Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 15, 2021

2,905 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $180.17/cwt -7.33 vs last sale · ≈ $867/hd at 481 lb · 203 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $183.83/cwt -7.76 vs last sale · ≈ $798/hd at 434 lb · 195 head
heavy 3-weight M&L 1 heifers $179.25/cwt -4.00 vs last sale · ≈ $692/hd at 386 lb · 182 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,905 1,533 1,218
Feeder cattle 1,890 582 953
Slaughter cattle 767 435 247
Replacement cattle 248 516 18

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were scarcely tested last sale so no trend is available. Steer calves sold 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 lower, while over 850 lbs sold steady to weak. Heifer calves sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower. Quality this week was average to attractive for calves and mostly average for yearlings. Demand was light to moderate for all feeder cattle on offer. Weaned calves were left untagged. Many Midwestern farmer feeders are beginning harvest soon and many are not willing to take calves yet. Market activity this week was slow to moderate. Fewer buyers were seen this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for low yielding cows allowing many of these cows to sell to feeding buyers. Demand for average to high yielding cows was stronger this sale than last. Breaking cows sold steady to firm, while boning and lean cows sold unevenly steady. Feeding cows sold unevenly steady, high quality cows sold higher, while thin feeding cows sold mostly lower. Slaughter bulls sold steady. Many very thin cows continue to be seen. Most of these cows have freshly weaned calves and many have big bags. Young age cows sold generally steady. 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
267–286 unweaned 275 17 225.00–230.00 $227.34 $625 —
304–335 unweaned 322 34 207.50–220.00 $217.54 $700 —
351–388 unweaned 369 64 189.00–210.00 $200.40 $739 -15.49
410–443 unweaned 434 195 180.50–187.50 $183.83 $798 -7.76
454–496 unweaned 481 203 170.00–184.00 $180.17 $867 -7.33
513–537 unweaned 531 49 164.00–168.50 $165.23 $877 -10.55
554 554 5 164.00 $164.00 $909 —
550–599 unweaned 566 73 156.00–166.50 $164.53 $931 -1.05
629 629 6 160.00 $160.00 $1,006 —
628–635 unweaned 634 23 159.50–160.00 $159.78 $1,013 —
723 723 56 165.75 $165.75 $1,198 —
738 unweaned 738 11 164.50 $164.50 $1,214 —
879 879 13 141.00 $141.00 $1,239 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
295 unweaned 295 3 190.00 $190.00 $560 —
385–389 unweaned 387 7 165.00–185.00 $173.52 $672 -8.98
473–488 unweaned 477 9 152.00–172.00 $161.19 $769 -11.81
513–520 unweaned 517 6 150.00–161.00 $155.46 $804 —
555 unweaned 555 2 143.00 $143.00 $794 —
749 749 4 155.00 $155.00 $1,161 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270 unweaned 270 5 215.00 $215.00 $580 —
369 unweaned 369 4 187.50 $187.50 $692 —
420–430 unweaned 424 8 174.00–179.00 $175.90 $746 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 unweaned 435 16 122.50 $122.50 $533 —
Small 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
317 unweaned 317 8 150.00 $150.00 $476 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262–268 unweaned 264 8 190.00–200.00 $196.20 $518 +5.20
304–328 unweaned 320 38 182.50–191.00 $186.56 $597 +0.56
350–392 unweaned 382 126 172.50–181.00 $174.47 $666 -8.78
395 fancy 395 56 190.00 $190.00 $750 —
407–445 unweaned 435 100 167.00–177.00 $170.49 $742 -8.11
458 458 4 165.00 $165.00 $756 —
450–498 unweaned 467 34 159.00–171.50 $167.17 $781 +3.01
510–549 unweaned 514 15 150.00–155.50 $152.96 $786 -4.04
571–583 unweaned 573 20 150.00 $150.00 $860 -1.30
603–605 unweaned 604 8 143.00–150.00 $145.62 $880 —
753 753 6 147.00 $147.00 $1,107 -6.37
809–825 810 69 145.50–146.50 $145.56 $1,179 -2.94
812 812 3 140.00 $140.00 $1,137 -8.50
863–890 864 40 138.00–145.75 $145.55 $1,258 +1.82
910–927 918 13 133.50–138.00 $136.51 $1,253 -0.24
968–993 982 16 131.00–134.00 $132.43 $1,300 -1.57
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1006 1006 5 119.50 $119.50 $1,202 -13.65
1005–1020 1009 15 131.00–133.25 $133.10 $1,343 -0.05
1073 1073 2 130.00 $130.00 $1,395 -1.50
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
262 unweaned 262 13 160.00 $160.00 $419 —
434 unweaned 434 5 156.00 $156.00 $677 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 unweaned 435 3 162.00 $162.00 $705 —
504 unweaned 504 5 142.00 $142.00 $716 —
553 unweaned 553 2 134.00 $134.00 $741 —
849 849 7 143.50 $143.50 $1,218 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
363 unweaned 363 8 153.00 $153.00 $555 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 unweaned 378 6 122.50 $122.50 $463 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
396 unweaned 396 7 173.00 $173.00 $685 —
515–521 unweaned 517 20 145.00–151.00 $149.49 $773 —
726 unweaned 726 11 144.00 $144.00 $1,045 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1081 1081 4 113.00 $113.00 $1,222 +5.34
1120 1120 2 106.00 $106.00 $1,187 —
1210 1210 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,162 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
910–970 930 85-90% 3 44.00–45.00 $44.65 $415 —
975 975 85-90% 1 58.00 $58.00 $566 +10.50
995 995 85-90% 1 51.00 $51.00 $507 —
1011–1095 1042 85-90% 22 44.00–47.50 $46.00 $479 —
1020–1280 1118 85-90% 82 48.00–52.50 $49.21 $550 —
1042–1383 1230 85-90% 130 49.00–53.50 $51.84 $638 -6.40
1040–1353 1240 85-90% 41 54.00–59.00 $56.09 $696 -2.15
1160–1318 1256 85-90% 64 55.00–58.00 $56.61 $711 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1323–1670 1391 80-85% 40 52.00–58.75 $55.49 $772 -0.79
1245–1550 1397 80-85% 104 61.00–69.00 $65.55 $916 +9.27
1390–1510 1432 80-85% 6 53.50–58.00 $56.92 $815 —
1285–1550 1433 80-85% 31 72.00–78.00 $75.15 $1,077 —
1455–1508 1490 80-85% 3 59.00–63.50 $62.04 $924 +0.80
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1379 1379 75-80% 4 73.50 $73.50 $1,014 —
1555 1555 75-80% 1 62.00 $62.00 $964 —
1425–1675 1598 75-80% 6 81.00–85.50 $82.80 $1,323 —
1283–1790 1609 75-80% 15 74.00–77.50 $76.12 $1,225 -0.43
1605–1780 1732 75-80% 6 71.50–73.00 $72.42 $1,254 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1383–1468 1444 7 68.00–75.50 $70.05 $1,012 —
1276–1825 1445 9 78.00–88.00 $81.33 $1,175 —
1465–2035 1746 6 72.00–77.00 $73.94 $1,291 -11.16
1715–2120 1866 9 84.00–88.50 $86.05 $1,606 —
1710–2100 1928 6 91.00–94.00 $92.52 $1,784 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
825–920 thin fleshed 873 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 54.00 $54.00 $471
767–1305 954 (<2 yrs)Open 112 71.50–92.00 $83.36 $795
860–1385 1018 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 55 58.00–81.50 $75.28 $766
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
945 945 (<2 yrs)Open 2 72.00 $72.00 $680
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
925 925 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 61.00 $61.00 $564

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1052–1305 1159 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 21 1,050.00–1,100.00 $1,076.90

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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.