Cattle Market Pulse

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

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Wednesday, October 23, 2024

1,415 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 $291.24/cwt +16.74 vs last sale · ≈ $1,666/hd at 572 lb · 19 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 bulls $256.65/cwt ≈ $1,604/hd at 625 lb · 18 head
heavy 4-weight M&L 1 steers $315.00/cwt ≈ $1,503/hd at 477 lb · 17 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,415 2,089 1,282
Feeder cattle 446 580 465
Slaughter cattle 692 910 615
Replacement cattle 277 599 202

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Demand for slaughter cows was light. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last week. Many lame, low yielding cows were seen this sale. Many of these offerings were to lame for buyers to feed and were purchased by packer buyers. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly light. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-5.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking cows sold steady to weak. Private feeding buyers showed mostly moderate to good demand today. Quality hampered demand this week as quality was not as attractive as last weeks sale. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Fewer buyers were in the stands this week buying feeding cows. Weigh conditions were mostly below average today with many cows pushing heavy amounts of fill. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower Feeding bull sold generally steady. Quality today was mostly average to for bulls and lower than last weeks offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower. Demand from rebreed buyers was mostly moderate. Demand for this class of cow was lower this week as quality was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks offering.

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
255 unweaned 255 1 437.50 $437.50 $1,116 —
328 unweaned 328 4 425.00 $425.00 $1,394 +9.00
380–385 unweaned 383 3 377.50–390.00 $381.63 $1,462 -13.24
477 unweaned 477 17 315.00 $315.00 $1,503 —
512–523 unweaned 514 13 300.00–307.50 $306.33 $1,575 +19.33
560–578 unweaned 572 19 290.00–294.00 $291.24 $1,666 +16.74
608–611 unweaned 609 12 270.00–276.00 $273.49 $1,666 —
827 827 5 247.00 $247.00 $2,043 —
860 860 1 241.00 $241.00 $2,073 —
1020 1020 2 228.00 $228.00 $2,326 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
383–387 unweaned 385 5 350.00–367.50 $360.54 $1,388 —
495 unweaned 495 2 310.00 $310.00 $1,534 —
528 unweaned 528 4 295.00 $295.00 $1,558 —
686 unweaned 686 4 241.00 $241.00 $1,653 —
903 903 6 228.50 $228.50 $2,063 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
432 unweaned 432 3 307.50 $307.50 $1,328 —
553 unweaned 553 4 265.00 $265.00 $1,465 —
723 unweaned 723 4 241.50 $241.50 $1,746 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 unweaned 538 8 217.50 $217.50 $1,170 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
760 unweaned 760 2 232.00 $232.00 $1,763 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
270–275 unweaned 273 2 355.00–375.00 $365.09 $997 —
572 unweaned 572 9 269.50 $269.50 $1,542 —
600–630 unweaned 610 3 251.00–256.00 $254.28 $1,551 —
857 857 6 228.00 $228.00 $1,954 +11.00
912–949 935 8 222.50–227.00 $224.15 $2,096 +14.15
950–980 963 8 215.50–222.00 $220.17 $2,120 +7.17
990 990 2 202.00 $202.00 $2,000 -11.00
1003–1025 1008 27 211.00–222.00 $218.84 $2,206 +5.86
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
413–420 unweaned 417 14 295.00–307.50 $299.82 $1,250 —
474 unweaned 474 10 280.00 $280.00 $1,327 —
542 unweaned 542 5 269.00 $269.00 $1,458 —
575 unweaned 575 1 255.00 $255.00 $1,466 —
725 725 1 232.00 $232.00 $1,682 —
774–775 774 13 226.00–231.00 $229.46 $1,776 -1.54
823 823 2 225.00 $225.00 $1,852 —
850 850 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,849 —
935 935 1 211.00 $211.00 $1,973 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
575 unweaned 575 1 242.00 $242.00 $1,392 —
1060–1081 1072 11 208.50–212.00 $209.76 $2,249 +4.89
1173 1173 3 182.00 $182.00 $2,135 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
503 unweaned 503 6 220.00 $220.00 $1,107 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
538 unweaned 538 3 227.50 $227.50 $1,224 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
519–528 524 10 290.00–300.00 $293.96 $1,540 —
568 568 2 265.00 $265.00 $1,505 —
608–628 625 18 256.00–260.00 $256.65 $1,604 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
995 995 2 219.00 $219.00 $2,179 —
1081 1081 5 205.00 $205.00 $2,216 +15.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 3 187.50–192.50 $189.17 $2,157 —
1195 1195 1 177.50 $177.50 $2,121 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1140 1140 1 202.50 $202.50 $2,308 -12.50
1240 1240 1 180.00 $180.00 $2,232 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1235–1700 1403 80-85% 157 116.00–130.50 $125.10 $1,755 +7.60
1130–1630 1411 80-85% 40 95.00–109.00 $103.59 $1,462 -13.91
1325–1550 1414 80-85% 33 104.00–115.00 $110.95 $1,569 -6.55
1270–1500 1423 80-85% 33 130.50–138.00 $132.10 $1,880 -5.41
1390–1455 1423 80-85% 2 87.00–91.00 $89.05 $1,267 -48.46
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
745–845 801 85-90% 4 72.50–86.00 $77.93 $624 —
885–918 907 85-90% 3 107.00–107.50 $107.16 $972 —
938–990 955 85-90% 3 87.00–90.00 $88.04 $841 —
950–1400 1162 85-90% 26 99.00–111.00 $106.44 $1,237 -5.49
920–1395 1168 85-90% 53 88.00–106.00 $95.95 $1,121 -15.98
1015–1282 1182 85-90% 80 109.00–125.00 $117.18 $1,385 +5.25
1005–1290 1185 85-90% 30 75.00–88.50 $84.50 $1,001 -27.43
1113–1290 1216 85-90% 27 125.00–132.00 $128.98 $1,568 +19.18
1170–1265 1229 85-90% 5 108.00–115.50 $110.29 $1,355 -11.71
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1495–1600 1570 75-80% 4 125.50–130.00 $127.23 $1,998 -3.26
1520–1680 1635 75-80% 4 116.00–122.00 $119.58 $1,955 -1.92
1585–1898 1690 75-80% 14 125.50–130.50 $127.62 $2,157 —
1610–1835 1748 75-80% 6 113.00–124.00 $118.38 $2,069 -10.10

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1190–1193 1192 4 130.00–131.00 $130.75 $1,559 —
1150–1720 1521 16 139.00–146.00 $144.40 $2,196 -4.39
1260–2065 1736 29 122.50–143.50 $136.94 $2,377 -6.81
1645–2125 1872 19 144.00–156.00 $150.32 $2,814 —
1650–2300 1995 4 160.00–164.50 $162.19 $3,236 —
2650 2650 1 133.00 $133.00 $3,524 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1891 1891 5 144.00 $144.00 $2,723 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
755–1360 972 (<2 yrs)Open 116 150.00–218.00 $190.14 $1,848
855–1370 1092 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 75 128.00–185.00 $153.05 $1,671
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775 thin fleshed 775 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,008
812 thin fleshed 812 (<2 yrs)Open 3 152.50 $152.50 $1,238
715–1145 919 (<2 yrs)Open 14 140.00–185.00 $160.59 $1,476
785–1185 977 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 130.00–150.00 $133.92 $1,308
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1115 1115 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 105.00 $105.00 $1,171

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1110–1230 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 3 1,900.00–2,225.00 $2,038.36
1050–1196 1172 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 6 2,200.00–2,250.00 $2,242.53
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
905–1094 1070 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,500.00–1,875.00 $1,835.37

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1560 1560 85-90% 1 92.00 $92.00 $1,435 —

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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.