light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$462.44/cwt≈ $1,873/hd at 405 lb · 19 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1-2 heifers$381.64/cwt≈ $2,210/hd at 579 lb · 19 head
Billings, MT 4-weight heifers sold at $460/cwt. MT 4-weight heifers are down $45 from their early May peak of $506/cwt, with 1,262 head on offer.
What this means — computed from this report and its neighbors
Receipts
Head
This sale
Last sale
Last year
Total receipts
1,262
827
1,188
Feeder cattle
233
249
168
Slaughter cattle
694
415
792
Replacement cattle
335
163
228
Market comments — USDA reporter
Compared to last week (6-3-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most offerings were in small packages or as singles, forcing buyers to and start loads for the week. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Market activity was moderate with a small crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Feeding cows sold fully steady. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers was seen again this week. Buyers continue to show a willingness to take slightly lame or blemished cows to feed, which in turn allowed very few cows to be purchased for slaughter. Canadian buyers were very active this week buying cows to ship north to feed. Canadian buyers purchased mostly lean and boning flesh cows. American Packer buyers purchased a few lower quality cows to feed and hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday week. Demand was good to very good for all cows suitable to feed this week as all classes had multiple takers. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher on stronger packer demand. Bull quality was average to attractive and similar to last weeks offering. Feeding bulls sold 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Very few attractive feeding bulls were seen this week. Quality was mostly plain to average and not as attractive as last week. Demand for young cows suitable to feed or rebreed was good this week, and stronger than last week. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Young cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison.
→ Feeder cattle: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend
▲ Slaughter bulls: Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher on stronger packer demand
→ Slaughter cows: Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend
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.
Cattle Market
Compared to last week (6-3-26): Feeder cattle were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most offerings were in small packages or as singles, forcing buyers to and start loads for the week. Demand was mostly moderate to good. Market activity was moderate with a small crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Feeding cows sold fully steady. A large crowd of feeding cow buyers was seen again this week. Buyers continue to show a willingness to take slightly lame or blemished cows to feed, which in turn allowed very few cows to be purchased for slaughter. Canadian buyers were very active this week buying cows to ship north to feed. Canadian buyers purchased mostly lean and boning flesh cows. American Packer buyers purchased a few lower quality cows to feed and hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday week. Demand was good to very good for all cows suitable to feed this week as all classes had multiple takers. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed on all classes. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher on stronger packer demand. Bull quality was average to attractive and similar to last weeks offering. Feeding bulls sold 2.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Very few attractive feeding bulls were seen this week. Quality was mostly plain to average and not as attractive as last week. Demand for young cows suitable to feed or rebreed was good this week, and stronger than last week. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Young cows sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison.