Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, November 9, 2022

3,001 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 3-weight M&L 1 steers $254.58/cwt +7.08 vs last sale · ≈ $906/hd at 356 lb · 12 head

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $201.00/cwt -13.39 vs last sale · ≈ $975/hd at 485 lb · 10 head

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 steers $220.26/cwt +5.26 vs last sale · ≈ $925/hd at 420 lb · 10 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	3,001	2,517	3,956
Feeder cattle	149	831	743
Slaughter cattle	962	1,198	1,135
Replacement cattle	1,890	488	2,078

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steer and heifer calves were both too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Limited offerings were of plain to average quality and many looked stressed due to extreme cold and snowy conditions seen over the last 3 days. Todays sale featured mostly bred cows and weigh ups. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for heavy offerings. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. The majority of the cow offering continues to be purchased to feed, either for the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday or to feed to premium white. Short term feeding cows sold fully steady. Most of these cows are located in the report as low dressing lean or boning cows returning to feed. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold fully steady as well. Slaughter cows sold steady on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this sale as most cows were worked through the chute for todays bred cow special. Todays bred cow offering was average to attractive with several complete dispersions on offer. Demand was stronger for bred cows this sale compared to last months bred cow sale. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale which sold well into the evening. Demand remained strong for todays entire offering of bred cows. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly light to moderate demand. These offerings sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower. Quality was not as attractive on young cows this week and fewer taker were noticed.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
356–360 unweaned	356	12	250.00–255.00	$254.58	$906	+7.08
485 unweaned	485	10	201.00	$201.00	$975	-13.39
615–645 unweaned	619	7	166.00–168.00	$167.70	$1,038	-16.44

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
414–445 unweaned	420	10	217.50–221.00	$220.26	$925	+5.26
490 unweaned	490	3	188.00	$188.00	$921	+3.00

Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
533 unweaned	533	6	110.00	$110.00	$586	—

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
365–385 unweaned	378	9	197.50–200.00	$199.28	$753	-18.29

Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
485 unweaned	485	4	140.00	$140.00	$679	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
455 unweaned	455	2	175.00	$175.00	$796	-4.95

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
955–965	962	85-90%	3	49.00–55.00	$53.01	$510	—
1005–1198	1102	85-90%	20	31.00–48.00	$41.13	$453	—
1020–1290	1152	85-90%	20	49.00–59.00	$53.19	$613	-1.19
1055–1335	1157	85-90%	94	52.00–62.00	$57.70	$668	+3.32
1080–1215	1177	85-90%	15	73.00–74.50	$74.20	$873	+19.82
1073–1298	1224	85-90%	127	62.00–71.00	$64.70	$792	-1.16
1260	1260	85-90%	1	61.00	$61.00	$769	-2.94

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1268–1565	1376	80-85%	48	71.00–80.00	$74.85	$1,030	+9.52
1368–1400	1386	80-85%	7	82.00–82.50	$82.21	$1,139	+16.88
1305–1436	1389	80-85%	59	55.00–69.00	$63.30	$879	-2.03
1325–1461	1421	80-85%	19	54.00–65.00	$59.46	$845	-15.70
1420–1585	1488	80-85%	7	66.50–76.00	$72.32	$1,076	—

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1510	1510	75-80%	1	85.00	$85.00	$1,284	—
1472–1554	1523	75-80%	8	80.50–82.00	$81.04	$1,234	—
1588	1588	75-80%	7	78.00	$78.00	$1,239	-3.16
1510–1743	1627	75-80%	4	80.00–83.00	$81.39	$1,324	+9.30
1525–1775	1705	75-80%	4	73.50–75.50	$74.76	$1,275	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1265	1265	1	90.00	$90.00	$1,138	—
1675–2170	1861	6	72.00–85.00	$82.00	$1,526	-10.91
1625–2268	1958	13	90.00–95.00	$92.65	$1,814	—
2055	2055	1	102.00	$102.00	$2,096	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
669 thin fleshed	669	(<2 yrs)	Open	21	110.00	$110.00	$736
770–1310	918	(<2 yrs)	Open	114	83.00–118.00	$105.39	$967
760–1410	1092	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	31	64.00–87.50	$78.16	$854

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
940–950	943	(<2 yrs)	Open	4	78.00–82.50	$79.13	$746

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
972–1232	1094	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	225	1,425.00–1,900.00	$1,774.42
988–1296	1097	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	42	1,325.00–1,625.00	$1,470.64
1141	1141	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	9	1,300.00	$1,300.00
1142	1142	Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	1,410.00	$1,410.00
1212	1212	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	19	1,060.00	$1,060.00
1074–1300	1221	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	42	1,250.00–1,450.00	$1,359.16
1233	1233	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	6	1,300.00	$1,300.00
1218–1306 thin fleshed	1260	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	25	950.00–985.00	$966.50
1198–1424 thin fleshed	1283	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	34	1,010.00–1,050.00	$1,031.09
1107–1441	1297	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	187	1,325.00–1,625.00	$1,481.47
1217–1538	1306	Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	331	1,000.00–1,200.00	$1,096.15
1328	1328	Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	4	950.00	$950.00
1207–1555	1336	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	406	1,075.00–1,385.00	$1,288.66
1328–1390	1342	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	21	1,085.00–1,300.00	$1,186.74

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
973	973	Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	11	1,310.00	$1,310.00
1139	1139	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	7	985.00	$985.00
1203	1203	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	8	1,035.00	$1,035.00
1299	1299	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	7	1,275.00	$1,275.00
1339	1339	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	4	1,235.00	$1,235.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
930–1107	1024	(<2 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	72	1,460.00–1,725.00	$1,670.55

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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.