Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-11-20

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Nov 20
● Final112 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Receipts
3,694 head
▼ 288 vs last sale 3,982▲ 773 vs year ago 2,921 · +26.5%
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 either this week or last to develop any market trend. Yearling quality was mostly plain. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly 10.00-20.00 higher, steers 500-649 lbs sold mostly steady to 5.00 lower, steer calves over 650 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Heifer calves under 450 lbs sold sharply lower with most sales 20.00-35.00 lower, heifers 450-549 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher, heifers 550-599 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 lower, heifers over 600 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed. Demand for calves was mostly moderate to good for moderate offerings. Calf quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. A wide variety of quality was seen this week. Demand for lightweight offerings suitable to develop into yearlings remains very good. Steer demand was stronger than heifers this week, a flip from last weeks sale. Demand for replacement heifers remains very good with most attractive quality heifers over 575 lbs being purchased to develop into replacements. CME positions traded sharply lower again today with January through November 2026 contracts trading over 4.50 lower. Despite lower CME positions demand for attractive quality cattle remains good, especially for light weight cattle suitable to go to grass. Several ranchers were in the stands buying grass cattle again this week. Market activity was active with a larger crowd on hand seen again this week compared to last week. No cows will be sold on Thursdays in the fall.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $373.94/cwt on 621 head. That ranks 5 of 23 comparable sales and sits −37.69 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$373.94
621 head · 549 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,052
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$284
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$44.03/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−0.57
vs MT average
+17.05 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1550378.972,085550
Medium and Large 1-2538334.941,80171
One grade step is worth $44.03/cwt here — about $284 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale621 hd
373.94
—
MT average4 barns · 1,178 hd
374.50
−0.57
National average188 barns · 19,415 hd
356.89
+17.05
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−37.69
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.

Every lot

112 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 · Steers50 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2283605.00/cwt605.00–605.001,7123
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned285560.00/cwt560.00–560.001,5961
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned293630.00/cwt630.00–630.001,8462
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2300555.00/cwt555.00–555.001,6652
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned306600.00/cwt600.00–600.001,8367
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1340625.00/cwt625.00–625.002,1251
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned346618.24/cwt605.00–620.002,13949
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned360425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,53012
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1380569.88/cwt565.00–580.002,16610
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2386514.67/cwt500.00–517.501,9876
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned388569.19/cwt569.00–570.002,20815
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned408544.37/cwt500.00–585.002,22136
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2-3Unweaned414350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,44912
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2429472.49/cwt470.00–475.002,0274
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1430517.46/cwt510.00–540.002,22516
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned448495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,2189
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned460478.70/cwt472.50–480.002,2026
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2465469.27/cwt462.00–475.002,18218
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned468400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,87255
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1469492.69/cwt472.00–527.502,31127
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2-3Unweaned476295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,40420
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned480488.19/cwt477.50–505.002,34383
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1500462.50/cwt462.50–462.502,3132
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Full515439.00/cwt439.00–439.002,2619
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2521433.39/cwt425.00–439.002,25816
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned521401.00/cwt401.00–401.002,08910
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned528430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,2702
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned529414.36/cwt392.00–447.502,19246
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned532445.34/cwt435.00–452.002,369109
Steers500–550Medium 1541397.00/cwt397.00–397.002,14811
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2563384.00/cwt384.00–384.002,1629
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned564424.07/cwt403.00–436.502,392199
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned564401.47/cwt401.00–405.002,26425
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1568425.97/cwt400.00–432.752,420199
Steers550–600Medium and Large 2-3Unweaned585240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,4043
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned604383.29/cwt370.00–385.002,3159
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned618395.99/cwt377.50–401.502,447119
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1623387.92/cwt378.00–398.002,41731
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2635367.50/cwt367.50–367.502,3345
Steers650–700Large 1Unweaned654364.91/cwt360.00–365.002,387109
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1670370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,47911
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned678368.94/cwt364.00–372.002,50162
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Full693335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,3224
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1714356.49/cwt355.00–362.002,54524
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned717340.00/cwt340.00–340.002,4386
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned718356.38/cwt354.00–360.002,55942
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2728348.00/cwt348.00–348.002,5334
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned752335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,5195
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2Full799321.00/cwt321.00–321.002,5654
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Unweaned807334.00/cwt334.00–334.002,6956
Feeder Cattle · Heifers50 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned298445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,3267
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned302469.98/cwt465.00–480.001,41912
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2306475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,45410
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2-3Unweaned358330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,18119
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned381453.89/cwt445.00–472.501,72964
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1386419.49/cwt417.50–422.501,61910
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned390401.46/cwt400.00–405.001,5667
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned392372.50/cwt372.50–372.501,46014
Heifers400–450Medium 1410405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,66110
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned417418.36/cwt394.00–439.001,74540
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned424346.46/cwt330.00–355.001,4696
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2425372.42/cwt370.00–385.001,5836
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned433457.14/cwt445.00–470.001,979189
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1440460.00/cwt460.00–460.002,0243
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2443410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,8162
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Full451300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,35314
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2-3Unweaned458280.00/cwt280.00–280.001,28254
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Full460395.00/cwt395.00–395.001,8172
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned470426.35/cwt407.00–450.002,00467
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2471340.00/cwt340.00–340.001,6019
Heifers450–500Medium 2Unweaned475285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,3542
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned476392.65/cwt350.00–395.001,86940
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1481417.24/cwt409.00–427.502,007100
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned482325.00/cwt325.00–325.001,56720
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2499390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,9469
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Full502330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,65732
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned525364.48/cwt364.00–365.001,9146
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned531395.92/cwt372.50–405.002,102157
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1532389.61/cwt366.00–398.002,073160
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1557364.34/cwt351.00–368.002,02958
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Full572305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,7455
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2574342.46/cwt321.00–410.001,96621
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned579331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,9167
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Full581333.05/cwt320.00–341.001,9358
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned582360.12/cwt349.00–380.002,096167
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1616339.12/cwt324.00–347.002,08918
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned616337.00/cwt325.00–349.002,07642
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2618326.00/cwt326.00–326.002,01532
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Replacement632377.00/cwt377.00–377.002,3833
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Replacement657354.00/cwt354.00–354.002,32645
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2Unweaned663260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,7242
Heifers650–700Large 1681298.00/cwt298.00–298.002,0296
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned682305.60/cwt305.00–307.502,0844
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2691308.00/cwt308.00–308.002,1285
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1698315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,1993
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 2-3701285.00/cwt285.00–285.001,99818
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2873298.00/cwt298.00–298.002,60212
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2937279.00/cwt279.00–279.002,61429
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Full1,034261.00/cwt261.00–261.002,69934
Heifers1100–1150Large 1-21,132252.00/cwt252.00–252.002,8537
Feeder Cattle · Bulls12 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned325580.00/cwt580.00–580.001,8851
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1355535.00/cwt535.00–535.001,8992
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned375553.40/cwt530.00–575.002,0754
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned439520.00/cwt520.00–520.002,2839
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1467475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,2188
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned528428.17/cwt420.00–435.002,26136
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned580402.00/cwt402.00–402.002,3322
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1598390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,3323
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned620385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,3871
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned664349.35/cwt342.50–362.002,32012
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1766335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,5668
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1-2891296.00/cwt296.00–296.002,63715

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.