Cattle Market Pulse

Public Auction Yards Livestock Cattle Auction Market Report, Billings, MT

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, July 31, 2024

647 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $222.58/cwt ≈ $2,161/hd at 971 lb · 24 head
light 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $226.21/cwt +7.21 vs last sale · ≈ $2,126/hd at 940 lb · 14 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 647 1,062 494
Feeder cattle 217 217 169
Slaughter cattle 356 547 277
Replacement cattle 74 298 48

Compared to last Fridays sale: Yearlings all sold with steady undertones on like quality cattle, in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly average and not as attractive as last week. Flesh conditions were mostly light to moderate with most consignments coming off grass. Market activity was mostly active with active bidding seen both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Additional packer buyers were back in the market this week and they showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest. Slaughter cows sold unevenly steady on boning cows from 5.00 lower to 10.00 higher. Breaking cows sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding demand remains good as both packer and private feeders both showed good demand for cows suitable to feed. Feeding cows sold generally 2.00-5.00 higher as competition from slaughter buyers forced feeding cows higher. Cow quality this sale was mostly average to attractive. Yielding conditions continue to deteriorate as competition with grasshoppers and dry conditions have led to lighter body condition scores. Additionally warm weather also caused many offerings to tank up on water. Weigh conditions overall were mostly average to below average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding demand caused bulls to sell unevenly as feeding bull buyers were mostly looking for lighter weight lower yielding bulls to put on feed and packer buyers showed strong demand for all bulls for immediate harvest. Quality today was mostly average to attractive. Feeding bulls sold 2.00-5.00 lower. Quality this week was not as attractive as last week and feeding bull buyers passed on plainer offerings. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for very high quality offering was mostly good.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
723 723 3 277.00 $277.00 $2,003 -7.00
775–780 778 2 266.00–271.00 $268.51 $2,089 —
853 853 8 258.00 $258.00 $2,201 —
967 967 7 237.00 $237.00 $2,292 —
1009–1038 1018 10 232.00–233.00 $232.69 $2,369 —
1075 1075 1 224.00 $224.00 $2,408 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,519 —
990 990 2 225.00 $225.00 $2,228 —
1032 1032 8 225.00 $225.00 $2,322 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
561–578 567 8 287.00–287.50 $287.31 $1,629 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
546 546 5 267.50 $267.50 $1,461 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 2 247.50 $247.50 $1,732 —
802–838 826 9 234.00–239.00 $235.62 $1,946 -5.38
920–943 940 14 226.00–229.00 $226.21 $2,126 +7.21
958–998 971 24 220.00–226.00 $222.58 $2,161 —
1003–1040 1028 6 218.00–222.50 $219.46 $2,256 —
1060–1065 1060 12 217.00–217.50 $217.46 $2,305 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118 1118 7 217.00 $217.00 $2,426 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
562 562 3 270.00 $270.00 $1,517 —
920 920 1 224.00 $224.00 $2,061 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
545 545 3 265.00 $265.00 $1,444 -17.50

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Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1015 1015 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,284 —
1113–1115 1114 3 202.00–212.50 $209.00 $2,328 —
1245 1245 1 192.00 $192.00 $2,390 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
805 805 —— 1 227.50 $227.50 $1,831 —
1060 1060 (<2 yrs)N/A 1 227.50 $227.50 $2,412 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
935 935 2 195.00 $195.00 $1,823 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1000 1000 1 226.00 $226.00 $2,260 —

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1195–1775 1384 80-85% 44 134.00–152.00 $143.99 $1,993 +1.83
1125–1675 1387 80-85% 26 139.50–152.00 $144.99 $2,011 +2.83
1270–1600 1387 80-85% 16 112.00–133.00 $121.29 $1,682 -20.87
1337–1458 1394 80-85% 10 126.00–137.00 $133.60 $1,862 -8.56
1435–1598 1439 80-85% 74 153.00–154.00 $153.03 $2,202 +4.15
1330–1815 1449 80-85% 35 150.50–154.50 $151.78 $2,199 +2.90
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
830–890 860 85-90% 2 110.00–113.00 $111.45 $958 —
1050–1106 1069 85-90% 3 127.00–135.00 $132.24 $1,414 +21.24
1065–1185 1138 85-90% 3 142.00–145.00 $143.45 $1,632 -0.48
1018–1270 1165 85-90% 14 107.00–122.00 $113.00 $1,316 -13.89
1070–1282 1199 85-90% 12 125.00–139.00 $133.37 $1,599 -2.47
1160–1240 1200 85-90% 2 142.00–147.00 $144.42 $1,733 +7.92
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1270–1715 1592 75-80% 7 140.00–146.00 $142.74 $2,272 —
1635 1635 75-80% 1 152.50 $152.50 $2,493 —
1718–1780 1734 75-80% 4 132.00–138.00 $136.02 $2,359 -8.37
1775 1775 75-80% 2 149.00 $149.00 $2,645 —

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1450 1375 2 146.00–147.50 $146.79 $2,018 —
1275–1745 1508 4 138.00–151.00 $144.83 $2,184 -21.36
1310–1790 1556 11 153.00–173.00 $163.19 $2,539 +18.41
1498–2055 1651 11 141.00–152.00 $147.69 $2,438 —
1790–2305 2039 16 174.00–180.00 $176.90 $3,607 —
1715–2460 2045 37 155.00–172.00 $163.48 $3,343 —

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
950–1095 1047 (<2 yrs)Open 3 160.00–197.00 $171.19 $1,792
1076–1252 1197 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 46 153.50–156.25 $154.77 $1,853
1238–1358 1331 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 9 151.00–152.00 $151.79 $2,020
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890–973 945 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 155.00 $155.00 $1,465

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Large 2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
727 727 3 217.50 $217.50 $1,581 —

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1213 1213 85-90% 2 108.00 $108.00 $1,310 —
1250 1250 85-90% 1 96.00 $96.00 $1,200 —
2027 2027 75-80% 3 134.00 $134.00 $2,716 —

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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.