Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 22, 2021

2,514 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 heifers $150.63/cwt -2.33 vs last sale · ≈ $801/hd at 531 lb · 68 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $160.37/cwt -4.13 vs last sale · ≈ $949/hd at 592 lb · 44 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $167.17/cwt +1.94 vs last sale · ≈ $858/hd at 513 lb · 29 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,514 2,905 1,786
Feeder cattle 604 1,890 1,346
Slaughter cattle 1,410 767 400
Replacement cattle 500 248 40

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer and heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average. Calves were mostly offered in small lots or as singles. Demand was light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for heavy offerings. Ranches continue to cull cows hard as high hay prices are forcing ranchers to thin down herds. Packers showed slightly stronger demand for slaughter cows this week compared to last week. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold steady to weak. Feeding cow demand remains mostly good. However the quality of feeding cows was not as attractive this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week with most cows pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold on good demand, with several buyers actively bidding on this class of cow. This class of cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher.

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
503–539 unweaned 513 29 164.00–168.00 $167.17 $858 +1.94
591–595 unweaned 592 44 160.00–160.50 $160.37 $949 -4.16
643 unweaned 643 3 159.00 $159.00 $1,022 -0.78
899 899 11 148.50 $148.50 $1,335 +7.50
938 938 2 144.00 $144.00 $1,351 —
968 968 5 136.00 $136.00 $1,316 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
390–398 unweaned 394 4 182.50–188.00 $185.28 $730 +11.76
403–420 unweaned 410 5 178.00–180.00 $179.18 $735 —
495 unweaned 495 9 165.00 $165.00 $817 +3.81
571–591 unweaned 581 14 153.00–156.00 $154.47 $897 +11.47
605–615 unweaned 610 2 152.00 $152.00 $927 —
723 723 9 159.00 $159.00 $1,150 +4.00
900 900 2 132.00–139.50 $135.75 $1,222 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1037 1037 5 137.00 $137.00 $1,421 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
628 628 3 156.00 $156.00 $980 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 unweaned 391 5 174.50 $174.50 $682 +0.03
428 unweaned 428 8 162.50–165.50 $164.00 $702 -6.49
460 unweaned 460 5 162.00 $162.00 $745 -5.17
516–544 unweaned 529 55 150.00–158.00 $152.43 $806 -0.53
542 542 13 143.00 $143.00 $775 —
563–571 unweaned 568 20 147.00–150.00 $148.75 $845 -1.25
600 unweaned 600 4 144.00 $144.00 $864 -1.62
816 816 9 143.00 $143.00 $1,167 +3.00
951–985 965 18 130.50–134.00 $132.78 $1,281 +0.35
970 970 6 118.50 $118.50 $1,149 -13.93
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 unweaned 375 3 155.00 $155.00 $581 —
413 unweaned 413 3 159.00 $159.00 $657 -3.00
455–478 unweaned 465 7 149.00–158.00 $154.03 $716 —
538–544 unweaned 542 19 144.00–146.00 $144.63 $784 —
865 865 4 136.00 $136.00 $1,176 —
930–938 936 5 133.00–136.00 $135.40 $1,267 —
973 973 2 120.00 $120.00 $1,168 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1013 1013 14 130.75 $130.75 $1,324 -2.35
1025 1025 2 127.50 $127.50 $1,307 -5.60
1075 1075 2 129.00 $129.00 $1,387 -1.00
1141 1141 8 126.00 $126.00 $1,438 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
682 682 3 144.00 $144.00 $982 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475–497 unweaned 491 7 154.00–163.00 $156.49 $768 —
505 unweaned 505 3 154.00 $154.00 $778 +4.51
553 unweaned 553 3 145.00 $145.00 $802 —
943 943 7 125.00 $125.00 $1,179 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
365 unweaned 365 1 175.00 $175.00 $639 —
475 unweaned 475 10 161.00 $161.00 $765 —
627–630 unweaned 628 5 138.00–141.00 $139.80 $878 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
953–973 963 85-90% 5 46.00–52.00 $47.20 $455 -10.80
995 995 85-90% 1 42.00 $42.00 $418 -9.00
1121–1353 1179 85-90% 96 51.00–54.50 $52.10 $614 —
1015–1315 1186 85-90% 220 47.00–53.50 $50.53 $599 —
1145–1293 1229 85-90% 88 55.00–63.00 $57.25 $704 +5.41
1090–1318 1260 85-90% 50 54.00–60.00 $55.87 $704 -0.74
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1255–1558 1392 80-85% 37 54.00–62.00 $58.55 $815 +3.06
1295–1580 1399 80-85% 198 61.00–70.00 $65.33 $914 -0.22
1235–1620 1410 80-85% 26 51.00–57.50 $54.19 $764 -2.73
1243–1578 1440 80-85% 86 70.50–79.00 $72.50 $1,044 -2.65
1374–1635 1484 80-85% 18 59.00–64.50 $62.06 $921 +0.02
1522–1610 1544 80-85% 8 70.50–76.50 $72.06 $1,113 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1523 1523 75-80% 2 70.00 $70.00 $1,066 —
1455–1695 1538 75-80% 8 65.00–74.00 $69.34 $1,066 —
1475–1644 1580 75-80% 7 81.00–82.00 $81.27 $1,284 -1.53
1577–1729 1667 75-80% 10 75.50–78.50 $77.23 $1,287 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1280–1715 1338 13 81.00–88.50 $86.84 $1,162 —
1395 1395 3 78.00 $78.00 $1,088 —
1233–1980 1417 13 72.00–77.00 $74.09 $1,050 +4.04
1550–1970 1795 18 80.00–88.00 $85.54 $1,535 —
1880–2130 2002 6 88.00–95.50 $91.01 $1,822 —
2000–2135 2068 2 70.00–72.00 $71.03 $1,469 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2605 2605 1 72.00 $72.00 $1,876 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880 thin fleshed 880 (<2 yrs)Open 1 67.50 $67.50 $594
962 thin fleshed 962 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 53.00 $53.00 $510
860–1340 1041 (<2 yrs)Open 196 70.00–104.50 $88.01 $916
840–1305 1080 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 110 62.00–92.00 $73.16 $790
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
845–1085 932 (<2 yrs)Open 7 71.00–80.00 $74.01 $690
1410 1410 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 66.00 $66.00 $931
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815 815 (<2 yrs)Open 1 85.00 $85.00 $693

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1260 1260 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 24 58.00 $58.00 $731
1262 thin fleshed 1262 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 27 52.00 $52.00 $656
1317 thin fleshed 1317 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 53.50 $53.50 $705
1514 1514 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 8 61.00 $61.00 $924
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1039–1258 1091 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 25 1,100.00–1,135.00 $1,120.63
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1236 1236 Aged (>8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 54.50 $54.50 $674

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
909 thin fleshed 909 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 7 1,110.00 $1,110.00

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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.