Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, April 30, 2026

2,561 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $430.52/cwt ≈ $2,671/hd at 620 lb · 273 head

heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $464.36/cwt +21.67 vs last sale · ≈ $2,642/hd at 569 lb · 207 head

heavy 6-weight M&L 1 heifers $397.33/cwt +7.84 vs last sale · ≈ $2,718/hd at 684 lb · 180 head

Receipts

Head	This sale	Last sale	Last year
Total receipts	2,561	1,011	2,726
Feeder cattle	2,235	334	2,525
Slaughter cattle	138	402	127
Replacement cattle	188	275	74

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (4-16-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand was very good for moderate offerings. Feeders were offered in mostly moderate size packages with a few load lots seen as well. Buyers showed very good demand for all offerings suitable to turn out on grass, as ranchers and order buyers both bid aggressively against each other over light fleshed offerings. Many sets of light fleshed offerings were seen this week. Record high prices for this sale barn were seen for grass steers today as many offerings topped 3,000 per head. Buyers were willing to take steers up to 750 lbs and heifers up to 725 lbs to run on grass. Demand from Canadian buyers was very good as several loads of feeders were purchased to ship north to feed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. CME positions moved sharply higher this week as higher fat cattle prices have helped provide additional support for feeders. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Both feeding and slaughter cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for feeding cows was very good for limited offerings. Slaughter cows sold on light to moderate demand. Fewer slaughter cow buyers were present this week which allowed slaughter cow prices to weaken. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed comprised a large portion of the cow offering this week. Buyers continue to be willing to take up to middle age cows to turn out and rebreed. Young cow offerings sold with lower undertones on a lower quality offering. Quality this week was mostly average, and not as attractive as last sale.

▲ Feeder cattle: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings
→ Feeder heifers: Buyers were willing to take steers up to 750 lbs and heifers up to 725 lbs to run on grass
→ Feeder steers: Record high prices for this sale barn were seen for grass steers today as many offerings topped 3,000 per head
→ Slaughter bulls: Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend
→ Slaughter cows: Both feeding and slaughter cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend

New to these tables? Plain-English explainers ↓

Feeder Steers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
467	467	3	590.00	$590.00	$2,755	+47.96
500–536	533	16	535.00–560.00	$541.65	$2,887	+29.33
570–577	576	81	505.00–525.50	$523.42	$3,015	+22.96
604–645	623	46	466.00–514.00	$491.18	$3,060	+6.18
661–694	670	102	442.00–465.00	$458.46	$3,072	+28.13
702–746	738	133	407.50–427.00	$416.35	$3,073	—
751–790	772	27	394.00–400.00	$396.63	$3,062	—
786	786	5	374.00	$374.00	$2,940	—
803	803	18	387.50	$387.50	$3,112	—
860–874	869	6	357.00–360.00	$357.99	$3,111	—
858–899	888	26	334.00–350.00	$338.34	$3,004	—
913–931	924	18	323.00–334.00	$329.77	$3,047	—
915–941	940	62	350.00–352.00	$350.09	$3,291	—
971–977	974	23	332.00–334.00	$332.87	$3,242	—

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
335	335	2	600.00	$600.00	$2,010	—
410–428	424	5	575.00–595.00	$591.14	$2,506	+66.14
456–487 thin fleshed	474	22	580.00–582.50	$580.98	$2,754	—
474	474	23	572.50	$572.50	$2,714	+113.64
515–542	531	8	500.00–525.00	$510.36	$2,710	+72.61
562–597	581	27	442.50–495.00	$472.72	$2,747	+2.72
623–640	631	13	427.50–450.00	$433.85	$2,738	+10.52
667	667	3	430.00	$430.00	$2,868	+76.88
725–731	730	6	385.00–400.00	$397.52	$2,902	—
773–785	779	4	373.00–387.50	$380.19	$2,962	+60.19

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1090	1090	23	313.50	$313.50	$3,417	—
1105–1127	1118	5	300.00–302.50	$301.10	$3,366	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
365	365	4	590.00	$590.00	$2,154	—
534	534	17	470.00	$470.00	$2,510	—

Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
696	696	6	375.00	$375.00	$2,610	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
634	634	4	410.00	$410.00	$2,599	+76.23

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
460–479	474	11	510.00–512.50	$511.84	$2,426	+19.34
505–534	526	106	475.00–495.00	$491.85	$2,587	+39.10
553–590	569	207	439.00–471.00	$464.36	$2,642	+21.67
603–641	620	270	415.00–444.00	$430.89	$2,672	—
647	647	3	397.50	$397.50	$2,572	—
653–695	684	180	391.00–406.00	$397.33	$2,718	+7.84
700–735	722	125	370.00–391.00	$388.61	$2,806	+0.25
757–783	772	36	355.00–378.00	$362.63	$2,800	—
779–796	787	16	342.50–347.00	$345.08	$2,716	—
813–832	822	13	334.50–338.00	$335.77	$2,760	-0.71
805–826	823	45	346.00–350.00	$349.37	$2,875	+12.89
949	949	8	313.50	$313.50	$2,975	-35.68

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
390	390	3	510.00	$510.00	$1,989	+24.55
410–440	423	8	500.00–525.00	$516.46	$2,185	—
456	456	8	495.00	$495.00	$2,257	+93.74
513–520	516	12	460.00–470.00	$461.67	$2,382	+51.67
560–597	591	30	424.00–432.00	$427.35	$2,526	+55.62
623–640	635	21	392.00–416.00	$401.44	$2,549	+56.01
668	668	3	350.00	$350.00	$2,338	—
702–732	722	9	358.00–370.00	$361.89	$2,613	+30.76
865	865	2	335.00	$335.00	$2,898	+42.59

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
486	486	5	465.00	$465.00	$2,260	—
648	648	3	406.00	$406.00	$2,631	—
713	713	2	356.00	$356.00	$2,538	—
1026	1026	4	301.00	$301.00	$3,088	—

Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
340	340	3	475.00	$475.00	$1,615	—
471–493	482	8	437.50–442.50	$440.06	$2,121	+77.51
663	663	2	310.00	$310.00	$2,055	—

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
625	625	4	400.00	$400.00	$2,500	—

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
480	480	2	547.50	$547.50	$2,628	—
608	608	2	415.00	$415.00	$2,523	+5.26
687	687	7	415.00	$415.00	$2,851	—
750–756	755	25	387.50–392.50	$391.71	$2,957	+34.21
800–815	803	6	370.00	$370.00	$2,971	+15.12
878	878	2	320.00	$320.00	$2,810	-25.00
970	970	5	305.00	$305.00	$2,958	-10.00

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
463	463	2	510.00	$510.00	$2,361	—
990	990	2	300.00	$300.00	$2,970	—

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1077	1077	3	295.00	$295.00	$3,177	—

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1315–1350	1333	80-85%	2	169.00–172.00	$170.48	$2,272	+3.55
1270–1498	1383	80-85%	24	187.00–195.00	$191.34	$2,646	+25.98
1255–1495	1400	80-85%	14	175.00–187.50	$183.40	$2,568	—
1455	1455	80-85%	2	157.00	$157.00	$2,284	+1.09

Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
870–935	903	85-90%	2	105.00–115.00	$110.18	$995	—
1080	1080	85-90%	1	105.00	$105.00	$1,134	-36.77
1053–1298	1188	85-90%	8	145.00–167.50	$157.88	$1,876	-20.78
1207	1207	85-90%	3	152.50	$152.50	$1,841	-30.87
1170–1268	1228	85-90%	17	189.50–192.50	$190.26	$2,336	+22.86
1240–1260	1248	85-90%	3	177.00–184.00	$181.64	$2,267	+14.24

Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1430–1630	1534	75-80%	13	186.00–188.00	$186.92	$2,867	+23.63
1635–1775	1670	75-80%	5	183.00	$183.00	$3,056	+11.25
1695	1695	75-80%	1	171.00	$171.00	$2,898	—
1650–1945	1717	75-80%	7	167.00–173.00	$168.47	$2,893	—
1665–1825	1745	75-80%	2	151.00–162.00	$156.25	$2,727	—

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1335	1335	1	210.00	$210.00	$2,804	—
1470–1858	1703	5	202.00–208.00	$205.93	$3,507	—
1705–2265	2035	12	213.00–220.00	$217.80	$4,432	—
2085–2160	2118	4	225.00–227.00	$226.24	$4,792	—

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
808–1255	967	(<2 yrs)	Open	49	222.50–337.00	$307.67	$2,975
985–1390	1125	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	41	195.00–287.50	$246.52	$2,773

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
834–1080	949	(<2 yrs)	Open	21	257.50–312.50	$289.57	$2,748
990–1255	1078	Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	13	193.00–280.00	$222.14	$2,395

Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
1025–1034	1031	(<2 yrs)	Open	10	232.00–247.00	$236.47	$2,438

Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd
730–898	831	(<2 yrs)	Open	5	305.00–332.50	$314.67	$2,615

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1193	1193	Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	7	4,000.00	$4,000.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1230	1230	(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	4	3,950.00	$3,950.00

Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Age	Stage	Head	Price range	Avg $
1390	1390	(<2 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	1	3,600.00	$3,600.00

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb)	Avg wt	Dressing	Head	Price range	Avg $	≈ $/hd	Δ last sale
1420	1420	80-85%	1	152.50	$152.50	$2,166	—

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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.