Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-05-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-07

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (4-30-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Demand was moderate to good for light offerings. Quality limited demand today as many ranchers and backgrounders cleaned up pens and pastures. Many lame and blemished offerings were seen this sale. Most feeders were offered in small groups or as singles with no load lots seen. Buyers pick around to try and fill loads for the week. Demand did diminish as buyers filled loads and exited the market. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand. Demand for feeding cows remains very good. Canadian buyers continue to buy high quality cows to ship north and feed. American packers tried to fill feeding loads for the week but showed no desire to push offerings higher. Quality this week was average to very attractive with many reputation ranches offering cows this week. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Slaughter cows sold steady to weak as packers showed slightly lighter demand for cows too lame or blemished to feed. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Demand for feeding bulls was very good this sale. Feeding bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed comprised a large portion of the cow offering this week. Buyers continue to be willing to take up to middle age cows to turn out and rebreed. Young cow offerings sold with higher undertones on a higher quality offering. Quality this week was mostly average to very attractive and overall more attractive than last week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $448.67/cwt on 64 head, down $20.68 from the prior sale. That ranks 17 of 21 comparable sales and sits +14.81 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$448.67

▼ 20.68 vs prior sale

64 head · 548 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,460

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$359

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1-2

$80.96/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.79

vs MT average

+20.77 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	544	465.96	2,535	38
Medium and Large 1-2	558	427.33	2,386	21
Medium and Large 2	533	412.38	2,198	4thin
Large 1-2	565	385.00	2,175	1thin

One grade step is worth $80.96/cwt here — about $359 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

21 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $433.86 across 21 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale64 hd

448.67

—

MT average2 barns · 66 hd

447.88

+0.79

National average182 barns · 12,459 hd

427.90

+20.77

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

+14.81

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt

Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.

Class	Grade	Dressing	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Bulls	—	Average	1,842	216.34	3,985	64
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,360	184.89	2,515	198
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,173	181.16	2,125	183
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,629	173.07	2,820	38

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.

Class	Stage	Age	Avg wt	$/head	Head
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,173	$4,012	10
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,465	$3,436	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,265	$3,350	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	968	$3,300	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,513	$3,250	2thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,150	$3,856	7

Every lot, as filed

108 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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	900–950	913	341.00/cwt	341.00–341.00	3,113	6
Steers	Large 1-2Fleshy	1100–1150	1,127	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	3,133	11
Steers	Medium and Large 2Fleshy	850–900	885	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,921	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	500–550	523	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,354	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	717	378.07/cwt	367.50–385.00	2,711	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	625	380.65/cwt	375.00–382.50	2,379	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	740	358.00/cwt	358.00–358.00	2,649	3
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	635	377.50/cwt	377.50–377.50	2,397	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	689	386.00/cwt	386.00–386.00	2,660	5
Heifers	Large 1-2	550–600	565	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,175	1
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	431	502.50/cwt	502.50–502.50	2,166	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	585	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	2,442	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	783	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,741	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	534	473.01/cwt	460.00–480.00	2,526	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	561	453.87/cwt	440.00–455.00	2,546	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	358.17/cwt	354.00–359.00	2,715	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	837	341.50/cwt	341.50–341.50	2,858	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	847	312.00/cwt	312.00–312.00	2,643	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	445	510.02/cwt	505.00–513.00	2,270	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	440.44/cwt	439.00–441.00	2,304	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	365	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,916	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	630	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,189	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	682	363.75/cwt	340.00–381.00	2,481	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	839	345.31/cwt	340.00–347.00	2,897	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	850–900	891	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	2,824	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	634	412.36/cwt	411.00–415.00	2,614	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	533	412.38/cwt	405.00–430.00	2,198	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	550–600	587	474.00/cwt	474.00–474.00	2,782	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	579	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	2,634	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	629	403.26/cwt	400.00–415.00	2,537	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	537	449.87/cwt	447.50–460.00	2,416	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	763	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,747	2
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	508	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,515	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	762	386.99/cwt	385.00–391.00	2,949	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	379	601.22/cwt	600.00–605.00	2,279	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	712	393.36/cwt	392.50–395.00	2,801	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	522	499.61/cwt	490.00–516.00	2,608	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	662	400.09/cwt	372.50–427.00	2,649	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	406	610.00/cwt	610.00–610.00	2,477	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	619	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,724	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	290	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	1,740	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	508	532.50/cwt	532.50–532.50	2,705	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	419	585.00/cwt	585.00–585.00	2,451	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	468	577.50/cwt	577.50–577.50	2,703	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	713	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,923	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	909	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	3,191	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	654	435.75/cwt	435.00–437.00	2,850	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	422	566.56/cwt	560.00–570.00	2,391	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	715	361.70/cwt	355.00–370.00	2,586	6
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,072	290.63/cwt	285.00–295.00	3,116	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	588	457.50/cwt	457.50–457.50	2,690	4
Bulls	Large 1	1000–1050	1,017	304.54/cwt	301.00–306.00	3,097	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	922	327.00/cwt	327.00–327.00	3,015	14
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,240	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,852	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,102	181.88/cwt	175.00–186.00	2,004	32
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,103	165.34/cwt	150.00–173.00	1,824	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,222	191.37/cwt	186.00–196.00	2,339	110
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,575	187.53/cwt	186.00–192.50	2,954	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,638	179.78/cwt	176.00–184.00	2,945	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,559	166.97/cwt	165.00–171.00	2,603	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,378	145.10/cwt	142.50–147.50	1,999	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,063	114.92/cwt	110.00–120.00	1,222	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,126	132.35/cwt	127.50–142.50	1,490	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,155	152.69/cwt	147.50–157.50	1,764	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,657	161.91/cwt	153.00–164.00	2,683	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,689	166.98/cwt	165.50–171.00	2,820	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,383	161.36/cwt	159.00–164.00	2,232	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	975	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,121	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	890	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,380	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,398	168.10/cwt	154.00–175.00	2,350	18
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,389	183.16/cwt	176.00–187.00	2,544	51
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,340	190.42/cwt	188.00–194.00	2,552	119
Bulls	—	—	2,210	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	4,818	1
Bulls	—	—	1,644	197.59/cwt	191.00–206.00	3,248	4
Bulls	—	—	1,980	224.99/cwt	222.00–231.00	4,455	10
Bulls	—	—	2,064	216.98/cwt	209.00–220.00	4,478	14
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,845	209.60/cwt	205.00–212.00	3,867	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,701	216.98/cwt	212.00–219.00	3,691	29
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,500	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	2,820	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	883	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,898	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	953	249.03/cwt	196.00–275.00	2,373	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,058	255.76/cwt	237.50–275.00	2,706	2
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,095	3,800.00/head	3,800.00–3,800.00	3,800	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,288	3,996.31/head	3,900.00–4,100.00	3,996	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,002	319.75/cwt	227.50–373.00	3,204	188
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	853	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,218	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	717	277.50/cwt	260.00–285.00	1,990	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,052	213.37/cwt	195.00–282.50	2,245	27
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,102	268.01/cwt	191.00–335.00	2,953	142
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,238	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	2,426	2
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	865	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	2,876	4
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,185	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	2,429	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,190	202.72/cwt	190.00–262.00	2,412	50
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	999	274.25/cwt	220.00–340.00	2,740	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,229	4,139.51/head	4,000.00–4,200.00	4,140	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,265	3,350.00/head	3,350.00–3,350.00	3,350	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	968	3,300.00/head	3,300.00–3,300.00	3,300	2
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	948	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,513	3,250.00/head	3,250.00–3,250.00	3,250	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,465	3,436.26/head	3,400.00–3,475.00	3,436	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	734	347.00/cwt	347.00–347.00	2,547	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	785	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,728	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,090	276.65/cwt	275.00–280.00	3,015	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	558	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,511	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	668	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	2,622	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	50–100	88	925.00/head	925.00–925.00	925	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	506.08/cwt	505.00–512.50	2,363	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	712	375.45/cwt	362.00–384.00	2,673	43

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.

Montana feeder prices, every weight →Every state and region →