Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 8, 2021

1,533 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $175.78/cwt -8.97 vs last sale · ≈ $912/hd at 519 lb · 48 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $164.16/cwt -5.73 vs last sale · ≈ $799/hd at 487 lb · 44 head
light 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $186.00/cwt -1.78 vs last sale · ≈ $577/hd at 310 lb · 39 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,533 2,561 487
Feeder cattle 582 1,846 267
Slaughter cattle 435 433 91
Replacement cattle 516 282 129

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely traded this week so no trend is available. Steer calves sold unevenly steady in a very narrow comparison. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on heifers under 850 lbs and lower undertones were noticed on heifers over 850 lbs. Quality this week was mostly plain to average for all feeder cattle on offer. CME positions have been in decline over the past week and a half. Today the September contract closed 0.225 lower at 156.05, while the October closed 0.775 lower at 159.275. Market activity was mostly moderate this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand and offerings. Packer buyers continue to show light demand for slaughter cows, however competition from feeding and replacement buyers pushed all cows slightly higher this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00 higher on breaking cows, while boning and lean cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Feeding cow buyers showed the strongest demand for cows this week as farmers chopping silage are starting to wrap up in the Midwest and farmer feeders are looking for was to use their soft feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-5.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady, however strong feeding demand helped this market trade near steady. Both cow and bull yields remain seasonally low as ranchers are mostly pulling calves right off the cow. Cows were also very full today as many cows were filling up on clean fresh water and feed after being out on pasture and range. Weigh up conditions were below average. Young age cows and other replacement cows sold on moderate to good demand. These offerings sold near steady on like quality cattle. Quality overall was not as attractive as last week.

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
355–356 unweaned 356 9 215.00–216.00 $215.89 $769 +15.74
421–439 unweaned 434 22 190.00–196.00 $191.59 $832 -5.54
454 unweaned 454 18 187.50 $187.50 $851 -0.32
508–537 unweaned 519 48 172.00–177.00 $175.78 $912 +1.78
560–565 unweaned 564 14 160.00–166.50 $165.58 $934 -3.27
687 unweaned 687 3 159.50 $159.50 $1,096 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242 unweaned 242 8 204.00 $204.00 $494 —
274 unweaned 274 12 202.50 $202.50 $555 —
302 unweaned 302 38 182.50 $182.50 $551 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
369 unweaned 369 6 182.50 $182.50 $673 -3.87
465 unweaned 465 2 173.00 $173.00 $804 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1063 1063 3 128.00 $128.00 $1,361 -5.50

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 unweaned 296 4 191.00 $191.00 $565 —
310 unweaned 310 39 186.00 $186.00 $577 -1.78
350–393 unweaned 387 15 182.00–183.50 $183.25 $709 -1.75
409–423 unweaned 411 19 171.00–180.00 $178.60 $734 +0.22
471–491 unweaned 487 44 163.50–168.00 $164.16 $799 -5.73
526 unweaned 526 5 157.00 $157.00 $826 -3.50
560–582 unweaned 571 6 148.50–154.00 $151.30 $864 —
778–788 781 17 149.00–155.50 $153.37 $1,198 +3.27
830 830 4 148.50 $148.50 $1,233 -0.48
853–879 873 22 141.00–145.25 $143.73 $1,255 -1.65
940 940 17 136.75 $136.75 $1,285 -4.16
988 988 17 134.00 $134.00 $1,324 -3.75
990 990 3 126.00 $126.00 $1,247 -11.75
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1033 1029 23 132.50–133.25 $133.15 $1,370 -0.75
1038 1038 2 130.50 $130.50 $1,355 -3.40
1060 1060 2 131.50 $131.50 $1,394 —
1106 1106 4 127.00 $127.00 $1,405 +7.27
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
252 unweaned 252 19 188.00 $188.00 $474 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
368 unweaned 368 2 150.00 $150.00 $552 -22.90
735 735 2 149.00 $149.00 $1,095 —
803 803 3 143.50 $143.50 $1,152 —
925 925 2 127.00 $127.00 $1,175 -3.00

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1090 1087 3 106.00–111.00 $107.66 $1,170 —
1188 1188 3 103.00 $103.00 $1,224 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 unweaned 485 2 163.00 $163.00 $791 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
795 795 85-90% 1 42.00 $42.00 $334 —
950 950 85-90% 1 62.00 $62.00 $589 —
790–993 952 85-90% 5 45.00–48.00 $47.50 $452 —
1007–1245 1062 85-90% 14 42.00–47.50 $45.08 $479 —
1008–1345 1191 85-90% 92 49.00–57.00 $53.79 $641 +1.15
1046–1295 1211 85-90% 34 56.00–59.00 $56.24 $681 —
1020–1328 1217 85-90% 27 50.00–55.00 $52.50 $639 —
1170–1287 1239 85-90% 43 56.00–63.00 $58.24 $722 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1325–1413 1357 80-85% 32 53.00–61.00 $57.42 $779 +2.48
1343–1460 1372 80-85% 40 63.00–67.00 $64.20 $881 +9.26
1310–1483 1375 80-85% 11 54.00–57.50 $56.28 $774 +1.34
1325–1535 1462 80-85% 5 58.00–63.00 $61.24 $895 —
1365–1688 1532 80-85% 7 74.00–79.00 $77.13 $1,182 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1435–1900 1614 75-80% 13 75.00–78.00 $76.55 $1,236 -2.45
1603–1665 1619 75-80% 4 75.00 $75.00 $1,214 -4.00
1435–1770 1644 75-80% 5 79.00–84.50 $81.99 $1,348 +13.02
1655 1655 75-80% 1 66.00 $66.00 $1,092 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1215 1215 1 77.00 $77.00 $936 —
1310–1838 1564 14 72.00–78.00 $75.28 $1,177 —
1310–1750 1578 8 71.00–80.00 $77.15 $1,217 —
1533–1838 1708 15 82.00–88.50 $84.48 $1,443 —
1065–2130 1728 12 82.50–88.50 $85.10 $1,471 —
1750–2360 2026 8 88.50–94.00 $91.30 $1,850 -0.79

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
855 thin fleshed 855 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 53.00 $53.00 $453
855–1350 1005 (<2 yrs)Open 50 72.00–94.50 $84.38 $848
830–1210 1062 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 11 59.00–78.00 $68.28 $725
1055–1485 1246 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 42 53.00–58.50 $57.17 $712
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860–1205 1043 (<2 yrs)Open 3 65.00–74.00 $69.99 $730

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1206 thin fleshed 1206 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 33 50.50 $50.50 $609
1060–1499 1301 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 234 53.00–59.00 $56.84 $739
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1018 1018 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 19 950.00 $950.00
1121 1121 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 810.00 $810.00
1209–1271 1236 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 68 835.00–860.00 $848.66
1262–1288 1280 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 47 1,075.00–1,225.00 $1,200.45

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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.