Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, August 13, 2026

1,034 head sold ·Official USDA report

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

heavy 9-weight M&L 1 heifers $307.50/cwt ≈ $3,022/hd at 983 lb · 47 head
heavy 8-weight M&L 1 heifers $314.82/cwt -12.60 vs last sale · ≈ $2,745/hd at 872 lb · 38 head
heavy 5-weight M 2 heifers $332.50/cwt ≈ $1,965/hd at 591 lb · 25 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 1,034 931 850
Feeder cattle 313 401 395
Slaughter cattle 599 409 357
Replacement cattle 122 121 98

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (7-23-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Several sets of yearlings coming off grass were seen this sale. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Group sizes were small to moderate with many singles noticed. Market activity was mostly moderate with a small buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand and light offerings. Demand for feeding cows was mostly moderate. Canadian buyers continue to buy cows to ship north and feed. American packers showed a desire to purchase cows lower and showed slightly lighter demand for all cows on offer. All feeding cows sold mostly 5.00 lower compared to the last sale, three weeks ago. Cow quality was mostly plain to average and overall not as attractive as the previous sale. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate to good. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on breaking cows and mostly 3.00 to 5.00 higher on boning and lean cows in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 lower. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed with both full and empty cows noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for young rebreed cows was mostly moderate on a plain to average quality 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
513 unweaned 513 2 422.50 $422.50 $2,167 —
745 745 5 380.00 $380.00 $2,831 —
974 974 8 327.00 $327.00 $3,185 -3.00
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1058 1058 4 309.00 $309.00 $3,269 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
765 765 2 335.00 $335.00 $2,563 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
869–885 872 12 321.00–327.00 $322.02 $2,808 -7.90
872 872 26 311.50 $311.50 $2,716 -18.42
918–948 929 15 308.00–314.50 $312.07 $2,899 -8.93
967 967 3 284.00 $284.00 $2,746 —
958–993 984 44 306.00–314.00 $309.10 $3,042 —
1000–1040 1018 59 296.00–307.00 $301.62 $3,070 —
1173 1173 4 250.00 $250.00 $2,932 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
591 591 25 332.50 $332.50 $1,965 —
779 779 6 285.00 $285.00 $2,220 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1063 1063 3 282.00 $282.00 $2,998 —
1125–1142 1136 8 260.00–263.00 $261.11 $2,966 +11.11
1185 1185 2 263.00 $263.00 $3,117 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
689 689 11 330.00 $330.00 $2,274 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
896 896 4 295.00 $295.00 $2,643 —
1043 1043 2 286.00 $286.00 $2,983 —
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
675 675 2 347.50 $347.50 $2,346 —
768 768 2 300.00 $300.00 $2,304 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1143 1143 3 246.00 $246.00 $2,812 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
810 810 —— 3 305.00 $305.00 $2,470 —
910–922 919 —— 4 302.50–305.00 $303.12 $2,786 —
1125 1125 (<2 yrs)N/A 11 270.00 $270.00 $3,038 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1155 1155 1 240.00 $240.00 $2,772 —
1278 1278 2 239.00 $239.00 $3,054 —
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1170 1170 1 237.50 $237.50 $2,779 —

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Slaughter Cows

Boner ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1205–1640 1336 80-85% 52 152.00–167.00 $161.33 $2,155 +21.33
1225–1510 1383 80-85% 28 180.00–183.00 $180.71 $2,499 +19.81
1333–1540 1386 80-85% 6 140.00–155.00 $147.06 $2,038 -13.84
1305–1590 1408 80-85% 95 168.00–179.50 $170.61 $2,402 +5.02
1373–1605 1450 80-85% 11 157.00–169.50 $162.02 $2,349 —
1540 1540 80-85% 1 173.00 $173.00 $2,664 —
Breaker ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1434–1750 1463 75-80% 53 171.00–179.00 $177.97 $2,604 —
1495–1697 1633 75-80% 8 161.00–164.00 $163.08 $2,663 -7.17
1515–1905 1641 75-80% 23 152.00–163.00 $158.91 $2,608 -11.34
1445–1810 1668 75-80% 19 165.00–170.50 $168.72 $2,814 —
Lean ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
855 855 85-90% 1 162.50 $162.50 $1,389 —
960 960 85-90% 1 127.50 $127.50 $1,224 —
1025–1185 1057 85-90% 5 136.00–153.00 $149.19 $1,577 —
1053–1285 1106 85-90% 9 164.00–175.00 $169.74 $1,877 —
990–1305 1185 85-90% 38 142.00–163.00 $156.52 $1,855 +5.53
1140–1285 1206 85-90% 5 166.00–169.00 $167.11 $2,015 -8.33
1115–1340 1237 85-90% 9 154.00–162.00 $156.45 $1,935 +2.13
N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1814 1814 65-75% 9 173.00 $173.00 $3,138 —

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Slaughter Bulls

YG1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1130–1160 1142 3 175.00–187.50 $180.89 $2,066 —
1090–1585 1393 8 187.00–199.00 $192.92 $2,687 -1.31
1300–2095 1603 9 201.00–209.00 $204.08 $3,271 —
1315–2115 1752 20 185.00–201.00 $196.15 $3,437 -5.70
1550–2245 1854 46 201.00–216.00 $207.43 $3,846 —
1785–2360 1971 15 215.00–230.50 $221.56 $4,367 -0.24
YG2-3 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
2440–2465 2453 2 201.00–206.00 $203.51 $4,992 —

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Stock Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1095–1310 1164 (<2 yrs)Open 29 220.00–275.00 $239.39 $2,786
1090–1385 1262 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 15 193.00–245.00 $213.40 $2,693
1360–1365 1363 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 2 183.00–186.00 $184.50 $2,515
1435–1590 1507 (<2 yrs)Open 3 209.00–211.00 $210.02 $3,165
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
998–1305 1108 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 4 182.00–205.00 $197.10 $2,184
1245 1245 (<2 yrs)Open 1 197.00 $197.00 $2,453
1285–1600 1410 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 177.00–201.00 $186.15 $2,625
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hd
1380 1380 (<2 yrs)Open 1 181.00 $181.00 $2,498

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Bred Cows

Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $
1475 1475 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 2 2,750.00 $2,750.00
1485 1485 Aged (>8 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 2,900.00 $2,900.00
1525 1525 Young (2-4 yrs)3rd Stage (7-9 mo) 1 3,100.00 $3,100.00

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Cow-Calf Pairs

Medium and Large 1-2 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1509 1509 Aged (>8 yrs)Open 8 3,500.00 $3,500.00 -205.63
1553 1553 Young (2-4 yrs)Open 3 4,000.00 $4,000.00 —
Medium and Large 1 ($/head)
Weight (lb) Avg wt AgeStage Head Price range Avg $ Δ last sale
1847 1847 Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)Open 3 4,250.00 $4,250.00 —

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Dairy Cows

N/N/A ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Dressing Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1658 1658 80-85% 2 163.50 $163.50 $2,711 —

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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.