Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-05-07

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 7
● Final108 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
← Apr 30May 7May 14 →
Feeder Cattle receipts
588 head
▼ 1,647 vs last sale 2,235▲ 133 vs year ago 455 · +29.2%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
517 head
▲ 379 vs last sale 138▲ 132 vs year ago 385 · +34.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
569 head
▲ 381 vs last sale 188▲ 236 vs year ago 333 · +70.9%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (4-30-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Demand was moderate to good for light offerings. Quality limited demand today as many ranchers and backgrounders cleaned up pens and pastures. Many lame and blemished offerings were seen this sale. Most feeders were offered in small groups or as singles with no load lots seen. Buyers pick around to try and fill loads for the week. Demand did diminish as buyers filled loads and exited the market. 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 remains very good. Canadian buyers continue to buy high quality cows to ship north and feed. American packers tried to fill feeding loads for the week but showed no desire to push offerings higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive with many reputation ranches offering cows this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Slaughter cows sold steady to weak as packers showed slightly lighter demand for cows too lame or blemished to feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand for feeding bulls was very good this sale. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed comprised a large portion of the cow offering this week. Buyers continue to be willing to take up to middle age cows to turn out and rebreed. Young cow offerings sold with higher undertones on a higher quality offering. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive and overall more attractive than last week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $448.67/cwt on 64 head, down $20.68 from the prior sale. That ranks 20 of 23 comparable sales and sits +37.05 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$448.67
▼ 20.68 vs prior sale
64 head · 548 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,460
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$359
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2
$80.96/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.79
vs MT average
+20.77 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1544465.962,53538
Medium and Large 1-2558427.332,38621
Medium and Large 2533412.382,1984thin
Large 1-2565385.002,1751thin
One grade step is worth $80.96/cwt here — about $359 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale64 hd
448.67
—
MT average2 barns · 66 hd
447.88
+0.79
National average182 barns · 12,459 hd
427.90
+20.77
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
+37.05
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

23 sales
483428373319median 411.6203/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $411.62 across 23 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,842216.343,98564
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,360184.892,515198
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,173181.162,125183
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,629173.072,82038

Replacement cattle Per head

By class, stage and age
Bred stock and pairs are reported per head, not per hundredweight — these prices are never mixed with the $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,173$4,01210
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,465$3,4366
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,265$3,3501thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)968$3,3002thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,513$3,2502thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,150$3,8567

Every lot

108 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)
Nothing removed and nothing rounded — the same lots as the USDA report, with per-head values added. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers26 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned290600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,7402
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2379601.22/cwt600.00–605.002,2794
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1406610.00/cwt610.00–610.002,4774
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned419585.00/cwt585.00–585.002,4517
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned422566.56/cwt560.00–570.002,3913
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1468577.50/cwt577.50–577.502,7035
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned508532.50/cwt532.50–532.502,70522
Steers500–550Medium 1508495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,5152
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2522499.61/cwt490.00–516.002,60831
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned523450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,3543
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2537449.87/cwt447.50–460.002,4165
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2579455.00/cwt455.00–455.002,6345
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Fleshy587474.00/cwt474.00–474.002,7823
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2619440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,7245
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2629403.26/cwt400.00–415.002,5379
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1654435.75/cwt435.00–437.002,8508
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2662400.09/cwt372.50–427.002,6497
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2712393.36/cwt392.50–395.002,8013
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1713410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,9233
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2717378.07/cwt367.50–385.002,7115
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1762386.99/cwt385.00–391.002,9493
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2763360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,7472
Steers850–900Medium and Large 2Fleshy885330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,9213
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1909351.00/cwt351.00–351.003,19110
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy913341.00/cwt341.00–341.003,1136
Steers1100–1150Large 1-2Fleshy1,127278.00/cwt278.00–278.003,13311
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2365525.00/cwt525.00–525.001,9161
Heifers400–450Medium 1431502.50/cwt502.50–502.502,16611
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2445510.02/cwt505.00–513.002,2708
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1467506.08/cwt505.00–512.502,36334
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2523440.44/cwt439.00–441.002,3049
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2533412.38/cwt405.00–430.002,1984
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1534473.01/cwt460.00–480.002,52624
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1561453.87/cwt440.00–455.002,54614
Heifers550–600Large 1-2565385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,1751
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2585417.50/cwt417.50–417.502,44212
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2625380.65/cwt375.00–382.502,3794
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2630347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,1891
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1634412.36/cwt411.00–415.002,6143
Heifers600–650Large 1635377.50/cwt377.50–377.502,3973
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2682363.75/cwt340.00–381.002,4819
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1689386.00/cwt386.00–386.002,6605
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1712375.45/cwt362.00–384.002,67343
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2740358.00/cwt358.00–358.002,6493
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1758358.17/cwt354.00–359.002,71512
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2783350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,7413
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1837341.50/cwt341.50–341.502,85812
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 2847312.00/cwt312.00–312.002,6435
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy891317.00/cwt317.00–317.002,8248
Feeder Cattle · Bulls13 lots · lightest first
Bulls50–100Medium and Large 188925.00/head925.00–925.009257
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2558450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,5118
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1588457.50/cwt457.50–457.502,6904
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2668392.50/cwt392.50–392.502,6224
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2715361.70/cwt355.00–370.002,5866
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 2734347.00/cwt347.00–347.002,5476
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2785347.50/cwt347.50–347.502,7282
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2839345.31/cwt340.00–347.002,8974
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1922327.00/cwt327.00–327.003,01514
Bulls1000–1050Large 11,017304.54/cwt301.00–306.003,0977
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,072290.63/cwt285.00–295.003,1166
Bulls1050–1100Large 1-21,090276.65/cwt275.00–280.003,0153
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,240230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,8522
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——1,644197.59/cwt191.00–206.003,2484
Bulls——Return to Feed1,701216.98/cwt212.00–219.003,69129
Bulls——Return to Feed1,845209.60/cwt205.00–212.003,8676
Bulls——1,980224.99/cwt222.00–231.004,45510
Bulls——2,064216.98/cwt209.00–220.004,47814
Bulls——2,210218.00/cwt218.00–218.004,8181
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight890155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,3801
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight975115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,1211
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,063114.92/cwt110.00–120.001,2224
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,102181.88/cwt175.00–186.002,00432
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,103165.34/cwt150.00–173.001,82426
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,126132.35/cwt127.50–142.501,4906
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,155152.69/cwt147.50–157.501,7643
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,222191.37/cwt186.00–196.002,339110
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,340190.42/cwt188.00–194.002,552119
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,378145.10/cwt142.50–147.501,9992
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,383161.36/cwt159.00–164.002,2328
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,389183.16/cwt176.00–187.002,54451
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,398168.10/cwt154.00–175.002,35018
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,559166.97/cwt165.00–171.002,6034
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,575187.53/cwt186.00–192.502,95411
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,638179.78/cwt176.00–184.002,9454
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,657161.91/cwt153.00–164.002,6839
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,689166.98/cwt165.50–171.002,82010
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows14 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2717277.50/cwt260.00–285.001,9903
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2853260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,2182
Stock Cows—Medium 1865332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,8764
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2Thin Fleshed883215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,8982
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed953249.03/cwt196.00–275.002,3733
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2999274.25/cwt220.00–340.002,74016
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,002319.75/cwt227.50–373.003,204188
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,052213.37/cwt195.00–282.502,24527
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,058255.76/cwt237.50–275.002,7062
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,102268.01/cwt191.00–335.002,953142
Stock Cows—Large 11,185205.00/cwt205.00–205.002,4291
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,190202.72/cwt190.00–262.002,41250
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,238196.00/cwt196.00–196.002,4262
Stock Cows—Large 11,500188.00/cwt188.00–188.002,8201
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-21,0953,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8005
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2883,996.31/head3,900.00–4,100.003,9962
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 19483,500.00/head3,500.00–3,500.003,5002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 19683,300.00/head3,300.00–3,300.003,3002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2294,139.51/head4,000.00–4,200.004,1408
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2653,350.00/head3,350.00–3,350.003,3501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4653,436.26/head3,400.00–3,475.003,4366
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5133,250.00/head3,250.00–3,250.003,2502

This sale against other markets

Montana weighted averages
One sale is one barn on one day. The state ladder is every Montana auction USDA reported that week, weighted by head — the fairer test of whether a lot sold well.
Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →