Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report, Billings, MT

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 24, 2021

823 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $131.43/cwt -2.25 vs last sale · ≈ $991/hd at 754 lb · 50 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $143.90/cwt -3.10 vs last sale · ≈ $904/hd at 628 lb · 45 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $143.99/cwt ≈ $1,030/hd at 715 lb · 29 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 823 676 911
Feeder cattle 446 304 165
Slaughter cattle 254 252 303
Replacement cattle 123 120 443

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested both this week and last to develop an accurate market trend, however steers and heifers sold with steady to weak undertones. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall not as attractive as last week. Demand was light to moderate for light offerings. Limited offerings caused limited demand as some buyers were not willing to start loads as this is the last sale in Billings for the week. CME positions traded higher today as packers paid higher money for fat cattle. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand. Feeding buyers were aggressive as they bid against packers over offerings. Packers showed good demand for both slaughter and feeding cows this week. Muddy conditions and some flooding have been reported in locations that saw heavy snow last week. This continues to keep cow supplies tight. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-2.00 higher on breaking and boning cows lean cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher on all classes. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady firm. Quality was mostly average this week.

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
410–446 442 12 190.00–195.00 $191.43 $846 +2.43
480–483 482 3 178.00–179.00 $178.33 $860 -0.27
511–532 519 27 174.00–176.00 $174.65 $906 -1.35
560–568 567 7 163.00–165.00 $164.72 $934 -9.03
620–630 621 15 162.00–162.50 $162.07 $1,006 —
670–695 680 3 148.00 $148.00 $1,006 -8.01
700–725 715 29 142.50–146.00 $143.99 $1,030 —
830 830 5 131.00 $131.00 $1,087 —
883 883 4 132.00 $132.00 $1,166 —
928 928 2 128.00 $128.00 $1,188 +0.77
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
451–488 472 28 168.00–175.00 $172.11 $812 +2.61
530–543 532 12 169.00–173.00 $172.32 $917 +15.63
560 560 1 157.00 $157.00 $879 +3.00
645 645 5 149.00 $149.00 $961 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1104 1104 4 120.00 $120.00 $1,325 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 3 174.00 $174.00 $861 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 4 167.50 $167.50 $650 —
450–495 479 22 163.00–168.00 $166.02 $795 +4.02
505–528 517 18 157.00–167.00 $163.15 $843 +5.88
575–581 580 6 146.50–149.00 $146.91 $852 -9.59
601–634 628 45 139.00–147.00 $143.90 $904 -3.10
656–695 660 9 136.00–139.00 $138.65 $915 -1.10
706 706 7 132.50 $132.50 $935 -3.00
752–795 754 50 129.00–131.50 $131.43 $991 -2.25
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
420–428 427 19 155.00–161.00 $157.20 $671 -0.40
457 457 5 155.00 $155.00 $708 —
635 635 2 136.00 $136.00 $864 —
674–695 679 8 128.00–129.00 $128.26 $871 -0.74

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
473 473 11 155.00 $155.00 $733 —
556 556 6 141.00 $141.00 $784 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369 369 5 195.00 $195.00 $720 —
445 445 1 177.50 $177.50 $790 —
612–622 617 6 143.00–147.00 $144.98 $895 —
685 685 1 138.00 $138.00 $945 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1054 1054 4 108.00 $108.00 $1,138 —
1140 1140 3 95.00 $95.00 $1,083 —
1150 1150 1 95.00 $95.00 $1,092 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
373 373 4 135.00 $135.00 $504 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355 1355 80-85% 2 68.50 $68.50 $928 +6.06
1332–1419 1382 80-85% 14 60.00–62.50 $61.36 $848 -1.08
1280–1443 1384 80-85% 16 63.50–66.50 $64.48 $892 +2.04
1290–1525 1399 80-85% 26 63.00–66.25 $64.49 $902 +2.05
1380–1557 1500 80-85% 22 55.00–62.50 $60.96 $914 —
1570 1570 80-85% 1 67.00 $67.00 $1,052 -5.00
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
970 970 85-90% 1 45.00 $45.00 $436 -11.51
990 990 85-90% 1 55.00 $55.00 $544 -1.51
998 998 85-90% 2 65.00 $65.00 $649 +8.49
1020–1055 1038 85-90% 2 51.00–52.00 $51.49 $534 —
955–1308 1155 85-90% 19 53.00–63.00 $60.95 $704 +4.55
1065–1290 1178 85-90% 2 68.00–69.50 $68.68 $809 +12.28
1167–1352 1220 85-90% 29 63.00–66.00 $63.68 $777 +15.68
1145–1318 1248 85-90% 11 63.50–65.00 $64.46 $804 +16.46
1150–1465 1256 85-90% 11 54.00–62.00 $57.12 $717 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1429–1553 1479 75-80% 7 63.00–65.00 $63.75 $943 —
1560–1590 1575 75-80% 2 59.00–61.00 $60.01 $945 -0.90
1501–1813 1605 75-80% 6 64.50–65.00 $64.69 $1,038 +5.89
1555–1870 1721 75-80% 6 57.00–62.00 $60.31 $1,038 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285 1285 1 70.00 $70.00 $900 —
1370 1370 1 83.00 $83.00 $1,137 —
1415–2165 1799 5 72.00–78.00 $75.65 $1,361 -1.05
1520–2290 1894 18 82.00–88.50 $85.21 $1,614 +3.21
1895–2200 2059 7 89.00–96.00 $91.81 $1,890 —
2525 2525 1 92.50 $92.50 $2,336 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745–1214 1026 (<2 yrs)Open 35 80.00–110.00 $91.28 $937
915–1515 1128 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 21 62.00–84.00 $73.05 $824
1172 1172 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 71.00 $71.00 $832
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
928–1099 1061 (<2 yrs)Open 9 78.00–84.00 $82.83 $879

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1133 1133 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1195 1195 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 1,100.00 $1,100.00
1322–1462 1396 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 21 1,200.00–1,275.00 $1,228.22
1430 1430 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 975.00 $975.00

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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.