Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 27, 2023

636 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $217.36/cwt -3.48 vs last sale · ≈ $2,045/hd at 941 lb · 11 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $246.71/cwt ≈ $1,396/hd at 566 lb · 10 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $278.13/cwt ≈ $1,633/hd at 587 lb · 10 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 636 1,610 1,056
Feeder cattle 176 1,370 438
Slaughter cattle 347 220 291
Replacement cattle 113 20 327

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Most offerings sold in small packages or as singles this sale. Demand for feeders was light to moderate as not enough feeder cattle were offered to put together loads. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. CME positions have sold off sharply over the past few days and buyers showed slightly lighter demand for all feeder cattle on offer. Market activity was mostly moderate this sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter cows sold on lighter demand this week as packers purchased most cows to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Feeding cow demand was moderate to good this sale and most sound cows were purchased to feed. Feeding cows sold steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold sold generally steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week as many cows and bulls were packing some fill. Cow quality today was mostly average today. Several packages of young age cows sold this week. Demand for these offerings was mostly good as feeding and rebreeding buyers competed over attractive offerings. Not enough young age cows were seen last week to develop any market trend.

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
550–596 unweaned 587 10 270.00–280.00 $278.13 $1,633 —
1050 1050 2 218.50 $218.50 $2,294 -1.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
296 unweaned 296 4 355.00 $355.00 $1,051 —
466 unweaned 466 4 295.00 $295.00 $1,375 —
608 unweaned 608 3 245.00 $245.00 $1,490 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
267 unweaned 267 5 250.00 $250.00 $668 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
554–585 unweaned 566 10 225.00–262.00 $246.71 $1,396 —
817 817 6 224.00 $224.00 $1,830 -12.50
941–945 941 11 217.00–218.00 $217.36 $2,045 -3.48
1007 1007 9 208.00 $208.00 $2,095 -7.82
1093 1093 3 198.00 $198.00 $2,164 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 unweaned 443 5 215.00 $215.00 $952 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
918 918 2 218.00 $218.00 $2,001 +2.28
990 990 1 212.00 $212.00 $2,099 +2.25
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1153 1153 2 190.00 $190.00 $2,191 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
853–893 873 4 217.00–221.00 $219.05 $1,912 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355 1355 80-85% 1 113.00 $113.00 $1,531 +6.43
1324–1595 1390 80-85% 44 100.00–108.00 $102.06 $1,419 +3.65
1330–1670 1407 80-85% 30 93.50–101.00 $97.16 $1,367 —
1285–1555 1420 80-85% 46 103.00–108.50 $105.54 $1,499 -2.42
1365–1446 1423 80-85% 7 98.00–101.00 $98.82 $1,406 -9.14
1430–1690 1570 80-85% 4 113.00–119.00 $115.60 $1,815 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–945 938 85-90% 2 87.00–94.00 $90.53 $849 —
1000–1225 1136 85-90% 5 68.00–78.00 $72.54 $824 —
1025–1265 1157 85-90% 33 83.00–96.50 $93.15 $1,078 +8.87
980–1291 1167 85-90% 11 87.00–97.00 $95.08 $1,110 +13.21
1013–1293 1200 85-90% 19 98.00–105.00 $101.86 $1,222 —
1125–1333 1272 85-90% 21 97.00–102.00 $98.56 $1,254 +5.85
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1400 1400 75-80% 3 109.00 $109.00 $1,526 —
1560 1560 75-80% 14 111.00 $111.00 $1,732 -0.93
1745–1750 1748 75-80% 2 111.50–114.00 $112.75 $1,971 —
1780–1910 1845 75-80% 2 94.00–103.00 $98.66 $1,820 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1740 1740 65-75% 1 119.00 $119.00 $2,071 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1390–1790 1430 20 105.00–110.00 $106.54 $1,524 —
1705 1705 2 112.00 $112.00 $1,910 +0.54
1580–2380 1788 9 95.00–110.00 $102.45 $1,832 —
1530–2120 1812 11 111.00–119.00 $114.98 $2,083 —
1715–2350 1957 7 122.00–130.00 $123.55 $2,418 +0.50
2520 2520 1 109.00 $109.00 $2,747 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
900–1405 1128 (<2 yrs)Open 45 133.00–193.00 $146.22 $1,649
1115–1380 1279 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 7 106.00–116.50 $112.43 $1,438
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
940 940 (<2 yrs)Open 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,269

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1026–1167 1103 Young (2-4 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 11 1,675.00–1,750.00 $1,718.29
1217–1381 1283 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 1,700.00–1,775.00 $1,742.70
1293 1293 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,500.00 $1,500.00
1291–1424 1365 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 26 1,350.00–1,500.00 $1,458.23

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1003 1003 (<2 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 2 1,950.00 $1,950.00

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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.