Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 28, 2020

1,272 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $119.67/cwt +1.03 vs last sale · ≈ $1,163/hd at 972 lb · 13 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $134.69/cwt +10.58 vs last sale · ≈ $618/hd at 459 lb · 12 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $147.00/cwt ≈ $688/hd at 468 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,272 1,912 1,617
Feeder cattle 203 860 288
Slaughter cattle 834 635 190
Replacement cattle 235 417 1,139

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Unweaned steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Near a foot of snow fell over last weekend. This lightened sales receipts as wet slushy melting snow impacted the volume of cattle coming to town. Quality this week was plain to average. Calves were mostly offered in small packages or as singles. There were not enough calves for buyers to purchase loads and demand suffered as a result. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Slaughter cows sold steady to firm on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested last week as all offerings returned to feed. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as packer and feeding buyers both showed good demand for bulls. 2-3 year old suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 lower. Quality was mixed this week.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–418 unweaned 408 9 161.00–170.00 $165.84 $677 —
468 unweaned 468 10 147.00 $147.00 $688 —
694 unweaned 694 7 128.00 $128.00 $888 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 unweaned 422 5 169.00 $169.00 $713 -5.53
461 461 9 147.00 $147.00 $678 —
612 unweaned 612 3 134.00 $134.00 $820 -0.47
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
579 unweaned 579 7 119.00 $119.00 $689 —
Small 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
631 unweaned 631 7 92.50 $92.50 $584 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
450–487 unweaned 462 9 140.00–144.00 $142.60 $659 +6.45
505–543 unweaned 530 6 134.00–137.00 $136.05 $721 +5.90
829 829 7 127.00 $127.00 $1,053 —
887 887 3 123.00 $123.00 $1,091 —
928 928 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,114 -5.02
970–983 972 13 119.25–120.25 $119.67 $1,163 +1.03
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455–478 unweaned 459 12 134.00–138.00 $134.69 $618 +10.58

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
487 unweaned 487 3 131.00 $131.00 $638 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965 965 85-90% 1 38.00 $38.00 $367 —
955–972 968 85-90% 4 39.00–40.00 $39.25 $380 —
1050–1365 1195 85-90% 108 44.00–51.50 $47.92 $573 —
970–1347 1220 85-90% 145 50.00–59.00 $53.33 $651 +0.58
1010–1341 1223 85-90% 35 35.00–44.00 $42.15 $515 -10.60
1145–1372 1245 85-90% 54 46.00–49.50 $48.40 $603 -4.35
1210–1299 1245 85-90% 15 49.00–54.00 $51.03 $635 -1.72
1105–1368 1249 85-90% 4 43.00–43.50 $43.11 $538 -9.64
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1233–1585 1378 80-85% 133 51.00–65.00 $57.36 $790 +6.03
1378 1378 80-85% 3 61.50 $61.50 $847 +10.17
1370–1450 1413 80-85% 17 45.00–50.00 $48.46 $685 -5.36
1415 1415 80-85% 1 42.00 $42.00 $594 -11.82
1255–1618 1421 80-85% 29 48.00–53.00 $50.12 $712 -3.70
1390–1525 1430 80-85% 59 62.00–71.50 $63.85 $913 +10.03
1270–1805 1462 80-85% 14 52.00–57.50 $54.36 $795 +5.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1343–1635 1440 75-80% 3 57.00–63.50 $61.04 $879 —
1525 1525 75-80% 1 72.00 $72.00 $1,098 —
1462–1648 1554 75-80% 8 66.00–71.00 $68.48 $1,064 +5.50
1600 1600 75-80% 1 72.00 $72.00 $1,152 +3.05
1545–1735 1639 75-80% 5 64.00–69.00 $66.78 $1,095 -5.52
1755 1755 75-80% 1 61.50 $61.50 $1,079 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1515–1685 1607 4 61.00–69.00 $66.67 $1,071 —
1710 1710 1 74.00 $74.00 $1,265 —
1545–2152 1811 14 76.00–81.00 $78.75 $1,426 —
1860–2060 1960 2 76.00–81.00 $78.37 $1,536 —
1970 1970 1 86.50 $86.50 $1,704 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
870 thin fleshed 870 (<2 yrs)Open 1 76.00 $76.00 $661
960–990 thin fleshed 980 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 51.00–59.00 $53.61 $525
840–1330 1019 (<2 yrs)Open 103 64.00–87.00 $76.67 $781
975–1406 1108 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 67 54.00–77.00 $65.36 $724

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1008 1008 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1221 1221 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 9 650.00 $650.00

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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.