Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, May 21, 2026

1,377 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $320.00/cwt ≈ $2,842/hd at 888 lb · 19 head
light 7-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $350.00/cwt -9.34 vs last sale · ≈ $2,550/hd at 728 lb · 18 head
light 6-weight M&L 1-2 heifers $380.02/cwt -14.98 vs last sale · ≈ $2,425/hd at 638 lb · 16 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,377 1,125 998
Feeder cattle 344 220 299
Slaughter cattle 712 590 497
Replacement cattle 321 315 202

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (5-14-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain with many blemished cattle in the offering. Very few reportable cattle sold today as a result. 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 with additional buyers in the market this week buying cows to feed. Canadian buyers were mostly absent this week, however private feeders all showed very good demand for cows and pushed offerings higher. Feeding cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher on breaking and boning flesh cows, while lean fleshed cows sold generally steady to firm. 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 steady to firm on a higher yielding offering. Bull quality this week was mostly attractive. Bull quality and yields were higher this week, and while prices were slightly higher on a live basis, bulls sold near steady on a dressed basis. Demand for feeding bulls was very good again this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher on a higher quality offering. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall significantly higher than last weeks offering. Demand for feeding quality young cows was very good this week with additional buyers in the market.

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
538 538 4 470.00 $470.00 $2,529 -5.00
590 590 2 440.00 $440.00 $2,596 -25.00
689 689 4 402.50 $402.50 $2,773 —
782 782 11 367.00 $367.00 $2,870 —
820–826 825 8 360.00–362.50 $362.19 $2,988 —
933 933 7 320.00 $320.00 $2,986 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
650–664 661 11 367.50–385.00 $370.63 $2,450 —
748 748 2 350.00 $350.00 $2,618 —
765 765 3 355.00 $355.00 $2,716 —
965 965 3 319.00 $319.00 $3,078 —
Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
552 552 7 345.00 $345.00 $1,904 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
643 643 6 382.50 $382.50 $2,459 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
920 920 3 290.00 $290.00 $2,668 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
700 700 2 385.00 $385.00 $2,695 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
408 408 2 490.00 $490.00 $1,999 —
455–456 456 10 475.00–480.00 $478.00 $2,180 —
524–544 536 11 420.00–425.00 $422.24 $2,263 -20.26
575–590 578 5 390.00–405.00 $401.94 $2,323 -8.06
636–640 638 16 367.50–387.50 $380.02 $2,425 -14.98
650–681 667 12 360.00–369.00 $366.91 $2,447 —
714–717 715 9 360.00–367.50 $364.99 $2,610 +5.65
742 742 9 335.00 $335.00 $2,486 -24.34
815–823 822 15 320.00–324.00 $323.47 $2,659 -13.53
863 863 2 311.00 $311.00 $2,684 -9.00
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
555 unweaned 555 1 440.00 $440.00 $2,442 —
605 605 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,420 -10.00
823 823 15 331.00 $331.00 $2,724 —
888 888 19 320.00 $320.00 $2,842 —
968 968 9 309.00 $309.00 $2,991 —
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
435 435 2 465.00 $465.00 $2,023 —
493 493 4 435.00 $435.00 $2,145 —
541 541 4 410.00 $410.00 $2,218 —
571 571 7 400.00 $400.00 $2,284 —
611 611 5 360.00 $360.00 $2,200 —
677–688 679 15 340.00–367.50 $361.93 $2,458 +28.93
752 752 3 320.00 $320.00 $2,406 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
520 520 2 410.00 $410.00 $2,132 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
398 398 3 560.00 $560.00 $2,229 —
668 668 2 375.00 $375.00 $2,505 —
725 725 2 365.00 $365.00 $2,646 —
1022 1022 3 285.00 $285.00 $2,913 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1053 1053 2 295.00 $295.00 $3,106 +12.50
1110 1110 1 272.00 $272.00 $3,019 —
1153 1153 4 265.00 $265.00 $3,055 —
1440 1440 1 237.50 $237.50 $3,420 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
625 625 2 410.00 $410.00 $2,562 —
1010 1010 1 302.50 $302.50 $3,055 +3.35
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
508–520 512 3 455.00–470.00 $464.92 $2,380 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1175 1175 1 244.00 $244.00 $2,867 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1230–1520 1378 80-85% 69 177.00–190.00 $185.88 $2,561 +0.58
1200–1530 1381 80-85% 5 165.00–171.00 $167.64 $2,315 -17.66
1305–1500 1388 80-85% 3 144.00–155.00 $150.22 $2,085 -35.08
1270–1629 1419 80-85% 104 192.00–208.00 $196.11 $2,783 +25.95
1220–1645 1477 80-85% 11 166.00–176.00 $172.76 $2,552 +10.90
1518 1518 80-85% 2 179.00 $179.00 $2,717 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1495–1588 1527 75-80% 52 194.00–204.50 $199.05 $3,039 —
1385–1748 1614 75-80% 64 181.00–194.00 $188.89 $3,049 —
1525–1835 1672 75-80% 6 169.00–173.00 $170.82 $2,856 -3.89
1525–1830 1695 75-80% 7 162.00–171.00 $166.78 $2,827 -9.07
1705 1705 75-80% 3 188.00 $188.00 $3,205 —
1633–1810 1738 75-80% 10 171.00–175.00 $173.32 $3,012 —
2103–2198 2151 75-80% 4 156.00–164.00 $160.09 $3,444 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
740 740 85-90% 1 160.00 $160.00 $1,184 —
915 915 85-90% 2 154.00 $154.00 $1,409 +5.18
895–960 928 85-90% 2 125.00–127.50 $126.29 $1,172 -22.53
1025–1285 1150 85-90% 29 160.00–177.50 $173.13 $1,991 -6.66
1080–1250 1152 85-90% 5 157.50–162.50 $159.45 $1,837 -20.34
1125–1205 1155 85-90% 6 130.00–146.00 $139.63 $1,613 -40.16
1026–1250 1158 85-90% 38 175.00–189.00 $184.29 $2,134 +4.50
1115–1225 1194 85-90% 13 189.00–197.00 $192.85 $2,303 +53.46
1215 1215 85-90% 1 170.00 $170.00 $2,066 -21.87

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1250–1465 1353 3 194.00–206.00 $198.34 $2,684 —
1360–1880 1509 17 213.00–226.00 $220.42 $3,326 +10.98
1540 1540 1 212.00 $212.00 $3,265 +2.56
1810 1810 1 207.50 $207.50 $3,756 —
1505–2265 1890 22 210.00–224.00 $220.07 $4,159 —
1665–2390 2034 22 227.00–254.00 $235.96 $4,799 —
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1873–2425 1984 9 219.00–223.50 $222.69 $4,418 —
2160–2345 2253 2 211.00–218.00 $214.36 $4,830 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
825–1336 1044 (<2 yrs)Open 130 226.00–335.00 $288.67 $3,014
909–1523 1174 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 105 195.00–331.00 $238.17 $2,796
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
808–1110 945 (<2 yrs)Open 12 225.00–322.50 $291.47 $2,754
858–1342 1110 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 17 190.00–300.00 $228.96 $2,541
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
940 940 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 205.00 $205.00 $1,927

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1200–1275 1253 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 3,875.00–4,000.00 $3,971.96
1435 1435 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,450.00 $3,450.00
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
928–1300 1103 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 6 3,800.00–3,850.00 $3,809.83
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1140–1273 1229 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 3 310.00 $310.00 $3,810

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1385–1745 1655 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 4 4,200.00 $4,200.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1275 1275 75-80% 1 185.00 $185.00 $2,359 —

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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.