Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 29, 2021

2,262 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 $169.30/cwt +2.13 vs last sale · ≈ $911/hd at 538 lb · 132 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $156.39/cwt -5.61 vs last sale · ≈ $760/hd at 486 lb · 81 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 steers $180.32/cwt ≈ $761/hd at 422 lb · 79 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,262 2,514 1,165
Feeder cattle 1,121 604 440
Slaughter cattle 743 1,410 424
Replacement cattle 398 500 301

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Heifer calves sold were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mostly average to attractive and overall better than last week. Calves were mostly offered in small lots. Demand was light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Packers continue to show need for cows for immediate harvest as farmers and dairymen are busy with harvest. Slaughter cows sold fully steady on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold 1.00-4.00 lower. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were were mostly below average this sale with many very full cows and bulls on offer. Weigh up conditions were lower than last sale. Young age cows suitable to rebreed sold on mostly good demand, with several buyers actively bidding on this class of cow. Young cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 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
230 unweaned 230 2 215.00 $215.00 $494 —
278 unweaned 278 19 229.00 $229.00 $637 —
360–381 unweaned 368 27 180.00–201.00 $193.05 $710 —
414–436 unweaned 422 79 174.00–184.00 $180.32 $761 —
475–484 unweaned 483 15 171.50–175.00 $171.96 $831 —
517–544 unweaned 538 132 165.50–172.50 $169.30 $911 +2.13
555–573 unweaned 566 27 165.00–169.00 $166.60 $943 +6.23
622 unweaned 622 10 155.00 $155.00 $964 -4.00
652–692 unweaned 662 20 147.50–153.00 $151.56 $1,003 —
721 unweaned 721 5 147.00 $147.00 $1,060 —
868–890 874 4 145.00–151.00 $149.47 $1,306 +0.97
960 960 11 140.50 $140.50 $1,349 +4.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 unweaned 440 3 168.00 $168.00 $739 -11.18
517 unweaned 517 6 154.00 $154.00 $796 —
724 724 5 150.00 $150.00 $1,086 -9.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1066 1066 7 136.50 $136.50 $1,455 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
501 unweaned 501 7 145.00 $145.00 $726 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
278 unweaned 278 25 181.00 $181.00 $503 —
369–397 unweaned 384 34 168.00–177.00 $170.42 $654 -4.08
445 unweaned 445 32 161.50 $161.50 $719 -2.50
455–495 unweaned 486 81 150.00–158.00 $156.39 $760 -5.61
504–535 unweaned 515 63 143.00–153.00 $150.07 $773 -2.36
583 unweaned 583 10 141.00 $141.00 $822 -7.75
604–612 unweaned 607 25 141.00–144.00 $142.79 $867 -1.21
690 unweaned 690 5 140.00 $140.00 $966 —
771 771 6 149.00 $149.00 $1,149 —
803–818 811 16 141.00–141.50 $141.25 $1,146 -1.75
956–967 960 17 129.00–134.50 $131.63 $1,264 -1.15
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
361 unweaned 361 10 161.00 $161.00 $581 +6.00
404 unweaned 404 12 151.00 $151.00 $610 -8.00
466–490 unweaned 484 21 144.00–149.00 $145.15 $703 -8.88
730–734 732 31 144.00–145.50 $144.82 $1,060 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
379 unweaned 379 13 145.00 $145.00 $550 —
538 unweaned 538 3 135.00 $135.00 $726 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1008–1011 1010 10 126.00–130.50 $127.35 $1,286 -3.40

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381 unweaned 381 18 167.50 $167.50 $638 —
483 unweaned 483 3 154.00 $154.00 $744 -2.49
503 unweaned 503 14 154.00 $154.00 $775 ±0.00
578 unweaned 578 5 147.00 $147.00 $850 +2.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
878–982 943 85-90% 8 43.00–45.00 $44.30 $418 —
970–990 979 85-90% 5 47.00–53.00 $48.21 $472 +1.01
995 995 85-90% 1 55.00 $55.00 $547 +13.00
1013–1295 1159 85-90% 11 43.00–47.00 $44.75 $519 -7.35
1080–1240 1179 85-90% 45 47.00–54.00 $50.68 $598 -1.42
1023–1395 1199 85-90% 106 47.50–54.00 $51.88 $622 +1.35
1190–1258 1219 85-90% 20 54.50–57.00 $55.35 $675 -1.90
1098–1303 1247 85-90% 96 55.00–64.00 $56.29 $702 -0.96
1297 1297 85-90% 3 68.00 $68.00 $882 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1266–1595 1417 80-85% 44 71.50–75.00 $72.36 $1,025 +18.17
1270–1720 1436 80-85% 33 51.00–58.00 $54.07 $776 -18.43
1320–1685 1444 80-85% 45 62.00–70.00 $65.88 $951 -6.62
1425–1525 1475 80-85% 2 44.00–48.50 $46.17 $681 -15.89
1445–1570 1479 80-85% 12 58.50–64.00 $61.39 $908 -0.67
1335–1596 1500 80-85% 19 54.00–59.00 $57.08 $856 —
1332–1630 1506 80-85% 15 68.00–73.00 $71.31 $1,074 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400 1400 75-80% 1 79.00 $79.00 $1,106 —
1633 1633 75-80% 2 81.00 $81.00 $1,323 —
1525–1960 1666 75-80% 12 68.00–71.00 $69.78 $1,163 -7.45
1615–1900 1811 75-80% 7 71.00–78.00 $73.61 $1,333 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1470–1835 1701 6 83.00–85.50 $83.85 $1,426 —
1950–2005 1978 2 78.00 $78.00 $1,543 —
1700–2345 2055 7 80.00–87.00 $84.53 $1,737 +13.50
1720–2410 2092 9 87.50–95.00 $90.07 $1,884 +19.04

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
860 thin fleshed 860 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 52.50 $52.50 $452
788–1315 945 (<2 yrs)Open 171 73.00–108.50 $100.92 $954
786–1308 1032 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 85 59.00–92.00 $78.76 $813
1093 1093 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 5 53.00 $53.00 $579
1111 thin fleshed 1111 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 48.00 $48.00 $533
1088–1228 1175 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 13 55.00–69.50 $60.44 $710
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800 800 (<2 yrs)Open 6 84.00 $84.00 $672
1080–1388 1285 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 54.00–61.00 $59.04 $759

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1161–1188 1172 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 26 1,160.00–1,175.00 $1,166.43
1289 1289 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 17 800.00 $800.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1214 1214 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 10 825.00 $825.00

↑ Back to top

Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1058 1058 (<2 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 9 1,110.00 $1,110.00

↑ Back to top

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.