Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, December 16, 2020

1,936 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 $162.46/cwt -4.61 vs last sale · ≈ $873/hd at 537 lb · 69 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $156.41/cwt ≈ $885/hd at 566 lb · 61 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $147.63/cwt +4.08 vs last sale · ≈ $766/hd at 519 lb · 38 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,936 1,754 1,680
Feeder cattle 859 400 425
Slaughter cattle 853 955 254
Replacement cattle 224 399 1,001

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves were too lightly tested either this week or 2 weeks ago to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Heifer calves sold mostly 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and mostly offered in small to moderate size packages. Many odd and end cattle sold today as ranchers cleaned up supplies as this was the last sale of the year. Demand was moderate for mostly light to moderate offerings. Heifer demand was stronger than steer demand as buyers have started to purchase heifers to spay and run on grass. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packer buyers were much more active in purchasing cows for immediate harvest this week. Packers showed the best demand for boning and breaking cows this week. Packers also pressured feeding buyers as they purchased high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Cow quality this week was mostly average. Cows and bulls offered buyers mostly average to below average weigh up conditions this sale. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher. Two year old to young age cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand this sale. Quality was average. This class of cows sold sold generally steady to 3.00 higher.

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
308–335 unweaned 315 4 190.00–197.50 $192.00 $605 —
347 347 3 190.00 $190.00 $659 —
410 410 20 179.00 $179.00 $734 —
420 unweaned 420 1 177.50 $177.50 $746 -16.50
469–495 unweaned 471 21 171.00–175.50 $175.05 $824 -3.19
478–491 486 8 169.00 $169.00 $821 —
500–513 502 14 167.00–173.00 $172.12 $864 +0.12
546 unweaned 546 55 160.00 $160.00 $874 -5.22
554–580 566 61 149.00–160.50 $156.41 $885 —
609–611 610 15 148.00–152.00 $149.87 $914 —
630–642 unweaned 639 13 142.00–143.00 $142.46 $910 -5.04
653–686 681 21 140.00–141.00 $140.86 $959 —
718 unweaned 718 3 131.00 $131.00 $941 —
703–743 740 23 134.00–136.00 $134.17 $993 -2.83
953 953 11 123.00 $123.00 $1,172 +0.49
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 338 4 167.50 $167.50 $566 —
372 372 5 165.00 $165.00 $614 —
400 unweaned 400 3 178.00 $178.00 $712 —
410–425 418 2 162.50–177.50 $169.87 $710 —
475–490 unweaned 489 38 159.00–166.00 $159.69 $781 —
500–534 519 7 145.00–156.00 $151.46 $786 —
559–560 559 6 141.00–148.00 $145.66 $814 —
607 607 3 139.00 $139.00 $844 +7.00
693 693 4 135.00 $135.00 $936 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 unweaned 388 13 140.00 $140.00 $543 —
522 522 5 132.00 $132.00 $689 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
457 457 3 137.50 $137.50 $628 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308–337 323 12 165.00–176.50 $170.49 $551 —
346 unweaned 346 7 167.50 $167.50 $580 —
382 382 27 163.00 $163.00 $623 —
427–446 435 30 159.50–160.00 $159.78 $695 +9.78
463 463 7 159.00 $159.00 $736 —
472–496 unweaned 486 7 152.00–153.00 $152.42 $741 +2.84
517–523 518 31 144.50–148.00 $147.32 $763 +2.82
521 unweaned 521 7 149.00 $149.00 $776 +6.20
553 553 13 140.00 $140.00 $774 +9.50
565–595 unweaned 579 21 135.00–137.00 $136.91 $793 —
612–638 630 36 132.00–135.50 $133.38 $840 —
711 unweaned 711 6 124.00 $124.00 $882 —
894 894 4 127.00 $127.00 $1,135 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
417 417 13 139.00 $139.00 $580 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 4 146.00 $146.00 $566 —
477 477 8 136.00 $136.00 $649 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
490 490 5 144.00 $144.00 $706 —
532 532 6 134.00 $134.00 $713 —
593 593 10 130.50 $130.50 $774 —
978 978 5 97.00 $97.00 $949 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065–1075 1070 4 94.00–104.00 $99.02 $1,060 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180–1465 1316 80-85% 36 43.00–49.00 $48.44 $637 —
1234–1581 1383 80-85% 110 50.50–61.00 $53.67 $742 -9.67
1270–1775 1417 80-85% 45 42.00–48.50 $47.50 $673 -0.07
1438–1468 1453 80-85% 4 62.00–62.50 $62.25 $904 —
1283–1670 1493 80-85% 39 50.00–59.00 $53.54 $799 —
1405–1505 1497 80-85% 13 60.00–60.75 $60.70 $909 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
945–993 977 85-90% 3 39.00–44.00 $40.61 $397 —
1146 1146 85-90% 7 59.50 $59.50 $682 +26.75
1008–1373 1154 85-90% 23 30.00–38.50 $35.06 $405 -9.45
1015–1285 1174 85-90% 72 39.00–48.50 $45.73 $537 +2.46
1000–1449 1217 85-90% 37 38.00–47.00 $43.90 $534 —
1005–1298 1232 85-90% 37 48.50–55.00 $51.48 $634 —
1250 1250 85-90% 1 59.00 $59.00 $738 +11.38
1065–1343 1280 85-90% 15 49.50–54.00 $50.09 $641 +2.47
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1578–1635 1595 75-80% 4 61.00–63.00 $62.49 $997 —
1528–1750 1602 75-80% 3 52.00–58.00 $54.18 $868 —
1495–1840 1608 75-80% 15 48.00–58.50 $56.05 $901 —
1375–1880 1642 75-80% 3 61.00–64.00 $62.78 $1,031 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255 1255 1 79.00 $79.00 $991 —
1460–1550 1501 5 65.00–74.00 $68.64 $1,030 —
1530–1935 1766 23 61.00–77.00 $71.10 $1,256 —
2055–2160 2115 5 79.50–83.00 $81.31 $1,720 —
2015–2400 2136 5 82.00–86.00 $84.91 $1,814 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
740–965 thin fleshed 801 (<2 yrs)Open 4 63.00–77.50 $72.50 $581
830–1445 988 (<2 yrs)Open 103 64.00–90.00 $79.88 $789
845–1250 1042 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 20 55.00–78.00 $69.28 $722
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–1200 1125 (<2 yrs)Open 6 52.00–69.50 $65.57 $738

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1502 1502 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 850.00 $850.00
1531 1531 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 900.00 $900.00

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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.