Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 1, 2021

7,483 head sold ·Official USDA report

This is an archived report. See the latest Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction report →

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $152.71/cwt +8.64 vs last sale · ≈ $957/hd at 627 lb · 769 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $173.26/cwt +10.26 vs last sale · ≈ $1,085/hd at 626 lb · 624 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $142.77/cwt +12.77 vs last sale · ≈ $1,038/hd at 727 lb · 468 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 7,483 847 2,813
Feeder cattle 7,340 542 2,684
Slaughter cattle 78 225 32
Replacement cattle 65 80 97

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on both steers and heifers. Quality today was average to very attractive. Many load lots of high quality one iron home-raised feeders, as well as backgrounded put together feeders, sold today. Demand for both load lots and packages was good throughout todays long sale which stretched well into the evening. Over 20 order buyers and several ranchers were on hand for today's grass time special. Cattle under 750 lbs were in mostly light flesh as many sets were strictly developed for grass. Buyers offered strong premiums for thin fleshed cattle this sale. Demand for grass cattle was good to very good. Demand for feedlot ready cattle was mostly moderate to good on an attractive quality offering. Several sets of replacement quality heifers sold this sale. Demand was mostly good, however little premium was seen as demand for grass cattle was very good. Market activity was mostly active this sale with a full house seen ringside as well as several buyers over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good to very good demand. Temperatures reached the mid 70s today and by the time cows sold, weigh up conditions were mostly below average. Slaughter and feeding cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-4.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-8.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Good demand was seen for both feeding and rebreeding type cows.

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
376–392 389 51 215.00–217.50 $216.52 $842 +31.52
406–448 434 133 208.50–215.50 $211.49 $918 +18.12
451–491 477 326 197.50–211.00 $205.20 $979 +24.01
508–548 530 206 186.00–197.00 $191.27 $1,014 +18.88
550–574 thin fleshed 556 104 189.50–191.00 $190.56 $1,060 —
552–595 574 136 178.00–188.00 $183.88 $1,055 +23.27
600–649 626 605 170.00–182.00 $173.55 $1,086 +10.55
610–641 630 19 163.00–166.00 $164.07 $1,034 +1.07
651 651 10 141.00 $141.00 $918 -19.88
651–697 682 278 157.50–170.00 $162.23 $1,106 +1.35
704 fancy 704 7 167.00 $167.00 $1,176 —
701–738 712 126 151.00–159.75 $156.14 $1,112 +12.64
757–782 770 105 140.00–152.00 $146.30 $1,127 +10.10
808–833 818 12 135.00–136.50 $136.08 $1,113 —
811–830 821 45 137.50–139.50 $138.61 $1,138 —
821–847 825 30 134.00–135.00 $134.83 $1,112 —
879–883 879 59 141.00 $141.00 $1,239 —
912–918 913 31 129.50–134.50 $129.99 $1,187 —
950–953 953 42 127.00–130.50 $130.33 $1,242 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
374–387 383 28 200.00–210.00 $206.86 $792 +26.86
407–438 434 25 190.00–200.75 $193.64 $840 —
496 496 5 182.00 $182.00 $903 —
507–544 542 70 174.00–180.00 $177.40 $962 +21.40
555–595 585 37 172.00–175.00 $172.98 $1,012 +14.77
618–647 626 101 151.00–168.00 $160.84 $1,007 —
660–688 681 21 145.00–150.00 $148.87 $1,014 —
728–743 740 20 134.00–147.50 $139.89 $1,035 —
787–795 791 22 138.50 $138.50 $1,096 —
805–812 810 14 131.00–137.50 $135.65 $1,099 —
937 937 3 124.00 $124.00 $1,162 —
961 961 7 122.00 $122.00 $1,172 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
343 343 9 195.00 $195.00 $669 —
513–544 537 30 175.00–180.00 $176.12 $946 —
558 558 8 176.00 $176.00 $982 —
623 623 4 151.00 $151.00 $941 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
499 499 8 184.00 $184.00 $918 —
874 874 19 130.00 $130.00 $1,136 —
945 945 4 123.50 $123.50 $1,167 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
445 445 11 185.50 $185.50 $825 —
525 525 12 165.00 $165.00 $866 —
626 626 7 146.00 $146.00 $914 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
466 466 7 185.00 $185.00 $862 —
608 608 7 139.00 $139.00 $845 —
754 754 12 129.00 $129.00 $973 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
370 370 8 177.50 $177.50 $657 —
400–444 424 195 172.00–179.00 $174.96 $742 —
451–495 487 283 169.00–175.00 $172.90 $842 +11.37
500–548 517 327 160.25–169.00 $164.05 $848 +4.75
553–565 thin fleshed 559 26 166.50–168.00 $167.26 $935 —
550–598 589 373 154.50–163.00 $159.72 $941 +7.27
617 thin fleshed 617 28 160.00 $160.00 $987 —
623–630 625 24 137.00–145.00 $139.35 $871 -4.72
602–648 627 717 147.00–158.50 $152.87 $958 +8.80
650–693 670 223 141.00–149.50 $145.81 $977 +12.71
661–694 678 83 149.00–149.50 $149.21 $1,012 +16.11
688 688 6 136.00 $136.00 $936 +2.90
714 fancy 714 28 146.00 $146.00 $1,042 —
716 716 4 129.50 $129.50 $927 -0.50
717–741 727 181 141.00–151.50 $146.98 $1,069 +16.98
700–745 729 255 135.00–143.00 $139.63 $1,018 +9.63
754–786 770 84 129.00–137.00 $131.49 $1,012 +2.49
788 788 25 128.00 $128.00 $1,009 -1.00
792 792 36 135.00 $135.00 $1,069 +6.00
802–840 810 23 127.00–130.50 $129.01 $1,045 +4.51
812 812 3 126.50 $126.50 $1,027 +2.00
852–863 855 24 126.50–127.50 $127.29 $1,088 —
857–873 861 38 123.50–123.75 $123.69 $1,065 —
963 963 3 123.00 $123.00 $1,184 —
974 974 8 118.00 $118.00 $1,149 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
362–376 368 27 163.00–170.00 $165.74 $610 —
407–448 426 35 154.50–170.00 $165.29 $704 +10.42
451–488 466 47 162.00–170.50 $167.16 $779 +16.16
504–544 525 15 158.00–159.50 $158.67 $833 +17.67
550–589 575 131 148.00–154.00 $152.02 $874 —
653–692 684 74 132.25–141.00 $135.82 $929 —
740 740 17 130.75 $130.75 $968 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
391 391 5 170.00 $170.00 $665 —
486 486 28 159.75 $159.75 $776 —
502–546 533 70 155.50–156.00 $155.64 $830 —
562–584 576 193 150.25–152.00 $150.94 $869 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
471 471 7 146.50 $146.50 $690 —
522 522 8 137.00 $137.00 $715 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
389 389 8 153.50 $153.50 $597 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
347 347 9 211.50 $211.50 $734 —
488 488 2 180.00 $180.00 $878 +13.00
523–530 524 5 165.00–171.00 $169.79 $890 +7.29
552–590 572 35 152.00–167.00 $159.71 $914 —
600 600 2 153.00 $153.00 $918 +15.00
665 665 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,004 +21.20
701 701 4 146.00 $146.00 $1,023 —
770 770 2 129.00 $129.00 $993 +3.50
835–845 840 2 126.00–132.00 $128.98 $1,083 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1037–1045 1041 9 116.00–121.00 $118.77 $1,236 —
1233 1233 2 96.00 $96.00 $1,184 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
537 537 3 160.00 $160.00 $859 —
705 705 2 129.00 $129.00 $909 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
850 850 85-90% 1 42.50 $42.50 $361 —
945 945 85-90% 2 56.00 $56.00 $529 +0.17
1035–1150 1093 85-90% 2 43.00–53.00 $48.26 $527 —
1100–1225 1177 85-90% 6 57.00–63.00 $60.16 $708 +2.84
920–1243 1202 85-90% 14 63.00–65.00 $63.11 $759 +5.70
1255 1255 85-90% 3 66.50 $66.50 $835 +5.57
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1180 1180 80-85% 1 63.50 $63.50 $749 —
1335–1395 1350 80-85% 4 68.50–69.00 $68.87 $930 +2.02
1350 1350 80-85% 1 71.00 $71.00 $958 +4.15
1379 1379 80-85% 5 68.00 $68.00 $938 +11.37
1400 1400 80-85% 2 71.50 $71.50 $1,001 +6.64
1315–1518 1441 80-85% 11 62.50–64.50 $63.70 $918 +0.40
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1730 1730 75-80% 1 57.50 $57.50 $995 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320 1320 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,228 —
1388–1738 1518 6 72.00–72.50 $72.08 $1,094 —
1710–2033 1892 8 85.00–93.50 $90.35 $1,709 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1025–1120 1076 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 11 68.50–83.00 $79.25 $853
910–1360 1094 (<2 yrs)Open 44 71.00–109.00 $89.74 $982

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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.