Cattle Market Pulse

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

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 14, 2021

1,587 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $153.51/cwt ≈ $1,049/hd at 683 lb · 65 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $161.03/cwt +3.11 vs last sale · ≈ $1,200/hd at 745 lb · 33 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $158.59/cwt +4.09 vs last sale · ≈ $972/hd at 613 lb · 24 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,587 1,658 1,026
Feeder cattle 473 464 245
Slaughter cattle 894 940 238
Replacement cattle 220 254 543

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (6-30-21): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality this week was average to attractive. Several sets of un-weaned calves were seen this week. Most were split off pairs that would not bring enough to leave as a pair. Demand was mostly good for yearlings and light to moderate for calves. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows continue to comprised most of the sale as drought conditions are driving cows to market. Packers showed stronger demand for both feeding and slaughter cows this week. The cutter cow cutout continues to climb despite very high slaughter volumes for cows and bulls in the region. The cutter cow cutout settled today at 230.13. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all classes, however the biggest advance was seen for fleshy, breaking cows as packers search for fat to blend down heavy lean supplies. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Packers continue to put cows away on feed as many worry heavy supplies early in the season will lead to tighter supplies in the fall. Slaughter bulls generally steady to weak. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows sold generally steady. Many sets of young cows sold to packers this week as demand for feeding cows was significantly stronger than demand for re-breed cattle. Cow calf pairs sold on light to moderate demand this sale, however demand was slightly stronger than the last few sales.

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
258–273 unweaned 262 18 180.00–196.00 $191.37 $501 —
435 unweaned 435 1 165.00 $165.00 $718 -5.00
468–475 unweaned 469 7 162.50–170.00 $168.91 $792 —
569 unweaned 569 4 166.00 $166.00 $945 —
573 573 5 190.00 $190.00 $1,089 —
609–639 624 18 181.00 $181.00 $1,129 —
655–670 664 6 173.00–178.00 $176.49 $1,172 +7.49
730–745 745 33 161.00–162.00 $161.03 $1,200 +3.11
756 756 11 160.00 $160.00 $1,210 —
930 930 3 137.00 $137.00 $1,274 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
423–439 unweaned 433 8 151.00–154.00 $152.10 $659 —
966 966 4 132.50 $132.50 $1,280 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1040 1040 1 127.00 $127.00 $1,321 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
215–241 unweaned 236 11 172.50–180.00 $173.74 $410 —
264 unweaned 264 9 150.00 $150.00 $396 —
384 unweaned 384 4 141.00 $141.00 $541 —
505–508 unweaned 507 6 142.00–143.00 $142.33 $722 —
563 563 5 165.00 $165.00 $929 —
599 unweaned 599 6 135.00 $135.00 $809 —
600–644 613 24 154.50–165.00 $158.59 $972 +4.09
662 fancy 662 24 159.50 $159.50 $1,056 —
696 696 41 150.00 $150.00 $1,044 —
705–739 723 13 149.00–149.50 $149.28 $1,079 -0.72
820 820 2 131.00 $131.00 $1,074 +5.00
866–875 868 17 128.00–132.00 $131.05 $1,138 —
1006 1006 5 126.50 $126.50 $1,273 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
287 unweaned 287 7 165.00 $165.00 $474 —
300 unweaned 300 12 147.50 $147.50 $442 —
1114 fancy 1114 10 120.50 $120.50 $1,342 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
570–596 591 10 144.00–154.00 $145.93 $862 —
697 697 3 145.00 $145.00 $1,011 +14.00
721 721 4 140.00 $140.00 $1,009 —
823 823 2 119.00 $119.00 $979 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508 508 5 138.50 $138.50 $704 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
235 unweaned 235 2 205.00 $205.00 $482 —
875 875 16 131.00 $131.00 $1,146 —
936 936 4 127.00 $127.00 $1,189 —
950–978 959 22 125.00–127.25 $126.52 $1,213 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1043 1043 29 122.00 $122.00 $1,272 —
1060 1060 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,240 +9.64
1170 1170 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,287 +8.00
1208–1213 1212 10 98.00–99.00 $98.70 $1,196 -5.51
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
663 663 4 138.50 $138.50 $918 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1440 1326 80-85% 29 58.00–62.50 $61.28 $813 —
1185–1540 1378 80-85% 154 64.00–70.50 $68.06 $938 +2.81
1325–1410 1388 80-85% 4 68.00–70.00 $68.73 $954 +3.48
1300–1670 1438 80-85% 20 71.00–80.00 $72.96 $1,049 +14.13
1330–1563 1464 80-85% 70 62.00–67.00 $64.72 $948 —
1365–1600 1494 80-85% 7 57.00–62.00 $59.76 $893 —
1720 1720 80-85% 1 56.00 $56.00 $963 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
840–900 864 85-90% 7 53.00–55.00 $54.27 $469 —
917–965 932 85-90% 6 57.00–60.00 $58.65 $547 —
1103 1103 85-90% 2 45.00 $45.00 $496 +2.00
1100–1255 1162 85-90% 3 69.00–72.00 $70.40 $818 +11.66
1015–1365 1230 85-90% 70 51.00–62.00 $58.85 $724 +0.65
1050–1338 1239 85-90% 71 61.00–66.00 $63.43 $786 +5.23
1170–1305 1247 85-90% 53 63.00–66.50 $64.12 $800 -0.69
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1499–1720 1525 75-80% 36 62.50–70.00 $68.85 $1,050 —
1480–1820 1636 75-80% 38 70.75–74.50 $72.05 $1,179 +5.35
1560–1795 1685 75-80% 20 76.00–84.50 $80.27 $1,353 +3.80

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145–1225 1185 2 71.00–71.50 $71.24 $844 —
1560–1605 1580 4 83.00–88.50 $85.97 $1,358 —
1470–1788 1712 13 73.00–82.50 $77.20 $1,322 —
1450–2230 1830 47 83.00–92.50 $88.00 $1,610 —
1800–2435 2028 31 93.00–103.00 $96.77 $1,962 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2180 2180 1 91.00 $91.00 $1,984 —
2355 2355 1 85.00 $85.00 $2,002 —
2575 2575 2 89.00 $89.00 $2,292 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860 thin fleshed 860 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 58.00 $58.00 $499
985–1235 1074 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 41 62.00–75.00 $71.33 $766
788–1520 1103 (<2 yrs)Open 35 69.00–104.00 $83.37 $920
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
925 925 (<2 yrs)Open 1 72.50 $72.50 $671

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1330–1673 1367 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 28 1,650.00–1,675.00 $1,653.28 —
1555–1705 1677 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 16 1,210.00–1,325.00 $1,305.00 —
1714 1714 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 12 1,500.00 $1,500.00 —

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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.