Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 14, 2026

1,125 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

light 7-weight M&L 1 heifers $370.00/cwt -5.45 vs last sale · ≈ $2,720/hd at 735 lb · 24 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 heifers $440.81/cwt -13.06 vs last sale · ≈ $2,530/hd at 574 lb · 19 head
heavy 6-weight M&L 1 steers $426.00/cwt -9.75 vs last sale · ≈ $2,786/hd at 654 lb · 17 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,125 1,674 1,456
Feeder cattle 220 588 195
Slaughter cattle 590 517 847
Replacement cattle 315 569 414

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (5-07-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. A few limited offerings of attractive heifers were seen. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Most offerings were offered in small groups or as singles. Quality limited demand this sale. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand. Demand for feeding cows was very good as a large crowd of buyers were present looking for cows to feed. Canadian buyers continue to buy cows to ship north and feed. They were very competitive as they bid against both American packers and private feeders. Feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on breaking flesh cows, while boning and lean fleshed cows sold fully steady. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. All slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand for feeding bulls was very good this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower. Quality limited demand this week as many open heifers and feeding type young cows were noticed. Very few wet bagged attractive quality offerings were seen. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall significantly lower than last weeks offering.

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
607 607 9 440.00 $440.00 $2,671 —
654 654 17 426.00 $426.00 $2,786 -9.75
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
468 468 2 485.00 $485.00 $2,270 —
533 533 3 475.00 $475.00 $2,532 -24.61
585 585 2 465.00 $465.00 $2,720 +10.00
745 745 2 385.00 $385.00 $2,868 -8.36
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
537 537 7 400.00 $400.00 $2,148 -49.87

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
534–545 535 9 449.00–450.00 $449.89 $2,407 -23.12
550–577 574 19 440.00–448.00 $440.81 $2,530 -13.06
627 627 9 410.00 $410.00 $2,571 -2.36
667–682 676 8 383.00–385.00 $383.74 $2,594 -2.26
735 735 24 370.00 $370.00 $2,720 -5.45
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
492 492 12 450.00 $450.00 $2,214 —
523 523 6 442.50 $442.50 $2,314 +2.06
553 553 2 410.00 $410.00 $2,267 -7.50
607 607 3 395.00 $395.00 $2,398 +14.35
723–730 725 3 359.00–360.00 $359.34 $2,605 +1.34
755–795 770 6 332.00–349.00 $345.74 $2,662 -4.26
802 802 2 337.00 $337.00 $2,703 —
878 878 2 320.00 $320.00 $2,810 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
505 505 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,020 -12.38
660 660 2 333.00 $333.00 $2,198 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
758 758 3 347.50 $347.50 $2,634 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
438 438 2 305.00 $305.00 $1,336 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
670 670 —— 2 400.00 $400.00 $2,680 —
950–958 955 —— 3 310.00–320.00 $313.31 $2,992 —
1005–1025 1017 —— 3 297.50–302.50 $299.15 $3,042 —
1147–1185 1157 (<2 yrs)N/A 4 300.00–340.00 $329.75 $3,815 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1085 1085 1 282.50 $282.50 $3,065 -8.13
1233–1240 1238 9 236.00 $236.00 $2,922 +6.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
783 783 4 342.50 $342.50 $2,682 -5.00
858 858 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,874 —
951 951 4 312.50 $312.50 $2,972 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1227–1560 1393 80-85% 90 177.00–188.00 $185.30 $2,581 +2.14
1200–1595 1395 80-85% 60 188.00–194.00 $189.93 $2,650 +21.83
1230–1558 1402 80-85% 19 167.50–175.00 $170.16 $2,386 —
1330–1730 1470 80-85% 5 158.00–164.00 $161.86 $2,379 —
1353–1715 1565 80-85% 7 170.00–174.00 $171.70 $2,687 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
720–975 824 85-90% 6 127.50–147.50 $136.05 $1,121 —
910–945 928 85-90% 2 145.00–152.50 $148.82 $1,381 —
933–1045 982 85-90% 5 117.50–122.50 $120.07 $1,179 +5.07
835–1255 1099 85-90% 18 152.50–172.50 $164.76 $1,811 —
950–1250 1161 85-90% 22 170.00–185.00 $179.79 $2,087 +27.10
1120–1280 1173 85-90% 3 158.00–166.00 $160.91 $1,887 +8.22
1080–1270 1191 85-90% 6 132.50–152.50 $139.39 $1,660 —
1050–1270 1202 85-90% 35 187.00–197.00 $191.87 $2,306 +0.50
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1495–1630 1585 75-80% 19 187.50–191.00 $188.51 $2,988 +0.98
1308–1695 1592 75-80% 43 178.00–187.00 $182.87 $2,911 -4.66
1613–1735 1670 75-80% 6 168.00–188.00 $174.71 $2,918 +12.80
1620–1845 1693 75-80% 6 171.00–180.00 $175.85 $2,977 +8.87
1760 1760 75-80% 1 159.00 $159.00 $2,798 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1065 1065 1 181.00 $181.00 $1,928 —
1225–2085 1533 8 200.00–216.00 $209.44 $3,211 —
1375–2020 1616 18 217.00–227.00 $219.47 $3,547 +21.88
1513–1790 1651 5 180.00–206.00 $188.96 $3,120 —
1525–2390 1944 16 216.00–225.00 $221.98 $4,315 —
1760–2410 2073 22 227.00–240.00 $232.45 $4,819 +15.47

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
723–1323 1085 (<2 yrs)Open 77 221.00–333.00 $271.11 $2,942
980–1385 1176 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 53 188.00–310.00 $230.45 $2,710
1185–1285 1221 (<2 yrs)Open 4 226.00–229.00 $227.15 $2,774
1200–1460 1336 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 4 187.00–195.50 $191.92 $2,564
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
877–1210 1017 (<2 yrs)Open 15 202.50–312.50 $266.18 $2,707
930–1158 1093 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 16 180.00–282.50 $220.30 $2,408
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
850–865 863 (<2 yrs)Open 6 297.50–300.00 $297.91 $2,571
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 281.00 $281.00 $2,641
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
775–873 840 (<2 yrs)Open 4 270.00–290.00 $283.85 $2,384
830–885 858 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 250.00–265.00 $257.74 $2,211
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
915 915 (<2 yrs)Open 1 252.50 $252.50 $2,310
980 980 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 235.00 $235.00 $2,303
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1075 1075 (<2 yrs)Open 2 232.50 $232.50 $2,499
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815 815 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,304

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1055–1500 1257 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 15 3,700.00–4,100.00 $3,887.95
1220–1635 1382 Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 3,400.00–3,900.00 $3,552.40
1395 1395 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 1 3,500.00 $3,500.00
1438 1438 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 5 3,600.00 $3,600.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1263 1263 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo) 2 2,800.00 $2,800.00
1288 thin fleshed 1288 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 4 2,600.00 $2,600.00

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Bred Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1075 1075 (<2 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,900.00 $3,900.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1442–1497 1480 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 19 3,700.00–3,850.00 $3,803.84 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1368–1375 1372 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 6 3,200.00–3,300.00 $3,250.13 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1145 1145 85-90% 1 117.00 $117.00 $1,340 —
1230 1230 85-90% 1 147.50 $147.50 $1,814 —
1945 1945 75-80% 1 170.00 $170.00 $3,306 —

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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.