Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 4, 2024

5,243 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $299.83/cwt ≈ $1,724/hd at 575 lb · 588 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $315.18/cwt ≈ $1,976/hd at 627 lb · 419 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $352.15/cwt ≈ $1,866/hd at 530 lb · 293 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 5,243 627 1,090
Feeder cattle 4,966 165 310
Slaughter cattle 105 328 410
Replacement cattle 172 134 370

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to a week ago: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all offerings. 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. Market activity was active to very active for todays spring N.I.L.E. special. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all classes of slaughter cows. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. 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
365–389 374 16 400.00–404.00 $401.28 $1,501 —
425–447 437 49 382.00–407.00 $392.75 $1,716 —
460–486 469 75 365.00–386.00 $379.56 $1,780 +29.56
520–548 530 293 335.00–368.00 $352.15 $1,866 —
554–598 569 171 320.00–343.00 $334.71 $1,904 +0.71
600–648 627 419 296.00–324.00 $315.18 $1,976 —
655–695 679 219 280.00–304.00 $297.63 $2,021 —
704–748 731 68 262.00–281.00 $268.50 $1,963 —
750 fancy 750 87 280.00 $280.00 $2,100 —
764–799 789 107 248.00–258.00 $252.20 $1,990 -2.80
882–893 888 11 232.00–236.00 $234.19 $2,080 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–398 380 18 356.00–380.00 $367.71 $1,397 —
405–430 419 16 340.00–370.00 $360.77 $1,512 +21.08
450–496 471 32 327.00–373.00 $352.15 $1,659 —
520–539 535 43 290.00–335.00 $317.99 $1,701 -15.01
570–595 577 35 306.00–323.00 $315.72 $1,822 —
625–648 645 24 276.00–298.00 $293.26 $1,892 +3.26
652–693 675 41 265.00–290.00 $276.99 $1,870 +4.99
705–745 720 13 241.00–255.00 $250.53 $1,804 -17.47
765–796 786 17 222.00–234.00 $229.27 $1,802 —
805–845 825 11 217.00–225.00 $221.34 $1,826 -3.66
934–948 944 7 214.00–219.00 $217.59 $2,054 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
415–432 425 7 310.00–330.00 $318.38 $1,353 —
465–494 490 17 312.00–325.00 $314.34 $1,540 —
600–628 607 20 210.00–220.00 $212.59 $1,290 —
678–685 682 10 227.00–252.00 $239.56 $1,634 —
755–775 765 4 208.00–220.00 $213.92 $1,636 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
355–360 357 5 342.00–350.00 $345.23 $1,232 —
400–448 430 169 325.00–344.00 $333.61 $1,435 —
463–499 483 199 313.00–331.00 $321.70 $1,554 +0.70
510–545 521 100 292.00–320.00 $311.82 $1,625 —
553–595 575 588 288.00–315.00 $299.83 $1,724 —
600–639 608 214 277.00–297.00 $285.10 $1,733 —
653–687 673 166 259.00–290.00 $271.43 $1,827 +9.43
700–725 716 123 252.00–270.00 $264.24 $1,892 —
753–765 757 38 246.00–270.00 $256.86 $1,944 —
805–815 808 7 225.00–237.00 $233.54 $1,887 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
625–630 630 370 1,835.00–1,900.00 $1,894.59 —
672 672 21 1,910.00 $1,910.00 —
709–712 710 158 1,960.00–2,025.00 $2,000.66 —
774–796 789 141 1,950.00–2,185.00 $2,098.47 —
825–847 832 125 2,200.00–2,210.00 $2,203.10 —
854 854 8 2,075.00 $2,075.00 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
325–330 327 6 326.00–340.00 $330.71 $1,081 —
355–395 385 33 322.00–344.00 $335.15 $1,290 —
400–448 432 54 305.00–329.00 $316.22 $1,366 -3.78
463–495 478 33 282.00–306.00 $296.63 $1,418 —
500–546 527 90 255.00–280.00 $266.35 $1,404 —
565–585 578 64 254.00–284.00 $272.97 $1,578 +0.97
605–617 615 78 257.00–279.00 $270.57 $1,664 —
655–698 676 38 240.00–262.00 $254.65 $1,721 +12.15
705–741 727 28 237.00–260.00 $246.15 $1,790 —
775–788 781 31 234.00–253.00 $243.04 $1,898 +13.04
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
330–340 335 4 307.00–310.00 $308.48 $1,033 —
360–375 373 14 310.00–315.00 $314.30 $1,172 —
485–486 485 24 270.00–290.00 $275.21 $1,335 —
510–530 514 24 245.00–247.00 $245.43 $1,262 —
560–585 577 24 237.00–262.00 $242.00 $1,396 —
600–635 621 11 215.00–250.00 $236.73 $1,470 —
682–698 690 13 215.00–233.00 $227.25 $1,568 —
785–795 789 8 200.00–217.00 $206.43 $1,629 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
377 377 14 375.00 $375.00 $1,414 —
475–480 476 43 320.00–340.00 $337.65 $1,607 —
500–529 526 10 290.00–305.00 $291.43 $1,533 -21.57
555–593 578 5 275.00–277.00 $276.23 $1,597 —
739 739 8 253.00 $253.00 $1,870 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
609 609 14 309.00 $309.00 $1,882 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
960–1210 1085 80-85% 2 127.00–131.00 $129.23 $1,402 —
1095–1620 1307 80-85% 10 121.00–137.00 $128.77 $1,683 —
1540–1620 1580 80-85% 2 122.00–123.00 $122.49 $1,935 —
1590–1600 1595 80-85% 2 137.00–142.00 $139.49 $2,225 —
1610 1610 80-85% 1 137.00 $137.00 $2,206 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155–1845 1446 75-80% 7 122.00–135.00 $129.27 $1,869 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1780 1780 1 167.00 $167.00 $2,973 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
870–875 874 (<2 yrs)Open 6 185.00–193.00 $191.67 $1,675
865–1000 912 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 13 167.00–184.00 $175.89 $1,604

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
835–885 852 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 1,100.00–1,750.00 $1,325.15
1150 1150 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 1,100.00 $1,100.00

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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.