Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, June 23, 2021

2,903 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 heifers $157.20/cwt +1.39 vs last sale · ≈ $910/hd at 579 lb · 158 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $153.00/cwt ≈ $747/hd at 488 lb · 109 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $151.43/cwt ≈ $1,009/hd at 666 lb · 63 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,903 945 2,664
Feeder cattle 987 143 1,228
Slaughter cattle 1,414 501 290
Replacement cattle 502 301 1,146

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mixed for moderate offerings. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand for front end high quality offerings remains mostly good, however plain to average quality offerings sold with significantly lighter demand. Most offerings were in light flesh and coming off grass. Drought conditions are driving offerings to market. Market activity today was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows comprised the majority of the offering this week. Packers purchased cows to both feed and for immediate harvest this week. Packers located to the east were much more reserved as they bid on offerings, while western packers were mostly active. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower. Feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 2.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand for these offerings was mostly moderate. Demand for cow calf pairs was light to moderate. Dry conditions continue to bring these offering to market and consequently also limited demand for these offerings. Many of these offerings were split today as it was more profitable to the seller to do so.

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
553 553 6 170.00 $170.00 $940 —
670–675 675 13 155.00–164.00 $163.31 $1,102 —
712–718 715 13 155.00–156.00 $155.54 $1,112 +0.54
756–785 779 32 144.00–146.00 $144.42 $1,125 +5.42
853 853 22 141.00 $141.00 $1,203 +5.51
911 911 7 130.00 $130.00 $1,184 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
576–596 585 25 156.00–161.00 $158.76 $929 —
607–623 613 10 151.00–168.00 $159.77 $979 —
668 668 5 138.50 $138.50 $925 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 12 157.00 $157.00 $816 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
554 554 7 144.00 $144.00 $798 —
714 714 4 128.50 $128.50 $917 —
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
661 661 7 77.50 $77.50 $512 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
333 unweaned 333 2 135.00 $135.00 $450 —
363 unweaned 363 2 142.50 $142.50 $517 —
488 488 109 153.00 $153.00 $747 —
570–599 579 158 150.00–159.00 $157.20 $910 +1.39
639 639 30 157.50 $157.50 $1,006 —
664–666 666 63 149.00–152.00 $151.43 $1,009 —
704 704 9 148.00 $148.00 $1,042 +16.32
770 770 53 131.50 $131.50 $1,013 —
813 813 2 124.00 $124.00 $1,008 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472 472 6 139.00 $139.00 $656 —
558–576 565 30 130.00–148.00 $135.58 $766 -9.42
630 630 6 123.00 $123.00 $775 —
658–661 659 17 130.00–132.00 $131.38 $866 —
700–732 717 19 129.00–137.00 $132.70 $951 +6.70
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
510 510 11 135.00 $135.00 $688 —
599 599 7 131.00 $131.00 $785 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 8 129.00 $129.00 $724 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
103 103 4 150.00 $150.00 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391–395 unweaned 391 10 152.00–152.50 $152.05 $595 —
1230 1230 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,181 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
103 103 2 150.00 $150.00 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1150 1150 1 112.00 $112.00 $1,288 +5.00

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1290 1290 80-85% 19 59.00 $59.00 $761 —
1223–1540 1381 80-85% 133 60.50–65.00 $62.95 $869 -7.96
1239–1566 1388 80-85% 204 60.00–66.50 $64.00 $888 -6.91
1275–1583 1418 80-85% 153 67.50–76.00 $70.93 $1,006 +11.93
1310–1790 1550 80-85% 2 55.50–58.00 $56.56 $877 —
1585 1585 80-85% 3 67.50 $67.50 $1,070 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760 760 85-90% 1 45.00 $45.00 $342 —
925–993 950 85-90% 8 52.75–58.00 $54.28 $516 -6.72
1140 1140 85-90% 2 59.00 $59.00 $673 +1.64
1013–1465 1173 85-90% 52 50.00–61.00 $57.39 $673 —
1015–1368 1229 85-90% 13 60.00–64.00 $61.74 $759 -7.42
1237 1237 85-90% 3 65.00 $65.00 $804 -2.03
1105–1343 1238 85-90% 76 59.00–64.50 $61.97 $767 -5.06
1122–1310 1258 85-90% 64 66.00–73.00 $68.39 $860 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1405 1405 75-80% 1 71.50 $71.50 $1,005 —
1323–1685 1499 75-80% 8 62.00–65.00 $62.92 $943 —
1315–1715 1586 75-80% 14 66.75–71.50 $68.28 $1,083 —
1529–1860 1586 75-80% 8 73.50–76.00 $73.90 $1,172 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1214–1490 1282 8 71.00–82.00 $74.83 $959 —
1250–1555 1403 2 83.50–90.00 $86.40 $1,212 —
1410–1925 1647 3 76.00–82.00 $79.77 $1,314 —
1738–1743 1739 7 93.00–95.50 $94.78 $1,648 —
1410–2120 1823 20 84.50–93.00 $88.09 $1,606 —
1813–2405 2003 42 95.00–103.00 $98.91 $1,981 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
960 thin fleshed 960 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 72.00 $72.00 $691
835–1282 1100 (<2 yrs)Open 91 70.00–109.00 $88.06 $969
883–1490 1191 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 68 60.00–80.00 $71.05 $846
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
760 760 (<2 yrs)Open 1 88.00 $88.00 $669
1093 1093 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 67.00 $67.00 $732

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1250 1250 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 3 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —
1334 1334 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 21 1,475.00 $1,475.00 —
1383 1383 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 30 1,100.00 $1,100.00 -75.00
1418 1418 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
1353–1508 1419 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 7 1,050.00–1,150.00 $1,095.53 —
1402–1460 1427 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 1,325.00–1,475.00 $1,436.70 —
1429 thin fleshed 1429 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 17 1,000.00 $1,000.00 —
1446 1446 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 10 1,275.00 $1,275.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1034 thin fleshed 1034 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 1,035.00 $1,035.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1093–1127 1097 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 25 1,350.00–1,525.00 $1,371.57 —

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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.