Cattle Market Pulse

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

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 28, 2021

1,952 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 $151.85/cwt +2.57 vs last sale · ≈ $1,124/hd at 740 lb · 78 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $140.78/cwt ≈ $676/hd at 480 lb · 43 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $167.75/cwt +6.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,179/hd at 703 lb · 38 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,952 1,587 0
Feeder cattle 846 473 0
Slaughter cattle 645 894 0
Replacement cattle 461 220 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (7-14-21): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on steers, while higher undertones were noticed on heifers. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Several sets of unweaned 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. Several sets of replacement heifers were seen this week. Most had been turned out with the bull, however all heifers were purchased for feed this sale and were aborted at the consigners expense. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand this sale. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest. Packers competed with several other slaughter cow buyers this week as well as with buyers looking for weigh up cows that could be bred. Both feeding and slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower this week. Most bulls on offer have been turned out with cows to breed and are thin in body condition and are lower in yield as a result. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale as most cows were pushing some fill. Young age cows sold generally steady. Several sets of cow-calf pairs sold this week. Demand for these offerings was moderate.

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
293 unweaned 293 2 190.00 $190.00 $557 -1.37
353–396 unweaned 379 10 164.00–187.50 $172.76 $655 —
423–448 unweaned 433 5 160.00–167.00 $164.10 $711 -0.90
485–497 unweaned 496 32 152.50–157.00 $156.59 $777 -12.32
588–595 unweaned 591 15 151.00–169.00 $158.25 $935 -7.75
619 619 4 170.00 $170.00 $1,052 -11.00
665–670 666 34 167.00 $167.00 $1,112 -9.49
703 703 38 167.50–168.00 $167.75 $1,179 —
802 802 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,123 —
802–832 817 13 144.00–147.50 $146.26 $1,195 —
954–979 962 12 134.00–140.00 $137.97 $1,327 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
603–645 628 16 160.00–165.00 $161.29 $1,013 —
653 653 2 164.00 $164.00 $1,071 —
710–736 732 6 160.50–161.50 $160.66 $1,176 —
750–793 787 7 145.50–148.00 $145.84 $1,148 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
511 511 8 156.00 $156.00 $797 —
551 551 4 140.00 $140.00 $771 —
632 632 8 140.00 $140.00 $885 —
650–685 671 8 146.00–161.00 $150.01 $1,007 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
818 818 5 139.00 $139.00 $1,137 —
1020–1035 1024 4 118.00–126.00 $122.01 $1,249 -4.99
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
106 unweaned 106 9 125.00 $125.00 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
549 549 7 170.00 $170.00 $933 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
225 unweaned 225 4 160.00 $160.00 $360 -13.74
325 unweaned 325 8 157.50 $157.50 $512 —
360 unweaned 360 16 155.00 $155.00 $558 +14.00
402–448 unweaned 430 8 147.50–150.00 $148.38 $638 —
450–495 unweaned 480 43 137.50–141.00 $140.78 $676 —
650–682 665 36 155.00–158.00 $157.23 $1,046 +7.23
740–745 740 78 148.00–152.00 $151.85 $1,124 +2.57
754 754 23 155.00 $155.00 $1,169 —
824–848 836 37 142.50–145.75 $145.39 $1,215 +14.39
869–881 874 26 142.00–142.50 $142.21 $1,243 +11.16
900–949 921 34 131.00–140.00 $135.92 $1,252 —
993 993 3 133.00 $133.00 $1,321 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1001–1039 1015 41 130.50–131.50 $131.21 $1,332 —
1040 1040 7 123.50 $123.50 $1,284 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
643 643 8 144.00 $144.00 $926 —
721–728 725 10 133.00–142.00 $138.42 $1,004 -1.58
763–785 774 4 137.00–139.00 $138.01 $1,068 —
848 848 2 131.00 $131.00 $1,111 +12.00
855 855 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,043 —
935 935 1 117.50 $117.50 $1,099 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
567–570 568 10 146.00–150.00 $149.20 $847 —
608 608 8 147.00 $147.00 $894 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
531 531 7 145.00 $145.00 $770 +6.50
555 555 3 142.00 $142.00 $788 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1246 1246 4 95.00 $95.00 $1,184 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145 1145 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,214 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
835 835 1 126.00 $126.00 $1,052 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
985 985 1 99.00 $99.00 $975 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
715 715 85-90% 2 42.00 $42.00 $300 —
788–995 839 85-90% 28 50.00–59.00 $54.31 $456 —
965–990 980 85-90% 3 60.00–63.00 $61.49 $603 —
1028–1340 1152 85-90% 39 54.00–61.00 $59.09 $681 -11.31
1145–1205 1175 85-90% 4 70.00–70.50 $70.24 $825 -0.16
1120–1495 1239 85-90% 59 61.50–67.50 $65.19 $808 +1.76
1075–1307 1246 85-90% 47 62.50–68.00 $62.91 $784 -1.21
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1317 1313 80-85% 4 60.00–61.00 $60.25 $791 -1.03
1311–1660 1388 80-85% 34 62.00–68.50 $66.16 $918 -2.57
1398 1398 80-85% 3 70.00 $70.00 $979 +1.27
1273–1675 1426 80-85% 85 63.00–69.00 $67.34 $960 -5.62
1200–1553 1446 80-85% 36 69.00–79.00 $73.25 $1,059 +0.29
1380–1630 1545 80-85% 3 60.50–62.00 $61.20 $946 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1519 1519 75-80% 13 70.50 $70.50 $1,071 +1.65
1545–1645 1600 75-80% 6 69.00–73.50 $71.39 $1,142 —
1538–1678 1608 75-80% 4 75.50–78.00 $76.80 $1,235 +4.75
1525–1930 1704 75-80% 4 76.00–82.00 $79.20 $1,350 —
1885 1885 75-80% 1 68.00 $68.00 $1,282 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230 1230 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,132 —
1220–1285 1253 2 64.00–72.00 $68.10 $853 —
1335–1560 1428 12 80.50–90.00 $85.78 $1,225 —
1387–1660 1433 6 76.00–79.00 $76.58 $1,097 —
1230–2070 1605 16 68.00–80.00 $76.31 $1,225 —
1475–2215 1798 51 81.00–89.50 $85.88 $1,544 —
1828–2175 1942 16 90.50–96.00 $93.12 $1,808 —
2500 2500 1 78.00 $78.00 $1,950 —
2595 2595 1 89.00 $89.00 $2,310 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
795–880 thin fleshed 838 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 60.00–66.00 $63.15 $529
860 thin fleshed 860 (<2 yrs)Open 1 74.00 $74.00 $636
840–1325 1057 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 66.00–77.00 $70.70 $747
920–1345 1081 (<2 yrs)Open 14 71.50–84.50 $78.75 $851

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1225 1225 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 63.50 $63.50 $778
1225–1434 1335 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 74 61.50–69.00 $65.54 $875

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1321 1321 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 18 1,685.00 $1,685.00 —
1450 1450 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 21 1,310.00 $1,310.00 —
1462 1462 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 18 1,335.00 $1,335.00 —
1343–1522 1486 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 14 1,175.00–1,275.00 $1,251.82 —
1506 1506 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 13 1,735.00 $1,735.00 —
1540 1540 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 13 1,650.00 $1,650.00 —
1570–1748 1603 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 16 1,385.00–1,550.00 $1,418.73 —
1645 1645 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 15 1,410.00 $1,410.00 —

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1119–1148 1135 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 18 1,575.00–1,610.00 $1,594.67 —
1502 1502 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 1,775.00 $1,775.00 —

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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.