Cattle Market Pulse

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

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, September 11, 2024

1,470 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 1 steers $276.28/cwt ≈ $1,537/hd at 556 lb · 103 head
heavy 7-weight M&L 1-2 steers $238.60/cwt -4.90 vs last sale · ≈ $1,875/hd at 786 lb · 62 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $296.52/cwt ≈ $1,382/hd at 466 lb · 44 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,470 1,278 902
Feeder cattle 1,107 954 639
Slaughter cattle 323 303 143
Replacement cattle 40 21 120

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (8/28/24): Feeder calves were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers under 800 lbs sold mostly 3.00 higher in a narrow comparison, while heifers 800-999 lbs sold steady to 2.00 lower, heifers over 1000 lbs sold 2.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality today was mostly plain to average, with a limited offering of attractive cattle seen. Quality today was not as attractive as last sale. Higher CME positions were seen over the last few days which helped keep prices close to steady. Many packages of yearlings sold off grass and were in mostly light flesh. Many sets of yearlings were pushing some fill as they filled up on hay once in the yards. Market activity was mostly moderate today, with fewer buyers noticed compared to last sale. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand for light offerings. Packers showed lighter demand for all offerings this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows sold with the best demand this week. Packers showed lighter demand for feeding cows compared to private buyers this week. Packers seemed content to buy cows lower but were forced to become more active in order to buy any of the offering. Any cows suitable to feed sold at a strong premium to slaughter cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 lower driven mostly by lighter demand from packer buyers. Cow quality was mostly average and overall not as attractive as last sale. Yielding conditions continue to deteriorate as dry conditions are lowering cow yields. Weigh conditions overall were average to below average. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Feeding bull demand was very light this sale as packer buyers were the only buyers to purchase bulls to feed. Quality today was mostly average for all bulls on offer. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. 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 ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406 unweaned 406 8 321.00 $321.00 $1,303 —
457–478 unweaned 462 36 280.00–302.00 $296.94 $1,372 —
480–490 484 8 290.00–297.50 $294.65 $1,426 —
554–558 unweaned 555 84 276.50–277.00 $276.57 $1,535 —
562 562 19 275.00 $275.00 $1,546 —
723 723 12 254.50 $254.50 $1,840 —
777–781 778 34 250.00–251.00 $250.76 $1,951 -2.58
848 848 5 234.00 $234.00 $1,984 -10.80
860–880 875 40 237.00–239.50 $238.63 $2,088 —
905 905 2 225.00 $225.00 $2,036 —
970 970 4 220.00 $220.00 $2,134 -4.38
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
265 unweaned 265 3 345.00 $345.00 $914 —
417–440 unweaned 432 13 281.00–300.00 $290.63 $1,256 +20.63
538 unweaned 538 3 250.00 $250.00 $1,345 -2.00
565 unweaned 565 3 253.00 $253.00 $1,429 —
585 585 2 237.00 $237.00 $1,386 -15.00
645 unweaned 645 4 228.00 $228.00 $1,471 —
715–743 742 19 245.00 $245.00 $1,818 —
761–793 786 62 233.00–241.00 $238.60 $1,875 -4.90
825 825 3 238.00 $238.00 $1,964 +0.10
858–897 870 20 221.00–236.50 $228.54 $1,988 -4.63
901–949 915 21 214.00–221.50 $217.65 $1,991 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
648 648 12 259.50 $259.50 $1,682 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
798 798 6 226.00 $226.00 $1,803 —
849 849 4 218.00 $218.00 $1,851 —
890 890 2 206.00 $206.00 $1,833 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
721 721 7 239.00 $239.00 $1,723 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
554 unweaned 554 4 240.00 $240.00 $1,330 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
274 unweaned 274 4 322.50 $322.50 $884 —
408 unweaned 408 16 299.00 $299.00 $1,220 —
468 unweaned 468 31 260.00–282.00 $277.74 $1,300 —
527 unweaned 527 5 261.00 $261.00 $1,375 +19.00
703–713 706 18 240.00–247.00 $242.36 $1,711 +3.44
758 758 2 239.50 $239.50 $1,815 +3.13
820–828 822 20 226.00–229.00 $226.95 $1,866 -2.24
869–898 885 43 219.50–223.00 $221.98 $1,965 -1.59
903–938 921 38 211.00–219.50 $215.91 $1,989 -3.96
950–992 977 43 203.00–214.00 $209.76 $2,049 -2.91
1000–1028 1008 9 203.00–204.00 $203.61 $2,052 +5.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
268 unweaned 268 2 335.00 $335.00 $898 —
351–386 unweaned 367 11 245.00–301.00 $279.23 $1,025 —
425 unweaned 425 7 263.00 $263.00 $1,118 —
497 unweaned 497 6 254.00 $254.00 $1,262 —
500–510 unweaned 508 9 237.50–256.00 $251.95 $1,280 —
642 642 5 248.00 $248.00 $1,592 —
662 662 3 247.00 $247.00 $1,635 —
726–743 737 29 234.00–239.00 $236.78 $1,745 +1.28
776–791 783 35 218.00–225.00 $222.43 $1,742 -5.73
838–849 844 9 215.00–221.00 $217.99 $1,840 -5.01
888 888 8 213.00 $213.00 $1,891 -1.00
921–948 933 9 208.50–209.50 $208.95 $1,950 —
954–981 968 10 190.00–202.00 $195.23 $1,890 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1082 1082 36 200.00 $200.00 $2,164 +2.63
1103–1108 1106 7 194.00–198.00 $194.57 $2,152 —
1150 1150 1 193.50 $193.50 $2,225 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
588 588 5 235.00 $235.00 $1,382 —
624 624 5 239.00 $239.00 $1,491 —
779 779 25 222.00 $222.00 $1,729 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
673 673 5 230.00 $230.00 $1,548 —
748 748 4 215.00 $215.00 $1,608 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
788 788 3 196.00 $196.00 $1,544 —
1065–1067 1067 4 190.00–194.50 $191.12 $2,039 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
761 761 6 207.50 $207.50 $1,579 —

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Feeder Bulls

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1134 1134 9 190.00 $190.00 $2,155 —
1202 1202 5 182.00 $182.00 $2,188 -8.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960 960 1 198.00 $198.00 $1,901 —
1028–1040 1032 3 190.00 $190.00 $1,961 —
1079 1079 4 188.00 $188.00 $2,029 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140–1148 1146 4 171.00–184.00 $174.23 $1,997 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
607 607 3 220.00 $220.00 $1,335 —
1095 1095 1 189.00 $189.00 $2,070 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1285–1550 1374 80-85% 26 117.00–125.50 $123.31 $1,694 -2.39
1360–1405 1385 80-85% 3 140.00–141.00 $140.66 $1,948 +14.96
1225–1795 1417 80-85% 48 130.00–139.50 $134.70 $1,909 +19.87
1395–1495 1445 80-85% 19 125.00–136.00 $128.04 $1,850 -16.96
1445–1648 1580 80-85% 3 115.00–125.00 $121.95 $1,927 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020 1020 85-90% 1 97.50 $97.50 $994 —
1093–1200 1130 85-90% 6 136.00–142.00 $139.81 $1,580 +14.95
1123–1290 1166 85-90% 5 105.00–113.00 $107.97 $1,259 -0.76
1020–1260 1177 85-90% 11 126.00–136.50 $132.33 $1,558 +23.60
1015–1260 1210 85-90% 21 116.00–124.00 $122.03 $1,477 +0.98
1280 1280 85-90% 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,562 -12.09
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1550–1880 1589 75-80% 14 130.00–133.50 $131.87 $2,095 —
1554–1865 1599 75-80% 8 124.00–132.00 $128.52 $2,055 —
1430–1790 1668 75-80% 14 134.50–140.00 $137.52 $2,294 —
1590–1800 1690 75-80% 6 134.50–138.00 $136.99 $2,315 —
1825 1825 75-80% 1 140.50 $140.50 $2,564 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1225–1370 1312 5 125.00–136.00 $130.54 $1,713 +1.67
1250–1685 1483 20 131.00–145.00 $138.35 $2,052 —
1580 1580 1 152.00 $152.00 $2,402 —
1408–2085 1621 22 132.00–146.00 $140.22 $2,273 —
1470–2340 1941 33 148.00–160.00 $155.25 $3,013 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
888–1287 1048 (<2 yrs)Open 18 150.00–182.50 $164.60 $1,725
930–1280 1167 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 14 139.00–157.50 $143.46 $1,674
1360 1360 (<2 yrs)Open 2 148.00 $148.00 $2,013
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1020 1020 (<2 yrs)Open 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,530

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1283 1283 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 2 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.