Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-05-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-05-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (5-07-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. A few limited offerings of attractive heifers were seen. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Most offerings were offered in small groups or as singles. Quality limited demand this sale. 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 was very good as a large crowd of buyers were present looking for cows to feed. Canadian buyers continue to buy cows to ship north and feed. They were very competitive as they bid against both American packers and private feeders. Feeding cows sold 1.00-3.00 higher on breaking flesh cows, while boning and lean fleshed cows sold fully steady. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. All slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher. Demand for feeding bulls was very good this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-12.00 lower. Quality limited demand this week as many open heifers and feeding type young cows were noticed. Very few wet bagged attractive quality offerings were seen. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and overall significantly lower than last weeks offering.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $439.46/cwt on 38 head, down $9.21 from the prior sale. That ranks 12 of 21 comparable sales and sits +5.59 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$439.46

▼ 9.21 vs prior sale

38 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,426

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$471

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

$43.73/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+8.24

vs MT average

+22.35 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	561	443.73	2,491	28
Medium and Large 1-2	531	434.38	2,304	8thin
Medium and Large 2	505	400.00	2,020	2thin

One grade step is worth $43.73/cwt here — about $471 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.

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 sale38 hd

439.46

—

MT average3 barns · 235 hd

431.22

+8.24

National average171 barns · 11,385 hd

417.11

+22.35

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

+5.59

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	—	High	1,820	220.25	4,008	70
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,403	184.07	2,583	181
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,607	182.77	2,937	75
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,132	171.85	1,945	97
Dairy Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,945	170.00	3,307	1thin
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,188	132.25	1,570	2thin

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)	1,257	$3,888	15
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,438	$3,600	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,382	$3,552	6
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,395	$3,500	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,263	$2,800	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,288	$2,600	4thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,075	$3,900	1thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,454	$3,671	25

Every lot, as filed

83 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
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,221	227.15/cwt	226.00–229.00	2,774	4
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,075	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	2,499	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	915	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	2,310	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,438	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,263	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	1,288	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,480	3,803.84/head	3,700.00–3,850.00	3,804	19
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,372	3,250.13/head	3,200.00–3,300.00	3,250	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,157	329.75/cwt	300.00–340.00	3,815	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	878	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,810	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	770	345.74/cwt	332.00–349.00	2,662	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	802	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	2,703	2
Heifers	Large 1	750–800	758	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,634	3
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,238	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,922	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	951	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	2,972	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	735	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,720	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	505	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,020	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	553	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,267	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	627	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,571	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	607	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,398	3
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	438	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,336	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	585	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	2,720	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	492	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	2,214	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	535	449.89/cwt	449.00–450.00	2,407	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	725	359.34/cwt	359.00–360.00	2,605	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	676	383.74/cwt	383.00–385.00	2,594	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	574	440.81/cwt	440.00–448.00	2,530	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	607	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,671	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	537	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,148	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	660	333.00/cwt	333.00–333.00	2,198	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	468	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,270	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	745	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,868	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	654	426.00/cwt	426.00–426.00	2,786	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	533	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,532	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	523	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	2,314	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	783	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,682	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	858	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,874	2
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,085	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	3,065	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,017	299.15/cwt	297.50–302.50	3,042	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,680	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	955	313.31/cwt	310.00–320.00	2,992	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,470	161.86/cwt	158.00–164.00	2,379	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,402	170.16/cwt	167.50–175.00	2,386	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,202	191.87/cwt	187.00–197.00	2,306	35
Bulls	—	—	2,073	232.45/cwt	227.00–240.00	4,819	22
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,161	179.79/cwt	170.00–185.00	2,087	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,670	174.71/cwt	168.00–188.00	2,918	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,393	185.30/cwt	177.00–188.00	2,581	90
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,395	189.93/cwt	188.00–194.00	2,650	60
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,173	160.91/cwt	158.00–166.00	1,887	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	982	120.07/cwt	117.50–122.50	1,179	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,760	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	2,798	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,693	175.85/cwt	171.00–180.00	2,977	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	928	148.82/cwt	145.00–152.50	1,381	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,191	139.39/cwt	132.50–152.50	1,660	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,565	171.70/cwt	170.00–174.00	2,687	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	824	136.05/cwt	127.50–147.50	1,121	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,099	164.76/cwt	152.50–172.50	1,811	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,592	182.87/cwt	178.00–187.00	2,911	43
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,230	147.50/cwt	147.50–147.50	1,814	1
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,145	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,340	1
Dairy Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,945	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	3,307	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,585	188.51/cwt	187.50–191.00	2,988	19
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,065	181.00/cwt	181.00–181.00	1,928	1
Bulls	—	—	1,944	221.98/cwt	216.00–225.00	4,315	16
Bulls	—	—	1,651	188.96/cwt	180.00–206.00	3,120	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,533	209.44/cwt	200.00–216.00	3,211	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,616	219.47/cwt	217.00–227.00	3,547	18
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,017	266.18/cwt	202.50–312.50	2,707	15
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	840	283.85/cwt	270.00–290.00	2,384	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,085	271.11/cwt	221.00–333.00	2,942	77
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,075	3,900.00/head	3,900.00–3,900.00	3,900	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,257	3,887.95/head	3,700.00–4,100.00	3,888	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,382	3,552.40/head	3,400.00–3,900.00	3,552	6
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	863	297.91/cwt	297.50–300.00	2,571	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,336	191.92/cwt	187.00–195.50	2,564	4
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	858	257.74/cwt	250.00–265.00	2,211	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,395	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	980	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,303	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,093	220.30/cwt	180.00–282.50	2,408	16
Stock Cows	Medium 2	—	815	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,304	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	940	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	2,641	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,176	230.45/cwt	188.00–310.00	2,710	53

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 →