Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, June 18, 2026

692 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 692 2,462 0
Feeder cattle 96 610 0
Slaughter cattle 437 571 0
Replacement cattle 159 1,281 0

Compared to last sale (6-11-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mixed from plain to average. Demand was moderate to good for very light offerings. Group sizes were small with many singles noticed. Market activity was mostly moderate to active with a moderate size buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand and light offerings. Demand for feeding cows was mostly moderate to good. Canadian buyers continue to buy cows to ship north and feed. American packers purchased most of the cow offering to hold for the upcoming 4th of July holiday week. Many of these cows were slightly blemished or slightly lame. Boning and lean flesh feeding cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Breaking flesh feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 lower as buyers showed lighter demand for heavily fleshed feeding cows. Most fleshy cows were purchased for slaughter this week. Cow quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly good to very good as packers showed very good demand for lean grinding materials. Boning and lean cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher, with a significantly larger portion being purchased for slaughter this week. Breaking cows sold mostly 3.00-4.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher on a higher quality and higher yielding bull offering. Feeding bulls sold mostly 5.00 higher. Feeding bull quality was significantly higher this week and more bulls were purchased to feed as a result. Weigh up conditions were mostly average for cows and bulls both this week. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for young rebreed cows continues to improved as rains helped improve pasture and range conditions across the Northern plains.

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
587–595 588 7 460.00–480.00 $477.11 $2,805
615 615 1 450.00 $450.00 $2,768 +7.50
737 737 5 411.00 $411.00 $3,029 +6.00
755–785 770 2 375.00–397.50 $386.03 $2,972
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
560 560 3 440.00–450.00 $446.67 $2,501 +7.51
715–735 722 4 390.00–397.50 $395.01 $2,852
770 770 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,772
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
595 595 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,380
750 750 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,588 +15.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
475 475 1 460.00 $460.00 $2,185
553 553 2 420.00 $420.00 $2,323 -10.00
615 615 1 405.00 $405.00 $2,491
758 758 4 368.00 $368.00 $2,789 +5.50
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
305 unweaned 305 1 480.00 $480.00 $1,464
665 665 1 355.00 $355.00 $2,361
745 745 1 345.00 $345.00 $2,570 -7.45
755 755 3 345.00 $345.00 $2,605 +70.00

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Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1050 1050 1 300.00 $300.00 $3,150
1111 1111 4 270.00 $270.00 $3,000
1171 1171 4 275.00 $275.00 $3,220 +20.00
1225 1225 1 260.00 $260.00 $3,185
1305 1305 2 236.00 $236.00 $3,080
Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
865 865 1 330.00 $330.00 $2,854
935 935 3 330.00 $330.00 $3,086 -5.00
1020 1020 1 297.50 $297.50 $3,034 +7.50
1850 1850 Young (2-4 yrs)N/A 1 221.00 $221.00 $4,088
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
630 630 1 400.00 $400.00 $2,520
685 685 1 365.00 $365.00 $2,500
925 925 2 315.00 $315.00 $2,914

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Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1355–1360 1358 80-85% 2 142.50–152.00 $147.24 $2,000 -39.47
1220–1680 1379 80-85% 21 153.00–166.00 $160.85 $2,218 -25.86
1235–1625 1403 80-85% 24 157.00–175.00 $167.39 $2,348 -2.64
1298–1585 1418 80-85% 108 178.00–193.50 $188.22 $2,669 +18.19
1265–1566 1443 80-85% 48 176.00–185.50 $181.85 $2,624
1490 1490 80-85% 1 169.00 $169.00 $2,518
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765–775 770 85-90% 2 110.00 $110.00 $847
975 975 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,268
1055–1120 1094 85-90% 5 95.00–127.00 $112.53 $1,231
920–1375 1152 85-90% 12 130.00–150.00 $141.90 $1,635 -24.40
1125–1240 1176 85-90% 4 142.50–165.00 $154.71 $1,819 -35.29
1090–1255 1179 85-90% 13 147.50–160.00 $152.78 $1,801 -37.22
1158–1255 1195 85-90% 8 176.00–185.50 $182.44 $2,180 -7.56
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1420–1629 1525 75-80% 9 179.00–186.00 $183.13 $2,793
1570–1613 1599 75-80% 3 162.00–164.00 $162.65 $2,601 -18.82
1583–1730 1643 75-80% 4 169.00–170.00 $169.25 $2,781
1600–1845 1719 75-80% 15 165.00–171.00 $166.06 $2,855
1535–1980 1776 75-80% 13 154.00–164.50 $160.67 $2,853 -3.18

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YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1360–1710 1485 5 195.00–209.50 $204.28 $3,034 +23.28
1293–1748 1552 22 212.00–220.00 $216.17 $3,355
1320–2105 1716 6 190.00–208.50 $204.82 $3,515 -5.79
1630–2370 2008 30 209.00–221.00 $215.15 $4,320 -10.99
1890–2380 2139 20 224.00–242.00 $229.81 $4,916
2510 2510 1 251.00 $251.00 $6,300
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1610–1763 1687 4 208.00–212.00 $209.91 $3,541

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Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
839 thin fleshed 839 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 9 319.00 $319.00 $2,676
815–1260 1068 (<2 yrs)Open 24 222.00–337.50 $280.52 $2,996
1135 1135 Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)Open 1 195.00 $195.00 $2,213
905–1380 1152 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 36 190.00–305.00 $244.82 $2,820
1730 1730 (<2 yrs)Open 1 206.00 $206.00 $3,564
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
930–1180 1051 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 12 192.00–287.50 $233.25 $2,451
965–1165 1089 (<2 yrs)Open 5 227.50–272.50 $248.64 $2,708
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
815–885 850 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 305.00–315.00 $309.79 $2,633
875–885 880 (<2 yrs)Open 2 302.50–320.00 $311.20 $2,739
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1015 1015 (<2 yrs)Open 1 277.50 $277.50 $2,817
1060–1270 1165 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 195.00–199.00 $197.18 $2,297

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1130–1215 1173 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 3,900.00 $3,900.00
1319–1605 1424 Aged (>8 yrs)1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo) 37 2,600.00–2,675.00 $2,668.15
1435 1435 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00

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Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1068 1068 Young (2-4 yrs)2nd Stage (4-6 mo) 2 3,500.00 $3,500.00

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Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1513 1513 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 6 3,900.00 $3,900.00 -256.42

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N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1135 1135 85-90% 1 130.00 $130.00 $1,476

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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.