Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, May 11, 2022

1,219 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M 1 heifers $152.50/cwt ≈ $718/hd at 471 lb · 17 head
light 7-weight M&L 2 steers $139.64/cwt ≈ $1,008/hd at 722 lb · 13 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $159.50/cwt +4.50 vs last sale · ≈ $1,113/hd at 698 lb · 12 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,219 1,376 3,066
Feeder cattle 266 362 2,256
Slaughter cattle 482 399 322
Replacement cattle 471 615 488

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain and lower in quality than last weeks offering. Demand for feeders was mostly light as limited offerings and poorer quality hampered demand. Lower CME feeder prices were seen today as grain prices continue to rally. Market activity this week was mostly slow. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows this week as they competed with feeder buyers over offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00 higher on all classes of cows. Feeding cows sold generally steady to firm, with the largest increase in price coming from thin lower quality cows that will gain quickly when put on feed. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Bull quality this week was not as attractive as last week. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average. Cows were pushing much more fill this week compared to last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Demand for cattle to rebreed continues to be good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
550 550 7 160.00 $160.00 $880 —
707–735 722 13 138.00–141.00 $139.64 $1,008 —
775–790 786 10 128.00–134.00 $129.78 $1,020 —
889 889 10 124.00 $124.00 $1,102 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
375 unweaned 375 7 186.00 $186.00 $698 —
411 411 4 185.00 $185.00 $760 -14.22
459 unweaned 459 6 180.00 $180.00 $826 —
747 747 3 158.00 $158.00 $1,180 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
660–690 675 2 175.00–178.00 $176.47 $1,191 —
748 748 2 169.00 $169.00 $1,264 —
765 765 3 155.00 $155.00 $1,186 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
698 698 12 159.50 $159.50 $1,113 —
715 715 6 153.00 $153.00 $1,094 —
808–840 817 8 141.00–145.50 $142.52 $1,164 —
853 853 2 132.00 $132.00 $1,126 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
381 381 7 174.50 $174.50 $665 —
471 471 17 152.50 $152.50 $718 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 2 159.00 $159.00 $755 —
520 520 1 164.00 $164.00 $853 -1.00
641 641 4 155.00 $155.00 $994 -4.30

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
646 646 8 149.00 $149.00 $963 —
824 824 4 141.00 $141.00 $1,162 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085 1085 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,237 —
1126 1126 6 109.50 $109.50 $1,233 +2.50
1170 1170 1 103.00 $103.00 $1,205 —
1225 1225 2 102.00 $102.00 $1,250 -3.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895 895 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $644 —
938 938 85-90% 2 45.00 $45.00 $422 —
948 948 85-90% 2 65.00 $65.00 $616 —
1020–1053 1045 85-90% 4 51.00 $51.00 $533 —
1071–1310 1170 85-90% 31 63.00–73.50 $68.09 $797 +3.19
900–1295 1176 85-90% 25 64.00–74.00 $71.06 $836 +6.16
1090–1212 1177 85-90% 9 74.00–77.50 $75.71 $891 +10.81
1080–1355 1207 85-90% 56 74.00–79.00 $75.43 $910 -1.59
1178–1278 1238 85-90% 6 79.50–82.00 $81.24 $1,006 +12.72
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1286–1653 1418 80-85% 47 75.00–83.00 $78.29 $1,110 -4.22
1418–1460 1432 80-85% 3 83.50–84.00 $83.67 $1,198 +1.16
1350–1675 1437 80-85% 25 74.50–79.50 $77.37 $1,112 +2.87
1320–1550 1449 80-85% 27 68.00–74.00 $71.51 $1,036 +4.51
1350–1730 1465 80-85% 13 65.50–74.00 $69.95 $1,025 -8.69
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1430–1500 1465 75-80% 2 84.50–86.00 $85.27 $1,249 —
1512–1675 1553 75-80% 4 80.00–84.50 $83.29 $1,293 —
1505–1678 1619 75-80% 17 78.50–85.00 $81.09 $1,313 -4.58
1598–1839 1658 75-80% 32 72.50–76.75 $75.57 $1,253 -3.64
1678 1678 75-80% 3 72.50 $72.50 $1,217 -6.71
2300 2300 75-80% 1 67.00 $67.00 $1,541 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1298 1298 3 73.00 $73.00 $948 —
1260–1389 1333 13 93.00–98.00 $96.98 $1,293 -2.14
1290–1391 1373 6 77.50–91.00 $80.94 $1,111 -3.31
1510–1765 1635 9 79.00–93.00 $86.77 $1,419 —
1535–1890 1753 15 93.50–103.00 $98.88 $1,733 —
1835–2365 2035 3 104.00–108.00 $106.49 $2,167 -2.30

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
744–1237 984 (<2 yrs)Open 91 94.00–132.50 $109.16 $1,074
980–1375 1196 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 28 75.00–92.00 $81.53 $975
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
884–985 904 (<2 yrs)Open 5 92.00–101.00 $99.04 $895

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1226–1257 1233 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 17 1,285.00–1,375.00 $1,360.64
1362 1362 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 11 1,150.00 $1,150.00
1390 1390 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1221 thin fleshed 1221 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 9 1,235.00 $1,235.00 —
1229–1402 1331 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 47 1,550.00–1,775.00 $1,642.31 +192.31
1341 thin fleshed 1341 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 31 1,825.00 $1,825.00 +225.00
1308–1458 1376 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 11 1,210.00–1,325.00 $1,265.38 -34.62
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1387 1387 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 1,625.00 $1,625.00 +475.00

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Heifer Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1030–1039 thin fleshed 1033 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 36 1,660.00–1,825.00 $1,778.88 —

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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.