Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 18, 2024

1,742 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 $301.16/cwt -2.62 vs last sale · ≈ $1,576/hd at 523 lb · 185 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $289.08/cwt -8.66 vs last sale · ≈ $1,697/hd at 587 lb · 156 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $273.92/cwt -1.24 vs last sale · ≈ $1,836/hd at 670 lb · 106 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,742 3,062 2,907
Feeder cattle 1,599 2,993 2,728
Slaughter cattle 108 64 110
Replacement cattle 35 5 69

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves all sold generally steady to weak. Heifer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling quality was mostly plain to average today. Spring born calf quality was average to attractive, but not as attractive as last weeks sale. Demand for calves was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. Package sizes were smaller this week and demand for packages under 5 head was considerably lighter than demand for moderate size packages. The best demand continues to be for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. A smaller buyer pool was seen this week compared to last weeks sale. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all slaughter cows and higher undertones were noticed on all feeding cows. Demand was mostly moderate to good as buyers attempted to fill loads for the 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
300 unweaned 300 1 425.00 $425.00 $1,275 +10.67
399 unweaned 399 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,516 -5.61
401–438 unweaned 429 57 335.00–365.00 $345.77 $1,483 +2.75
481 481 9 313.00 $313.00 $1,506 —
450–498 unweaned 484 69 309.00–323.00 $316.70 $1,533 -2.91
500–547 unweaned 523 172 293.00–319.00 $302.41 $1,582 -1.37
523 523 8 286.00 $286.00 $1,496 —
536 536 5 282.50 $282.50 $1,514 —
555–597 unweaned 587 156 282.00–296.00 $289.08 $1,697 -8.66
605–644 unweaned 615 49 275.00–286.50 $284.85 $1,752 -5.90
623 623 11 271.00 $271.00 $1,688 —
651 651 31 280.00 $280.00 $1,823 —
660–692 unweaned 678 75 268.00–278.50 $271.40 $1,840 -3.76
708–741 unweaned 728 42 265.00–274.00 $267.90 $1,950 +4.81
741 741 9 257.00 $257.00 $1,904 -2.00
790 unweaned 790 3 254.00 $254.00 $2,007 ±0.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 unweaned 296 5 405.00 $405.00 $1,199 -5.00
322 unweaned 322 3 392.50 $392.50 $1,264 +65.03
370–393 unweaned 391 14 355.00–360.00 $355.34 $1,389 +9.29
444 unweaned 444 8 317.50 $317.50 $1,410 -8.88
488 488 7 302.00 $302.00 $1,474 —
508–543 unweaned 527 11 272.00–279.00 $274.01 $1,444 -16.93
553 553 7 277.00 $277.00 $1,532 -3.00
620–644 unweaned 637 7 265.00–270.00 $266.39 $1,697 -4.61
687 unweaned 687 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,718 -9.15
945 945 1 210.00 $210.00 $1,984 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 unweaned 422 3 307.50 $307.50 $1,298 —
794 unweaned 794 5 238.00 $238.00 $1,890 +4.50
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
496 unweaned 496 5 225.00 $225.00 $1,116 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
293 unweaned 293 2 385.00 $385.00 $1,128 ±0.00
332–333 unweaned 333 7 352.50–355.00 $353.57 $1,177 +8.28
350–389 unweaned 380 25 321.00–340.00 $324.94 $1,235 -8.31
403–405 unweaned 403 54 316.00–330.00 $326.62 $1,316 +15.58
425–438 430 22 313.00–316.00 $314.75 $1,353 —
450–483 unweaned 470 47 286.00–307.00 $291.00 $1,368 -5.07
496 496 5 273.00 $273.00 $1,354 —
503–545 unweaned 527 69 264.00–283.50 $275.34 $1,451 -8.29
552–590 unweaned 573 45 258.00–270.00 $263.06 $1,507 -9.89
616–648 unweaned 628 49 255.00–260.00 $258.00 $1,620 +5.50
664–673 unweaned 669 16 246.00–251.00 $248.68 $1,664 —
777 777 9 237.00 $237.00 $1,841 -10.70
783 783 6 235.00 $235.00 $1,840 -12.70
828 828 8 236.00 $236.00 $1,954 -2.37
993 993 10 213.00 $213.00 $2,115 +4.02
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
284 unweaned 284 18 350.00 $350.00 $994 ±0.00
393–399 unweaned 397 17 305.00–322.00 $317.05 $1,259 -0.84
483 unweaned 483 22 283.50 $283.50 $1,369 +2.69
652–680 661 9 232.00 $232.00 $1,534 —
876 876 4 220.00 $220.00 $1,927 -7.00
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
340 unweaned 340 31 315.00 $315.00 $1,071 —
627 627 3 241.00 $241.00 $1,511 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 unweaned 475 3 260.00 $260.00 $1,235 —
1125 1125 12 199.00 $199.00 $2,239 +2.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 unweaned 447 8 297.50 $297.50 $1,330 -4.50

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 unweaned 383 11 350.00 $350.00 $1,340 —
409 unweaned 409 5 340.00 $340.00 $1,391 +12.50
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1115 1115 6 195.00 $195.00 $2,174 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
603 603 2 227.50 $227.50 $1,372 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130 1130 1 213.00 $213.00 $2,407 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1304–1630 1334 80-85% 11 139.00 $139.00 $1,854 +15.81
1339 1339 80-85% 4 107.00 $107.00 $1,433 -16.19
1253–1610 1415 80-85% 32 123.00–135.00 $133.43 $1,888 +32.52
1338–1685 1468 80-85% 5 97.00–109.00 $103.63 $1,521 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970 970 85-90% 1 97.50 $97.50 $946 -10.00
1015–1169 1112 85-90% 7 85.00–90.00 $88.00 $979 -23.00
930–1235 1148 85-90% 9 117.00–125.00 $121.53 $1,395 +10.53
1080–1258 1176 85-90% 12 110.00–114.00 $113.10 $1,330 +14.10
1215 1215 85-90% 1 108.00 $108.00 $1,312 +2.09
1250–1270 1260 85-90% 4 102.00–104.00 $102.99 $1,298 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1610 1610 75-80% 1 131.00 $131.00 $2,109 +8.00

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1580 1508 2 132.00–140.00 $136.19 $2,054 —
1615–1795 1730 3 128.00–131.00 $129.96 $2,248 -19.00

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
857–1270 952 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 134.00–189.00 $171.90 $1,636
867–1070 952 (<2 yrs)Open 14 171.00–195.00 $190.96 $1,818
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1035 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,387

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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.