Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 1, 2025

2,341 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 8-weight M&L 1 steers $297.92/cwt +29.92 vs last sale · ≈ $2,506/hd at 841 lb · 195 head
light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $294.18/cwt +15.18 vs last sale · ≈ $2,118/hd at 720 lb · 193 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $370.84/cwt +28.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,266/hd at 611 lb · 152 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Head itemized in priced lots 2,341 — —

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
475–488 480 95 435.00–437.50 $436.56 $2,095 —
503–506 505 38 418.50–438.00 $422.59 $2,134 —
559 559 4 355.00 $355.00 $1,984 -14.36
552–599 577 120 376.00–404.50 $394.72 $2,278 +25.36
603–649 611 152 350.00–378.00 $370.84 $2,266 +28.84
674–684 681 139 332.00–344.00 $340.84 $2,321 +30.17
718–727 725 10 328.00–335.00 $329.39 $2,388 —
771–784 777 64 299.00–304.50 $302.07 $2,347 +15.84
820–841 841 195 297.75–306.00 $297.92 $2,506 +33.92
852–890 884 61 281.00–300.00 $284.00 $2,511 —
936 936 4 271.00 $271.00 $2,537 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
308–337 325 5 460.00–465.00 $461.89 $1,501 +6.89
378–395 391 29 459.00–467.00 $460.60 $1,801 —
430–437 433 23 431.00–450.00 $442.90 $1,918 +37.43
453–497 483 14 395.00–425.00 $409.65 $1,979 +9.68
507–518 516 19 370.00–407.50 $390.06 $2,013 +24.06
553–598 579 15 370.00–375.00 $371.82 $2,153 —
650 650 1 310.00 $310.00 $2,015 —
746 746 6 308.00 $308.00 $2,298 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
568–593 585 9 326.00–352.50 $334.58 $1,957 —
722 722 3 296.00 $296.00 $2,137 —
875 875 1 274.00 $274.00 $2,398 —
1104 1104 10 237.00 $237.00 $2,616 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
521 521 6 312.50 $312.50 $1,628 —
626 626 8 290.00 $290.00 $1,815 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
313 313 3 430.00 $430.00 $1,346 —
535 535 3 355.00 $355.00 $1,899 —
653 653 6 265.00 $265.00 $1,730 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
507–531 514 100 352.00–361.00 $356.46 $1,832 —
550–583 564 114 340.00–355.00 $350.37 $1,976 +36.80
588–598 593 12 300.00–327.50 $313.63 $1,860 +0.06
605–641 630 46 314.00–336.50 $326.77 $2,059 +21.77
651–689 662 72 303.00–319.00 $308.04 $2,039 +18.04
704–734 719 169 292.50–303.50 $297.10 $2,136 +18.10
718–729 728 24 273.00–280.00 $273.58 $1,992 -5.42
761–798 764 52 285.00–292.00 $291.33 $2,226 +32.33
812–819 817 23 284.00–286.00 $285.48 $2,332 +26.48
800–843 824 50 267.00–278.00 $272.12 $2,242 +13.12
870 870 30 269.00 $269.00 $2,340 —
878 878 3 266.00 $266.00 $2,335 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
412–423 417 19 367.00–367.50 $367.29 $1,532 +23.21
452–491 470 40 350.00–351.00 $350.21 $1,646 +2.72
521–547 529 84 330.00–342.00 $335.78 $1,776 +10.74
578–588 585 9 324.00–332.00 $326.64 $1,911 +18.64
611–648 641 45 297.00–310.00 $305.31 $1,957 —
664 664 4 296.00 $296.00 $1,965 —
737 737 3 278.00 $278.00 $2,049 +10.00
763–770 766 25 266.00–280.00 $276.62 $2,119 —
834 834 7 253.00 $253.00 $2,110 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
440 440 4 340.00 $340.00 $1,496 —
464–495 485 12 290.00–315.00 $297.98 $1,445 —
536–548 544 35 280.00–315.00 $305.39 $1,661 —
593 593 3 314.00 $314.00 $1,862 —
600–643 609 15 282.50–284.00 $283.68 $1,728 —
713 713 5 222.50 $222.50 $1,586 —
726 726 9 258.00 $258.00 $1,873 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
348 348 8 330.00 $330.00 $1,148 —
474–477 476 20 312.50 $312.50 $1,488 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
470 470 3 355.00 $355.00 $1,668 —
742 742 17 282.00 $282.00 $2,092 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
853 853 2 258.00 $258.00 $2,201 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
806–813 807 16 272.00 $272.00 $2,195 —
890 890 17 265.00 $265.00 $2,358 —
915 915 1 249.00 $249.00 $2,278 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 2 335.00 $335.00 $1,809 —
643 643 5 325.00 $325.00 $2,090 —
847 847 6 230.00 $230.00 $1,948 —
1037 1037 7 227.50 $227.50 $2,359 +1.50
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1052 1052 2 239.00 $239.00 $2,514 —
1175 1175 1 217.50 $217.50 $2,556 +11.50
1205 1205 10 209.00 $209.00 $2,518 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1162 1162 3 205.00 $205.00 $2,382 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1052 1052 85-90% 3 160.00 $160.00 $1,683 —
1043–1260 1134 85-90% 14 134.00–148.00 $142.00 $1,610 —
1140 1140 85-90% 1 150.00 $150.00 $1,710 —
1122–1265 1146 85-90% 12 157.00–159.00 $158.63 $1,818 —
1122–1280 1172 85-90% 10 149.00–160.00 $152.13 $1,783 +9.52
1220–1258 1248 85-90% 4 122.00–145.00 $129.38 $1,615 +24.38
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1295 1295 80-85% 1 164.00 $164.00 $2,124 —
1300–1615 1430 80-85% 7 135.00–148.00 $141.07 $2,017 -15.37
1295–1520 1436 80-85% 23 150.00–162.00 $158.54 $2,277 +2.10
1500–1695 1598 80-85% 2 132.00–137.50 $134.58 $2,151 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1610 1610 75-80% 1 163.00 $163.00 $2,624 +3.29
1468–1768 1667 75-80% 12 133.00–149.00 $144.32 $2,406 —
1723 1723 75-80% 6 139.00 $139.00 $2,395 -16.75

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1300–1363 1338 5 181.00–183.00 $181.78 $2,432 —
1455 1455 1 162.50 $162.50 $2,364 —
1790–1885 1853 3 167.00–170.00 $169.03 $3,132 —
2005 2005 1 186.00 $186.00 $3,729 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
825–1160 1005 (<2 yrs)Open 11 200.00–264.00 $239.24 $2,404
915–1375 1136 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 17 173.00–242.00 $196.41 $2,231
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
880–948 927 (<2 yrs)Open 5 217.50–233.00 $220.65 $2,045
888–1145 949 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 160.00–212.50 $192.72 $1,829

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1022 1022 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 2,500.00 $2,500.00
1210 1210 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,150.00 $3,150.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1390–1550 1486 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 2,800.00–2,850.00 $2,831.29

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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.