Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 30, 2023

4,365 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 $218.29/cwt +7.09 vs last sale · ≈ $1,386/hd at 635 lb · 291 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $246.19/cwt +9.19 vs last sale · ≈ $1,516/hd at 616 lb · 285 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $213.98/cwt +13.12 vs last sale · ≈ $1,448/hd at 677 lb · 278 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,365 1,285 6,172
Feeder cattle 3,998 395 5,203
Slaughter cattle 116 469 244
Replacement cattle 251 421 725

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to two weeks ago: Steers were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all offerings. Heifers under 550 lbs sold generally steady, heifers over 550 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Several load lots were seen this sale and all sold on good to very good demand. Packages sold on mostly good demand as buyers were able to piece together loads of like quality cattle. Demand for grass cattle and replacement quality heifers was very good. Replacement heifer buyers and buyers looking for attractive grass heifers both showed good to very good demand and bid very aggressively on attractive offerings. Market activity was active to very active with a very large crowd on hand for todays spring N.I.L.E. special. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to moderate offerings. Western packers showed very good demand for cows for immediate harvest, while eastern Packers purchased most offerings to feed this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly 2.00 to 4.00 higher on all classes of slaughter cows. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, steady to higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with steady undertones. Quality this week was average to attractive.

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
396 396 5 271.00 $271.00 $1,073 —
438–448 442 17 270.00 $270.00 $1,193 —
473–489 480 98 261.00–272.00 $266.08 $1,277 -5.92
500–542 534 88 258.00–268.00 $259.36 $1,385 +2.86
564–597 value added 581 31 260.00 $260.00 $1,511 —
551–596 582 74 247.00–256.00 $254.22 $1,480 +7.40
602 value added 602 96 260.00 $260.00 $1,565 —
604–638 623 189 231.00–248.00 $239.18 $1,490 +2.18
656–694 672 90 215.00–229.00 $223.81 $1,504 —
712–742 721 206 201.00–214.00 $209.41 $1,510 —
755–792 778 98 188.00–200.50 $195.50 $1,521 —
865 865 2 174.00 $174.00 $1,505 —
905–916 913 24 169.00–172.00 $170.13 $1,553 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
376–385 379 12 252.00–270.00 $258.09 $978 -12.67
421–432 427 17 264.00–270.00 $267.21 $1,141 -2.79
451–494 485 51 240.00–260.00 $246.56 $1,196 -12.85
510–531 525 37 245.00–251.00 $248.83 $1,306 +12.15
552–597 587 149 222.00–239.00 $232.92 $1,367 -0.08
625–648 639 77 210.00–225.00 $217.55 $1,390 -7.70
663–680 669 6 202.00–204.00 $202.68 $1,356 —
719–738 728 29 196.00–199.00 $198.37 $1,444 +8.37
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
443 443 6 263.00 $263.00 $1,165 —
522–530 527 12 225.00–246.00 $233.67 $1,231 —
631–648 636 41 200.00–211.00 $208.61 $1,327 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
512 512 8 223.00 $223.00 $1,142 —
558 558 4 212.00 $212.00 $1,183 —
646 646 16 203.00 $203.00 $1,311 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
645 645 2 220.00 $220.00 $1,419 —
811 811 4 170.00 $170.00 $1,379 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–430 413 26 234.00–237.50 $234.66 $969 -2.34
491–497 492 75 230.25–231.00 $230.43 $1,134 -3.57
516–524 520 43 226.00–235.00 $229.85 $1,195 —
557–588 579 161 221.50–234.00 $230.51 $1,335 +4.66
614 fancy 614 28 229.00 $229.00 $1,406 —
602–649 637 263 209.00–225.00 $217.15 $1,383 +5.95
650–660 fancy 652 24 217.00–224.00 $218.48 $1,424 —
651–698 679 254 204.00–219.00 $213.56 $1,450 +12.70
700–746 727 70 186.00–199.00 $193.13 $1,404 -4.87
725–739 735 93 200.50–218.00 $201.55 $1,481 +3.55
760–796 777 127 186.00–197.50 $194.20 $1,509 —
777–798 788 75 172.00–185.00 $176.85 $1,394 —
815–827 825 6 169.00–169.50 $169.42 $1,398 —
846–848 847 34 161.50–162.00 $161.79 $1,370 —
853–865 858 46 181.00–198.50 $189.43 $1,625 —
863–896 894 49 166.00–171.00 $168.04 $1,502 —
958 958 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,533 —
967 967 55 157.75 $157.75 $1,525 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
380 380 4 228.00 $228.00 $866 -17.00
406 unweaned 406 7 200.00 $200.00 $812 —
418–445 422 35 230.00–231.00 $230.85 $974 —
460–496 479 42 226.00–229.50 $228.27 $1,093 +13.27
515–548 531 46 211.00–225.00 $222.43 $1,181 +10.68
562–599 593 110 206.00–215.00 $209.56 $1,243 +24.56
607–643 626 42 194.00–207.00 $201.08 $1,259 —
655 655 2 194.00 $194.00 $1,271 —
713–743 730 22 167.00–171.00 $168.67 $1,231 +18.67
809 809 8 161.50 $161.50 $1,307 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355 355 3 244.00 $244.00 $866 —
427–428 428 54 228.00–229.00 $228.76 $979 —
530–547 542 35 209.00–215.00 $210.68 $1,142 —
550–585 571 10 205.00–211.00 $208.69 $1,192 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
467 467 3 229.00 $229.00 $1,069 —
591 591 14 215.00 $215.00 $1,271 —
600 600 2 208.50 $208.50 $1,251 —
680–690 684 8 189.00–196.00 $191.65 $1,311 —
737 737 14 177.50 $177.50 $1,308 —
1060 1060 2 141.00 $141.00 $1,495 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
478 478 7 232.50 $232.50 $1,111 -7.50
500 500 2 230.00 $230.00 $1,150 —
580 580 3 225.00 $225.00 $1,305 —
610 610 3 210.00 $210.00 $1,281 —
715–733 731 8 191.00–196.00 $195.39 $1,428 —
885 885 1 151.00 $151.00 $1,336 —
940 940 4 156.00 $156.00 $1,466 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130 1130 6 121.00 $121.00 $1,367 —
1185 1185 1 122.00 $122.00 $1,446 +11.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
485 485 4 220.00 $220.00 $1,067 —
640 640 1 157.50 $157.50 $1,008 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1268–1505 1383 80-85% 20 93.00–98.00 $94.89 $1,312 +13.36
1338–1505 1428 80-85% 18 80.00–93.00 $88.53 $1,264 -4.55
1360–1525 1431 80-85% 5 90.00–95.00 $93.52 $1,338 +0.44
1350–1535 1443 80-85% 2 101.00–101.50 $101.27 $1,461 —
1500–1535 1518 80-85% 2 86.00–93.00 $89.46 $1,358 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1118–1215 1161 85-90% 12 82.00–85.00 $84.10 $976 +12.93
1220 1220 85-90% 1 76.00 $76.00 $927 -13.40
1155–1298 1236 85-90% 6 88.50–93.50 $91.44 $1,130 -5.56
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1538 1538 75-80% 2 89.00 $89.00 $1,369 -2.50
1595–1645 1612 75-80% 3 97.00–97.50 $97.33 $1,569 —
1620 1620 75-80% 2 100.00 $100.00 $1,620 —
1495–1915 1660 75-80% 6 88.00–92.00 $90.21 $1,497 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 93.00 $93.00 $1,093 —
1183–1245 1195 5 110.00–116.00 $111.25 $1,329 —
1495–2105 1732 3 85.00–108.00 $99.21 $1,718 -0.23
1768–2040 1859 3 113.00–115.00 $114.27 $2,124 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
808–1270 989 (<2 yrs)Open 44 125.00–150.00 $140.43 $1,389
885–1388 1160 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 33 95.00–117.00 $104.81 $1,216
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
738 738 (<2 yrs)Open 2 145.00 $145.00 $1,070
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
865 865 (<2 yrs)Open 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,228

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1090–1344 1250 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 16 2,000.00–2,050.00 $2,023.52
1256–1283 thin fleshed 1264 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 1,150.00–1,350.00 $1,291.99
1295–1565 1370 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 37 1,425.00–1,650.00 $1,491.75
1141–1735 1373 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 67 1,700.00–2,050.00 $2,005.85
1405–1466 1449 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 22 1,900.00–2,025.00 $1,989.12

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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.