Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, March 29, 2023

809 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 steers $253.22/cwt ≈ $1,314/hd at 519 lb · 26 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $248.00/cwt +0.82 vs last sale · ≈ $1,456/hd at 587 lb · 24 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1 steers $186.48/cwt -6.72 vs last sale · ≈ $1,486/hd at 797 lb · 23 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 809 1,450 934
Feeder cattle 239 746 190
Slaughter cattle 358 456 439
Replacement cattle 212 248 305

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last week and this week to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed on all feeders on offer. Demand for feeders was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and buyers were selective as they picked through offerings. Most cattle were sold in small packages or as singles. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on all offerings. Demand improved as the sale progressed. Quality this week was average to attractive. Weigh up conditions were average to attractive to buyers, however weigh conditions were not as attractive to buyers this week as they were last week. Packer buyers opted to send a few set of cows to feed again this week. Feeding cows sold steady on an attractive offering. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Bull quality overall was not as attractive today as last sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Buyers showed the best demand for high quality cows which had lost calves. Young offerings sold generally steady.

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
448 448 2 275.00 $275.00 $1,232 —
457 457 16 265.00 $265.00 $1,211 —
512–533 519 26 250.00–255.00 $253.22 $1,314 —
587 587 24 248.00 $248.00 $1,456 +0.82
659–695 679 12 211.00–221.00 $216.58 $1,471 -0.23
796–799 797 23 185.00–187.00 $186.48 $1,486 -6.72
973 973 3 168.00 $168.00 $1,635 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
411 unweaned 411 4 255.00 $255.00 $1,048 —
548 548 2 249.00 $249.00 $1,365 -4.40
576 576 4 228.00 $228.00 $1,313 +1.00
Small 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
378 378 3 155.00 $155.00 $586 —
459 459 4 120.00 $120.00 $551 —
603 603 3 100.00 $100.00 $603 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403 403 6 252.50 $252.50 $1,018 —
484 484 8 230.00 $230.00 $1,113 —
668–680 671 8 184.00–187.00 $186.24 $1,250 -12.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 4 231.00 $231.00 $1,012 +11.00
571–586 576 13 203.00–212.00 $205.82 $1,186 +12.41
640 640 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,280 +12.75
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 538 3 206.00 $206.00 $1,108 —
743 743 4 167.00 $167.00 $1,241 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
515 515 3 185.00 $185.00 $953 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
648 648 8 209.00 $209.00 $1,354 -12.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830 830 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,349 —
928 928 2 147.00 $147.00 $1,364 —
985 985 1 140.00 $140.00 $1,379 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
890 890 85-90% 1 92.50 $92.50 $823 —
940–959 956 85-90% 6 81.00–82.00 $81.84 $782 +5.85
1090–1240 1145 85-90% 3 85.00–87.00 $85.63 $980 —
1085–1240 1148 85-90% 3 66.00–70.50 $67.74 $778 —
1000–1313 1156 85-90% 44 72.00–84.00 $79.32 $917 +7.32
1020–1390 1230 85-90% 76 85.00–94.00 $88.59 $1,090 +0.61
1145–1315 1240 85-90% 3 95.00–97.00 $95.68 $1,186 +7.70
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1265–1765 1400 80-85% 55 87.00–96.00 $92.29 $1,292 +7.73
1335–1540 1417 80-85% 9 81.00–87.00 $84.90 $1,203 +0.34
1338–1525 1423 80-85% 46 88.00–96.00 $91.88 $1,307 +7.32
1355–1770 1476 80-85% 13 96.75–104.50 $98.62 $1,456 +5.53
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1554–1840 1613 75-80% 9 88.00–90.50 $89.96 $1,451 —
1458–1951 1620 75-80% 29 94.00–97.50 $94.87 $1,537 —
1775 1775 75-80% 1 98.50 $98.50 $1,748 —
2010 2010 75-80% 2 92.00 $92.00 $1,849 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 1 85.00 $85.00 $1,101 —
1425–1880 1602 10 87.00–105.00 $98.53 $1,578 —
1680–2165 1871 4 107.00–119.00 $112.88 $2,112 —
2065 2065 1 139.00 $139.00 $2,870 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
795 thin fleshed 795 (<2 yrs)Open 1 121.00 $121.00 $962
808–1220 972 (<2 yrs)Open 55 120.00–163.00 $140.90 $1,370
850–1605 1132 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 51 90.00–124.00 $104.79 $1,186
1435 fancy 1435 (<2 yrs)Open 1 140.00 $140.00 $2,009
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
843–990 876 (<2 yrs)Open 9 108.00–140.00 $126.67 $1,110
865–995 939 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 84.00–106.00 $93.72 $880
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930 930 (<2 yrs)Open 3 139.00 $139.00 $1,293

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Bred Cows

Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1090–1167 1155 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 15 1,400.00–1,675.00 $1,627.19
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1430 1430 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 1,325.00 $1,325.00
1458 1458 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,450.00 $1,450.00
1591 1591 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,650.00 $1,650.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
966 966 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 8 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1005 1005 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,375.00 $1,375.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1052 1052 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 2,000.00 $2,000.00 —

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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.