Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-03-20

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 20
● Final79 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
259 head
▼ 181 vs last sale 440▲ 259 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Slaughter Cattle receipts
246 head
▼ 17 vs last sale 263▲ 246 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Replacement Cattle receipts
295 head
▲ 117 vs last sale 178▲ 295 vs year ago 0 · no sale a year ago
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Oct 26, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed on all feeder cattle offerings. Demand was mostly good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Lots of variation was seen in quality again this week. Package sizes were mostly small this week with a large portion of the offering with packages of 5 head or less. Demand for light cattle continues to improve as differed CME feeder cattle contracts continue to inch higher. The August, September and October contracts all traded above 290.00 as of todays close. Feeder contracts have had several days of strong gains this week which helped provide support for buyers backgrounding light calves. Ranchers were especially active in buying lightweight cattle this week. Market activity was active this sale with bidders both ringside and over the internet actively bidding on offerings. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Regional packers and major packers continue to push to own high quality offerings. Major packers purchased cows mostly to feed while regional packers purchased cows to slaughter. Demand for both slaughter and feeding cows was good this week, however quality this week was not as attractive as last week which hindered demand in places. Slaughter cows sold generally steady to weak on a lower quality offering. Feeding cows sold fully steady on all offerings. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average today and similar to last week. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. A small offering of bred cows was seen this week most cows were expected to calve from May through the Fall. Quality for bred cows was mostly average this week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $319.20/cwt on 13 head. That ranks 1 of 23 comparable sales and sits −92.43 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$319.20
13 head · 565 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,803
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$79
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$4.48/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−14.53
vs MT average
+4.62 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1574321.611,8466thin
Medium and Large 1-2557317.131,7677thin
One grade step is worth $4.48/cwt here — about $79 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 sale13 hd
319.20
—
MT average3 barns · 473 hd
333.72
−14.53
National average174 barns · 12,680 hd
314.58
+4.62
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−92.43
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.

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—Average1,817173.333,14935
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,585149.602,37119
CowsPremium White 65-75%Average1,750148.502,5997thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,425140.291,99986
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,136128.431,45967

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,218$3,0426
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,379$2,96123
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,235$2,95559
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,285$2,8001thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,298$2,4002thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,233$2,3393thin
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,250$2,33620
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,036$2,29524
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,470$2,1333thin
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,162$3,0005
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,265$2,9751thin

Every lot

79 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 · Steers6 lots · lightest first
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned408420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,7143
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2445407.50/cwt407.50–407.501,8134
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1578350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,0233
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1618341.88/cwt335.00–347.502,11320
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1709310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,1986
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2740288.00/cwt288.00–288.002,1317
Feeder Cattle · Heifers12 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2339379.72/cwt375.00–400.001,2875
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2377385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,4513
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1390390.00/cwt390.00–390.001,52122
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1410393.01/cwt375.00–398.001,61127
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2455352.50/cwt352.50–352.501,6041
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1497358.93/cwt352.50–359.501,78439
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2546317.98/cwt315.00–322.501,7365
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1574321.61/cwt320.00–325.001,8466
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2585315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,8432
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2668278.73/cwt277.50–280.001,8622
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2765260.00/cwt260.00–260.001,9897
Heifers800–850Large 1815254.00/cwt254.00–254.002,0702
Feeder Cattle · Bulls13 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2325405.00/cwt405.00–405.001,3161
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1335380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,2734
Bulls400–450Medium and Large 1440407.50/cwt407.50–407.501,7936
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1550355.00/cwt355.00–355.001,9531
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 2592265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,5693
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 2674255.00/cwt255.00–255.001,7194
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2740265.00/cwt265.00–265.001,9615
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2798251.00/cwt249.00–255.002,0036
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1-2815242.50/cwt242.50–242.501,9761
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1843252.50/cwt252.50–252.502,1292
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1912253.97/cwt250.00–256.002,3163
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,038236.00/cwt236.00–236.002,4502
Bulls1150–1200Large 11,160211.61/cwt205.00–215.002,4553
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,400157.73/cwt155.00–161.502,2086
Bulls——Return to Feed1,533166.25/cwt161.00–177.002,5496
Bulls——1,588162.44/cwt162.00–163.002,5802
Bulls——1,950183.00/cwt183.00–183.003,5691
Bulls——1,968176.69/cwt170.00–179.003,4779
Bulls——1,989187.39/cwt185.00–191.003,7277
Bulls——2,308178.25/cwt178.00–179.004,1144
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight826104.53/cwt98.00–106.008635
Cows—Boner 80-85%Light Weight1,100111.00/cwt111.00–111.001,2211
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,136114.48/cwt106.00–123.001,30015
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,145124.86/cwt115.00–133.001,43013
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,162141.00/cwt135.00–148.001,63825
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,195132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,5831
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218149.66/cwt148.50–153.501,8236
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,25093.26/cwt85.00–102.001,1662
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,361145.48/cwt139.00–149.001,98017
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,403132.62/cwt127.00–136.001,86118
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,426153.72/cwt149.50–160.002,19218
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,457125.40/cwt117.50–131.001,82713
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,480150.86/cwt149.00–155.002,2334
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,481152.00/cwt152.00–152.002,2515
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,503139.53/cwt133.00–145.002,09715
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,563156.00/cwt156.00–156.002,4386
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,621147.93/cwt144.00–149.002,3985
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,740135.60/cwt132.50–137.002,3593
Cows—Premium White 65-75%1,750148.50/cwt148.50–148.502,5997
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1795220.00/cwt220.00–220.001,7491
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2942162.76/cwt135.00–185.001,53321
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,007217.44/cwt181.00–234.002,19046
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,053179.77/cwt175.00–185.001,8932
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,131180.30/cwt150.00–225.002,03954
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,250155.00/cwt155.00–155.001,9381
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows14 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium 1-28301,750.00/head1,750.00–1,750.001,7503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0222,290.13/head2,250.00–2,400.002,2909
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,0982,434.75/head2,400.00–2,600.002,43512
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,1661,875.77/head1,650.00–2,100.001,8766
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2183,042.16/head3,000.00–3,050.003,0426
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2332,339.46/head2,300.00–2,400.002,3393
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2352,955.40/head2,800.00–3,010.002,95559
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,2622,900.00/head2,900.00–2,900.002,9003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2852,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,2922,432.35/head2,300.00–2,475.002,43211
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2982,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3792,960.81/head2,650.00–3,000.002,96123
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,4102,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5902,200.00/head2,200.00–2,200.002,2001
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,1623,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0005
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2652,975.00/head2,975.00–2,975.002,9751

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.