Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 6, 2023

1,090 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1 heifers $238.50/cwt +3.84 vs last sale · ≈ $1,052/hd at 441 lb · 23 head
light 8-weight L 1 heifers $175.00/cwt ≈ $1,444/hd at 825 lb · 18 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $238.00/cwt +8.15 vs last sale · ≈ $1,269/hd at 533 lb · 15 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,090 4,365 1,165
Feeder cattle 310 3,998 374
Slaughter cattle 410 116 509
Replacement cattle 370 251 282

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last week: Steers and heifers were too lightly tested today to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this sale was mostly plain to average. Most lots were offered in small packages of as singles. Demand was good to very good. Sharply higher fat cattle sales were seen around the country this week, spurring higher CME live and feeder cattle contract prices. Market activity was active to very active despite light offerings. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed good demand for both feeding and slaughter cows this sale. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on all offerings. Feeding cows sold steady to 1.00 higher. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mixed as some cows offered buyers above average weigh conditions, while others offered below average conditions. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 10.00-15.00 higher. Quality this week was average to attractive. Most open rebreed type offerings sold for $1450-1700 per head.

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
600 600 2 245.00 $245.00 $1,470 +5.82
728 728 4 210.00 $210.00 $1,529 +0.59
767 767 3 198.00 $198.00 $1,519 +2.50
913 913 6 178.00 $178.00 $1,625 +7.87
972 972 10 175.00 $175.00 $1,701 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
592 592 3 235.00 $235.00 $1,391 +2.08
673–690 680 7 205.00–211.00 $207.61 $1,412 +4.93
800 800 3 177.00 $177.00 $1,416 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
397 397 3 237.00 $237.00 $941 —
479 479 9 266.00 $266.00 $1,274 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
493 493 3 266.00 $266.00 $1,311 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
441 441 23 238.50 $238.50 $1,052 +3.84
533 533 15 238.00 $238.00 $1,269 +8.15
585 585 3 232.00 $232.00 $1,357 +1.49
610 610 5 220.00–225.00 $224.00 $1,366 +6.85
712–740 725 11 191.00–192.00 $191.46 $1,388 -1.67
790 790 9 172.00 $172.00 $1,359 -4.85
822 822 3 174.00 $174.00 $1,430 +4.58
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 13 194.00 $194.00 $1,358 —
825 825 18 175.00 $175.00 $1,444 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
385 385 2 230.00 $230.00 $886 +2.00
550 550 2 217.50 $217.50 $1,196 —
648 648 8 214.00 $214.00 $1,387 +12.92
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
388 388 6 237.50 $237.50 $922 -6.50
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
397 397 3 200.00 $200.00 $794 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
528 528 3 242.50 $242.50 $1,280 +12.50
588 588 5 253.00 $253.00 $1,488 +28.00
750 750 4 178.00 $178.00 $1,335 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
339 339 4 248.00 $248.00 $841 —
395 395 5 232.50 $232.50 $918 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
955–980 965 85-90% 3 73.00–80.00 $76.97 $743 —
965 965 85-90% 1 85.50 $85.50 $825 —
1073 1073 85-90% 3 70.00 $70.00 $751 —
1089 1089 85-90% 17 82.75 $82.75 $901 —
1015–1260 1134 85-90% 49 74.50–85.00 $81.91 $929 —
1220–1240 1223 85-90% 8 87.50–95.50 $88.51 $1,082 +12.51
1200–1285 1238 85-90% 6 96.00–101.00 $99.49 $1,232 +8.05
1070–1310 1241 85-90% 66 86.00–96.00 $89.24 $1,107 -2.20
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1323–1415 1352 80-85% 21 81.00–88.00 $85.89 $1,161 -9.00
1200–1615 1386 80-85% 72 88.00–99.50 $94.22 $1,306 -0.67
1352–1480 1389 80-85% 9 100.00–105.00 $103.00 $1,431 +8.11
1350–1520 1448 80-85% 9 89.00–92.00 $90.82 $1,315 -10.45
1415–1551 1483 80-85% 20 91.00–98.50 $93.91 $1,393 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1385–1635 1463 65-75% 67 96.75 $96.75 $1,415 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1401 1401 75-80% 4 92.00 $92.00 $1,289 —
1385–1735 1584 75-80% 5 91.50–93.50 $92.82 $1,470 —
1508–1825 1654 75-80% 23 94.00–98.50 $96.17 $1,591 +5.96
1760 1760 75-80% 1 101.50 $101.50 $1,786 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1315 1315 1 111.00 $111.00 $1,460 —
1310–1350 1330 2 85.00–88.00 $86.48 $1,150 —
1505–1880 1649 8 85.00–107.00 $102.06 $1,683 —
1560–2435 1824 4 108.00–119.00 $113.42 $2,069 —
1760–2410 2063 9 124.00–136.00 $130.70 $2,696 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2270 2270 1 115.00 $115.00 $2,610 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
745–1435 960 (<2 yrs)Open 180 122.00–178.00 $158.99 $1,526
810–1490 1035 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 95 90.00–145.00 $125.00 $1,294
1040–1238 1150 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 6 89.00–100.00 $92.91 $1,068
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
931–999 953 (<2 yrs)Open 24 152.00–160.00 $157.82 $1,504
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
703–1135 972 (<2 yrs)Open 14 101.00–137.50 $111.20 $1,081
1005–1040 1023 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 91.00–112.00 $101.32 $1,037
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
695–784 769 (<2 yrs)Open 6 156.00–164.00 $162.80 $1,252

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Bred Cows

Small 3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
614–749 715 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 40 47.00–57.00 $54.85 $392
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1288 1288 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 1,825.00 $1,825.00

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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.