Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 24, 2021

1,471 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 $201.01/cwt +27.23 vs last sale · ≈ $843/hd at 419 lb · 58 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $183.96/cwt +25.25 vs last sale · ≈ $945/hd at 514 lb · 48 head
light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $164.99/cwt ≈ $730/hd at 443 lb · 41 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,471 2,419 1,809
Feeder cattle 568 548 519
Slaughter cattle 620 1,085 1,008
Replacement cattle 283 786 282

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noted and sharply higher undertones noted at times. Quality this week was mixed from average to attractive. Demand was mostly good to very good. CME positions continue to climb higher. Demand for grass type calves was very good as the August board has pushed into the upper 170's in days. Market activity was mostly active this week. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for moderate offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this sale as packers pushed to buy for the rest of the holiday break. Very few sales are occurring late in the week due to the holiday. Slaughter cows sold steady to 1.00 higher on all classes. Packers were less interested in buying high quality feeding cows as they would have to sit in the yards for the rest of the week due to the holiday. Demand for feeding cows was lighter, however quality was mostly plain to average with very few high quality cows on offer. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00-3.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to weak.

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
404–435 unweaned 417 26 188.00–210.00 $198.78 $829 +25.00
415–422 421 32 201.00–203.00 $202.82 $854 —
481 unweaned 481 19 190.00 $190.00 $914 —
506–523 unweaned 511 7 184.00–193.00 $190.37 $973 +31.04
507–544 514 41 178.50–184.00 $182.86 $940 +25.86
553–590 585 29 175.50–178.00 $175.83 $1,029 —
606–623 unweaned 612 6 163.00–166.00 $164.98 $1,010 —
660 unweaned 660 2 150.00 $150.00 $990 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
249 unweaned 249 5 190.00 $190.00 $473 —
338 338 3 205.00 $205.00 $693 —
403–445 427 7 170.00 $170.00 $726 —
540 unweaned 540 2 149.00 $149.00 $805 —
588 588 3 153.00 $153.00 $900 —
604–640 unweaned 616 9 139.00–147.00 $141.77 $873 +16.77
714 unweaned 714 9 136.00 $136.00 $971 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
384 384 5 187.50 $187.50 $720 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 320 6 170.00 $170.00 $544 —
375 unweaned 375 5 167.50 $167.50 $628 —
439 unweaned 439 11 161.00 $161.00 $707 —
440–447 444 30 160.00–173.00 $166.45 $739 —
471–485 472 21 154.00 $154.00 $727 —
460–481 unweaned 479 12 152.50–157.00 $156.64 $750 +16.64
511–530 unweaned 522 23 150.00–157.00 $154.10 $804 +12.10
563–578 unweaned 567 8 141.00 $141.00 $799 +6.14
620–638 unweaned 634 4 136.00–138.00 $136.49 $865 +0.99
644 644 21 135.00 $135.00 $869 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–388 361 12 157.50–162.50 $158.40 $572 —
399 unweaned 399 8 155.00 $155.00 $618 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1045 1045 2 117.00 $117.00 $1,223 —
1059 1059 4 121.00 $121.00 $1,281 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 unweaned 525 3 139.00 $139.00 $730 +19.00
897 897 3 130.00 $130.00 $1,166 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1018 1018 2 136.00 $136.00 $1,384 —
1100 1100 1 129.00 $129.00 $1,419 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
568 unweaned 568 6 137.50 $137.50 $781 +5.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 3 101.50 $101.50 $1,198 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
558 unweaned 558 2 128.00 $128.00 $714 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810–915 845 85-90% 3 27.50–33.00 $31.01 $262 —
945 945 85-90% 1 37.00 $37.00 $350 —
1053–1172 1124 85-90% 5 32.00–35.00 $33.88 $381 +2.12
1140–1236 1180 85-90% 12 56.00–59.00 $57.13 $674 +17.49
963–1310 1186 85-90% 149 35.00–44.50 $39.99 $474 +1.51
1163–1335 1205 85-90% 16 27.00–35.00 $33.12 $399 —
1025–1385 1211 85-90% 84 35.00–44.50 $39.91 $483 —
1185–1290 1273 85-90% 36 46.00–52.00 $49.66 $632 +0.75
1317–1378 1332 85-90% 21 45.50 $45.50 $606 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1580 1377 80-85% 55 43.00–49.00 $46.72 $643 -3.70
1320–1530 1404 80-85% 39 40.00–46.00 $42.86 $602 —
1415 1415 80-85% 1 62.00 $62.00 $877 +18.51
1326–1530 1419 80-85% 34 50.00–59.00 $53.78 $763 +10.29
1340–1545 1435 80-85% 7 36.00–39.00 $37.30 $535 -6.19
1330–1620 1510 80-85% 3 50.00–56.00 $53.17 $803 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275–1565 1508 75-80% 18 60.00–66.50 $62.73 $946 +3.06
1561 1561 75-80% 6 58.50 $58.50 $913 —
1575 1575 75-80% 1 55.00 $55.00 $866 —
1678 1678 75-80% 2 63.00 $63.00 $1,057 -0.09
1830 1830 75-80% 1 69.50 $69.50 $1,272 —
1895 1895 75-80% 1 67.00 $67.00 $1,270 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1080–1395 1238 2 62.00–75.00 $67.67 $838 —
1428–1750 1507 6 77.50–83.00 $81.69 $1,231 —
1410–1995 1662 8 71.00–77.00 $73.59 $1,223 +2.27
1515–1935 1811 13 78.00–87.50 $82.76 $1,499 —
1900–2075 1993 5 89.00–92.00 $90.62 $1,806 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
743–880 thin fleshed 778 (<2 yrs)Open 6 80.00–85.00 $83.10 $647
755–1345 925 (<2 yrs)Open 112 62.00–111.00 $97.14 $899
805–1180 thin fleshed 1105 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 5 49.00–60.00 $50.60 $559
830–1269 1114 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 34 55.00–79.00 $68.26 $760
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1200 1200 (<2 yrs)Open 1 54.00 $54.00 $648

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1007–1425 1074 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 12 800.00–1,085.00 $941.98
1085 1085 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 15 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1145 1145 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 4 1,200.00 $1,200.00
1300 1300 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 810.00 $810.00
1434 1434 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 5 775.00 $775.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
999 999 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 11 800.00 $800.00

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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.