Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-04-03

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 3
● Final103 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,086 head
▲ 3,827 vs last sale 259▼ 880 vs year ago 4,966 · −17.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
86 head
▼ 160 vs last sale 246▼ 19 vs year ago 105 · −18.1%
Replacement Cattle receipts
75 head
▼ 220 vs last sale 295▼ 97 vs year ago 172 · −56.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (3/20/25): Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed on all feeder cattle offerings. Demand was mostly very good for heavy offerings. Quality this week was mixed from average to very attractive. Many long strings of feeders were seen today for todays Spring N.I.L.E. feeder cattle special. Many set of backgrounded cattle were seen this week. Some cattle were developed specifically for grass and were in very light to light flesh. Buyers showed very good demand for thin fleshed cattle which they planned on running on grass. Package sizes were mixed this week however, a large portion of the offering was comprised of load lots and partial load lots. Buyers took cattle up to 700 lbs for steers and 625 lbs for heifers to go to grass. Cattle too big to go to grass sold on good to very good demand as well. Order buyers, buying for packers, were active in buying many of these offerings, especially heifers. Demand for heifers too big to go to grass was very good as quality was very attractive. Many sets of heifers were advertised as replacement quality and demand from feeding buyers and replacement buyers pushed all heifers higher. Market activity was active this sale with bidders both ringside and over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Regional packers and major packers continue to push to own high quality offerings. Major packers purchased cows mostly to feed while regional packers purchased cows to slaughter. Demand for both slaughter and feeding cows was good this week. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on breaking and boning cows. Lean cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, as most offerings were purchased by feeding buyers; higher undertones were noticed. Feeding cows sold steady to 3.00 higher on boning flesh cows. Lean fleshed feeding cows sold 4.00-6.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady to firm in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $348.64/cwt on 362 head. That ranks 3 of 23 comparable sales and sits −62.98 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$348.64
362 head · 556 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,938
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$259
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$46.21/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.86
vs MT average
+27.26 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1555356.441,979273
Medium and Large 1-2556327.511,82073
Medium 1586316.001,8525thin
Medium and Large 2555310.231,72011thin
One grade step is worth $46.21/cwt here — about $259 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale362 hd
348.64
—
MT average3 barns · 492 hd
344.78
+3.86
National average178 barns · 12,751 hd
321.38
+27.26
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−62.98
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—Average1,703168.132,86315
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,634153.872,5144thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,208143.781,73726
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,433143.462,05531

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 Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,158$2,0508

Every lot

103 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 · Steers32 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2373430.00/cwt430.00–430.001,6044
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1412446.63/cwt442.50–455.001,84012
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1467409.09/cwt407.50–412.501,91038
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2475404.65/cwt400.00–405.001,92214
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1526397.05/cwt391.00–411.002,088132
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2539377.56/cwt360.00–380.002,03546
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1580374.76/cwt357.00–387.002,174102
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2588326.42/cwt324.00–352.501,91946
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2619330.64/cwt327.00–340.002,04758
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1627351.19/cwt342.50–364.002,202266
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2628322.00/cwt322.00–322.002,0227
Steers600–650Large 1641324.38/cwt313.00–331.002,07917
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed650362.00/cwt362.00–362.002,35335
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2656284.00/cwt284.00–284.001,8637
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1670329.84/cwt325.00–337.002,21032
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2671313.00/cwt313.00–313.002,10013
Steers700–750Large 1703279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,9614
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2705303.11/cwt287.50–305.002,13752
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1731309.53/cwt300.75–318.002,263161
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2763274.00/cwt274.00–274.002,0918
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1770296.11/cwt289.50–303.502,280111
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Fleshy776285.38/cwt283.00–288.002,21516
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2785280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,1988
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1809292.01/cwt280.00–293.502,36296
Steers800–850Large 1831265.00/cwt265.00–265.002,2027
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2835274.49/cwt271.00–278.002,2928
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy877264.16/cwt261.00–267.002,31713
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1882279.78/cwt276.00–281.002,4688
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy903260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,34816
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1915272.23/cwt270.00–274.002,49116
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1Fleshy974254.38/cwt252.00–256.002,47810
Steers1050–1100Large 21,078231.00/cwt231.00–231.002,4905
Feeder Cattle · Heifers41 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2323407.00/cwt407.00–407.001,3152
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1389416.27/cwt415.00–420.001,6194
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2389400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,5564
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2395362.00/cwt362.00–362.001,4306
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1423399.10/cwt393.00–415.001,68829
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2438375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,64313
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1463386.73/cwt378.00–395.001,79145
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2494350.40/cwt342.50–359.001,73114
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2531335.04/cwt330.00–345.001,77931
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1538366.29/cwt347.50–372.001,97180
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2542322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,7488
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Fleshy544340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,8506
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1563352.75/cwt335.00–355.001,986187
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2574321.96/cwt315.00–332.501,84842
Heifers550–600Medium 1586316.00/cwt316.00–316.001,8525
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2588277.50/cwt277.50–277.501,6323
Heifers600–650Large 1612312.00/cwt312.00–312.001,9093
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1624323.01/cwt316.00–336.002,016586
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fleshy636312.29/cwt311.50–312.501,98672
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2640307.85/cwt292.00–313.001,97027
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1664312.64/cwt304.00–315.252,076454
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Fleshy675296.88/cwt292.50–299.002,00412
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2678293.46/cwt291.00–295.001,99023
Heifers650–700Large 1697279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,9457
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Replacement698311.00/cwt311.00–311.002,17171
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Replacement7132,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,10028
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Replacement715297.25/cwt293.50–299.002,12562
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1717297.04/cwt284.00–300.502,130158
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2720277.46/cwt273.00–281.001,99816
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Fleshy728278.49/cwt275.50–281.002,02722
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Replacement7592,275.00/head2,275.00–2,275.002,27531
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Replacement760283.45/cwt280.00–287.002,15448
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1767284.66/cwt277.50–287.502,18386
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2768268.00/cwt268.00–268.002,0586
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Fleshy774266.00/cwt266.00–266.002,0599
Heifers750–800Large 1780258.50/cwt258.50–258.502,01621
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy793255.00/cwt255.00–255.002,0223
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1Replacement8002,310.00/head2,310.00–2,310.002,31069
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2814256.04/cwt253.00–259.002,0844
Heifers800–850Large 1815252.00/cwt252.00–252.002,0543
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1822272.53/cwt267.00–277.002,24069
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed627346.00/cwt346.00–346.002,16911
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1697284.00/cwt284.00–284.001,9798
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1860253.00/cwt253.00–253.002,1763
Bulls1200–1250Large 1-21,248187.50/cwt187.50–187.502,3402
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,350165.49/cwt165.00–166.002,2342
Bulls——Return to Feed1,417151.89/cwt138.00–157.002,1524
Bulls——1,700157.99/cwt157.00–159.002,6862
Bulls——1,867178.92/cwt172.00–184.003,3405
Bulls——2,220186.45/cwt185.00–188.004,1392
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight945127.00/cwt127.00–127.001,2001
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,060101.00/cwt101.00–101.001,0711
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,190152.38/cwt152.00–152.501,8134
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,218120.62/cwt117.50–124.001,4693
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,232149.77/cwt142.00–151.501,84516
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,275142.50/cwt142.50–142.501,8171
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,384145.65/cwt143.00–152.002,01612
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,408155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,1822
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,455124.55/cwt123.00–126.001,8122
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,472142.69/cwt140.00–148.002,10015
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,583157.00/cwt157.00–157.002,4852
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,685150.73/cwt150.50–151.002,5402
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1900183.99/cwt162.50–208.001,6562
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2920152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,4031
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2950189.50/cwt160.00–215.001,80014
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1960217.48/cwt186.00–241.002,0888
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,075199.52/cwt160.00–233.002,14528
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,238155.44/cwt153.00–158.001,9242
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-29551,900.00/head1,900.00–1,900.001,9002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2262,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1006
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,463155.50/cwt155.50–155.502,2752

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.