Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, November 15, 2024

2,240 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 $306.50/cwt +14.43 vs last sale · ≈ $1,750/hd at 571 lb · 208 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $356.62/cwt +28.99 vs last sale · ≈ $1,696/hd at 475 lb · 205 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $331.55/cwt +24.18 vs last sale · ≈ $1,742/hd at 525 lb · 201 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,240 2,478 1,507
Feeder cattle 2,016 2,434 1,405
Slaughter cattle 136 14 80
Replacement cattle 88 30 22

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steer calves under 500 lbs sold 10.00-20.00 higher in a narrow comparison; 500-649 lbs steers sold mostly 5.00 to 15.00 higher; steers over 650 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly steady; heifer calves over 450 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Calf quality was mostly average to very attractive. Steer quality this week was similar to last week. Heifer quality overall was not as attractive as last week. Demand for steer calves was good to very good for all weight classes. Heifers were met with moderate demand as quality hindered demand at times. Demand for weaned calves was stronger this week. Package sizes today were moderate with one load lot and several part loads noticed. Demand for packages under 5 head remains light. Market activity was mostly active today with a larger buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light for light offerings.

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
270–287 unweaned 284 10 490.00–497.00 $495.67 $1,408 +35.67
310 unweaned 310 3 475.00 $475.00 $1,472 +40.24
332 332 18 440.00 $440.00 $1,461 —
355–392 unweaned 380 31 412.00–445.00 $418.49 $1,590 +32.52
400–448 unweaned 414 63 369.00–402.00 $391.03 $1,619 +36.84
424 424 16 385.00 $385.00 $1,632 +53.76
450–479 472 27 359.00–370.00 $360.14 $1,700 +56.14
460–497 unweaned 476 178 335.00–385.00 $356.09 $1,695 +27.71
500–539 unweaned 523 167 320.00–359.00 $332.33 $1,738 +22.08
503–549 537 34 323.00–342.00 $327.71 $1,760 +28.06
553–597 unweaned 571 189 291.00–314.50 $307.20 $1,754 +14.77
572 572 19 299.50 $299.50 $1,713 +18.50
600 600 3 288.00 $288.00 $1,728 +30.00
601–644 unweaned 615 101 284.50–305.00 $294.53 $1,811 +16.48
650–689 671 14 267.00–272.00 $268.81 $1,804 +2.49
668–686 unweaned 678 13 268.00–270.00 $268.91 $1,823 +5.45
706 706 30 268.50 $268.50 $1,896 +11.78
720 unweaned 720 13 255.50 $255.50 $1,840 +3.13
870 unweaned 870 2 242.00 $242.00 $2,105 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 unweaned 287 6 440.00 $440.00 $1,263 +20.79
342 unweaned 342 6 420.00 $420.00 $1,436 +22.00
380–396 unweaned 390 8 385.00 $385.00 $1,502 —
404–449 unweaned 430 12 345.00–352.50 $349.57 $1,503 +23.76
500–538 unweaned 514 76 310.00–327.50 $322.05 $1,655 +34.08
556 556 5 297.00 $297.00 $1,651 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
535 unweaned 535 4 315.00 $315.00 $1,685 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
324 unweaned 324 7 407.00 $407.00 $1,319 +24.91
350 350 5 362.50 $362.50 $1,269 —
353–397 unweaned 383 19 330.00–370.00 $343.32 $1,315 -16.42
406 fancy 406 22 350.00 $350.00 $1,421 —
411 411 8 327.50 $327.50 $1,346 +5.50
413–436 unweaned 430 53 318.00–325.00 $320.48 $1,378 -6.87
465 465 5 328.00 $328.00 $1,525 +27.59
460–495 unweaned 481 98 300.00–318.00 $312.30 $1,502 +1.40
504–521 512 44 279.00–322.00 $309.16 $1,583 +47.23
507–542 unweaned 531 90 284.00–303.00 $291.26 $1,547 +4.76
550–598 unweaned 556 83 248.00–288.00 $274.73 $1,527 +13.61
580 580 7 249.00 $249.00 $1,444 -6.71
586 586 9 256.00 $256.00 $1,500 +0.29
603–632 unweaned 615 26 245.00–258.00 $252.36 $1,552 -0.21
615 615 5 249.00 $249.00 $1,531 +6.00
632 632 12 255.00 $255.00 $1,612 +12.00
652 652 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,630 —
689 689 4 239.00 $239.00 $1,647 —
919 919 6 221.00 $221.00 $2,031 —
976 976 7 204.00 $204.00 $1,991 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
373 unweaned 373 3 320.00 $320.00 $1,194 —
438 unweaned 438 6 300.00 $300.00 $1,314 -0.43
452–490 unweaned 482 16 280.00–300.00 $283.52 $1,367 —
527–546 unweaned 536 22 259.00–261.00 $259.99 $1,394 —
613 unweaned 613 2 243.00 $243.00 $1,490 —
655 unweaned 655 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,506 —
731–740 733 12 235.00–236.00 $235.25 $1,724 —
771 771 6 236.00 $236.00 $1,820 —
862 862 3 224.00 $224.00 $1,931 —
915 915 1 218.00 $218.00 $1,995 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374 unweaned 374 5 338.00 $338.00 $1,264 —
564 unweaned 564 5 241.00 $241.00 $1,359 —
617 unweaned 617 11 243.00 $243.00 $1,499 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1083 1083 2 201.00 $201.00 $2,177 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–489 unweaned 481 9 309.00–335.00 $314.46 $1,513 —
707 unweaned 707 3 233.00 $233.00 $1,647 —
1035 1035 1 215.00 $215.00 $2,225 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155 1155 1 195.00 $195.00 $2,252 —
1250 1250 2 180.00 $180.00 $2,250 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
750–985 868 85-90% 2 60.00–67.50 $64.26 $558 —
920 920 85-90% 1 85.00 $85.00 $782 —
1020–1205 1067 85-90% 8 87.00–94.00 $92.29 $985 —
1044–1245 1145 85-90% 37 92.00–104.50 $99.25 $1,136 —
1040–1290 1161 85-90% 15 108.00–111.00 $109.07 $1,266 +10.60
1165 1165 85-90% 1 75.00 $75.00 $874 -23.47
1205 1205 85-90% 1 97.50 $97.50 $1,175 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175–1475 1376 80-85% 24 106.00–119.00 $112.41 $1,547 -9.59
1385–1435 1410 80-85% 2 96.00–98.00 $96.98 $1,367 —
1369–1595 1436 80-85% 12 93.00–105.00 $100.81 $1,448 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505 1505 75-80% 2 121.00 $121.00 $1,821 —
1575–1725 1650 75-80% 2 99.00–103.50 $101.35 $1,672 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–1755 1510 3 125.00–135.00 $131.58 $1,987 —
1835–1980 1908 2 142.00 $142.00 $2,709 —
1885–2053 1997 3 144.00–145.00 $144.69 $2,889 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
827–1194 1001 (<2 yrs)Open 26 140.00–195.00 $168.56 $1,687
870–1245 1047 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 34 123.00–182.50 $148.04 $1,550
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
819–1335 983 (<2 yrs)Open 7 120.00–155.00 $138.16 $1,358
1065–1085 1077 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 115.00–130.00 $124.39 $1,340

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1085 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00

↑ Back to top

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.