Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, June 8, 2022

990 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 1-2 steers $192.93/cwt ≈ $1,021/hd at 529 lb · 21 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $167.54/cwt +2.54 vs last sale · ≈ $973/hd at 581 lb · 16 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $164.00/cwt ≈ $756/hd at 461 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 990 827 1,533
Feeder cattle 175 155 244
Slaughter cattle 570 407 1,036
Replacement cattle 245 265 253

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was plain to average. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate, with the best demand seen for cattle suitable to run on grass. Market activity this week was moderate. Weigh up cows comprised the majority of the sale this week. Demand for slaughter cows was significantly stronger compared to last week. Breaking cows sold generally steady. Boning cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. Lean cows sold with the best demand and advanced 2.00-5.00 higher. Demand from western packers was very strong this week as cow prices in Washington and Idaho are sharply higher due to tight cow supplies. Demand for cows improved throughout the sale. Fewer cows were purchased to feed this week as slaughter demand surpassed feeding demand. Feeding cows sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to firm. Weigh up conditions were average to above average today as most cows were slicked off and very empty. Young age cows sold steady to 5.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive and overall better than last weeks offering.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
436 436 8 200.00 $200.00 $872 —
517–533 529 21 192.00–196.00 $192.93 $1,021 —
620 620 3 174.00 $174.00 $1,079 —
670 670 2 175.00 $175.00 $1,172 —
762–790 774 7 147.00–150.00 $149.28 $1,155 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
654–660 655 9 177.00–179.00 $178.78 $1,171 —
898 898 2 150.00 $150.00 $1,347 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
553–587 581 16 167.00–170.00 $167.54 $973 +2.54
606–625 609 11 168.00–170.00 $169.63 $1,033 —
655–662 660 4 152.00–157.00 $155.76 $1,028 +0.16
700–735 709 4 145.50–150.00 $146.67 $1,040 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383 unweaned 383 3 160.00 $160.00 $613 —
461 461 15 164.00 $164.00 $756 —
580 580 3 159.00 $159.00 $922 -1.00
678 678 6 148.00 $148.00 $1,003 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 1 180.00 $180.00 $927 —
637 637 5 151.00 $151.00 $962 -1.00
934 934 6 125.00 $125.00 $1,168 —
973 973 4 128.00 $128.00 $1,245 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050 1050 6 121.00 $121.00 $1,270 —
1150 1150 2 105.00 $105.00 $1,208 -12.00

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
885–965 925 85-90% 2 54.00–57.00 $55.44 $513 —
941 941 85-90% 4 74.00 $74.00 $696 —
972–1400 1114 85-90% 41 62.00–73.00 $70.05 $780 —
1010–1390 1204 85-90% 104 73.00–80.00 $77.50 $933 +11.45
1035–1398 1231 85-90% 46 80.00–88.00 $82.85 $1,020 +16.80
1225–1258 1247 85-90% 3 74.00–78.00 $75.31 $939 —
1237–1326 1258 85-90% 26 83.00–84.75 $84.32 $1,061 +12.36
1305 1305 85-90% 1 72.00 $72.00 $940 —
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1293–1420 1327 80-85% 14 81.50–84.50 $82.65 $1,097 —
1321–1595 1349 80-85% 11 72.00–73.50 $73.20 $987 —
1305–1510 1350 80-85% 26 74.00–80.00 $76.61 $1,034 —
1304–1570 1370 80-85% 29 82.00–88.00 $83.49 $1,144 +2.72
1365–1505 1435 80-85% 2 73.00–74.00 $73.48 $1,054 -2.59
1360–1710 1447 80-85% 31 75.50–82.00 $78.67 $1,138 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1425–1605 1512 75-80% 3 78.00 $78.00 $1,179 -1.84
1620 1620 75-80% 1 82.50 $82.50 $1,336 —
1500–1800 1650 75-80% 2 85.00–85.50 $85.27 $1,407 +9.27
1574–1795 1659 75-80% 17 79.50–84.50 $80.86 $1,341 +4.86
1755 1755 75-80% 1 73.00 $73.00 $1,281 -8.50

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1221 1216 6 82.00–86.50 $85.77 $1,043 —
1255–1453 1331 13 91.00–99.50 $94.92 $1,263 —
1357–2140 1648 23 81.00–93.00 $89.18 $1,470 —
1453–2325 1712 21 93.00–105.00 $100.39 $1,719 —
1775–2328 2035 20 105.00–115.00 $109.21 $2,222 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2205 2205 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,984 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850–1365 1008 (<2 yrs)Open 58 92.00–125.00 $113.41 $1,143
1090–1196 1140 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 38 74.00–78.50 $76.26 $869
1050–1255 thin fleshed 1153 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 74.00–75.00 $74.54 $859
870–1370 1158 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 63 77.00–107.00 $86.26 $999
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
785–885 835 (<2 yrs)Open 2 85.00–86.00 $85.47 $714

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1148–1184 1159 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 13 1,200.00–1,235.00 $1,224.00
1135–1304 1197 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 19 1,075.00–1,085.00 $1,079.01
1287 1287 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 1,085.00 $1,085.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1165–1215 1194 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 103.00–106.00 $105.02 $1,254
1450 1450 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 99.00 $99.00 $1,436
1578 1578 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 74.50 $74.50 $1,176

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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.