Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 19, 2023

808 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 2 steers $250.98/cwt ≈ $1,411/hd at 562 lb · 15 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $216.00/cwt ≈ $1,896/hd at 878 lb · 13 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1-2 steers $206.00/cwt ≈ $2,008/hd at 975 lb · 13 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 808 860 1,409
Feeder cattle 222 237 312
Slaughter cattle 495 506 664
Replacement cattle 91 117 433

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale(6-28-23): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either this sale or last to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeders was mostly good. Quality this week was mostly plain to average, with a few offerings of attractive cattle seen. Several small packages of cattle coming off grass were seen this sale. Demand for light fleshed yearlings was very good. A few offerings of fall born calves which had been running on grass were seen. These offerings were met with mostly moderate demand. Market activity remains active. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand today. The last reported sale was nearly one month ago making comparisons difficult. Slaughter cows all sold sharply higher than last sale with most sales 3.00-7.00 higher on all classes. Packers showed very good demand for slaughter cows early in the sale, however late in the sale packers mostly purchased cows to feed. Feeding cows sold sharply higher, with most sales 6.00-8.00 higher than last month. Cow quality today was mostly average to very attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average today. Slaughter bulls sold sharply higher than last sale, most offerings sold 6.00-12.00 higher. However, bull prices were lower than other reported sales last week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality was average to attractive this week.

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
822 822 7 227.00 $227.00 $1,866 +14.00
923 923 3 217.00 $217.00 $2,003 +19.00
974 974 8 209.00 $209.00 $2,036 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
553–568 562 15 250.00–252.50 $250.98 $1,411 —
843 843 3 209.00 $209.00 $1,762 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
969–995 975 13 206.00 $206.00 $2,008 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1038 1038 6 195.00 $195.00 $2,024 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
843 843 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,602 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1055 1055 1 194.00 $194.00 $2,047 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561 561 6 247.00 $247.00 $1,386 —
878 878 13 216.00 $216.00 $1,896 —
910 910 10 206.50 $206.50 $1,879 —
975 975 1 199.00 $199.00 $1,940 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
780 780 4 203.00 $203.00 $1,583 —
1013–1036 1018 20 193.00–200.00 $198.57 $2,021 +15.57
1070 1070 5 186.00 $186.00 $1,990 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
427 427 6 240.00 $240.00 $1,025 —
713 713 4 212.00 $212.00 $1,512 —
814 814 12 206.00 $206.00 $1,677 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
783 783 5 182.00 $182.00 $1,425 —
838 838 2 180.00 $180.00 $1,508 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 4 186.00 $186.00 $1,581 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
843 843 3 189.00 $189.00 $1,593 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
603 603 4 254.00 $254.00 $1,532 —
790 790 1 216.00 $216.00 $1,706 —
861 861 4 218.00 $218.00 $1,877 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
748 748 2 210.00 $210.00 $1,571 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1323 1323 80-85% 2 102.00 $102.00 $1,349 +0.26
1280–1665 1355 80-85% 22 111.00–115.00 $113.24 $1,534 +14.40
1229–1545 1378 80-85% 89 102.00–113.00 $108.51 $1,495 +1.93
1195–1638 1408 80-85% 155 113.00–119.00 $115.01 $1,619 +7.54
1320–1563 1463 80-85% 9 101.00–111.50 $106.67 $1,561 +12.99
1470–1705 1621 80-85% 7 91.00–100.00 $93.97 $1,523 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
895–935 915 85-90% 2 93.00–94.00 $93.51 $856 +5.23
985–1065 1049 85-90% 5 95.00 $95.00 $997 +1.00
1077 1077 85-90% 5 81.00 $81.00 $872 —
970–1240 1148 85-90% 19 97.00–107.50 $104.08 $1,195 +0.19
975–1355 1162 85-90% 18 85.00–96.00 $91.21 $1,060 -5.15
1133–1290 1189 85-90% 13 98.00–109.00 $102.54 $1,219 +15.71
1080–1308 1196 85-90% 7 112.00–116.00 $114.02 $1,364 +27.19
1193–1305 1259 85-90% 21 109.50–114.50 $111.54 $1,404 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1538 1538 75-80% 2 110.00 $110.00 $1,692 —
1590 1590 75-80% 1 114.50 $114.50 $1,821 +8.69
1575–1740 1658 75-80% 2 105.00–107.00 $105.95 $1,757 -6.05
1605–1720 1663 75-80% 2 108.50–114.50 $111.40 $1,853 -0.60
1705 1705 75-80% 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,995 +15.58

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 1 124.00 $124.00 $1,451 —
1205 1205 1 90.00 $90.00 $1,084 -12.14
1215 1215 4 102.00 $102.00 $1,239 -0.14
1435–1776 1651 30 92.00–118.00 $112.01 $1,849 —
1375–2385 1836 24 121.00–144.00 $130.14 $2,389 —
1780–2295 2036 10 139.00–147.00 $142.07 $2,893 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910–1205 1075 (<2 yrs)Open 46 134.00–169.00 $155.48 $1,671
985–1305 1112 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 17 112.50–135.00 $120.98 $1,345
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
855–957 932 (<2 yrs)Open 4 120.00–152.00 $144.66 $1,348
880–1040 934 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 106.00–115.00 $110.58 $1,033

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1890 1890 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 3 2,650.00 $2,650.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1458 1458 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 1,925.00 $1,925.00 —

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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.