Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 4, 2023

1,017 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $230.85/cwt +14.79 vs last sale · ≈ $1,069/hd at 463 lb · 23 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $164.57/cwt +11.47 vs last sale · ≈ $951/hd at 578 lb · 22 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $167.36/cwt +3.04 vs last sale · ≈ $1,049/hd at 627 lb · 19 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,017 1,662 827
Feeder cattle 333 390 202
Slaughter cattle 517 1,006 419
Replacement cattle 167 266 206

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale(12-14-22): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop any market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain to average this sale. Most calves were offered in small groups or as singles. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Market activity was slow to moderate. A good buyer pool was on hand for todays light sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand and moderate offerings. Packers showed mostly good demand for slaughter cows this week as snowy conditions in the upper plains has limited the available supplies of cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows saw the largest advancement selling 7.00-9.00 higher. Feeding cows sold 2.00-3.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 7.00-9.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this sale. Bulls were particularly full today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison.

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
368 368 6 257.00 $257.00 $946 —
401 401 10 245.00 $245.00 $982 —
458–479 463 23 220.00–234.00 $230.85 $1,069 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
337 337 3 225.00 $225.00 $758 —
386 386 4 230.00 $230.00 $888 —
618 618 2 174.00 $174.00 $1,075 —
673 673 2 169.00 $169.00 $1,137 —
710 710 2 165.00 $165.00 $1,172 —
764 764 7 165.00 $165.00 $1,261 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
359 359 8 190.00 $190.00 $682 —
469 469 8 177.50 $177.50 $832 —
580 580 1 175.00 $175.00 $1,015 —
608–642 627 19 165.00–171.00 $167.36 $1,049 —
650–663 657 7 162.00–169.00 $164.97 $1,084 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
358 358 4 186.00 $186.00 $666 -1.50
445 445 2 174.00 $174.00 $774 —
503 503 6 154.00 $154.00 $775 —
552–582 578 22 155.00–166.00 $164.57 $951 —
670–682 677 5 152.00 $152.00 $1,029 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
734 734 11 148.00 $148.00 $1,086 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
531 531 11 135.00 $135.00 $717 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 2 110.00 $110.00 $500 —
504–532 515 8 100.00–115.00 $105.82 $545 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
618–638 628 4 160.00–167.00 $163.44 $1,026 —
758 758 2 149.00 $149.00 $1,129 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465 465 3 172.00 $172.00 $800 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
613 613 2 152.00 $152.00 $932 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
954–985 971 85-90% 13 37.50–48.00 $42.26 $410 -11.14
985–995 990 85-90% 2 53.00–57.00 $54.99 $544 +1.59
870–1232 1108 85-90% 25 54.00–61.00 $59.05 $654 —
1050–1243 1179 85-90% 3 41.00–44.00 $41.89 $494 -8.50
1190 1190 85-90% 1 71.00 $71.00 $845 +13.72
1185–1220 1197 85-90% 3 71.00 $71.00 $850 +13.72
1010–1640 1203 85-90% 75 52.00–62.00 $60.10 $723 +6.66
1010–1350 1205 85-90% 69 62.00–65.50 $63.16 $761 +9.72
1075–1285 1238 85-90% 19 63.00–68.00 $66.07 $818 +7.58
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1283–1475 1383 80-85% 112 67.25–76.00 $68.31 $945 +9.40
1306–1500 1393 80-85% 23 62.00–67.00 $65.22 $909 +7.56
1305–1585 1425 80-85% 12 59.00–66.00 $63.13 $900 -5.26
1325–1585 1461 80-85% 22 67.00–74.00 $70.92 $1,036 —
1510–1585 1560 80-85% 3 77.00–79.50 $78.69 $1,228 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1640–1790 1715 75-80% 2 74.00–76.50 $75.30 $1,291 —
1545–2045 1757 75-80% 12 68.00–73.50 $71.45 $1,255 —
1765 1765 75-80% 1 77.00 $77.00 $1,359 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1245 1245 1 76.00 $76.00 $946 —
1275–2080 1608 12 82.00–91.00 $86.77 $1,395 —
1590–2143 1800 7 85.00–94.00 $90.33 $1,626 —
1570–2205 1836 17 92.00–101.00 $96.52 $1,772 —
1775–2032 1901 21 95.00–101.00 $97.75 $1,858 +19.54
1825–2138 1973 5 103.00–104.50 $103.75 $2,047 +16.36

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
920 thin fleshed 920 (<2 yrs)Open 1 86.00 $86.00 $791
785–1130 936 (<2 yrs)Open 76 86.00–107.00 $99.35 $930
1074 1074 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 7 59.00 $59.00 $634
970–1300 1144 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 39 61.50–86.00 $69.12 $791
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850–898 thin fleshed 882 (<2 yrs)Open 3 57.00–80.00 $64.39 $568
895 895 (<2 yrs)Open 2 80.00 $80.00 $716
1045 1045 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 57.00 $57.00 $596

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1182 1182 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 1,250.00 $1,250.00
1214 1214 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 6 900.00 $900.00
1222 1222 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 5 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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.