Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 23, 2024

1,063 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 steers $332.00/cwt +4.47 vs last sale · ≈ $1,946/hd at 586 lb · 30 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $250.92/cwt ≈ $1,709/hd at 681 lb · 21 head
light 9-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $214.48/cwt ≈ $1,954/hd at 911 lb · 21 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,063 1,543 1,751
Feeder cattle 391 317 1,319
Slaughter cattle 453 711 229
Replacement cattle 219 515 203

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeders was mostly moderate to good despite light offerings. Quality was mostly plain to average today. Most feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. CME Feeder and live cattle contracts closed slightly lower today. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Packers showed good demand for all cows on offer. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady on all cows on offer. Feeding cows sold steady boning and breaking flesh cows. Thin fleshed cows sold steady to weak with fewer buyers this week buying thin fleshed cows. Quality was mostly average to very attractive this week. Private feeding cow buyers were very aggressive again this week as the bid against packer buyers over high quality offerings. Packers purchased more cows to feed this week as they are starting to put cows away for the 4th of July holiday. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average as many cows which were out on grass were very empty come sale time. Slaughter bulls sold unevenly steady. Bull quality was mostly attractive today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady. Quality was mostly attractive to very attractive this week. Demand was mostly good to very good with the best demand seen for cows which lost calves.

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
524 524 4 341.00 $341.00 $1,787 —
586 586 30 332.00 $332.00 $1,946 +4.47
661–663 662 6 280.00–300.00 $286.68 $1,898 —
767 767 10 257.00 $257.00 $1,971 —
998 998 3 225.00 $225.00 $2,246 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
459 459 7 334.00 $334.00 $1,533 -3.50
500–540 513 3 291.00–325.00 $302.92 $1,554 -13.47
555–585 565 6 292.00–310.00 $296.41 $1,675 -3.59
665 665 1 260.00 $260.00 $1,729 -5.00
779 779 5 251.00 $251.00 $1,955 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
498 498 8 182.50 $182.50 $909 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
752 752 3 181.00 $181.00 $1,361 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
817 817 3 222.50 $222.50 $1,818 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 4 311.00 $311.00 $1,088 —
478 478 4 292.50 $292.50 $1,398 +3.20
520–525 521 6 287.50–296.00 $294.57 $1,535 +12.07
593 593 3 262.50 $262.50 $1,557 -16.15
608–634 626 10 259.00–269.00 $259.97 $1,627 -12.53
664–697 681 21 242.00–260.50 $250.92 $1,709 —
730–745 738 6 238.00 $238.00 $1,756 +3.00
767 767 3 239.00 $239.00 $1,833 —
865 865 1 217.50 $217.50 $1,881 —
907 907 19 216.00 $216.00 $1,959 —
948 948 2 200.00 $200.00 $1,896 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
431 431 6 297.50 $297.50 $1,282 —
553 553 3 248.00 $248.00 $1,371 -9.50
640 640 6 227.50 $227.50 $1,456 —
786 786 13 221.00 $221.00 $1,737 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
618 618 6 279.00 $279.00 $1,724 -6.54
738 738 19 247.50 $247.50 $1,827 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
480 480 3 185.00 $185.00 $888 —
551 551 7 150.00 $150.00 $826 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
558 558 2 242.00 $242.00 $1,350 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 2 340.00 $340.00 $1,190 —
563–573 566 6 270.00–277.50 $272.53 $1,543 —
664 664 4 247.50 $247.50 $1,643 —
813 813 4 232.50 $232.50 $1,890 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1100 1100 2 204.00 $204.00 $2,244 —
1205 1205 1 187.50 $187.50 $2,259 +3.50
1280 1280 1 172.50 $172.50 $2,208 +12.50
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
980 980 2 215.00–218.00 $216.50 $2,122 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1260–1575 1349 80-85% 10 125.00–127.00 $126.04 $1,700 —
1238–1643 1413 80-85% 78 129.00–140.00 $135.45 $1,914 -7.12
1285–1795 1452 80-85% 30 127.00–139.00 $132.97 $1,931 —
1210–1595 1454 80-85% 86 140.00–145.50 $141.92 $2,064 +0.52
1475–1695 1572 80-85% 3 140.00–146.50 $142.36 $2,238 —
1470–1695 1574 80-85% 4 117.00–125.00 $122.61 $1,930 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
930–940 935 85-90% 2 107.50–116.00 $111.77 $1,045 +1.60
980 980 85-90% 1 134.00 $134.00 $1,313 +12.00
1130 1130 85-90% 3 85.00 $85.00 $960 -27.29
1000–1350 1131 85-90% 26 104.00–121.00 $115.43 $1,306 +3.14
1080–1283 1211 85-90% 14 121.00–132.00 $126.87 $1,536 -7.70
1099–1400 1216 85-90% 16 111.00–123.00 $119.26 $1,450 -15.31
1085–1307 1230 85-90% 62 124.00–133.00 $128.80 $1,584 -5.77
1195–1300 1248 85-90% 2 133.00–139.00 $136.13 $1,699 —
1178–1297 1260 85-90% 11 134.50–142.00 $136.01 $1,714 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1523–1550 1530 75-80% 4 143.00 $143.00 $2,188 —
1530 1530 75-80% 1 132.00 $132.00 $2,020 —
1538–1645 1567 75-80% 10 138.00–141.00 $139.41 $2,185 +6.40
1615–1715 1658 75-80% 3 142.50–145.50 $143.47 $2,379 +12.08
1675 1675 75-80% 1 146.00 $146.00 $2,446 +14.61
1892–1960 1909 75-80% 4 135.00–136.00 $135.74 $2,591 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1320 1320 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,782 -9.00
1220–1440 1323 5 145.00–151.00 $148.26 $1,961 +4.26
1260–1650 1525 7 138.00–143.00 $141.41 $2,157 —
1260–1810 1568 6 127.00–141.00 $135.48 $2,124 —
1510–2095 1797 22 148.00–160.00 $156.25 $2,808 +5.08
1693–2470 2020 22 160.00–169.00 $163.60 $3,305 -3.15
2565 2565 1 158.00 $158.00 $4,053 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1740 1740 1 144.00 $144.00 $2,506 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
849–972 thin fleshed 904 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 29 171.00–180.00 $175.66 $1,588
900–1240 996 (<2 yrs)Open 51 156.00–232.00 $201.36 $2,006
855–1330 1076 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 56 137.00–224.00 $173.82 $1,870
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800–1065 888 (<2 yrs)Open 6 182.00–200.00 $189.73 $1,685
898–1265 1077 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 132.00–181.00 $149.89 $1,614
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
910 910 (<2 yrs)Open 1 155.00 $155.00 $1,410
959 959 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 130.00 $130.00 $1,247
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
793 thin fleshed 793 (<2 yrs)Open 2 160.00 $160.00 $1,269
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1300 1300 (<2 yrs)Open 1 142.00 $142.00 $1,846

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1235–1408 1350 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 2,250.00–2,385.00 $2,343.84
1360 1360 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,250.00 $2,250.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
940–1335 1138 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,150.00–2,325.00 $2,252.69

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Dairy Bulls

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920 920 1 110.00 $110.00 $1,012 —

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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.