Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 1, 2021

2,561 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $197.13/cwt +6.30 vs last sale · ≈ $842/hd at 427 lb · 85 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $184.75/cwt ≈ $938/hd at 508 lb · 85 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 steers $170.31/cwt +0.86 vs last sale · ≈ $1,262/hd at 741 lb · 83 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,561 3,581 0
Feeder cattle 1,846 1,752 0
Slaughter cattle 433 1,259 0
Replacement cattle 282 570 0

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Steer calves under 400 lbs sold steady to 5.00 lower, steer calves over 400-499 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher, steer calves over 500 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Heifer calves sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive for both yearlings and calves. Demand for high quality calves was very good with many buyers showing interest in these offerings. Packages of calves were met with light to moderate demand. Yearlings were mostly offered in small to moderate size packages with one load lot on offer. Demand for yearlings was mostly good. Market activity this week was moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Cows continue to come off range and pastures in thin body condition. Many have freshy weaned calves off. Cow yields remain low as a result. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-3.00 lower on breaking cows and lean cows, boning cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00. Feeding cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this sale as most cows and bulls filled up on hay after coming off pasture and range. Young age cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Demand for these offerings as well as older replacement 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 $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
255 unweaned 255 3 220.00 $220.00 $561 ±0.00
311–339 unweaned 328 60 205.00–225.00 $210.62 $691 -0.31
353–387 unweaned 381 56 190.00–214.00 $200.15 $763 -3.79
404–448 unweaned 427 85 185.00–201.00 $197.13 $842 +6.30
461–468 unweaned 464 69 186.50–194.00 $187.82 $871 +4.32
501 fancy 501 63 188.50 $188.50 $944 —
504–537 unweaned 527 22 174.00 $174.00 $917 —
556–598 unweaned 570 67 167.00–171.00 $168.85 $962 +8.05
626–632 unweaned 628 9 162.50–163.00 $162.67 $1,022 -1.73
644 644 19 170.00 $170.00 $1,095 —
723–743 741 83 166.00–171.00 $170.31 $1,262 +0.86
756–777 775 40 164.50–171.00 $165.13 $1,280 +0.72
795 795 13 152.00 $152.00 $1,208 -12.41
815–840 821 53 156.75–166.00 $162.00 $1,330 -1.15
900–922 911 40 150.00–154.25 $152.79 $1,392 +1.38
923 923 5 144.00 $144.00 $1,329 -7.41
954 954 5 140.00 $140.00 $1,336 -0.31
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 unweaned 278 6 215.00 $215.00 $598 +37.50
327 unweaned 327 7 210.00 $210.00 $687 —
389–398 unweaned 395 17 175.00–191.00 $186.37 $736 —
747 747 10 162.00 $162.00 $1,210 +4.39
751–793 759 10 145.00–155.00 $147.09 $1,116 —
879 879 5 140.00 $140.00 $1,231 —
989 989 4 134.50 $134.50 $1,330 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
387 unweaned 387 9 185.00 $185.00 $716 —
604–640 633 38 161.00–168.00 $162.23 $1,027 —
658 658 5 165.00 $165.00 $1,086 -0.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
367 unweaned 367 5 165.00 $165.00 $606 —
778–784 783 21 140.00–149.00 $141.70 $1,110 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1030 1030 1 137.50 $137.50 $1,416 -2.00
1065 1065 8 133.50 $133.50 $1,422 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
613–647 630 6 150.00–160.00 $154.87 $976 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
300–330 unweaned 310 33 180.00–200.00 $187.78 $582 +7.78
352 unweaned 352 17 185.00 $185.00 $651 +15.03
404–442 unweaned 430 43 176.00–187.50 $178.38 $767 +7.76
470–490 unweaned 470 55 164.00–170.00 $169.89 $798 +8.25
511–548 unweaned 536 27 155.00–166.00 $160.50 $860 +9.65
610 unweaned 610 1 148.00 $148.00 $903 —
669–698 681 7 155.00 $155.00 $1,056 +3.23
721–737 736 70 154.00–154.75 $154.70 $1,139 +1.92
784–795 792 15 149.00–150.50 $150.10 $1,189 +4.20
818–840 824 57 145.00–149.50 $148.98 $1,228 +7.71
857–893 870 70 142.50–146.75 $145.38 $1,265 +1.09
903–945 927 56 139.25–143.50 $140.91 $1,306 +0.53
958–994 975 37 135.00–138.50 $137.75 $1,343 +2.48
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
285 285 7 183.00 $183.00 $522 —
283–297 unweaned 293 11 169.00–185.00 $173.21 $508 —
338 unweaned 338 3 175.00 $175.00 $592 —
381–392 unweaned 390 35 163.00–174.50 $172.90 $674 +8.90
396 396 9 169.00 $169.00 $669 —
860–881 877 5 137.00–138.00 $137.20 $1,203 -2.30
922 922 3 130.00 $130.00 $1,199 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
537 537 6 155.50 $155.50 $835 —
634 634 23 155.00 $155.00 $983 +4.49
678 678 11 152.00 $152.00 $1,031 +0.30
730 730 8 142.00 $142.00 $1,037 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000–1013 1008 5 133.50–134.50 $133.90 $1,350 -0.31
1104–1105 1104 15 119.50–123.00 $119.73 $1,322 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493 unweaned 493 5 158.00 $158.00 $779 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 unweaned 296 6 172.50 $172.50 $511 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
425 unweaned 425 1 173.00 $173.00 $735 —
978 978 2 122.00 $122.00 $1,193 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1125 1125 1 104.00 $104.00 $1,170 -13.74

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995 995 85-90% 2 53.00 $53.00 $527 +2.00
1026–1250 1160 85-90% 17 44.50–48.00 $45.45 $527 -14.95
1040–1525 1197 85-90% 128 49.00–54.50 $52.64 $630 -2.35
1115–1330 1290 85-90% 46 55.00–58.50 $56.66 $731 +15.66
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1303–1488 1387 80-85% 29 50.00–56.00 $54.94 $762 -17.77
1363–1445 1401 80-85% 9 57.00–63.00 $59.59 $835 +3.89
1375–1455 1401 80-85% 7 70.00–72.00 $71.15 $997 +15.45
1260–1557 1428 80-85% 24 59.50–69.00 $62.77 $896 -2.51
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1505–1825 1565 75-80% 11 72.50–75.00 $73.46 $1,150 +4.47
1580 1580 75-80% 1 79.00 $79.00 $1,248 +10.01
1630 1630 75-80% 1 79.00 $79.00 $1,288 -0.79
1520–1725 1638 75-80% 4 66.00–72.00 $68.97 $1,130 -10.82

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1345–1860 1469 31 71.00–79.00 $75.33 $1,107 —
1410–1820 1645 13 80.50–86.00 $83.63 $1,376 —
1570–2000 1796 9 70.00–79.00 $75.20 $1,351 —
1465–2310 1868 13 81.00–87.50 $84.52 $1,579 -1.48
1845–2295 2030 10 88.00–97.25 $92.09 $1,869 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
852–1130 918 (<2 yrs)Open 48 74.00–97.00 $93.10 $855
910–1050 thin fleshed 991 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 55.00–65.00 $59.91 $594
830–1365 1061 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 47 65.00–93.00 $69.65 $739
1084–1133 thin fleshed 1100 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 6 53.00 $53.00 $583
1080–1342 1245 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 16 54.50–57.00 $55.46 $690
1339–1445 1350 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 19 53.00–55.50 $53.28 $719
1352 1352 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 11 53.00 $53.00 $717

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
925–1333 1118 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 32 1,000.00–1,075.00 $1,029.17
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1352 1352 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 11 60.00 $60.00 $811

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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.