Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-11-09

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Nov 9
● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
← Nov 2Nov 9latest
Feeder Cattle receipts
555 head
▲ 0 vs last sale 555▼ 85 vs year ago 640 · −13.3%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
1,054 head
▲ 365 vs last sale 689▼ 28 vs year ago 1,082 · −2.6%
Replacement Cattle receipts
449 head
▲ 121 vs last sale 328▼ 61 vs year ago 510 · −12.0%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: All feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain. Most feeders were offered in small packages with many singles noticed. Many feeders were cutbacks off summer video sales. CME positions moved lower almost daily over the last week and buyers adjusted break evens accordingly. CME positions were sharply higher today with most contracts 5.00 to 6.00 higher, however many buyers adjusted prices lower after last weeks sharply lower movement. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate with a small pool of buyers noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly moderate demand and offerings. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average. Feeding cow demand softened some this week as many buyers say feedlots are starting to fill. Canadian buyers purchased cows on lighter demand this week as they purchased fewer cattle compared to last week. American packers showed light demand for cows to feed and were very selective as they bid on feeding cows. Private feeders continue to show light to moderate demand for feeding cows. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower on all classes. Slaughter cows sold generally steady on all classes. Packer buyers were able to buy some of the lame and blemished cows that feeding cow buyers had been buying away from them as prices for feeding and slaughter cows are as close as they have been in months. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows sold mostly steady to 10.00 lower in a narrow comparison.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $359.03/cwt on 113 head, up $2.40 from the prior sale. That ranks 3 of 5 comparable sales and sits +0.00 against this barn's trailing median of $359.03.
Average price
$359.03
▲ 2.40 vs prior sale
113 head · 530 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,904
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$40
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 1
$12.15/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−11.64
vs MT average
−1.72 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1530361.151,91493
Medium and Large 1-2500350.001,7503thin
Medium 1537349.001,87417thin
One grade step is worth $12.15/cwt here — about $40 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 sale113 hd
359.03
—
MT average4 barns · 1,030 hd
370.66
−11.64
National average188 barns · 20,277 hd
360.75
−1.72
This barn, trailing median5 sales
359.03
+0.00
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

5 sales
384366348329median 359.0310/1210/1910/2611/0211/09
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $370.05, low $343.45, median $359.03 across 5 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—Average1,820167.573,04926
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,391124.571,733528
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,569120.971,89852
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,171112.681,320282

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)1,066$2,9634thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,244$2,6824thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,580$2,6001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,405$2,0949
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,308$2,00113
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,305$2,0002thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,353$1,81670

Every lot

90 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)
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 · Steers13 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned250570.00/cwt570.00–570.001,4252
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned303550.00/cwt550.00–550.001,6676
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned363533.74/cwt530.00–537.001,93720
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned380510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,9382
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned426475.29/cwt473.00–492.502,02540
Steers450–500Medium 1Unweaned450425.00/cwt425.00–425.001,9134
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned455462.50/cwt462.50–462.502,1042
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned483427.74/cwt410.00–457.502,06614
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned522407.86/cwt385.00–415.002,12919
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned556412.00/cwt412.00–412.002,29125
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned585365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,1352
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned683320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,1863
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned695317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,2072
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned266595.00/cwt595.00–595.001,5838
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned321524.97/cwt520.00–530.001,6858
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned365472.42/cwt457.50–492.501,72427
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned365452.50/cwt452.50–452.501,6523
Heifers350–400Medium 1Unweaned391442.00/cwt442.00–442.001,72817
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned417429.41/cwt420.00–442.001,79143
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned430417.50/cwt417.50–417.501,7957
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned465380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,7674
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned468392.00/cwt392.00–392.001,8353
Heifers450–500Medium 1Unweaned489361.00/cwt361.00–361.001,76511
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned500350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,7503
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned530361.15/cwt350.00–384.001,91493
Heifers500–550Medium 1Unweaned537349.00/cwt349.00–349.001,87417
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned670315.08/cwt315.00–316.002,11112
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1857283.00/cwt283.00–283.002,4256
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,023236.01/cwt232.50–240.002,41417
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,071246.00/cwt246.00–246.002,63519
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,120252.50/cwt252.50–252.502,8281
Heifers1150–1200Large 1Fleshy1,166220.00/cwt220.00–220.002,5654
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned386515.00/cwt515.00–515.001,9885
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned481422.00/cwt422.00–422.002,0304
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned500402.50/cwt402.50–402.502,01315
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned671317.50/cwt317.50–317.502,1304
Bulls1200–1250Large 1-21,223210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,5682
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,621161.91/cwt155.00–167.002,6254
Bulls——Return to Feed1,726169.60/cwt169.00–170.002,9278
Bulls——1,891163.41/cwt157.00–169.003,0908
Bulls——1,930174.22/cwt171.00–181.003,3625
Bulls——2,245174.00/cwt174.00–174.003,9061
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight95573.85/cwt70.00–77.507052
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight97085.00/cwt85.00–85.008251
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,055140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,4771
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12979.84/cwt65.00–85.0090122
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,162114.05/cwt105.00–125.001,325126
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,17399.80/cwt90.00–107.501,17138
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,187112.77/cwt110.00–115.001,33924
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,206129.10/cwt122.50–138.001,55768
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,362143.20/cwt141.00–148.001,95011
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,383111.82/cwt107.50–117.001,54641
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,384117.34/cwt100.00–125.001,624150
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,396100.62/cwt90.00–110.001,40535
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,397132.27/cwt124.00–140.001,848291
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,480129.45/cwt127.00–138.001,91627
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,566115.63/cwt111.00–127.001,8118
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,711110.01/cwt106.00–114.001,88217
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows19 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0082,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0202,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0853,116.97/head3,100.00–3,150.003,1173
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,1951,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8005
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2401,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2482,250.00/head2,250.00–2,250.002,2503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,309146.00/head146.00–146.001469
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3141,855.74/head1,700.00–1,900.001,85621
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3182,808.91/head2,700.00–2,950.002,8093
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 21,3331,925.00/head1,925.00–1,925.001,9252
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,3651,800.00/head1,800.00–1,800.001,8002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3702,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3792,125.90/head2,050.00–2,200.002,1268
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3922,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2005
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3952,187.77/head1,900.00–2,300.002,18834
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,433140.00/cwt140.00–140.002,0067
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4352,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,5082,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5802,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows10 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2755215.00/cwt215.00–215.001,6231
Stock Cows—Medium 1858267.04/cwt255.00–280.002,29111
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2898250.00/cwt250.00–250.002,24513
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2960160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,5361
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,003176.76/cwt160.00–195.001,7732
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,025277.92/cwt235.00–322.502,84973
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,032246.88/cwt230.00–255.002,5486
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,094207.63/cwt160.00–240.002,27121
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,140227.98/cwt175.00–285.002,59981
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,316155.05/cwt150.00–165.002,04013
Replacement Cattle · Open Heifers3 lots · lightest first
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1909277.42/cwt250.00–290.002,52217
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1-2962251.17/cwt250.00–255.002,4164
Open Heifers—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,260185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,3311

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.