Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-10-02

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Oct 2
● Final84 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
425 head
▼ 2,003 vs last sale 2,428▲ 8 vs year ago 417 · +1.9%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
258 head
▼ 332 vs last sale 590▼ 116 vs year ago 374 · −31.0%
Replacement Cattle receipts
181 head
▼ 21 vs last sale 202▲ 20 vs year ago 161 · +12.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested today to develop any market trend. Calves of both sexes sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. Demand was moderate to good for light offerings. Quality hampered demand this week as yearling offerings were mostly plain to average and offered in small packages. Demand for calves was mostly good to very good. Calf quality this week was average to attractive. CME positions traded sharply lower today with all contracts showing triple digit lower movement. Market activity was moderate to active with a good crowd on hand and several buyers actively bidding over on the internet. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows were to lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however firm undertones were noticed. Feeding cow demand was good to very good this sale. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak on a poorer quality offering. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Many very full offerings were seen this week. A large portion of the cow offering was comprised of fleshy boning and breaking cows this week. Many of these offerings were off summer pasture and fleshy from being on grass all summer. Slaughter bulls sold 1.00 to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Several packages of thin fleshed bulls continue to be purchased to feed. Feeding bull demand was good to very good this week which helped push all bull prices higher. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand. Additionally, some cows are being sold as exposed and are bringing strong premiums to feeding cows. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Too few offerings were seen to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $416.56/cwt on 12 head. That ranks 14 of 23 comparable sales and sits +4.94 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$416.56
12 head · 524 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,183
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
—
single grade reported
vs the market
−5.46
vs MT average
+47.65 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1524416.562,18312thin
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 sale12 hd
416.56
—
MT average3 barns · 161 hd
422.02
−5.46
National average182 barns · 13,299 hd
368.91
+47.65
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
+4.94
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—High1,929192.893,72119
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,465165.202,42189
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,671162.612,71839
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,188158.851,88747

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)1,236$3,1875
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,213$3,1008
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,315$3,0501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,360$3,0001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,445$2,7464thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,675$2,6501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,230$2,5905

Every lot

84 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 · Steers16 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned275600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,6502
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned335605.00/cwt605.00–605.002,0272
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned353568.40/cwt565.00–575.002,0063
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned385505.00/cwt505.00–505.001,9441
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned445520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,3141
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned460504.88/cwt480.00–515.002,32211
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned480461.70/cwt460.00–465.002,21612
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned506468.85/cwt455.00–485.002,37215
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned534425.00/cwt425.00–425.002,2707
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned552432.50/cwt432.50–432.502,3873
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned610402.11/cwt397.00–407.002,45330
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned678384.00/cwt384.00–384.002,6042
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2811339.00/cwt339.00–339.002,7497
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1817365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,9825
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1855360.00/cwt360.00–360.003,0783
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,000318.00/cwt318.00–318.003,1803
Feeder Cattle · Heifers17 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned333500.00/cwt500.00–500.001,6654
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned382505.00/cwt505.00–505.001,9293
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned456439.64/cwt435.00–450.002,00516
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned459406.66/cwt385.00–410.001,8678
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned524416.56/cwt411.00–435.002,18312
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned618361.63/cwt360.00–365.002,2353
Heifers650–700Medium 1-2668340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,2712
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2709335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,37511
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1765360.50/cwt360.50–360.502,75832
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2773349.00/cwt349.00–349.002,6984
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Full799341.50/cwt341.50–341.502,72920
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1836333.22/cwt332.00–338.002,78624
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1887321.50/cwt321.50–321.502,8528
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2896319.00/cwt319.00–319.002,8586
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1915316.55/cwt313.00–321.002,89629
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1-2993299.00/cwt299.00–299.002,9692
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,060299.45/cwt292.00–304.003,17416
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned348600.00/cwt600.00–600.002,0882
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned353585.00/cwt585.00–585.002,0652
Bulls400–450Medium 1Unweaned421449.69/cwt440.00–465.001,8935
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned571368.00/cwt368.00–368.002,1014
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned628355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,2292
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned733332.50/cwt332.50–332.502,4372
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1895335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,9981
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1987317.74/cwt315.00–318.003,13623
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,103260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,8687
Feeder Cattle · Beef/Dairy Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Beef/Dairy Heifers450–500Large 1-2495370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,8323
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,430181.00/cwt181.00–181.002,5882
Bulls——Return to Feed1,563185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,8922
Bulls——Return to Feed1,865204.00/cwt204.00–204.003,8051
Bulls——1,913181.82/cwt179.00–184.003,4782
Bulls——2,060206.00/cwt206.00–206.004,2441
Bulls——2,083196.29/cwt186.00–203.004,08911
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight975114.00/cwt114.00–114.001,1121
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,090111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,2101
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,145141.21/cwt137.00–149.001,6176
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,173167.12/cwt159.00–172.001,96017
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,182123.34/cwt122.00–125.001,4583
Cows—Lean 85-90%Non-Traditional1,185152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,8071
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218173.69/cwt172.50–176.002,11614
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,296149.57/cwt142.00–152.001,9384
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,367146.11/cwt145.00–147.001,9975
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,395175.84/cwt174.00–177.002,4535
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,445140.55/cwt138.00–144.002,0315
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,456168.26/cwt162.00–172.002,45064
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,504175.00/cwt175.00–175.002,6325
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,595157.19/cwt155.00–158.002,5073
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,631164.35/cwt163.00–165.002,6817
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,649154.79/cwt154.00–156.002,5525
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,688165.00/cwt165.00–165.002,7859
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,696166.50/cwt166.50–166.502,8249
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,724155.41/cwt149.00–158.502,67911
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows9 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1522,850.00/head2,850.00–2,850.002,8503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2273,246.84/head3,200.00–3,300.003,2474
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2302,590.42/head2,500.00–2,700.002,5905
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2503,250.00/head3,250.00–3,250.003,2505
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2702,950.00/head2,950.00–2,950.002,9501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3153,050.00/head3,050.00–3,050.003,0501
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3603,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4452,746.19/head2,650.00–2,850.002,7464
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,6752,650.00/head2,650.00–2,650.002,6501
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows7 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2995228.65/cwt210.00–240.002,2753
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,012282.38/cwt243.00–307.002,85827
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,111198.16/cwt175.00–230.002,20211
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,144233.32/cwt180.50–315.002,66967
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,316181.76/cwt174.00–186.002,3926
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,358187.50/cwt187.50–187.502,5465
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,438194.00/cwt194.00–194.002,7902

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.