Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-07-23

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Jul 23
● Final75 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
401 head
▲ 99 vs last sale 302▲ 163 vs year ago 238 · +68.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
409 head
▲ 19 vs last sale 390▲ 19 vs year ago 390 · +4.9%
Replacement Cattle receipts
121 head
▼ 66 vs last sale 187▲ 61 vs year ago 60 · +101.7%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week (7-16-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last week 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. CME positions have fallen drastically over the last week and buyers showed slightly lighter demand for feeders as a result. Group sizes were small to moderate with many singles noticed. Market activity was mostly moderate to active with a small to moderate size 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. Boning and lean fleshed feeding cows sold mostly 2.00-5.00 lower, while breaking flesh cows sold 1.00-2.00 lower. Cow quality was mostly plain to average and overall not as attractive as the previous week. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate with moderate to good demand seen at times. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however 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 to good on an average quality offering.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $360.00/cwt on 4 head, up $22.52 from the prior sale. That ranks 4 of 23 comparable sales and sits −51.62 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$360.00
▲ 22.52 vs prior sale
4 head · 519 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,868
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
−15.81 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium 1-2519360.001,8684thin
Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only
This sale4 hd
360.00
—
MT average1 barns · 4 hd
360.00
+0.00
National average148 barns · 5,785 hd
375.81
−15.81
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−51.62
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—Low1,851208.763,864107
CowsBoner 80-85%Very Low1,393174.162,426121
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,609170.742,74827
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,138156.351,77832

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 Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,173$3,1502thin
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,276$2,9205
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,189$3,7755
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,515$3,7063thin

Every lot

75 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 · Steers11 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned330630.00/cwt630.00–630.002,0791
Steers550–600Medium 1-2573380.00/cwt380.00–380.002,1772
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2711385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,7374
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1818354.00/cwt350.00–355.002,89628
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1880345.97/cwt339.00–351.503,04526
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1-2883340.00/cwt340.00–340.003,0022
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1935334.00/cwt334.00–334.003,1232
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1988330.00/cwt330.00–330.003,26020
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,003323.00/cwt323.00–323.003,2402
Steers1050–1100Medium and Large 11,058316.00/cwt316.00–316.003,3432
Steers1100–1150Large 11,110306.00/cwt306.00–306.003,3976
Feeder Cattle · Heifers15 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2343410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,4062
Heifers500–550Medium 1-2519360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,8684
Heifers600–650Medium 1625335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,0942
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1658370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,43516
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1730350.16/cwt350.00–352.002,55612
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2746336.00/cwt336.00–336.002,5074
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1775340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,6352
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2775327.50/cwt327.50–327.502,5385
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1831334.38/cwt331.00–338.502,77940
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1880329.92/cwt325.00–332.002,90331
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy892301.65/cwt295.00–315.002,6913
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1929321.00/cwt321.00–321.002,98229
Heifers1050–1100Medium and Large 1Full1,085274.00/cwt274.00–274.002,9734
Heifers1100–1150Medium and Large 1-21,112279.00/cwt279.00–279.003,1023
Heifers1100–1150Large 1Full1,127250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,8183
Feeder Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned494452.50/cwt452.50–452.502,2356
Bulls500–550Medium 1527405.00/cwt405.00–405.002,1343
Bulls500–550Medium 1-2542370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,0053
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned635382.48/cwt380.00–385.002,4292
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1850305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,5932
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,085265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,8752
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Steers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Steers900–950Large 1-2947328.00/cwt328.00–328.003,10632
Beef/Dairy Steers1000–1050Large 1-21,027312.00/cwt312.00–312.003,20412
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers800–850Large 1-2829311.00/cwt311.00–311.002,5785
Beef/Dairy Heifers900–950Large 1-2926307.50/cwt307.50–307.502,84725
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls11 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,160182.62/cwt167.50–191.002,1184
Bulls——Return to Feed1,359194.23/cwt190.00–197.502,6407
Bulls——Natural1,579201.25/cwt192.50–205.003,1787
Bulls——Return to Feed1,672210.71/cwt205.00–212.503,5234
Bulls——1,769201.85/cwt184.00–206.003,57119
Bulls——1,966221.80/cwt219.00–226.004,3618
Bulls——1,977211.38/cwt207.00–218.004,17933
Bulls——Natural1,986212.72/cwt208.00–219.004,22518
Bulls——Natural2,140230.01/cwt225.00–235.004,9225
Bulls——2,335211.00/cwt211.00–211.004,9271
Bulls——Heavy Weight2,790221.00/cwt221.00–221.006,1661
Slaughter Cattle · Cows18 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight895159.18/cwt140.00–165.001,4256
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight940127.50/cwt127.50–127.501,1991
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,000160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,6001
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,186150.99/cwt146.00–155.001,7914
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,200140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,6801
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,204175.44/cwt172.00–182.002,1124
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,222154.32/cwt150.00–167.501,88615
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,270121.00/cwt121.00–121.001,5371
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,294185.73/cwt184.00–189.002,40318
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,320140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,8481
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,380160.90/cwt149.00–165.002,22019
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,410165.59/cwt164.00–168.002,3353
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,413154.07/cwt149.00–158.002,1778
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,421178.63/cwt167.00–182.502,53871
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,533182.00/cwt182.00–182.002,7902
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,601172.75/cwt170.00–174.002,76610
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,605163.20/cwt151.00–166.002,6195
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,635170.25/cwt168.00–173.502,78410
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2755240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8121
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,149250.43/cwt235.00–265.002,8777
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,170203.00/cwt181.00–262.502,3754
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,232217.07/cwt188.50–265.002,67416
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,313179.00/cwt179.00–179.002,3503
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,1893,775.00/head3,775.00–3,775.003,7755
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,5153,705.63/head3,500.00–3,800.003,7063
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,1733,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,1502
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy1,2642,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9004
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,3253,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001

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.