Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 11, 2021

2,546 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $153.26/cwt +7.87 vs last sale · ≈ $1,254/hd at 818 lb · 84 head

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $144.03/cwt +1.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,259/hd at 874 lb · 83 head

heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $147.66/cwt -7.34 vs last sale · ≈ $1,134/hd at 768 lb · 63 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	2,546	1,952	1,920
Feeder cattle	1,079	846	1,587
Slaughter cattle	1,100	645	117
Replacement cattle	367	461	216

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (7-28-21): Yearling steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Steer calves sold 12.00-15.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Heifers over 800 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Heifer calves sold mostly 13.00-19.00 higher than two weeks ago. Quality this week was average to attractive. Many sets of replacement heifers were seen this week and consigners offered to abort these heifers at their expense if they were purchased to feed. Only one set of heifers was retained as replacements this week. Demand was mostly good for all yearlings on offer while calves sold on mostly moderate demand. Market activity this week was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Cows offered buyers noticeably poorer yields this week as many thin cows were on offer. Many cows had freshly weaned calves and had big bags as a result. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 lower. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Buyers were forced to pick through cow offerings this week as they searched for cows suitable to feed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to weak. Most bulls have been out breeding cows and offered buyers lower yields as a result. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Young age cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Several sets of cow calf pairs sold this week. Demand for these offerings was moderate to good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
268–295 unweaned	278	10	201.00–214.00	$207.19	$576	+17.19
307–330 unweaned	324	30	190.00–211.50	$206.87	$670	—
352–380 unweaned	374	29	187.00–200.00	$189.53	$709	+16.77
406–419 unweaned	408	36	180.00–181.00	$180.14	$735	+16.04
450–465 unweaned	459	28	164.00–175.00	$169.51	$778	—
505–515 unweaned	506	22	170.00–176.00	$175.17	$886	—
630 unweaned	630	8	156.00	$156.00	$983	—
658 unweaned	658	5	146.00	$146.00	$961	—
763–798	779	24	154.00–161.00	$156.47	$1,219	—
815–840	835	19	152.00–156.00	$153.70	$1,283	+7.44
862	862	14	156.00	$156.00	$1,345	—
937	937	8	146.50	$146.50	$1,373	—
950–961	952	26	145.00–148.00	$147.53	$1,404	+9.56

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
414–433 unweaned	419	14	155.00–168.00	$158.83	$665	—
711	711	5	153.50	$153.50	$1,091	-7.16
790	790	13	150.00	$150.00	$1,185	+4.16

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
661–690	676	21	157.00–165.00	$163.10	$1,103	—

Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
683	683	13	152.00	$152.00	$1,038	+1.99

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
272 unweaned	272	10	176.00	$176.00	$479	—
301–338 unweaned	323	26	168.00–175.00	$170.53	$551	+13.03
353–391 unweaned	376	46	164.00–174.00	$168.82	$635	+13.82
400–445 unweaned	414	44	158.50–164.00	$162.29	$672	+13.91
451–488 unweaned	477	20	155.00–168.00	$160.01	$763	+19.23
552 unweaned	552	9	159.00	$159.00	$878	—
646 unweaned	646	5	146.00	$146.00	$943	—
701–733	719	45	149.50–151.50	$150.63	$1,083	-1.22
755–785	768	63	145.00–150.25	$147.66	$1,134	-7.34
805	805	50	158.25	$158.25	$1,274	+12.86
816–849	838	34	145.00–146.25	$145.93	$1,223	+0.54
853–886	874	83	141.50–145.50	$144.03	$1,259	+1.82
915–937	925	28	137.00–140.25	$138.96	$1,285	+3.04
963–990	981	13	130.00–134.50	$131.05	$1,286	-1.95

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1033	1033	2	131.50	$131.50	$1,358	+8.00
1051–1092	1069	14	125.50–130.00	$128.03	$1,369	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
305 unweaned	305	2	164.00	$164.00	$500	—
355 unweaned	355	3	164.00	$164.00	$582	—
825	825	3	142.00	$142.00	$1,172	+11.00
865	865	2	130.00	$130.00	$1,124	+8.00

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
660	660	5	146.00	$146.00	$964	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
349 unweaned	349	7	174.00	$174.00	$607	—
419 unweaned	419	4	166.00	$166.00	$696	—
930	930	10	127.00	$127.00	$1,181	—
985	985	2	125.00	$125.00	$1,231	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1105	1105	4	108.00	$108.00	$1,193	—

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
760	760	85-90%	1	57.50	$57.50	$437	—
1134–1228	1165	85-90%	9	58.00–59.00	$58.35	$680	-11.89
1015–1340	1194	85-90%	105	52.00–59.00	$56.93	$680	-13.31
1120–1288	1202	85-90%	11	67.00–72.00	$70.70	$850	—
1215	1215	85-90%	1	69.00	$69.00	$838	+3.81
1135–1376	1240	85-90%	141	59.50–63.50	$60.41	$749	-4.78
1070–1310	1241	85-90%	17	61.00–66.00	$63.76	$791	-1.43

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1286–1408	1354	80-85%	21	59.00–72.00	$60.48	$819	-5.68
1305–1630	1395	80-85%	40	51.00–60.00	$58.06	$810	-11.94
1277–1615	1402	80-85%	52	60.00–65.00	$61.81	$867	-5.53
1316–1670	1441	80-85%	52	68.00–79.00	$73.22	$1,055	-0.03
1285–1612	1456	80-85%	40	60.50–67.00	$64.26	$936	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1553–1710	1618	75-80%	8	70.00–75.00	$73.01	$1,181	-3.79
1472–1930	1633	75-80%	12	74.00–83.50	$78.03	$1,274	+1.23
1835	1835	75-80%	1	58.00	$58.00	$1,064	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1143–1750	1442	49	81.00–88.00	$85.45	$1,232	+8.87
1505	1505	1	81.00	$81.00	$1,219	—
1473–2070	1607	16	73.00–83.00	$79.23	$1,273	+2.92
1515–2220	1790	36	82.00–90.00	$86.55	$1,549	+0.67
1600–2380	1998	30	90.00–101.00	$94.94	$1,897	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
851–1288	1014	(<2 yrs)	Open	59	70.00–92.00	$82.30	$835
960–1420	1070	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	8	70.00–76.00	$73.59	$787

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
1093	1093	Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	18	55.75	$55.75	$609
1208–1605	1279	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	39	59.50–61.50	$59.95	$767

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1298	1298	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	8	950.00	$950.00
1298	1298	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	1,000.00	$1,000.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
855	855	(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	16	1,200.00	$1,200.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1148	1148	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	1,625.00	$1,625.00	—
1305	1305	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	1,300.00	$1,300.00	-385.00
1210–1513	1422	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	34	1,550.00–1,750.00	$1,728.08	—
1449–1696	1516	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	26	1,460.00–1,650.00	$1,592.75	-142.25
1564	1564	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	11	1,625.00	$1,625.00	—
1548–1745	1591	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	36	1,350.00–1,450.00	$1,366.52	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	Δ last sale
1380	1380	Aged (>8 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	2	1,100.00	$1,100.00	—

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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.