaned 475 40 266.00–278.00 $271.08 $1,288 -9.15
517–528 523 20 250.00–257.00 $252.47 $1,320 +0.95
515–549 unweaned 530 30 242.50–269.00 $261.04 $1,384 +4.54
551–584 unweaned 572 104 237.00–256.50 $245.76 $1,406 -1.22
601–630 unweaned 610 13 224.00–235.00 $229.00 $1,397 -9.57
879 879 28 206.00 $206.00 $1,811 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 6 250.00 $250.00 $875 —
389 unweaned 389 5 282.50 $282.50 $1,099 +6.62
411 unweaned 411 11 270.00 $270.00 $1,110 +5.06
450 450 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,046 —
450 unweaned 450 2 257.50 $257.50 $1,159 -3.99
513–538 unweaned 531 11 230.00–237.50 $235.17 $1,249 -10.27
555 unweaned 555 3 232.50 $232.50 $1,290 -0.03
605 unweaned 605 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,270 -10.00
689 689 4 202.00 $202.00 $1,392 —
728 728 12 208.00 $208.00 $1,514 —
766–798 781 19 185.00–210.00 $199.20 $1,556 —
848 848 5 202.50 $202.50 $1,717 —
1010 1010 4 184.00 $184.00 $1,858 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 unweaned 320 6 250.00 $250.00 $800 —
535 unweaned 535 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,244 -6.60
560 unweaned 560 3 215.00 $215.00 $1,204 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
608 unweaned 608 4 224.00 $224.00 $1,362 —
675 unweaned 675 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,397 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
695 unweaned 695 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,112 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
546 unweaned 546 5 220.00 $220.00 $1,201 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
773 unweaned 773 3 207.50 $207.50 $1,604 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
915 915 85-90% 1 60.00 $60.00 $549 —
1175 1175 85-90% 1 82.50 $82.50 $969 —
890–1700 1211 85-90% 6 60.00–100.00 $77.31 $936 —
1090–1365 1306 85-90% 15 64.00–72.00 $66.27 $865 —
1308–1340 1319 85-90% 3 55.00–60.00 $56.69 $748 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1475 1389 80-85% 4 87.00–94.50 $90.36 $1,255 —
1360–1495 1400 80-85% 4 72.00–84.00 $78.63 $1,101 —
1530 1530 80-85% 1 78.00 $78.00 $1,193 —
1580 1580 80-85% 5 80.00 $80.00 $1,264 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335 1335 75-80% 3 103.00 $103.00 $1,375 —
1600 1600 75-80% 2 92.00 $92.00 $1,472 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1120 1120 2 108.00 $108.00 $1,210 —
1125–1455 1280 4 95.00–98.00 $96.23 $1,232 —
1500–1525 1513 2 80.00–86.00 $83.02 $1,256 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
935–975 968 (<2 yrs)Open 8 120.00–122.50 $122.00 $1,181
1033 1033 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 80.00 $80.00 $826
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
830–1240 1082 (<2 yrs)Open 7 107.00–150.00 $130.31 $1,410

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,600.00 $1,600.00

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Dairy Steers

Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
767 767 5 105.00 $105.00 $805 —

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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.