Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-05-22
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-05-22

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder steer and heifer calves were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. A large portion of the feeder cattle offering continues to be comprised of very plain or unreportable, blemished offerings. Many producers continue to clean out pens and bring odd offerings to town. Feeder cattle were offered in mostly small packages or as singles this sale. Demand for cutting bulls was very good as several buyers were looking for bulls to cut and make steers. Market activity was moderate to active with good participation noticed both ringside and over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold on mostly moderate demand as packers pushed gather supplies prior to the memorial day holiday. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as a result. Slaughter cows sold 1.00-2.00 higher on breaking cows, boning cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher, while lean cows sold steady to 2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand for feeding cows remains good to very good. Feeding cows sold steady to firm. Cow quality this week was average to very attractive and similar to last weeks sale. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to above average this week as many cows are starting to empty out due to being turned out on grass. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-3.00 higher. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good to very good demand. Quality this week was mixed. Many young cows which never calved continue to be seen. These offerings are selling at a discount to wet bagged offerings. Very few true wet bagged offerings are being seen. True wet bag offerings sell at similar prices for 2 or 3 year offerings. Young age cows sold generally steady on like quality offerings.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $308.93/cwt on 66 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −124.93 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$308.93

66 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,668

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$258

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 1-2

$69.38/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−1.84

vs MT average

−25.33 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	509	334.38	1,703	12thin
Medium and Large 1-2	564	314.92	1,776	25
Medium and Large 2	524	310.49	1,626	18thin
Medium 1-2	545	265.00	1,444	11thin

One grade step is worth $69.38/cwt here — about $258 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 sale66 hd

308.93

—

MT average2 barns · 71 hd

310.77

−1.84

National average158 barns · 12,726 hd

334.26

−25.33

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−124.93

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	1,772	187.25	3,318	93
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,422	152.69	2,171	196
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,641	146.19	2,399	46
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,171	138.76	1,624	86
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	995	115.00	1,144	1thin

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)	1,327	$3,115	14
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,134	$2,937	4thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,533	$2,800	6
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,520	$2,671	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,200	$2,650	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,335	$2,607	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,435	$2,600	7
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,625	$2,500	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,314	$2,032	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,257	$1,875	9
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,893	$3,500	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,400	$2,950	5

Every lot, as filed

92 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
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	1,420	179.77/cwt	163.00–201.00	2,553	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,335	2,607.12/head	2,500.00–2,700.00	2,607	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	635	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	1,949	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	420	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,617	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	512	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	2,022	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	673	297.34/cwt	289.00–299.00	2,001	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	639	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,853	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	652	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,891	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	527	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,673	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	100–150	105	775.00/head	775.00–775.00	775	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	750	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	2,025	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,083	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	2,588	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	490	327.73/cwt	317.50–334.00	1,606	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	300–350	348	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,201	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	668	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,204	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	961	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	2,451	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	603	325.94/cwt	325.00–329.00	1,965	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	200–250	200	450.00/cwt	450.00–450.00	900	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	569	314.57/cwt	303.00–322.50	1,790	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	393	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,690	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	473	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,963	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	743	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,080	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	200–250	200	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	940	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,400	2,950.00/head	2,950.00–2,950.00	2,950	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	510	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,747	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	767	273.33/cwt	272.50–275.00	2,096	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,215	180.37/cwt	160.00–220.00	2,191	38
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,625	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,893	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,257	1,875.00/head	1,875.00–1,875.00	1,875	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	510	408.89/cwt	399.00–412.00	2,085	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	433	424.79/cwt	420.00–430.00	1,839	17
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,640	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,533	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,435	2,600.00/head	2,600.00–2,600.00	2,600	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,134	2,937.05/head	2,900.00–2,950.00	2,937	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,480	2,744.89/head	2,700.00–2,825.00	2,745	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,200	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,001	181.71/cwt	169.00–202.00	1,819	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,327	3,115.13/head	3,100.00–3,300.00	3,115	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,221	152.29/cwt	145.00–156.00	1,859	32
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,679	142.60/cwt	132.50–147.00	2,394	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,653	150.00/cwt	150.00–150.00	2,480	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,159	134.90/cwt	120.00–145.00	1,563	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	985	106.00/cwt	106.00–106.00	1,044	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,409	154.61/cwt	145.00–159.00	2,178	96
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,550	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	2,232	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,546	143.57/cwt	135.00–148.00	2,220	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,149	119.71/cwt	115.00–128.00	1,375	12
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,148	158.42/cwt	157.00–160.00	1,819	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,412	158.10/cwt	150.50–160.00	2,232	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,440	151.00/cwt	151.00–151.00	2,174	2
Bulls	—	—	1,920	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	3,840	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,725	159.00/cwt	159.00–159.00	2,743	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	818	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	982	2
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	995	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,144	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,178	134.77/cwt	128.00–142.00	1,588	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,325	101.00/cwt	101.00–101.00	1,338	2
Bulls	—	—	1,822	183.01/cwt	177.00–191.00	3,334	18
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,552	158.71/cwt	155.00–162.00	2,463	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,365	136.69/cwt	125.00–145.00	1,866	19
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,430	162.21/cwt	160.00–169.00	2,320	50
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,407	128.54/cwt	117.50–132.00	1,809	5
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,635	186.37/cwt	185.00–192.00	3,047	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,622	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	3,049	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,639	174.30/cwt	171.00–182.00	2,857	9
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,544	170.79/cwt	161.00–175.00	2,637	9
Bulls	—	—	1,964	200.65/cwt	191.00–207.50	3,941	21
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,803	198.70/cwt	198.00–199.00	3,583	19
Bulls	—	—	1,900	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	3,192	1
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,129	227.75/cwt	226.00–229.00	2,571	4
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,290	201.00/cwt	201.00–201.00	2,593	2
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1150–1200	1,190	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,808	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,179	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,252	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,429	158.22/cwt	150.00–162.50	2,261	5
Bulls	—	—	2,195	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	4,039	1
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	555	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,818	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	920	204.42/cwt	195.00–240.00	1,881	4
Steers	Large 1-2	500–550	524	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	1,734	5
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	615	301.00/cwt	301.00–301.00	1,851	2
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,095	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	2,551	2
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,193	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	2,613	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,314	2,032.43/head	2,000.00–2,050.00	2,032	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,095	191.86/cwt	179.00–222.00	2,101	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,055	224.24/cwt	195.00–270.00	2,366	39
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,407	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	2,659	2
Heifers	Medium 1-2	500–550	545	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,444	11
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	505	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,692	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	617	284.00/cwt	284.00–284.00	1,752	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	593	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,735	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	515	312.74/cwt	305.00–325.00	1,611	16
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	760	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	2,147	1

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 →