Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, February 12, 2026

2,696 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 $430.27/cwt -3.44 vs last sale · ≈ $2,543/hd at 591 lb · 187 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $469.88/cwt -4.17 vs last sale · ≈ $2,500/hd at 532 lb · 139 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $530.78/cwt +17.05 vs last sale · ≈ $2,755/hd at 519 lb · 132 head
HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 2,696 2,946 1,830
Feeder cattle 2,413 2,562 1,717
Slaughter cattle 132 179 66
Replacement cattle 151 205 47

Compared to last sale (2-05-26): Feeder sold generally steady to 5.00 higher on all weight classes. Feeder heifers under 500 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, all other weights of heifers sold generally steady, with the exception of 600-649 lbs heifers which sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand for all feeder cattle was good to very good on moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive with many home raised offerings seen. Most feeder cattle were offered in moderate sized groups this sale with a few load lots on offer as well. Demand for cattle too big to go to grass sold was mostly very good with several order buyers buying for packers noticed. Cattle overall were more fleshy this week as most large offerings were out of backgrounding lots. Cattle were very clean as weather conditions have been mostly dry with little to no snow. Market activity was very active with rapid bidding seen. A smaller buyer pool was noticed this week, however demand was similar to last week. Internet bidding was active again this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding cow demand was good to very good. Feeding cows sold mostly steady. Very few slaughter cows were purchased this week as feeding demand and replacement demand pushed cow prices over where slaughter buyers wanted to buy cows. Slaughter cows were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher in a very narrow comparison. Several buyers purchased feeding bulls this week and these offerings sold mostly 5.00 higher. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly average. Demand for replacement cows was very good as buyers showed willingness to buy older cows to try and rebreed.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400 400 1 605.00 $605.00 $2,420 +4.37
450–490 476 86 468.00–595.00 $568.00 $2,704 +8.51
500–545 519 132 500.00–556.00 $530.78 $2,755 +17.05
569–585 578 111 465.00–491.00 $486.16 $2,810 -5.29
600–649 637 33 447.50–467.50 $452.18 $2,880 +3.63
653–698 673 33 416.00–450.00 $427.93 $2,880 +6.75
683–696 690 10 385.00–396.00 $390.55 $2,695 -30.63
709–742 720 71 384.00–413.00 $395.49 $2,848 +1.57
729–737 735 24 367.50–380.00 $370.60 $2,724 -23.32
751–783 768 97 374.00–382.00 $379.72 $2,916 -6.24
794 794 5 356.00 $356.00 $2,827
800–829 821 68 360.00–369.00 $362.72 $2,978 -4.96
835–842 840 4 340.00–345.00 $341.24 $2,866 -26.44
868 868 4 349.00 $349.00 $3,029 -11.51
880 880 121 365.00 $365.00 $3,212 +4.49
910 910 60 360.00 $360.00 $3,276 +2.00
931 931 22 338.00 $338.00 $3,147 -20.00
965 965 3 340.00 $340.00 $3,281 -6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
303–330 310 6 590.00–645.00 $625.31 $1,938 +0.31
369–384 378 63 552.50–585.00 $568.78 $2,150
408–441 438 63 525.00–589.00 $578.78 $2,535 +19.24
483 483 2 562.50 $562.50 $2,717 +4.32
500–520 508 5 490.00–505.00 $496.14 $2,520 +1.14
552–570 559 5 440.00–472.50 $453.25 $2,534 -4.42
611–645 628 21 428.00–435.00 $432.08 $2,713 +6.85
658–690 678 15 380.00–419.00 $401.12 $2,720 +1.94
878 878 18 343.00 $343.00 $3,012
920–931 929 6 323.00–331.00 $329.68 $3,063
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
574 574 4 477.50 $477.50 $2,741
694 694 5 374.00 $374.00 $2,596 -30.00
828 828 2 356.00 $356.00 $2,948
974 974 10 339.00 $339.00 $3,302
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
276 276 7 550.00 $550.00 $1,518
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720 720 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,520

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
364–366 365 46 552.50–580.00 $558.46 $2,038 -23.61
401–443 421 53 520.00–540.00 $526.69 $2,217 +2.16
453–494 470 60 495.00–522.50 $510.17 $2,398 +19.06
510–544 532 139 460.00–490.00 $469.88 $2,500 -4.17
552–596 591 187 425.00–460.00 $430.27 $2,543 -3.44
605–627 617 65 407.00–426.00 $416.91 $2,572 +7.86
671–696 680 65 368.00–385.00 $379.68 $2,582 -0.35
701–747 724 51 354.00–364.00 $358.64 $2,597 -2.36
737 737 3 348.00 $348.00 $2,565 -13.00
765–767 766 10 344.00–347.00 $344.90 $2,642 -10.56
821–844 826 99 338.00–347.00 $343.99 $2,841
840 840 19 325.00 $325.00 $2,730
882 882 30 330.00 $330.00 $2,911
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
352–379 363 12 500.00–540.00 $518.10 $1,881 -19.07
408–428 421 9 500.00–505.00 $501.69 $2,112 -6.16
483–499 496 48 472.50–489.00 $475.51 $2,359 +11.03
520–542 539 22 420.00–450.00 $423.95 $2,285 +9.65
553–584 568 9 405.00–422.50 $416.26 $2,364 -29.74
641 641 6 399.00 $399.00 $2,558 +24.00
672–688 686 26 357.50–365.00 $364.15 $2,498 +0.15
705 705 14 354.00 $354.00 $2,496 +3.64
772 772 16 348.00 $348.00 $2,687
810 810 7 324.00 $324.00 $2,624
837 837 3 310.00 $310.00 $2,595
911 911 4 275.00 $275.00 $2,505
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
608 608 5 350.00–370.00 $362.00 $2,201
678 678 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,170
908 908 4 303.00 $303.00 $2,751
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
478 478 3 460.00 $460.00 $2,199

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
468–490 487 13 487.50–505.00 $490.09 $2,387
515–542 522 11 510.00–515.00 $511.41 $2,670 +56.41
625 625 2 405.00 $405.00 $2,531 +25.00
658–683 671 4 370.00–401.00 $385.21 $2,585
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
525 525 15 405.00 $405.00 $2,126
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
540 540 2 485.00 $485.00 $2,619
578 578 4 400.00 $400.00 $2,312
798 798 2 312.50 $312.50 $2,494
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1253 1253 2 235.00 $235.00 $2,945
1465 1465 3 210.00 $210.00 $3,076

↑ Back to top

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
965 965 85-90% 1 135.00 $135.00 $1,303 +10.00
1030–1150 1077 85-90% 4 112.50–123.00 $116.25 $1,252 -23.81
1053–1210 1082 85-90% 12 135.00–154.00 $139.79 $1,513 -0.27
1160–1280 1178 85-90% 13 162.00–166.00 $162.34 $1,912 -2.70
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1302–1545 1434 80-85% 19 160.00–170.00 $167.35 $2,400 -2.18
1455 1455 80-85% 1 176.00 $176.00 $2,561
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1445–1635 1572 75-80% 12 164.00–173.00 $168.67 $2,651
1530–1840 1685 75-80% 2 145.00–152.00 $148.82 $2,508 -16.18
1910 1910 75-80% 1 162.00 $162.00 $3,094

↑ Back to top

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1220 1220 1 156.00 $156.00 $1,903
1530–1540 1535 2 171.00–178.00 $174.51 $2,679
1445–1800 1624 7 189.00–193.50 $191.25 $3,106
1560–2345 2035 10 190.00–197.00 $192.97 $3,927 +25.78
2130 2130 1 206.00 $206.00 $4,388

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
981–1205 1043 (<2 yrs)Open 32 212.50–315.00 $281.06 $2,931
915–1390 1126 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 23 207.00–285.00 $249.04 $2,804
1205–1278 1260 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)Open 4 168.00–178.00 $170.39 $2,147
1208–1410 1316 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 12 170.50–183.00 $178.25 $2,346
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
945–1020 960 (<2 yrs)Open 5 230.00–285.00 $273.31 $2,624
1090–1390 1183 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 181.00–215.00 $197.71 $2,339
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
882 882 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 265.00 $265.00 $2,337
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
800 800 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 225.00 $225.00 $1,800

↑ Back to top

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1180–1520 1350 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,150.00 $3,150.00
1354 1354 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 7 2,275.00 $2,275.00
1455–1498 1477 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,700.00–2,725.00 $2,712.32
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200 1200 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 3,550.00 $3,550.00
1225 1225 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 3,150.00 $3,150.00
1550 1550 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,150.00 $3,150.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1300 1300 Aged (>8 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 3 161.00 $161.00 $2,093

↑ Back to top

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.