Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, January 24, 2024

1,652 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $227.00/cwt ≈ $1,902/hd at 838 lb · 24 head
heavy 9-weight M&L 1 steers $211.00/cwt ≈ $2,070/hd at 981 lb · 17 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $260.80/cwt ≈ $1,523/hd at 584 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,652 266 649
Feeder cattle 204 46 375
Slaughter cattle 1,034 162 219
Replacement cattle 414 58 55

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle offerings were limited today as todays sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. Quality was plain to average. Demand was light to moderate as quality hampered demand. Offerings were light. Market activity was slow. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale this week. Packers remain short bought and were aggressive as they tried to buy cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows; lean cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher. Packers showed good demand for high quality cows suitable to feed to premium white as they continue to put cows away on feed. Both private feeders and packers were very aggressive as they bid on very high quality cows. Cow quality today was mostly attractive to very attractive. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were average to above average in the morning as many sets of open cows were preg checked through the chute. Afternoon weigh conditions moderated slightly. Slaughter bulls were not well compared as last week saw very light volume, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average to attractive today. Bred cow quality was mostly average today. Demand for bred cows was moderate.

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
653–683 679 15 255.00–259.00 $255.51 $1,735 —
838 838 24 227.00 $227.00 $1,902 —
981 981 17 211.00 $211.00 $2,070 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
442 442 6 325.00 $325.00 $1,436 —
536 536 7 297.00 $297.00 $1,592 —
750–780 760 3 225.00–231.00 $228.70 $1,738 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650 650 10 235.00 $235.00 $1,528 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
580 580 1 263.00 $263.00 $1,525 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
523 523 4 272.50 $272.50 $1,425 —
550–598 584 15 260.00–261.00 $260.80 $1,523 —
667 667 3 226.00 $226.00 $1,507 —
996 996 7 189.50 $189.50 $1,887 —
1026–1043 1032 6 185.00–186.00 $185.66 $1,916 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
569 569 6 270.00 $270.00 $1,536 +17.00
665 665 6 249.00 $249.00 $1,656 —
764 764 8 219.00 $219.00 $1,673 —
900 900 2 209.00 $209.00 $1,881 +8.75
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
484 484 9 265.00 $265.00 $1,283 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
640 640 1 245.00 $245.00 $1,568 —
738 738 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,513 —
938 938 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,829 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
880–915 900 85-90% 3 55.00–62.50 $59.99 $540 -23.01
875–945 913 85-90% 5 75.00–86.00 $78.67 $718 -4.33
875–970 915 85-90% 3 91.00–95.00 $92.95 $850 +9.95
890–1145 1051 85-90% 6 87.50–91.00 $90.15 $947 -2.28
1010–1230 1127 85-90% 5 65.00–78.00 $72.29 $815 —
983–1352 1138 85-90% 90 80.00–90.50 $86.74 $987 —
1020–1305 1165 85-90% 141 90.00–97.00 $92.85 $1,082 +30.40
1163–1277 1206 85-90% 23 100.00–106.00 $103.14 $1,244 +12.20
1105–1270 1218 85-90% 4 101.00–103.00 $102.04 $1,243 +11.10
1050–1308 1231 85-90% 100 92.00–99.50 $95.72 $1,178 +4.78
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
940 940 80-85% 1 97.00 $97.00 $912 —
1268–1498 1385 80-85% 52 94.50–102.50 $97.61 $1,352 —
1150–1515 1386 80-85% 129 93.50–103.00 $98.38 $1,364 —
1383–1465 1404 80-85% 8 92.50–93.00 $92.63 $1,301 —
1295–1600 1417 80-85% 30 85.00–93.50 $91.49 $1,296 —
1315–1508 1443 80-85% 27 103.50–104.50 $103.89 $1,499 —
1385–1580 1454 80-85% 10 103.00–105.00 $103.73 $1,508 -0.27
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1493–1585 1502 75-80% 17 104.50–107.50 $106.20 $1,595 —
1467–1735 1504 75-80% 13 103.50–104.00 $103.76 $1,561 —
1470–1544 1536 75-80% 17 104.50–106.00 $105.86 $1,626 —
1534–1560 1543 75-80% 12 94.00–100.00 $95.26 $1,470 —
1560–1588 1575 75-80% 7 88.00–96.50 $92.92 $1,463 —
1316–1848 1579 75-80% 17 99.00–103.00 $101.44 $1,602 —
2085 2085 75-80% 1 97.00 $97.00 $2,022 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1537 1537 65-75% 13 103.50 $103.50 $1,591 —
1702–1820 1712 65-75% 12 100.00–101.50 $101.37 $1,735 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,049 —
1280–1465 1375 6 101.50–106.00 $102.76 $1,413 —
1610–2115 1734 11 90.00–111.00 $97.49 $1,690 —
1693–2090 1809 19 111.00–120.00 $114.84 $2,077 —
1542–2198 1861 12 122.00–129.00 $125.62 $2,338 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1745–1920 1824 13 115.00–118.00 $116.74 $2,129 —
2013 2013 2 120.00 $120.00 $2,416 —

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
546–645 601 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 158 38.00–49.00 $45.06 $271
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
820–1230 1014 (<2 yrs)Open 65 110.00–188.00 $152.38 $1,545
905–1353 1114 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 41 101.00–117.50 $105.55 $1,176
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
866–1120 956 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 10 95.00–105.00 $100.18 $958
1065 1065 (<2 yrs)Open 2 121.00 $121.00 $1,289

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1099 1099 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 9 2,100.00 $2,100.00
1247 1247 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,000.00 $2,000.00
1310 1310 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 1 1,475.00 $1,475.00
1410–1448 1434 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 12 1,500.00–1,525.00 $1,512.44
1444 1444 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 10 1,900.00 $1,900.00
1418–1508 1450 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 17 1,600.00–1,700.00 $1,672.40
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1190–1453 1256 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 10 1,550.00–1,900.00 $1,809.54
1350 1350 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,575.00 $1,575.00
1370 1370 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 1,425.00 $1,425.00
1394 1394 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 8 1,450.00 $1,450.00
Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
971 971 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 7 1,375.00 $1,375.00
Small 3 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
583 583 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 425.00 $425.00
650 650 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 3 435.00 $435.00
Medium 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
979 979 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 4 1,300.00 $1,300.00

↑ Back to top

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.