Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 28, 2022

3,816 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $179.72/cwt ≈ $950/hd at 528 lb · 224 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $170.31/cwt ≈ $1,071/hd at 629 lb · 218 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $135.00/cwt ≈ $1,187/hd at 879 lb · 141 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 3,816 641 3,911
Feeder cattle 3,118 414 3,324
Slaughter cattle 373 122 385
Replacement cattle 325 105 202

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago, feeder steers and heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. However, for feeder steers and heifers under 500 lbs a lower undertone was noted; over 500 lbs a firm undertone was noted. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Buyer demand was moderate for a heavy sale supply. Slaughter cows and bulls sold on a light test with a firm undertone. Buyer demand was good for weigh up cows and bulls.

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
408–431 420 17 190.00–197.50 $193.43 $812 —
510–527 523 4 193.00–194.00 $193.76 $1,013 —
504–537 thin fleshed 530 94 201.00 $201.00 $1,065 —
556–584 571 81 189.00–198.00 $195.45 $1,116 —
606–634 626 61 168.00–178.00 $174.22 $1,091 -5.78
657–699 680 64 167.00–180.00 $175.98 $1,197 —
750–767 759 138 164.00–166.00 $164.99 $1,252 —
820–832 831 84 154.00–155.00 $154.06 $1,280 —
852–865 863 64 146.75–148.50 $146.99 $1,269 —
909–940 922 16 132.00–137.50 $133.80 $1,234 —
960–965 961 7 132.00–135.00 $134.14 $1,289 —
1002–1045 1009 6 122.00–123.00 $122.17 $1,233 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
456–487 478 53 180.00–188.00 $182.29 $871 —
504–535 517 47 175.00–181.00 $177.51 $918 -2.49
550–578 569 24 177.00–183.00 $178.74 $1,017 +5.74
630–644 637 43 157.00–165.00 $162.96 $1,038 —
650–698 672 24 159.00–167.00 $163.97 $1,102 —
714–748 739 31 155.00–161.50 $157.00 $1,160 —
752–761 759 92 154.00–157.50 $157.39 $1,195 —
810–843 837 11 146.00–150.00 $146.70 $1,228 —
855–889 871 28 132.00–142.50 $136.32 $1,187 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 thin fleshed 422 29 195.50 $195.50 $825 —
454–487 465 59 170.00–178.00 $175.79 $817 —
452–496 fancy 476 27 184.00–192.00 $189.08 $900 —
510 thin fleshed 510 76 186.50 $186.50 $951 —
505–547 538 148 170.00–179.50 $176.24 $948 —
552–589 560 76 166.00–173.00 $167.80 $940 —
560–582 thin fleshed 575 39 178.00–181.00 $178.97 $1,029 —
618 thin fleshed 618 78 178.50 $178.50 $1,103 —
605–644 635 140 161.00–170.00 $165.74 $1,052 —
654–675 657 114 156.50–161.00 $157.99 $1,038 —
705–746 732 73 150.00–154.50 $152.05 $1,113 —
783 783 28 141.00 $141.00 $1,104 —
802–811 808 30 138.00–141.00 $139.26 $1,125 +8.71
879 879 141 135.00 $135.00 $1,187 —
900–915 910 15 130.00–130.50 $130.16 $1,184 +5.16
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320–333 331 11 185.00–188.00 $186.04 $616 —
441–445 442 8 170.00–177.00 $176.12 $778 —
455–491 471 24 156.00–166.00 $161.72 $762 -12.13
500–546 530 41 158.00–167.50 $162.33 $860 -8.17
550–598 584 105 160.00–166.00 $162.35 $948 +4.35
605–648 631 51 152.00–160.50 $155.74 $983 +2.64
650–692 681 87 151.00–155.00 $153.05 $1,042 +3.55
708–742 724 26 147.50–152.00 $149.83 $1,085 +8.11
824–849 839 13 133.00–134.50 $133.93 $1,124 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
786 786 15 1,250.00 $1,250.00 —
890 890 62 1,325.00 $1,325.00 —

↑ Back to top

Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
472–473 472 8 184.00–190.00 $185.50 $876 —
531 531 18 181.00 $181.00 $961 —
605–644 633 31 163.50–167.00 $164.45 $1,041 —
710 710 35 151.00 $151.00 $1,072 +13.00

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1002–1420 1103 80-85% 15 82.00–84.00 $82.94 $915 —
1010–1715 1315 80-85% 103 70.00–81.50 $75.35 $991 —
1167–1723 1356 80-85% 25 68.00–69.50 $68.74 $932 -13.33
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
900–1320 1142 85-90% 35 61.50–66.00 $64.14 $732 -13.97
930–1275 1154 85-90% 38 67.00–74.50 $70.58 $814 -11.73
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1098–1694 1432 75-80% 37 76.00–83.00 $80.05 $1,146 —

↑ Back to top

Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1020–2340 1269 17 103.50–110.00 $106.18 $1,347 —
1160–2090 1580 5 86.00–90.50 $87.82 $1,388 —
1145–2360 1794 13 92.50–98.00 $96.00 $1,722 -7.38

↑ Back to top

Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
839–1030 953 (<2 yrs)Open 65 106.00–111.00 $109.24 $1,041
837–1395 1051 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 91 90.50–104.50 $98.38 $1,034

↑ Back to top

Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1034–1115 1050 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1st Stage (1-3 mo) 10 700.00–950.00 $896.91
1080–1220 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,300.00–1,350.00 $1,326.52
1248–1304 1289 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 8 1,000.00–1,100.00 $1,074.79
1563–1649 1624 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 1,100.00–1,150.00 $1,136.25

↑ Back to top

Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1236 1236 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 41 1,860.00 $1,860.00 —
1230–1667 1561 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 15 1,275.00–1,500.00 $1,446.97 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1045–1240 1099 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 1,000.00–1,100.00 $1,053.95 —
835–1370 1264 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 11 600.00–935.00 $901.98 —

↑ Back to top

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.