Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-08-28
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-08-28

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steers were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers over 950 lbs sold mostly 8.00-14.00 higher in a very narrow comparison. Heifers under 950 lbs were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Light weight yearling heifers under 850 lbs sold on very good demand as several buyers were looking for this class of cattle. Demand for feeders overall was very good for light to moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall more attractive than last week with larger consignments of cattle seen. A few calves are starting to come to market and demand for limited offerings was good to very good. Demand for cutting bulls remains very good as several buyers were searching for bulls to cut and make steers. Cutting bulls sold with higher undertones in a narrow comparison. Market activity was active with rapid, aggressive bidding noticed both ringside and over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold on mostly moderate demand. Very few cows were purchased for immediate slaughter this week as feeding buyers continue to keep feeding cow prices above slaughter cow orders. Slaughter cows sold unevenly steady in a narrow comparison. Feeding cow demand was very good this sale with most offerings being purchased to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher on all offerings. Demand for thin fleshed cows that will gain quickly on feed remains very good. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average this week. Quality was mostly average for cows this sale. Slaughter bulls sold on mostly good demand for moderate to heavy offerings. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady. Several packages of thin fleshed bulls continue to be purchased to feed. Feeding bulls sold generally steady on a thinner lower yielding offering. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly moderate to good demand. Quality this week was mostly average. Too few offerings were seen to develop any market trend. Demand from feeding buyers was very good.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $320.49/cwt on 20 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −113.38 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$320.49

20 head · 533 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,707

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$1,054

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Small 2-3

$182.49/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−26.56

vs MT average

−49.32 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	537	392.49	2,106	4thin
Medium and Large 1-2	510	380.00	1,938	2thin
Large 1	575	363.26	2,089	3thin
Medium 1	543	323.33	1,754	6thin
Small 2-3	501	210.00	1,052	5thin

One grade step is worth $182.49/cwt here — about $1,054 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 sale20 hd

320.49

—

MT average2 barns · 39 hd

347.04

−26.56

National average160 barns · 10,603 hd

369.81

−49.32

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−113.38

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	1,811	190.21	3,445	131
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,360	163.79	2,228	201
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,590	162.39	2,582	82
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Low	1,555	161.32	2,509	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,176	153.15	1,801	147
Dairy Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,975	157.00	3,101	2thin
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,593	136.18	2,169	11

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,202	$2,963	11
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,300	$2,750	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,843	$4,200	6
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,622	$3,830	10

Every lot, as filed

132 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	1000–1050	1,020	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	2,933	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	410	459.28/cwt	405.00–465.00	1,883	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	150–200	175	585.00/cwt	585.00–585.00	1,024	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	879	335.19/cwt	332.00–336.50	2,946	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	644	343.00/cwt	343.00–343.00	2,209	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	900–950	949	313.50/cwt	313.50–313.50	2,975	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	883	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	2,949	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	730	372.00/cwt	372.00–372.00	2,716	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,017	308.45/cwt	301.00–315.00	3,137	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	510	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,938	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	614	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,118	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	364	493.71/cwt	490.00–505.00	1,797	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	559	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,236	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	840	336.20/cwt	335.50–343.00	2,824	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,031	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	2,918	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	447	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	1,967	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	465	454.79/cwt	392.50–472.50	2,115	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	988	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	3,073	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	423	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	1,755	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	297	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,470	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Full	950–1000	990	298.00/cwt	298.00–298.00	2,950	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	860	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	3,010	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	791	354.10/cwt	354.00–355.00	2,801	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	838	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,724	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	927	333.53/cwt	333.00–337.50	3,092	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	900–950	900	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	2,853	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	290	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,421	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	882	328.00/cwt	328.00–328.00	2,893	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	746	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	2,704	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	887	339.86/cwt	337.00–341.00	3,015	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	405	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,600	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	392	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	1,901	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	463	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,783	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	980	311.59/cwt	307.00–317.00	3,054	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	850–900	857	344.00/cwt	344.00–344.00	2,948	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	757	369.33/cwt	365.00–376.00	2,796	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	464	437.93/cwt	420.00–440.00	2,032	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	463	467.95/cwt	465.00–475.00	2,167	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	660	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,376	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	346	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	1,695	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	907	332.72/cwt	325.00–334.00	3,018	111
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	368	462.24/cwt	450.00–475.00	1,701	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	400–450	403	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,894	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	503	429.98/cwt	425.00–435.00	2,163	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	386	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	1,756	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	570	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,024	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	409	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,943	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	516	431.38/cwt	430.00–450.00	2,226	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,696	3,650.00/head	3,650.00–3,650.00	3,650	4
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,572	3,950.00/head	3,950.00–3,950.00	3,950	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	238	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	1,226	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	385	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,906	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	613	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,329	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	960	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	3,216	4
Steers	Small and Medium 1-2Fleshy	800–850	845	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,880	3
Heifers	Small 2-3	500–550	501	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,052	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	362	522.04/cwt	520.00–525.00	1,890	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,118	231.39/cwt	206.00–292.00	2,587	13
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,268	197.22/cwt	180.00–240.00	2,501	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,325	155.50/cwt	155.50–155.50	2,060	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,594	188.52/cwt	185.00–194.50	3,005	32
Bulls	—	—	1,730	181.30/cwt	174.00–187.00	3,136	17
Bulls	—	—	2,122	205.59/cwt	198.00–209.00	4,363	14
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,564	133.00/cwt	133.00–133.00	2,080	9
Bulls	—	—	2,105	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	4,315	1
Bulls	—	—	1,947	192.68/cwt	187.00–200.00	3,751	47
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,507	180.32/cwt	167.00–184.00	2,717	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,243	138.41/cwt	121.00–146.00	1,720	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,060	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,219	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,563	163.66/cwt	161.00–167.00	2,558	48
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,372	141.73/cwt	141.00–142.00	1,945	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,425	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	2,323	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,020	162.00/cwt	162.00–162.00	3,272	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,705	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,916	1
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,555	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	4,701	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,582	151.95/cwt	150.00–153.00	2,404	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,116	140.45/cwt	124.00–147.00	1,567	31
Bulls	—	—	2,088	193.82/cwt	189.00–196.00	4,047	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,420	169.90/cwt	169.00–174.00	2,413	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,328	165.74/cwt	157.50–168.00	2,201	134
Cows	Boner 80-85%Non-Traditional	—	1,320	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,521	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,819	162.09/cwt	161.50–164.00	2,948	4
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,723	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	2,593	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,470	156.47/cwt	152.50–160.50	2,300	6
Dairy Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,975	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	3,101	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,430	152.32/cwt	141.00–157.00	2,178	28
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,555	161.32/cwt	155.50–164.50	2,509	30
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,575	157.71/cwt	154.00–161.00	2,484	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	160.49/cwt	155.00–164.50	1,915	98
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	955	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	1,203	3
Steers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,147	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	3,464	3
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	1050–1100	1,097	286.50/cwt	286.50–286.50	3,143	3
Heifers	Large 1Fancy	1050–1100	1,093	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	3,345	29
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	545	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,044	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,615	172.01/cwt	171.00–174.00	2,778	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Non-Traditional	—	1,590	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	3,021	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	1200–1250	1,210	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	2,632	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,180	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	3,033	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 2	750–800	763	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	2,564	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,202	2,962.99/head	2,800.00–3,000.00	2,963	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,135	182.47/cwt	173.00–220.00	2,071	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,145	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	2,319	1
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,843	4,200.00/head	4,200.00–4,200.00	4,200	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	930	311.58/cwt	310.00–318.00	2,898	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	713	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,549	3
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	639	372.98/cwt	372.00–375.00	2,383	12
Steers	Medium 1-2	550–600	564	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,059	4
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	664	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	2,384	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	650–700	680	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,448	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,263	181.38/cwt	175.00–186.00	2,291	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,300	2,750.00/head	2,750.00–2,750.00	2,750	2
Heifers	Medium 1Full	500–550	535	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,685	5
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	637	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,421	3
Steers	Medium 1	550–600	584	384.00/cwt	384.00–384.00	2,243	4
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	580	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,117	1
Heifers	Medium 1	850–900	860	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	2,795	1
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	767	360.50/cwt	360.50–360.50	2,765	3
Steers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,065	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	3,312	1
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,093	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	3,126	2
Heifers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,162	280.50/cwt	280.50–280.50	3,259	19
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,077	298.42/cwt	297.50–299.00	3,214	23
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,129	292.83/cwt	285.00–294.00	3,306	11
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,135	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	3,206	1
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,220	262.48/cwt	261.00–264.00	3,202	2
Bulls	Large 1	1150–1200	1,175	265.67/cwt	260.00–277.00	3,122	3
Bulls	Large 1-2Full	1050–1100	1,070	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,782	1
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	850–900	889	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	2,956	9
Beef/Dairy Steers	Large 1-2	950–1000	950	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	3,088	19
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	850–900	874	326.00/cwt	326.00–326.00	2,849	33
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	575	363.26/cwt	355.00–380.00	2,089	3
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	200–250	233	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,212	2
Beef/Dairy Heifers	Large 1-2	750–800	773	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,752	8

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 →