Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report, Billings, MT

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, August 24, 2022

1,314 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $166.10/cwt +5.96 vs last sale · ≈ $1,608/hd at 968 lb · 97 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $170.87/cwt +3.75 vs last sale · ≈ $1,519/hd at 889 lb · 56 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $176.35/cwt -0.65 vs last sale · ≈ $1,377/hd at 781 lb · 55 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,314 491 3,581
Feeder cattle 951 195 1,752
Slaughter cattle 312 277 1,259
Replacement cattle 51 19 570

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (8-10-22): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to establish an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for all feeder cattle was good to very good. Lots of yearlings were seen today and most were offered in small packages. Demand for larger packages was very good for all weights and sexes. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale and market activity was mostly active. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for mostly light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was moderate to good. Western packers continue to be active participants in the market as they buy cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower on all classes as eastern packers took a step back and allowed prices to slide lower. Feeding cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Several independent feeding cow buyers were active in buying offerings this week. Feeding cows have not been tested in recent weeks as most have sold to slaughter buyers. No trend is available as a result. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Feeding bull buyers pushed to own many of the light weight thinner fleshed bulls that would gain quickly on feed. This pressured slaughter bull buyers as they searched for offerings for immediate harvest. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with most cows and bulls pushing heavy amounts of fill. Cow and bull quality was average to attractive this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate to good demand today. This class was too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

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
352–395 unweaned 356 10 227.50–228.00 $227.94 $811 —
412–422 unweaned 420 17 219.00 $219.00 $920 —
479–490 unweaned 484 18 215.00–225.00 $220.80 $1,069 —
500–518 unweaned 514 4 207.00–213.00 $208.46 $1,071 —
620–628 unweaned 627 10 192.00–201.50 $192.94 $1,210 —
650 unweaned 650 5 197.50 $197.50 $1,284 —
735–745 744 14 189.50–194.00 $189.82 $1,412 —
766 766 7 181.00 $181.00 $1,386 —
771 771 6 186.00 $186.00 $1,434 —
801–848 818 44 181.00–187.50 $185.97 $1,521 +6.97
873–895 877 6 179.00–182.50 $181.90 $1,595 —
938–947 946 25 174.00–175.50 $175.38 $1,659 —
959–979 975 38 173.50–174.25 $174.11 $1,698 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1028–1041 1037 15 169.00–173.50 $172.01 $1,784 —
1079 1079 4 163.00 $163.00 $1,759 —
1105 1105 24 154.50 $154.50 $1,707 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
467 unweaned 467 14 210.00 $210.00 $981 —
525 unweaned 525 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,024 —
838 838 2 183.00 $183.00 $1,534 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100 1100 11 147.50 $147.50 $1,622 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380–385 unweaned 384 4 221.00–232.50 $223.85 $860 —
453 unweaned 453 20 208.00 $208.00 $942 —
569 unweaned 569 14 193.00 $193.00 $1,098 —
621–646 636 13 179.00–181.00 $180.25 $1,146 +2.25
695 695 9 180.00 $180.00 $1,251 —
763–795 781 55 175.50–180.00 $176.35 $1,377 -0.65
812–837 827 9 174.00–181.00 $176.29 $1,458 +7.29
876–896 889 56 169.50–172.00 $170.87 $1,519 +3.75
913–935 928 36 166.50–170.25 $168.82 $1,567 +4.15
940 940 11 162.00 $162.00 $1,523 -2.67
950–978 965 52 169.00–172.00 $170.41 $1,644 +10.27
963–990 970 35 161.50–163.50 $162.19 $1,573 +2.05
970–987 979 10 156.00–160.00 $157.41 $1,541 -2.73
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
797 797 3 164.50 $164.50 $1,311 —
1005–1044 1008 45 169.50–169.75 $169.73 $1,711 —
1010–1026 1018 41 156.00–164.00 $161.17 $1,641 —
1056 1056 11 167.50 $167.50 $1,769 +14.00
1055–1069 1061 20 160.50–161.00 $160.73 $1,705 +7.23
1111–1130 1118 8 145.50–158.00 $153.86 $1,720 —
1184 1184 4 150.50 $150.50 $1,782 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
372 unweaned 372 7 213.00 $213.00 $792 —
716 716 13 169.00–172.00 $171.08 $1,225 —
825 825 1 166.00 $166.00 $1,370 +6.00
913–921 918 12 162.50–163.50 $162.91 $1,496 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
632–640 634 11 172.00–175.00 $173.36 $1,099 —
658 658 6 175.00 $175.00 $1,152 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1095 1095 2 123.00 $123.00 $1,347 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
578 unweaned 578 2 166.00 $166.00 $959 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1252–1790 1362 80-85% 34 83.50–89.00 $86.20 $1,174 -6.09
1375 1375 80-85% 1 81.00 $81.00 $1,114 -11.29
1278–1870 1389 80-85% 16 84.00–89.00 $85.61 $1,189 -6.68
1310–1615 1463 80-85% 8 77.00–83.00 $81.39 $1,191 -1.49
1550–1585 1568 80-85% 4 90.00–95.50 $92.49 $1,450 —
1740 1740 80-85% 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,618 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
828 828 85-90% 2 63.00 $63.00 $522 —
1025–1280 1200 85-90% 5 74.00–83.00 $77.36 $928 —
1125–1285 1214 85-90% 4 84.00–87.00 $85.75 $1,041 —
1203–1255 1216 85-90% 4 84.50–87.00 $86.35 $1,050 —
1195–1298 1264 85-90% 3 79.00–82.00 $81.05 $1,024 -6.36
1300–1380 1340 85-90% 2 89.50–90.00 $89.74 $1,203 -4.26
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1708 1708 75-80% 7 90.00 $90.00 $1,537 —
1740 1740 75-80% 1 87.00 $87.00 $1,514 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1383 1383 3 92.50 $92.50 $1,279 —
1260–1785 1493 16 102.00–113.50 $108.03 $1,613 —
1555 1555 1 98.00 $98.00 $1,524 —
1635 1635 1 114.00 $114.00 $1,864 —
1460–2128 1812 7 90.00–104.00 $97.56 $1,768 —
1510–2095 1843 38 103.00–110.00 $106.56 $1,964 —
1756–1913 1860 23 117.00–118.50 $117.70 $2,189 +13.48
1705–2210 2013 5 111.00–114.00 $112.14 $2,257 -0.72

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1080–1250 1107 (<2 yrs)Open 14 98.00–113.00 $109.98 $1,217
905–1293 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 22 90.00–96.00 $92.67 $1,080
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930 930 (<2 yrs)Open 1 96.50 $96.50 $897

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1527–1566 1554 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 10 1,400.00–1,500.00 $1,470.53

↑ 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.