Cattle Market Pulse

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction Market Report

Billings, Montana · USDA-reported Auction Livestock

Sale of Thursday, October 15, 2026

4,224 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 steers $400.63/cwt -2.10 vs last sale · ≈ $2,508/hd at 626 lb · 400 head
light 5-weight M&L 1 steers $463.51/cwt +10.32 vs last sale · ≈ $2,429/hd at 524 lb · 334 head
heavy 5-weight M&L 1 steers $424.79/cwt +3.35 vs last sale · ≈ $2,427/hd at 571 lb · 290 head

Receipts

HeadThis saleLast saleLast year
Total receipts 4,224 2,588 4,595
Feeder cattle 4,224 2,583 4,595
Replacement cattle — 5 —

Market comments — USDA reporter

Compared to last sale (10-08-26): Yearling cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 400 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on a higher quality offering. Steer calves 400-549 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher, 550 lbs steers and heavier sold generally steady. Heifer calves under 450 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. 450-499 lbs heifer calves sold 10.00-20.00 higher, 500-649 lbs higher sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher, heifers over 650 lbs were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Calves were offered in mostly moderate size packages this week with a few light load lots seen. Quality this week was mixed but mostly average to attractive. Some calves showed signs of stress after an early week rain and snow storm. Many cutback calves continue to be seen off summer video sales. A wide variety of quality and breed types were seen again this sale. Demand for light weight calves did diminish as buyers filled loads leading to wide price on light weight offerings. Market activity was mostly active with a larger buyer pool noticed. Billings livestock commission will not sale cows or bulls again this fall on Thursdays. Cows will be sold on Mondays during the fall run.

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
267–275 unweaned 270 19 650.00–690.00 $685.70 $1,851 —
335–340 unweaned 339 6 615.00 $615.00 $2,085 +28.59
350–395 unweaned 367 104 540.00–640.00 $594.78 $2,183 +74.78
405–448 unweaned 431 178 512.50–562.50 $530.81 $2,288 +21.56
462 462 25 500.00 $500.00 $2,310 —
451–494 unweaned 475 190 475.00–522.50 $491.61 $2,335 +9.99
501–548 unweaned 524 334 437.00–490.00 $463.51 $2,429 +10.32
553 553 78 436.00 $436.00 $2,411 —
554–597 unweaned 578 212 401.00–440.00 $420.66 $2,431 -0.78
600–649 unweaned 626 400 384.00–412.00 $400.63 $2,508 -2.10
671 671 17 365.00 $365.00 $2,449 -19.00
651–688 unweaned 672 81 371.00–391.00 $381.60 $2,564 +4.97
727 727 7 353.00 $353.00 $2,566 -17.00
706–748 unweaned 730 19 358.00–366.00 $362.74 $2,648 —
767 unweaned 767 3 365.00 $365.00 $2,800 —
814 814 11 331.00 $331.00 $2,694 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
242–243 unweaned 242 20 645.00–655.00 $646.00 $1,563 —
288 unweaned 288 2 600.00 $600.00 $1,728 —
338–349 unweaned 347 9 580.00–595.00 $591.75 $2,053 +61.75
365–393 unweaned 379 11 525.00–555.00 $538.14 $2,040 +63.14
405–440 unweaned 428 50 450.00–520.00 $491.92 $2,105 +7.07
450–496 unweaned 484 37 450.00–470.00 $460.69 $2,230 +2.85
521–547 unweaned 536 83 405.00–440.00 $422.86 $2,267 +1.89
570–586 unweaned 573 46 385.00–401.00 $396.82 $2,274 -0.90
605–642 unweaned 630 73 355.00–392.00 $375.99 $2,369 -3.04
653–690 unweaned 674 9 355.00–369.00 $363.65 $2,451 +4.15
730 unweaned 730 8 355.00 $355.00 $2,592 —
738 738 2 360.00 $360.00 $2,657 —
862–893 879 12 324.00–330.00 $326.72 $2,872 -2.52
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
289 unweaned 289 5 555.00 $555.00 $1,604 —
386 unweaned 386 30 462.50 $462.50 $1,785 —
410–422 unweaned 421 115 427.50–445.00 $443.22 $1,866 -6.78
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
422 unweaned 422 10 492.50 $492.50 $2,078 —
455 unweaned 455 4 490.00 $490.00 $2,230 —
537 unweaned 537 99 426.00 $426.00 $2,288 —
723 unweaned 723 2 345.00 $345.00 $2,494 ±0.00
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
447 unweaned 447 6 462.50 $462.50 $2,067 —
507 unweaned 507 5 427.50 $427.50 $2,167 +2.50
585–587 unweaned 587 13 382.50–390.00 $384.23 $2,255 —
638 unweaned 638 3 367.00 $367.00 $2,341 —
779 779 4 337.50 $337.50 $2,629 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
334 unweaned 334 4 385.00 $385.00 $1,286 —
354–361 unweaned 359 20 350.00–400.00 $367.28 $1,319 —

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Feeder Heifers

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
290 unweaned 290 1 640.00 $640.00 $1,856 —
315–335 unweaned 327 12 525.00–535.00 $530.98 $1,736 —
357–392 unweaned 369 92 485.00–530.00 $497.57 $1,836 +7.69
401–445 unweaned 420 90 452.50–493.00 $481.72 $2,023 +19.26
453–489 unweaned 472 256 420.00–457.50 $438.20 $2,068 +18.76
500 fancy 500 26 435.00 $435.00 $2,175 —
500–543 unweaned 527 152 385.00–428.00 $403.72 $2,128 +6.13
556 fancy 556 23 401.00 $401.00 $2,230 —
554–599 unweaned 576 153 372.00–391.50 $385.30 $2,219 +9.18
600–620 unweaned 613 53 366.00–380.00 $369.74 $2,267 +11.18
650–663 unweaned 659 15 345.00–352.00 $346.38 $2,283 -4.62
1028–1044 1035 12 280.50–285.00 $283.11 $2,930 +0.11
Medium and Large 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
320 unweaned 320 15 435.00 $435.00 $1,392 —
359–397 unweaned 387 148 400.00–416.00 $403.81 $1,563 —
Medium and Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
164 unweaned 164 8 500.00 $500.00 $820 —
227 unweaned 227 18 605.00 $605.00 $1,373 —
253–298 unweaned 286 17 500.00–525.00 $509.23 $1,456 —
324–335 unweaned 327 7 480.00–500.00 $485.85 $1,589 +30.85
350–398 unweaned 386 38 455.00–479.00 $472.78 $1,825 +37.78
415–448 unweaned 433 19 425.00–460.00 $441.67 $1,912 +14.65
478 unweaned 478 4 402.50 $402.50 $1,924 +2.15
520–549 unweaned 545 14 369.00–377.50 $370.16 $2,017 -1.67
578–598 unweaned 590 10 355.00–370.00 $364.12 $2,148 +17.50
858 858 2 305.00 $305.00 $2,617 —
1025 1025 2 276.00 $276.00 $2,829 —
Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
403 unweaned 403 4 470.00 $470.00 $1,894 —
509 unweaned 509 4 400.00 $400.00 $2,036 —
1086–1098 1091 7 277.00–280.00 $278.71 $3,041 +7.71
Medium 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
521 unweaned 521 6 380.00 $380.00 $1,980 +10.00
641 641 5 300.00 $300.00 $1,923 —
Medium 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
699 699 11 340.00 $340.00 $2,377 —
Medium 2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
386 unweaned 386 4 360.00 $360.00 $1,390 —

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Feeder Bulls

Medium and Large 1 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
335 unweaned 335 1 620.00 $620.00 $2,077 —
527 unweaned 527 3 416.00 $416.00 $2,192 -14.00
667 unweaned 667 24 368.00 $368.00 $2,455 +33.00
Large 1-2 ($/cwt)
Weight (lb) Avg wt Head Price range Avg $ ≈ $/hdΔ last sale
1160 1160 1 225.00 $225.00 $2,610 —

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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.