Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, March 12, 2026

561 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 4-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $483.10/cwt ≈ $2,019/hd at 418 lb · 19 head
light 4-weight M&L 2 heifers $375.35/cwt ≈ $1,599/hd at 426 lb · 16 head
light 6-weight M&L 1 steers $428.65/cwt -24.74 vs last sale · ≈ $2,726/hd at 636 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 561 2,611 881
Feeder cattle 244 1,980 440
Slaughter cattle 152 323 263
Replacement cattle 165 308 178

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (3-05-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Both quality and the volume of feeders on offer limited demand this week. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in small groups or as singles. Market activity was slow to moderate this week. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand continues to drive the market. Feeding cows sold mostly steady. Good demand was seen for cows to ship north to Canada as buyers state cow prices remain higher north of the border than domestically. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week and better than last week. A limited number of slaughter cows were purchased this week as feeding demand pushed cow prices over where slaughter buyers wanted to buy cows. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to 3.00 lower. Feeding bulls sold fully steady. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks offering.

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 3 580.00 $580.00 $2,030 —
407–433 423 13 535.00–550.00 $539.82 $2,283 -37.34
516–532 522 8 480.00–482.50 $480.96 $2,511 -19.04
580–593 588 8 425.00–427.50 $426.58 $2,508 -34.59
713 713 4 381.00 $381.00 $2,717 +12.64
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
350 350 2 595.00 $595.00 $2,082 —
408–435 413 5 567.50–570.00 $568.03 $2,346 -70.50
620–646 636 16 427.00–432.00 $428.65 $2,726 -24.74
655 655 1 420.00 $420.00 $2,751 -16.04
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
400–435 426 4 460.00–515.00 $472.90 $2,015 —
545 545 2 405.00 $405.00 $2,207 —
847 847 9 302.50 $302.50 $2,562 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
455 455 1 490.00 $490.00 $2,230 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
406–445 418 19 465.00–490.00 $483.10 $2,019 —
455–495 468 3 450.00–475.00 $466.19 $2,182 -12.84
509–515 513 14 425.00–449.00 $442.20 $2,268 -17.80
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
338 338 3 460.00 $460.00 $1,555 —
415–448 426 16 345.00–450.00 $375.35 $1,599 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
643 643 6 394.00 $394.00 $2,533 -36.00
685 685 1 360.00 $360.00 $2,466 -59.12
717 717 3 345.00 $345.00 $2,474 -31.67
744 744 6 337.50 $337.50 $2,511 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
418 418 2 515.00 $515.00 $2,153 —
475 475 2 470.00 $470.00 $2,232 -40.00
566–595 580 11 380.00–425.00 $402.77 $2,336 -25.22
625–630 628 2 375.00–380.00 $377.51 $2,371 —
701 701 4 360.00 $360.00 $2,524 —
1012 1012 3 280.00 $280.00 $2,834 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
465–468 468 6 532.50–537.50 $536.67 $2,512 -23.20
593 593 2 425.00 $425.00 $2,520 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,020 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
690 690 1 350.00 $350.00 $2,415 —

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Slaughter Cows

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
905–910 908 85-90% 2 90.00–105.00 $97.48 $885 —
920 920 85-90% 3 135.00 $135.00 $1,242 —
1060 1060 85-90% 1 115.00 $115.00 $1,219 —
1089–1133 1092 85-90% 14 180.00–185.00 $180.37 $1,970 —
1010–1205 1108 85-90% 2 109.00–110.00 $109.46 $1,213 —
990–1275 1118 85-90% 10 135.00–160.00 $148.90 $1,665 —
1125–1200 1170 85-90% 3 162.50–165.00 $163.34 $1,911 +31.58
1138–1305 1213 85-90% 8 167.50–175.00 $170.34 $2,066 +18.13
Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1340–1380 1364 80-85% 4 185.00–196.00 $188.51 $2,571 —
1395–1420 1401 80-85% 4 135.00–136.00 $135.75 $1,902 -41.17
1275–1550 1410 80-85% 20 171.00–182.00 $177.77 $2,507 +14.25
1415–1425 1420 80-85% 2 151.00–161.00 $155.98 $2,215 -7.54
1320–1595 1454 80-85% 9 142.50–166.00 $154.28 $2,243 +6.28
1730 1730 80-85% 1 167.00 $167.00 $2,889 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1503–1618 1561 75-80% 4 177.00 $177.00 $2,763 —
1535–1640 1570 75-80% 3 152.50–155.00 $154.13 $2,420 —
1550–1865 1760 75-80% 3 161.00–161.50 $161.35 $2,840 —
1770–1825 1784 75-80% 4 162.25–166.00 $165.04 $2,944 —
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2060 2060 65-75% 2 164.00 $164.00 $3,378 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1413–1805 1599 4 191.00–193.00 $191.56 $3,063 —
1400–1830 1646 10 197.50–201.00 $198.05 $3,260 —
1605–2010 1808 2 185.00–189.00 $186.78 $3,377 —
1926–2110 1999 8 196.00–207.00 $201.67 $4,031 —
2240 2240 1 219.00 $219.00 $4,906 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
967–1345 1123 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 35 197.00–311.00 $251.77 $2,827
1100–1240 1153 (<2 yrs)Open 10 232.50–255.00 $244.87 $2,823
1230–1355 1296 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 18 188.00–216.00 $210.62 $2,730
1310 1310 (<2 yrs)Open 1 204.00 $204.00 $2,672
1380 1380 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 189.00 $189.00 $2,608
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
748–900 866 (<2 yrs)Open 11 275.00–300.00 $279.46 $2,420
880–938 919 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 300.00–303.00 $300.97 $2,766
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
890–1225 1033 (<2 yrs)Open 12 215.00–295.00 $258.15 $2,667
1050–1100 1081 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 6 186.00–237.50 $225.93 $2,442
1303 1303 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 2 173.00 $173.00 $2,254
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
795–955 875 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 205.00–210.00 $207.73 $1,818
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1005 1005 (<2 yrs)Open 1 265.00 $265.00 $2,663

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Bred Cows

Medium 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
920–980 970 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 12 3,100.00 $3,100.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1125 1125 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 3,700.00 $3,700.00
1180 thin fleshed 1180 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1328–1590 1435 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 7 2,500.00–3,100.00 $2,759.07
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1398 1398 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 2,950.00 $2,950.00
1403 1403 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 4,100.00 $4,100.00
1600 1600 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 3,650.00 $3,650.00

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Dairy Bulls

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1090 1090 1 165.00 $165.00 $1,798 —

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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.