Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 14, 2022

974 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 steers $177.63/cwt ≈ $1,563/hd at 880 lb · 42 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $185.00/cwt ≈ $1,160/hd at 627 lb · 35 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $164.09/cwt +0.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,593/hd at 971 lb · 28 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 974 584 2,905
Feeder cattle 623 467 1,890
Slaughter cattle 305 113 767
Replacement cattle 46 4 248

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower in a narrow comparison, steer calves over 500 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling steers were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Heifer calves all sold mostly 15.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Yearling heifers were all too lightly tested either this sale or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on heifers under 1000 lbs and lower undertones were noticed on heifers over 1000 lbs. Demand today was light to moderate for light to moderate offerings. Quality was mixed from plain to attractive. Package sizes were mostly small today, with many singles in the offering. Corn prices continue to weigh on the market as the Dec contract inches closer to 7.00 a bushel. Today the Dec corn contract closed at 6.8225. Calf buyers showed lighter demand for calves today. Fewer buyers were on hand this sale as many order buyers report feeders are busy with harvest. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate today. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for mostly light offerings. Demand for slaughter cows was significantly lighter this sale as buyers purchased most offerings to return to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows. Breaking cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed. Feeding cow buyers were active again this week buying cows for feed. Packer buyers purchased most offerings to feed this week as well. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold 4.00-7.00 lower. Many bulls seen today were coming off range and remain thin from breeding season. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today with many full cows and bulls in the offering. Cow and bull quality was plain to average this sale, many cows had big bags from freshly weaning calves. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering.

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
409 unweaned 409 12 227.00 $227.00 $928 -3.00
479 unweaned 479 27 215.00 $215.00 $1,030 -4.45
501–533 unweaned 519 28 192.50–204.00 $201.03 $1,043 -17.50
575 unweaned 575 5 181.00 $181.00 $1,041 -9.21
627 unweaned 627 35 185.00 $185.00 $1,160 —
790–799 797 5 183.00–183.50 $183.40 $1,462 —
821 821 11 183.50 $183.50 $1,507 —
850–896 880 42 176.25–180.25 $177.63 $1,563 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1033 1033 4 163.50 $163.50 $1,689 —
1144 1144 4 147.00 $147.00 $1,682 —
1168 1168 3 147.50 $147.50 $1,723 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
763 763 10 175.00 $175.00 $1,335 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
469 unweaned 469 5 151.00 $151.00 $708 —
500 unweaned 500 4 145.00 $145.00 $725 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
530 unweaned 530 1 186.00 $186.00 $986 -16.00

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
360–378 unweaned 369 12 200.00–210.00 $204.88 $756 -16.12
421 unweaned 421 8 197.00 $197.00 $829 -14.00
478–498 unweaned 492 17 173.00–185.00 $178.97 $881 -20.51
573 unweaned 573 17 145.00–155.00 $152.65 $875 —
703 703 4 161.00 $161.00 $1,132 —
720 720 2 168.00 $168.00 $1,210 —
832 832 20 165.00 $165.00 $1,373 -1.50
894 894 16 166.50 $166.50 $1,489 +1.72
913 913 2 169.00 $169.00 $1,543 +6.19
908–935 928 16 163.75–164.00 $163.81 $1,520 +1.00
955–996 971 28 162.50–165.50 $164.09 $1,593 +0.26
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1012 1012 8 160.50 $160.50 $1,624 -3.50
1033 1033 6 155.50 $155.50 $1,606 -8.50
1035 1035 1 146.00 $146.00 $1,511 -18.00
1056–1093 1084 36 151.25–156.00 $152.41 $1,652 -10.09
1150–1155 1153 2 137.00–139.50 $138.25 $1,594 —
1232 1232 5 130.00 $130.00 $1,602 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
688 688 13 170.00 $170.00 $1,170 —
763 763 14 152.00 $152.00 $1,160 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
598 598 12 166.00 $166.00 $993 —
618 618 3 155.00 $155.00 $958 —
792 792 7 141.00 $141.00 $1,117 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
518 518 4 141.00 $141.00 $730 —
614 614 7 144.00 $144.00 $884 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
725 725 4 160.00 $160.00 $1,160 —
823 823 2 156.00 $156.00 $1,284 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 unweaned 377 5 211.00 $211.00 $795 —
446 unweaned 446 9 200.00 $200.00 $892 —
865 865 6 151.00 $151.00 $1,306 —
943 943 5 141.00 $141.00 $1,330 —
985 985 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,379 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1079 1079 4 116.00 $116.00 $1,252 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 2 135.00 $135.00 $1,350 —
1130 1130 1 116.00 $116.00 $1,311 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1335–1623 1384 80-85% 27 74.00–81.00 $78.38 $1,085 -14.12
1315–1553 1450 80-85% 29 81.00–90.00 $83.98 $1,218 —
1315–1645 1462 80-85% 15 91.00–94.50 $92.58 $1,354 —
1455–1575 1515 80-85% 2 88.00–90.00 $88.96 $1,348 —
1508–1620 1552 80-85% 4 78.00–81.00 $79.24 $1,230 -3.76
1395–1703 1568 80-85% 13 81.00–86.50 $83.28 $1,306 +0.28
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850–960 905 85-90% 2 56.00–60.00 $57.88 $524 —
950 950 85-90% 1 75.50 $75.50 $717 —
1015–1355 1192 85-90% 7 79.00–85.00 $82.06 $978 —
1029–1333 1195 85-90% 19 67.00–79.00 $71.93 $860 —
1167–1290 1247 85-90% 18 77.00–79.00 $78.45 $978 -11.05
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1698 1698 75-80% 2 90.00 $90.00 $1,528 —
1630–1963 1855 75-80% 5 84.50–87.00 $85.22 $1,581 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1298 1298 9 104.50 $104.50 $1,356 —
1245–1428 1336 10 95.00–102.00 $98.55 $1,317 —
1340–1382 1376 7 82.00–83.00 $82.14 $1,130 —
1345–2140 1642 32 71.00–92.00 $85.06 $1,397 —
1625–2405 1942 34 93.00–104.00 $98.48 $1,912 —
1865–2405 2075 9 105.00–110.00 $106.35 $2,207 -3.35
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1760 1760 1 106.00 $106.00 $1,866 —
2090 2090 1 97.00 $97.00 $2,027 —
2710 2710 1 101.00 $101.00 $2,737 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
920–1455 1056 (<2 yrs)Open 23 96.50–113.50 $107.86 $1,139
950–1395 1193 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 85.00–96.00 $90.57 $1,081
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1275 1275 (<2 yrs)Open 1 87.50 $87.50 $1,116

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1050–1298 1169 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 5 1,050.00–1,100.00 $1,079.06

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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.