Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, October 25, 2024

3,327 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 steers $285.59/cwt -3.49 vs last sale · ≈ $1,665/hd at 583 lb · 414 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $309.31/cwt +8.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,608/hd at 520 lb · 375 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $281.04/cwt -1.27 vs last sale · ≈ $1,740/hd at 619 lb · 271 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,327 1,742 2,907
Feeder cattle 3,285 1,599 2,728
Slaughter cattle 35 108 110
Replacement cattle 7 35 69

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves 350-549 lbs sold mostly 5.00-15.00 higher. Steers over 550 lbs sold steady to 3.00 lower. Heifer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. 450-549 lbs heifers sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifers over 550 lbs sold 2.00-4.00 lower. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifer sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Yearling quality was mostly average today. Spring born calf quality was mixed from plain to attractive, but not as attractive as last weeks sale. Demand for calves was mostly light to moderate for calves over 500 lbs and moderate to good for calves under 500 lbs. Package sizes were small to moderate. 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 lower undertones were noticed on both slaughter and feeding cows and bulls.

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
320–345 unweaned 334 8 415.00–420.00 $416.51 $1,391 -8.49
354–395 unweaned 370 42 387.50–392.00 $388.98 $1,439 +8.98
401–448 unweaned 426 182 322.50–376.00 $367.46 $1,565 +21.69
461 461 10 350.00 $350.00 $1,614 +37.00
453–499 unweaned 462 110 315.00–357.50 $343.21 $1,586 +26.51
500–545 unweaned 520 375 297.00–321.00 $309.31 $1,608 +6.90
560–599 unweaned 583 406 280.00–295.50 $285.90 $1,667 -3.18
584 584 8 270.00 $270.00 $1,577 —
600–648 unweaned 619 271 270.50–290.00 $281.04 $1,740 -3.81
655–692 unweaned 674 84 261.00–276.00 $268.87 $1,812 -2.53
678 678 6 270.50 $270.50 $1,834 -9.50
714 714 10 244.00 $244.00 $1,742 -13.00
703–731 unweaned 722 34 252.00–266.00 $256.02 $1,848 -11.88
755 unweaned 755 3 255.00 $255.00 $1,925 +1.00
799 799 10 253.50 $253.50 $2,025 —
838 unweaned 838 19 229.00 $229.00 $1,919 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–344 unweaned 341 27 365.00–375.00 $373.01 $1,272 -19.49
376–395 unweaned 380 41 358.00–372.50 $360.68 $1,371 +5.34
490 unweaned 490 16 305.00 $305.00 $1,494 —
530–534 unweaned 533 13 288.00–298.00 $293.37 $1,564 +19.36
559–595 unweaned 574 14 276.00–281.00 $278.78 $1,600 —
628 unweaned 628 4 255.00 $255.00 $1,601 -11.39
659 unweaned 659 8 252.00 $252.00 $1,661 +2.00
749 unweaned 749 5 248.00 $248.00 $1,858 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580–599 unweaned 586 24 241.00–267.50 $259.59 $1,521 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 unweaned 538 3 281.00 $281.00 $1,512 —
590 unweaned 590 11 273.00 $273.00 $1,611 —
832 unweaned 832 3 226.00 $226.00 $1,880 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
279 unweaned 279 4 435.00 $435.00 $1,214 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
424 unweaned 424 4 200.00 $200.00 $848 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
301–340 unweaned 326 21 346.00–374.00 $355.86 $1,160 +2.29
378–383 unweaned 380 13 328.50–334.00 $331.06 $1,258 +6.12
407–448 unweaned 425 54 310.00–325.00 $314.68 $1,337 -11.94
450–493 unweaned 469 177 287.00–308.00 $295.77 $1,387 +4.77
510 510 22 287.00 $287.00 $1,464 —
511–548 unweaned 527 168 265.00–295.00 $287.60 $1,516 +12.26
555 555 5 250.00 $250.00 $1,388 —
550–599 unweaned 573 234 250.00–267.00 $261.30 $1,497 -1.76
611–641 unweaned 634 75 249.00–259.50 $255.63 $1,621 -2.37
658 unweaned 658 7 251.00 $251.00 $1,652 +2.32
700–704 unweaned 703 11 233.00–241.50 $234.54 $1,649 —
711–734 725 28 237.00–243.50 $241.00 $1,747 —
733 733 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,642 —
755 unweaned 755 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,699 —
811 811 40 240.00 $240.00 $1,946 +4.00
915 915 12 230.00 $230.00 $2,104 —
994–999 995 37 217.00–218.00 $217.89 $2,168 +4.89
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–333 unweaned 306 11 345.00 $345.00 $1,056 —
356 unweaned 356 40 320.00 $320.00 $1,139 —
443 unweaned 443 11 301.00 $301.00 $1,333 —
453–495 unweaned 461 12 280.00–286.00 $284.51 $1,312 +1.01
503–543 unweaned 510 19 250.00–263.00 $260.91 $1,331 —
630 unweaned 630 3 240.00 $240.00 $1,512 —
930 930 1 220.00 $220.00 $2,046 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 unweaned 398 5 305.00 $305.00 $1,214 —
414 unweaned 414 7 275.00 $275.00 $1,138 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
379 unweaned 379 9 320.00 $320.00 $1,213 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 unweaned 535 7 235.00 $235.00 $1,257 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 unweaned 432 15 337.00 $337.00 $1,456 -3.00
520 unweaned 520 1 290.00 $290.00 $1,508 —
551 unweaned 551 26 271.00 $271.00 $1,493 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–445 unweaned 423 6 302.50–320.00 $310.78 $1,315 —
666 unweaned 666 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,432 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1319–1485 1364 80-85% 6 93.00–103.00 $101.26 $1,381 —
1268–1608 1467 80-85% 6 97.00–112.00 $103.75 $1,522 +0.12
1335–1635 1474 80-85% 4 116.50–121.50 $119.74 $1,765 +16.11
1500–1600 1550 80-85% 2 129.00–129.50 $129.24 $2,003 —
1655 1655 80-85% 1 84.00 $84.00 $1,390 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1010–1175 1115 85-90% 3 89.00–97.00 $94.24 $1,051 +6.24
1209–1255 1217 85-90% 6 116.00–119.00 $116.52 $1,418 +8.52
1220 1220 85-90% 1 99.00 $99.00 $1,208 -9.00

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1845 1845 1 144.00 $144.00 $2,657 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2460 2460 1 144.50 $144.50 $3,555 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–927 923 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 115.00–155.00 $145.14 $1,340
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1425 1425 (<2 yrs)Open 1 146.00 $146.00 $2,080

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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.