Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, April 14, 2021

6,541 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $140.50/cwt +4.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,020/hd at 726 lb · 626 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $172.59/cwt ≈ $1,094/hd at 634 lb · 531 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $159.08/cwt +5.08 vs last sale · ≈ $909/hd at 571 lb · 478 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 6,541 786 2,027
Feeder cattle 6,057 298 1,988
Slaughter cattle 158 374 15
Replacement cattle 326 114 24

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Today Public auction yards hosted its annual April fest feeder special. Demand was mostly moderate to good for heavy offerings. Quality was mostly average to very attractive. Feeders were offered in both load lots and packages. Demand for light fleshed cattle suitable to run on grass was mostly moderate today. Demand for grass cattle was slightly lower this week as concerns over drought conditions and higher feed prices weighted on the market. Heavy weight cattle were mostly attractive to very attractive and despite lower CME feeder and live cattle positions this class of cattle sold with moderate to good demand. CME feeder cattle positions sold off today as higher feed prices pressured feeder contracts lower. The April contract closed 1.30 lower at 141.15, while the May closed 1.90 lower at 145.425. Market activity this sale was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers and feeding buyers were both active in buying cows suitable to feed. Feeing cows and slaughter cows sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today as cows sold late in the evening. Most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or re-breed sold steady to firm as quality this sale was average to attractive and slightly higher than last sale. Several cow-calf pairs sold today. These offerings were met with mostly light to moderate demand. As discussed earlier, much of the state is dry and worries of a drought hampered demand.

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
336 336 16 208.00 $208.00 $699 —
400–414 413 31 198.00–202.00 $201.36 $832 —
450–493 485 17 193.00–199.00 $193.98 $941 —
521–539 527 54 187.00–195.00 $190.42 $1,004 +9.65
557–593 570 142 177.00–184.00 $181.48 $1,034 +12.87
586 586 23 174.50 $174.50 $1,023 +5.89
607–645 633 498 169.25–179.25 $173.19 $1,096 —
649 649 33 163.50 $163.50 $1,061 —
651–699 674 310 157.00–171.00 $162.45 $1,095 —
700–746 723 143 148.00–158.00 $153.21 $1,108 +13.21
722–746 736 35 146.50–147.00 $146.70 $1,080 +6.70
751–782 760 33 141.00–150.00 $146.60 $1,114 —
788 788 11 136.50 $136.50 $1,076 —
805–841 814 129 135.50–139.00 $136.41 $1,110 —
867–880 875 176 133.00–138.25 $136.20 $1,192 —
903–935 920 13 127.00–130.00 $129.46 $1,191 —
966 966 29 120.00 $120.00 $1,159 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
397 397 13 202.00 $202.00 $802 —
424–449 442 52 182.50–193.00 $190.45 $842 —
486–499 494 22 180.00–189.00 $182.41 $901 —
500–538 536 37 177.00–182.00 $181.26 $972 —
555–598 575 56 154.00–175.00 $167.22 $962 —
606–628 619 17 149.00–150.50 $149.60 $926 —
720–739 735 33 143.00–146.50 $144.65 $1,063 —
755–758 757 4 136.50–138.00 $137.25 $1,039 —
840 840 5 127.00–127.50 $127.30 $1,069 —
858 thin fleshed 858 6 135.00 $135.00 $1,158 —
920 920 2 121.00 $121.00 $1,113 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
741 741 26 140.00 $140.00 $1,037 —
992 992 7 125.00 $125.00 $1,240 —
1183 1183 6 113.00 $113.00 $1,337 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
500–501 501 16 162.00–169.00 $165.50 $829 —
693 693 11 133.00 $133.00 $922 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369 369 9 176.00 $176.00 $649 —
419–429 426 67 171.00–182.50 $175.38 $747 —
454–480 475 88 169.00–171.00 $169.78 $806 +2.22
504–545 522 210 159.00–169.00 $163.40 $853 -0.78
552–598 571 457 153.50–164.50 $158.81 $907 +4.81
581 fancy 581 21 165.00 $165.00 $959 —
600–645 621 379 146.00–154.50 $151.55 $941 +1.05
652–698 679 262 142.00–149.50 $146.83 $997 +7.83
698 698 6 134.00 $134.00 $935 -5.00
701–741 725 591 135.50–144.00 $140.20 $1,016 +4.20
739 739 35 145.50 $145.50 $1,075 +9.50
766 766 17 136.00 $136.00 $1,042 +8.46
751–798 771 217 130.00–134.50 $132.45 $1,021 +4.91
802–845 829 132 125.00–131.00 $128.92 $1,069 —
836 836 7 133.00 $133.00 $1,112 —
852–854 852 75 127.75–130.00 $128.14 $1,092 —
962 962 16 120.00 $120.00 $1,154 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369–392 385 46 165.00–173.00 $169.15 $651 —
407–449 442 49 157.50–162.00 $160.77 $711 —
463–489 475 33 151.00–165.00 $154.31 $733 -2.69
503–547 525 71 150.00–158.00 $154.83 $813 —
555–598 580 97 139.00–152.00 $146.98 $852 —
603–647 635 148 134.00–139.50 $138.88 $882 —
653–693 680 71 133.50–139.00 $135.32 $920 —
702–747 730 19 129.00–133.50 $131.28 $958 —
759–797 768 33 127.50–129.75 $129.42 $994 —
838 838 5 117.00 $117.00 $980 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660–692 662 41 134.00–139.50 $139.08 $921 —
712–733 729 14 128.50–131.00 $129.02 $941 —
791 791 8 129.50 $129.50 $1,024 —
1028 1028 29 114.00 $114.00 $1,172 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
366 366 13 155.00 $155.00 $567 —
432 432 29 149.00 $149.00 $644 —
529–545 542 35 140.50–145.00 $144.12 $781 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
342 342 16 154.00 $154.00 $527 —
354 354 18 159.00 $159.00 $563 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
395 395 20 170.00 $170.00 $672 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
495 495 5 177.50 $177.50 $879 —
603 603 14 136.00 $136.00 $820 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1023 1023 2 111.00 $111.00 $1,136 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1287–1563 1340 80-85% 22 67.00–71.00 $68.91 $923 —
1305–1499 1393 80-85% 11 66.50–68.00 $67.23 $937 -4.77
1377–1610 1466 80-85% 16 60.00–66.00 $64.32 $943 —
1500–1590 1545 80-85% 2 65.50 $65.50 $1,012 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
963–970 965 85-90% 3 54.00 $54.00 $521 —
1033–1256 1177 85-90% 16 64.00–66.25 $65.56 $772 —
1177–1290 1195 85-90% 8 66.50–71.50 $67.43 $806 —
1150–1275 1213 85-90% 2 66.50–67.50 $66.97 $812 -2.37
1033–1346 1256 85-90% 21 59.00–66.00 $64.33 $808 -0.32
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1690 1690 75-80% 1 68.50 $68.50 $1,158 -1.82
1860 1860 75-80% 1 65.00 $65.00 $1,209 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1405 1305 2 81.00–83.00 $81.92 $1,069 —
1326 1326 4 85.00 $85.00 $1,127 —
1490 1490 1 83.00 $83.00 $1,237 —
1565–2070 1836 9 87.00–93.50 $91.24 $1,675 —
1925–2080 2011 4 95.00–98.50 $96.74 $1,945 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
855–1215 986 (<2 yrs)Open 39 81.00–112.50 $103.13 $1,017
930–1390 1121 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 31 66.00–91.00 $77.86 $873
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
940 940 (<2 yrs)Open 2 90.00 $90.00 $846
1215 1215 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 67.50 $67.50 $820

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1325–1480 1387 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 20 1,150.00–1,225.00 $1,182.01 —
1409 1409 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 7 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
1555 1555 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 1,675.00 $1,675.00 —
1460–1605 1569 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 16 1,350.00–1,550.00 $1,503.47 —
1613 1613 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 32 1,400.00 $1,400.00 —
1530–1648 1629 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 19 1,350.00–1,375.00 $1,371.29 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1141 1141 (<2 yrs)Open 10 1,600.00 $1,600.00 —

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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.