Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-04-10

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 10
● Final85 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
278 head
▼ 3,808 vs last sale 4,086▼ 48 vs year ago 326 · −14.7%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
429 head
▲ 343 vs last sale 86▲ 216 vs year ago 213 · +101.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
322 head
▲ 247 vs last sale 75▲ 189 vs year ago 133 · +142.1%
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 today to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks feeder cattle special. Cattle were offered in mostly small packages or as singles which was a stark difference to last weeks Spring N.I.L.E. feeder cattle special which had mostly long strings of feeders and load lots. No load lots were seen this week. Market activity was active this sale despite light offerings. A moderate crowd of buyers were on hand for todays sale with buyers both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows comprised most of todays sale. Demand for cows was good to very good. Regional packers and major packers were both active in buying cows this week. Regional packers purchased cows mostly for immediate harvest, while major packers purchased cows mostly to feed. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-4.00 higher on all classes. Feeding cow demand was very good this sale as Canadian cow buyers jumped back in the market and showed very good demand for cows to feed. High quality feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-8.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Lean feeding cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly average today. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 1.00 to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand from feeding bull buyers was mostly good and many light or thin fleshed bulls sold to feed this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall more attractive than last week.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $314.36/cwt on 19 head. That ranks 1 of 23 comparable sales and sits −97.26 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$314.36
19 head · 562 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,766
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
−$70
per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1
$1.73/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−13.41
vs MT average
−2.19 vs national

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1-2554315.301,7457thin
Medium and Large 2503315.001,5842thin
Medium and Large 1579313.571,81610thin
One grade step is worth $1.73/cwt here — about −$70 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 sale19 hd
314.36
—
MT average3 barns · 47 hd
327.77
−13.41
National average178 barns · 10,561 hd
316.55
−2.19
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
−97.26
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—High1,856175.673,26123
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,589157.842,50841
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,415156.712,218216
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,182144.691,71075
Dairy Bulls—Low1,905145.002,7621thin
Dairy CowsLean 85-90%Low1,155109.291,2624thin

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)1,288$3,2096
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,507$2,9796
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,502$2,70215
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,152$2,4234thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,348$2,1337
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,550$4,1005
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,838$3,6002thin
Heifer PairsOpen(<2 yrs)1,101$4,29239

Every lot

85 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 · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2317455.00/cwt455.00–455.001,4423
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2417405.47/cwt390.00–413.001,6916
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1421421.00/cwt421.00–421.001,7724
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2465399.97/cwt397.50–402.501,8602
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2540366.00/cwt366.00–366.001,9767
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1566369.36/cwt362.50–370.002,09112
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1602342.00/cwt342.00–342.002,0593
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1690310.67/cwt310.00–311.002,1443
Steers650–700Medium 1Fleshy699293.00/cwt293.00–293.002,0484
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1793286.23/cwt285.00–290.002,2704
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1825280.00/cwt280.00–280.002,3101
Steers800–850Medium and Large 2825260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,1451
Steers800–850Medium 1Fleshy841264.00/cwt264.00–264.002,22010
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1Fleshy843264.00/cwt264.00–264.002,2263
Feeder Cattle · Heifers18 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned284440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,2505
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2371380.00/cwt380.00–380.001,4106
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2390330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,2872
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1410375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,5384
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2446344.08/cwt342.50–362.501,53543
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2458347.49/cwt345.00–350.001,5924
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1477355.39/cwt351.00–360.001,6954
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2503315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,5842
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2537325.04/cwt322.50–330.001,7453
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2566308.00/cwt308.00–308.001,7434
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1579313.57/cwt313.00–316.001,81610
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2604282.66/cwt280.00–284.001,7073
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1625305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,9062
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1653290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,8943
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1705279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,9675
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2715268.00/cwt268.00–268.001,9163
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Full778259.00/cwt259.00–259.002,0156
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1830259.00/cwt259.00–259.002,1503
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1488400.00/cwt400.00–400.001,9525
Bulls700–750Medium 1725237.50/cwt237.50–237.501,7222
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1742288.00/cwt288.00–288.002,1373
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1780278.00/cwt278.00–278.002,1682
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2788255.14/cwt254.00–258.002,0117
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,003226.00/cwt226.00–226.002,2673
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,005235.00/cwt235.00–235.002,3621
Bulls1050–1100Large 1-21,095218.00/cwt218.00–218.002,3871
Bulls1150–1200Large 11,197206.00/cwt206.00–206.002,4663
Bulls1250–1300Large 11,298192.00/cwt192.00–192.002,4923
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,265137.00/cwt137.00–137.001,7331
Bulls——Return to Feed1,512171.76/cwt164.00–175.002,5975
Bulls——Return to Feed1,580152.92/cwt145.00–163.002,4163
Bulls——1,605156.00/cwt156.00–156.002,5041
Bulls——2,060188.47/cwt185.00–191.003,8829
Bulls——2,167179.84/cwt177.00–182.003,8973
Bulls——2,485194.00/cwt194.00–194.004,8211
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight940100.00/cwt100.00–100.009401
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,091131.38/cwt117.50–144.001,43311
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,164142.61/cwt139.00–146.001,6606
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,194126.92/cwt117.00–136.001,5159
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,203151.16/cwt144.00–156.001,81834
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,220158.81/cwt157.00–162.001,93713
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,225105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,2861
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,334144.45/cwt139.00–148.001,9275
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,391164.31/cwt161.00–166.002,28676
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,414132.59/cwt122.00–138.001,87510
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,415156.44/cwt150.00–160.002,21490
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,473146.79/cwt142.00–153.002,16226
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,495163.00/cwt163.00–163.002,4375
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,507157.43/cwt156.00–160.002,3729
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,552157.03/cwt155.00–159.002,43723
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,624159.71/cwt159.50–160.002,5945
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,732155.75/cwt152.00–159.002,6988
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Bulls——1,905145.00/cwt145.00–145.002,7621
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Lean 85-90%1,155109.29/cwt104.00–111.001,2624
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows9 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1805232.95/cwt231.00–239.001,8756
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fancy853279.00/cwt279.00–279.002,3809
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2987214.41/cwt200.00–233.002,1163
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1991233.31/cwt190.00–269.002,31297
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,003180.57/cwt155.00–215.001,81111
Stock Cows—Large 11,083204.00/cwt204.00–204.002,2093
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,166188.33/cwt161.00–229.502,19645
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,290155.00/cwt155.00–155.002,0001
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,400184.50/cwt184.50–184.502,5832
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5504,100.00/head4,100.00–4,100.004,1005
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,8383,600.00/head3,600.00–3,600.003,6002
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1014,292.14/head4,200.00–4,300.004,29239
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows5 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1522,422.64/head2,400.00–2,450.002,4234
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2883,208.83/head3,150.00–3,300.003,2096
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3482,132.74/head2,050.00–2,200.002,1337
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,5022,701.58/head2,700.00–2,725.002,70215
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,5072,979.18/head2,975.00–3,000.002,9796

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.