Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-10-27

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 27
● Final93 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
601 head
▲ 26 vs last sale 575▲ 71 vs year ago 530 · +13.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
654 head
▼ 101 vs last sale 755▼ 51 vs year ago 705 · −7.2%
Replacement Cattle receipts
289 head
▼ 121 vs last sale 410▲ 40 vs year ago 249 · +16.1%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: Feeder cattle all sold sharply lower in a narrow comparison. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light to moderate. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited offering of attractive quality cattle. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for very small packages and singles was light. Todays buyer pool was smaller with fewer bidders and buyers noticed. Internet activity was slower this week with fewer bidders noticed. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand today for moderate offerings. Most cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cow demand was very good with a large pool of buyers actively bidding on offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Additional buyers were in the seats creating very good among packer buyers. Demand for all cows suitable to feed was very good. Quality was most average to attractive today. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand. Packer buyers and feeding buyers showed good demand for all sound bulls suitable to feed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as buyers competed over limited offerings. Quality was mostly average this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady on high quality offerings, average quality and feeding quality offerings sold 5.00-10.00 lower.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb steers averaged $376.31/cwt on 85 head. That ranks 2 of 3 comparable sales and sits −15.02 against this barn's trailing median of $391.33.
Average price
$376.31
85 head · 552 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,077
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$414
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$42.03/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−81.04
vs MT average
−53.41 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1571404.622,31018thin
Medium and Large 1-2558372.842,08238
Large 1588367.572,1614thin
Medium and Large 2523362.591,89625
One grade step is worth $42.03/cwt here — about $414 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 sale85 hd
376.31
—
MT average5 barns · 2,368 hd
457.34
−81.04
National average179 barns · 33,800 hd
429.72
−53.41
This barn, trailing median3 sales
391.33
−15.02
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

3 sales
445417388359median 391.3310/1210/1210/1910/2610/26
Steers 500–600 lb: high $431.25, low $373.42, median $391.33 across 3 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—Low1,765181.853,20950
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,566179.562,811104
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,375171.362,356246
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,187147.851,756181

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,356$3,40010
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,390$3,19222
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,471$3,14015
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,094$2,9886

Every lot, as filed

93 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 · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned227775.02/cwt770.00–777.501,7593
Steers250–300Large 1Unweaned260700.00/cwt700.00–700.001,8201
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned285634.27/cwt630.00–635.001,8086
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned315602.22/cwt585.00–620.001,8972
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned327638.21/cwt630.00–645.002,0873
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned430380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,6341
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned458427.90/cwt427.00–429.001,96027
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned491371.16/cwt352.50–381.001,82210
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned515400.84/cwt387.50–405.002,06413
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned523362.59/cwt361.00–363.001,89625
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned571404.62/cwt380.00–412.002,31018
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned581358.28/cwt351.00–374.002,08225
Steers550–600Large 1Unweaned588367.57/cwt360.00–375.002,1614
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned620370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,29431
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2Unweaned631315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,9888
Steers700–750Medium 1730330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,4092
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2800303.00/cwt303.00–303.002,4243
Feeder Cattle · Heifers22 lots · lightest first
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1Unweaned223645.30/cwt610.00–665.001,4393
Heifers200–250Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned233580.00/cwt580.00–580.001,3516
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned250590.00/cwt590.00–590.001,4751
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned328526.85/cwt505.00–560.001,72814
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned369491.60/cwt485.00–500.001,81427
Heifers350–400Large 1Unweaned378475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,7964
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned378370.00/cwt370.00–370.001,3993
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned391425.49/cwt415.00–465.001,6646
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned430423.10/cwt422.00–424.001,81916
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned435402.00/cwt402.00–402.001,7491
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned468397.00/cwt397.00–397.001,8585
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned491353.00/cwt353.00–353.001,73310
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned517358.64/cwt352.00–361.001,85430
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned521320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,6678
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned560333.00/cwt333.00–333.001,8651
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned572335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,9163
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned615322.00/cwt322.00–322.001,98015
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2618282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,7464
Heifers700–750Medium 1730302.50/cwt302.50–302.502,2082
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2745297.00/cwt297.00–297.002,2134
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2884298.01/cwt297.00–300.002,6343
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2930293.00/cwt293.00–293.002,7253
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned309655.00/cwt655.00–655.002,0246
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned431445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,9187
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned483410.00/cwt410.00–410.001,9808
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned583322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,8809
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned600335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,0101
Bulls800–850Medium 1804277.50/cwt277.50–277.502,2314
Bulls1200–1250Large 11,205230.00/cwt230.00–230.002,7721
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,258158.23/cwt152.00–165.001,9912
Bulls——Return to Feed1,650200.00/cwt200.00–200.003,3002
Bulls——Return to Feed1,653189.49/cwt185.00–195.003,13211
Bulls——Return to Feed1,655179.94/cwt171.00–184.002,97820
Bulls——1,939172.48/cwt162.00–180.003,3448
Bulls——1,985197.00/cwt197.00–197.003,9101
Bulls——2,274186.03/cwt184.00–188.004,2306
Slaughter Cattle · Cows21 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight89081.11/cwt80.00–82.507222
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight919117.53/cwt110.00–120.001,0805
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight973125.00/cwt125.00–125.001,2162
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,130180.50/cwt180.00–181.002,0402
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,13283.17/cwt70.00–85.0094116
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,168116.42/cwt102.50–128.001,36035
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,174131.25/cwt128.00–135.001,5417
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,219173.03/cwt166.00–182.002,10986
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,242161.36/cwt145.00–166.002,00426
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,362184.63/cwt183.00–186.002,51529
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,362176.14/cwt168.00–182.502,399161
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,410156.84/cwt122.50–167.002,21140
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,428137.74/cwt132.50–145.001,96710
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,438123.60/cwt120.00–127.501,7775
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,484185.49/cwt184.00–186.002,75355
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,515173.00/cwt173.00–173.002,6211
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,613160.02/cwt156.00–164.002,5812
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,628174.79/cwt170.00–182.002,84634
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,656177.47/cwt171.00–181.002,9396
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,763164.75/cwt153.00–168.002,9056
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,100156.00/cwt156.00–156.003,2761
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows8 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0732,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1153,475.00/head3,475.00–3,475.003,4753
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3563,400.00/head3,400.00–3,400.003,40010
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3863,170.16/head3,150.00–3,175.003,17016
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4023,250.00/head3,250.00–3,250.003,2506
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4263,150.00/head3,150.00–3,150.003,15014
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,573175.00/cwt175.00–175.002,7534
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy2,1003,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0001
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows11 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1745292.12/cwt265.00–305.002,1763
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed773205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,5852
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed870292.49/cwt290.00–295.002,5454
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2969249.85/cwt210.00–300.002,4219
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,002303.70/cwt250.00–341.003,04373
Stock Cows—Large 11,039233.55/cwt205.00–242.502,4278
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,058192.15/cwt170.00–200.002,0334
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,089238.09/cwt185.00–310.002,59348
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,310177.00/cwt177.00–177.002,3191
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,368187.00/cwt187.00–187.002,5588
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,370214.00/cwt214.00–214.002,9321

How this sale compares

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.