Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Friday, December 13, 2024

1,579 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 $319.45/cwt -2.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,861/hd at 582 lb · 162 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $318.40/cwt +18.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,674/hd at 526 lb · 155 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $292.25/cwt +20.28 vs last sale · ≈ $1,697/hd at 581 lb · 136 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,579 2,206 1,132
Feeder cattle 1,465 2,104 1,087
Slaughter cattle 92 70 20
Replacement cattle 22 32 25

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (11-22-24): The last Friday feeder special was the Friday before Thanksgiving and market conditions have improved constantly since then. Feeder steer calves under 550 lbs sold 5.00-15.00 higher; steers 550-599 lbs sold generally steady to firm; Steers 600 lbs and heavier sold mostly 5.00 to 10.00 higher. Heifer calves all sold 10.00-15.00 higher. All yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for limited yearlings was good. Calf quality was mostly average to attractive. Quality overall was more attractive than last sale. Demand for all calves to go to grass remains good to very good. Most calves were weaned this sale, many for 45-75 days. Package sizes were small to moderate today, however buyers showed good demand for all calves on offer as buyers pieced together loads. Singles and packages of 5 head or less continue to sell with a discount to large packages or partial load lots. Market activity was mostly active today. Weigh up cows and bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate for light offerings. Cow quality today was mostly average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mixed with some empty and some full cows noticed. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good demand as quality was attractive.

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
285 285 1 525.00 $525.00 $1,496 +9.62
355 355 44 462.50 $462.50 $1,642 +17.50
400–409 408 8 410.00–422.50 $411.53 $1,679 -3.54
458–498 486 85 360.00–391.00 $375.65 $1,826 +17.07
523 unweaned 523 7 361.00 $361.00 $1,888 +18.13
500–548 537 44 338.00–371.00 $346.74 $1,862 +7.11
555–595 582 136 314.00–340.00 $319.35 $1,859 -3.17
585 unweaned 585 26 320.00 $320.00 $1,872 +3.00
605–631 612 80 300.00–314.00 $309.54 $1,894 +8.12
632 unweaned 632 28 294.00 $294.00 $1,858 -11.00
655–699 662 65 291.00–301.00 $299.52 $1,983 +14.02
698 unweaned 698 9 302.00 $302.00 $2,108 —
700–713 707 9 295.00–299.50 $297.83 $2,106 +29.39
736 unweaned 736 8 269.00 $269.00 $1,980 —
760–763 761 9 258.00–278.00 $273.54 $2,082 —
776 unweaned 776 5 259.00 $259.00 $2,010 —
800–826 822 6 253.00–256.00 $255.51 $2,100 +12.51
860 860 8 254.00 $254.00 $2,184 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 305 1 430.00 $430.00 $1,312 —
418–442 434 18 372.50–395.00 $374.91 $1,627 +14.29
453 453 2 330.00 $330.00 $1,495 -1.27
505–520 508 6 335.00–343.00 $336.37 $1,709 —
551–590 575 14 293.00–309.00 $296.82 $1,707 —
721–728 724 11 254.00–277.00 $268.58 $1,945 +16.58
768–788 784 11 254.00–255.00 $254.18 $1,993 —
808 808 11 248.00 $248.00 $2,004 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
576 576 7 307.50 $307.50 $1,771 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408 408 6 300.00 $300.00 $1,224 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 4 285.00 $285.00 $1,781 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
319–325 319 25 375.00–400.00 $376.02 $1,200 +2.43
391 unweaned 391 7 360.00 $360.00 $1,408 +15.21
392 392 12 390.00 $390.00 $1,529 +35.00
400 400 1 355.00 $355.00 $1,420 +27.85
433 unweaned 433 3 344.00 $344.00 $1,490 +12.90
456–483 473 40 323.00–334.00 $327.93 $1,551 +12.75
489 unweaned 489 4 334.00 $334.00 $1,633 +15.60
502–544 524 136 312.00–330.00 $319.01 $1,672 +27.01
515–539 unweaned 538 19 314.00–315.00 $314.05 $1,690 +8.86
561 unweaned 561 9 299.00 $299.00 $1,677 +19.00
558–599 582 127 285.00–306.00 $291.77 $1,698 +29.77
600 unweaned 600 6 276.00 $276.00 $1,656 +19.31
627 627 30 277.00 $277.00 $1,737 +2.52
655–674 666 7 251.00–263.00 $256.06 $1,705 +7.06
704 704 30 255.75 $255.75 $1,800 —
705–728 722 8 241.50–251.00 $243.82 $1,760 —
1015–1028 1024 6 215.00–219.50 $218.01 $2,232 +2.51
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
336 336 6 370.00 $370.00 $1,243 —
366–368 367 8 320.00–350.00 $327.53 $1,202 -9.70
413–448 443 40 315.00–329.00 $325.47 $1,442 +3.71
462–478 468 8 317.00–320.00 $318.85 $1,492 —
505–537 523 19 262.50–283.00 $275.12 $1,439 -1.23
579–580 579 7 261.00–279.00 $268.72 $1,556 —
620–648 635 8 248.00–263.00 $254.47 $1,616 —
726 726 6 239.00 $239.00 $1,735 —
853 853 2 222.00 $222.00 $1,894 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 6 264.00 $264.00 $1,571 —
638 638 2 262.00 $262.00 $1,672 +29.50
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 387 7 277.50 $277.50 $1,074 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 422 6 330.00 $330.00 $1,393 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980–1201 1119 85-90% 23 93.00–112.00 $105.69 $1,183 —
1035–1230 1148 85-90% 4 70.00–83.00 $76.49 $878 —
1165 1165 85-90% 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,212 —
1085–1245 1233 85-90% 25 119.00–124.50 $123.90 $1,528 +18.87
1240–1243 1242 85-90% 3 92.00–98.00 $96.00 $1,192 -9.03
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1310 1300 80-85% 3 106.00–112.00 $110.03 $1,430 —
1319–1398 1337 80-85% 13 113.00–120.00 $115.59 $1,545 —
1390 1390 80-85% 1 94.00 $94.00 $1,307 +18.00
1430–1608 1549 80-85% 3 107.00–110.00 $109.08 $1,690 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1610–1878 1789 3 129.00–133.00 $131.80 $2,358 —
2075–2355 2262 3 149.00–150.00 $149.31 $3,377 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
978–1180 1062 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 130.00–155.00 $144.75 $1,537
1105 1105 (<2 yrs)Open 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,713
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
980 980 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 127.50 $127.50 $1,250

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1175 thin fleshed 1175 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,700.00 $1,700.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1008 1008 (<2 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 2,500.00 $2,500.00

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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.