Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, January 5, 2024

2,102 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $252.54/cwt +21.35 vs last sale · ≈ $1,689/hd at 669 lb · 86 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $283.09/cwt +31.89 vs last sale · ≈ $1,364/hd at 482 lb · 74 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $248.19/cwt +28.88 vs last sale · ≈ $1,531/hd at 617 lb · 70 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,102 1,132 0
Feeder cattle 1,390 1,087 0
Slaughter cattle 557 20 0
Replacement cattle 155 25 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: The last feeder special was near 1 month ago so no comparisons are available, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand was good to very good for light to moderate offerings. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Most feeders continue to be offered in small groups. Demand for feeders which were light and green enough to develop into yearlings was very good. Buyers were willing to take heavier weight calves to grass as the calendar creeps toward summer. Market activity was moderate to active with a moderate to large buyer pool noticed. Bidders were seen both ringside as well as over the internet this sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold with steady undertones compared to last sale. A large pool of feeding cow buyers continues to be seen. High quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold steady to firm. Thin short term feeding cows or turn out cows sold with higher undertones. Buyer participation was good this week. Quality this week was mostly average. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Slaughter bulls traded with steady undertones. Young age cows were not well compared as many sets of straight heifers were included this sale. Demand from rebreed buyers remains light and most cows were purchased to feed. Quality was mostly average today.

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
435 435 1 342.50 $342.50 $1,490 +14.13
467–476 475 20 315.00–322.50 $316.11 $1,502 +12.75
518–546 532 10 310.00–311.00 $310.49 $1,652 +30.10
555–598 579 43 280.00–285.00 $282.70 $1,637 +14.98
599 unweaned 599 8 254.00 $254.00 $1,521 —
620 thin fleshed 620 20 281.00 $281.00 $1,742 —
602–645 635 38 255.00–266.00 $259.01 $1,645 +18.41
657–696 669 86 245.00–260.00 $252.54 $1,689 +20.12
702–738 710 56 237.50–246.00 $243.91 $1,732 —
764 764 8 244.00 $244.00 $1,864 —
814–830 827 55 225.00–230.50 $226.08 $1,870 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433–448 437 19 317.50–334.00 $323.89 $1,415 +10.23
473–494 482 36 300.00–305.00 $301.50 $1,453 —
517–545 526 25 261.00–296.00 $281.43 $1,480 +8.99
554–588 569 16 235.00–269.00 $254.47 $1,448 +23.78
571 unweaned 571 6 245.00 $245.00 $1,399 —
603–618 606 14 237.50–250.00 $240.39 $1,457 —
678 678 3 218.00 $218.00 $1,478 +1.50
765 765 2 207.00 $207.00 $1,584 —
775 775 3 218.00 $218.00 $1,690 —
810–840 829 8 209.00–210.00 $209.37 $1,736 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
417–427 420 18 241.00–272.50 $261.83 $1,100 —
465 465 8 247.50 $247.50 $1,151 +12.50
543 543 2 232.50 $232.50 $1,262 —
574 574 11 239.00 $239.00 $1,372 —
673 673 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,380 —
833 833 2 202.50 $202.50 $1,687 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
311 311 7 267.50 $267.50 $832 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
620 620 3 226.00 $226.00 $1,401 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
404–430 415 7 290.00–305.00 $298.34 $1,238 +27.59
463–498 482 74 275.00–287.00 $283.09 $1,364 +31.89
500–549 534 34 267.00–283.00 $270.11 $1,442 +34.85
561–598 572 37 244.00–260.00 $253.09 $1,448 +23.34
609–640 617 70 238.00–250.00 $248.19 $1,531 +28.61
684–688 685 21 229.50–243.00 $234.02 $1,603 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
433 433 4 300.00 $300.00 $1,299 —
451–494 472 9 265.00–271.00 $268.85 $1,269 +17.45
513–530 522 10 255.00–257.50 $256.23 $1,338 +24.65
569–580 574 14 222.00–240.00 $231.10 $1,327 —
615–648 640 11 220.00–237.00 $234.79 $1,503 —
665–667 667 4 209.00–212.00 $209.75 $1,399 +5.75
756–785 762 5 198.00–206.00 $199.65 $1,521 —
838–842 841 15 191.00–195.00 $194.47 $1,635 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
532 532 11 256.00 $256.00 $1,362 +56.00
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
394 394 5 255.00 $255.00 $1,005 —
493 493 6 223.00 $223.00 $1,099 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
753 753 6 190.00 $190.00 $1,431 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473 473 2 285.00 $285.00 $1,348 -10.00
593 593 12 221.00 $221.00 $1,311 —
608–635 620 7 216.00–230.00 $222.15 $1,377 —
755 755 1 205.00 $205.00 $1,548 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 3 170.00 $170.00 $926 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1303–1723 1402 80-85% 27 72.50–83.00 $79.81 $1,119 —
1341–1570 1403 80-85% 7 80.00–84.50 $83.34 $1,169 —
1265–1778 1423 80-85% 110 85.00–97.50 $93.04 $1,324 —
1250–1617 1450 80-85% 25 97.50–100.00 $98.72 $1,431 —
1335–1594 1495 80-85% 20 82.00–94.00 $88.41 $1,322 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
883 883 85-90% 2 73.00 $73.00 $645 —
965 965 85-90% 1 80.00 $80.00 $772 —
1035–1290 1095 85-90% 10 51.00–66.00 $56.80 $622 —
960–1285 1175 85-90% 12 75.00–80.00 $78.63 $924 +20.22
1005–1300 1182 85-90% 16 80.00–84.00 $82.06 $970 +23.65
955–1535 1189 85-90% 47 68.00–80.00 $74.99 $892 +16.58
928–1405 1224 85-90% 62 70.00–89.50 $84.31 $1,032 +6.31
1187–1268 1224 85-90% 7 91.00–98.00 $94.53 $1,157 +16.53
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1605 1538 75-80% 2 91.50–94.00 $92.70 $1,426 —
1474–1733 1551 75-80% 14 98.50–102.00 $100.89 $1,565 —
1530–1710 1605 75-80% 23 92.00–98.50 $95.17 $1,527 —
1603–1700 1635 75-80% 3 85.50–94.00 $88.45 $1,446 —
1420–1902 1782 75-80% 4 87.50–89.50 $87.90 $1,566 —
1915–1980 1958 75-80% 3 97.50 $97.50 $1,909 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1158–1423 1246 6 108.00–115.00 $110.66 $1,379 —
1433 1433 4 90.00 $90.00 $1,290 —
1210–2063 1710 27 85.00–104.00 $95.53 $1,634 —
1695–2355 2045 13 108.00–118.00 $112.52 $2,301 —
2345 2345 1 121.00 $121.00 $2,837 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
806–1308 983 (<2 yrs)Open 75 125.00–185.00 $145.26 $1,428
1004–1475 1112 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 31 88.00–120.00 $109.98 $1,223
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
755–885 816 (<2 yrs)Open 14 112.50–170.00 $128.92 $1,052
850–1173 1052 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 100.00–107.50 $103.70 $1,091

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1426 1426 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 1,350.00 $1,350.00

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Dairy Heifers

Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
716–739 735 29 196.00–200.00 $199.33 $1,465 —
867 867 3 170.00 $170.00 $1,474 —

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Dairy Steers

Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
719 719 18 189.00 $189.00 $1,359 —
829 829 24 184.50 $184.50 $1,530 —

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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.