Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-12-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-12-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to two weeks ago: Yearling steers sold 7.00 to 15.00 higher and yearling heifers sold sharply higher. Yearling quality was mostly good. Steer calves and heifer calves under 500 lbs sold sharply higher with good demand. Feeder calf quality this week was mostly attractive. Slaughter cattle and Replacement cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $446.39/cwt on 396 head. That ranks 3 of 21 comparable sales and sits −41.39 against this barn's trailing median of $487.78.

Average price

$446.39

396 head · 542 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,418

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$585

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 3

$115.12/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+8.84

vs MT average

+17.24 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	536	460.12	2,465	139
Medium and Large 1-2	541	444.06	2,404	217
Medium and Large 2	567	418.72	2,372	36
Medium and Large 3	545	345.00	1,880	4thin

One grade step is worth $115.12/cwt here — about $585 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

Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $487.78 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 sale396 hd

446.39

—

MT average3 barns · 580 hd

437.55

+8.84

National average190 barns · 23,426 hd

429.15

+17.24

This barn, trailing median21 sales

487.78

−41.39

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	1,717	164.34	2,822	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,623	155.50	2,523	4thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,242	142.22	1,767	5thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,164	108.64	1,264	5thin

Every lot, as filed

111 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	680	370.39/cwt	369.00–372.00	2,519	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	579	424.96/cwt	419.00–439.00	2,461	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	365	638.84/cwt	625.00–640.00	2,332	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	929	309.11/cwt	308.00–317.00	2,872	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	416	574.79/cwt	565.00–585.00	2,391	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	374	489.71/cwt	475.00–500.00	1,832	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Spayed	950–1000	975	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	2,808	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	650	336.00/cwt	336.00–336.00	2,184	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	522	407.38/cwt	387.50–420.00	2,127	24
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	569	442.30/cwt	433.00–465.00	2,517	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	567	350.12/cwt	342.50–361.00	1,985	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	333	579.62/cwt	570.00–590.00	1,930	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	350–400	378	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	2,079	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	700–750	705	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,274	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	200–250	230	640.00/cwt	640.00–640.00	1,472	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	290	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	1,711	1
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	770	331.46/cwt	331.00–337.00	2,552	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	494	432.39/cwt	425.00–433.50	2,136	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	559	375.99/cwt	371.00–379.00	2,102	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	250–300	297	620.00/cwt	620.00–620.00	1,841	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	492	455.61/cwt	435.00–475.00	2,242	21
Steers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	585	412.05/cwt	408.00–419.00	2,410	23
Steers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	717	346.49/cwt	342.00–353.00	2,484	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	807	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	2,607	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	435	533.88/cwt	525.00–545.00	2,322	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	776	343.71/cwt	343.00–344.00	2,667	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Spayed	750–800	778	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,490	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	326	571.81/cwt	570.00–580.00	1,864	29
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	850–900	855	302.00/cwt	302.00–302.00	2,582	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	310	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	1,845	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	378	597.49/cwt	597.49–597.49	2,259	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	624	399.50/cwt	399.50–399.50	2,493	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	739	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,623	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	550–600	555	401.65/cwt	400.00–405.00	2,229	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	384	422.91/cwt	405.00–440.00	1,624	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	633	339.36/cwt	337.00–344.00	2,148	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	1000–1050	1,020	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,397	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	676	356.73/cwt	340.00–365.00	2,411	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	848	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	2,620	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	427	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,028	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	500–550	526	332.24/cwt	330.00–341.00	1,748	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	600–650	612	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	1,903	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	300–350	325	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,251	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	845	263.00/cwt	263.00–263.00	2,222	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	435	433.85/cwt	425.00–445.00	1,887	13
Steers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	534	430.52/cwt	415.00–441.00	2,299	13
Steers	Medium and Large 3	350–400	365	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	1,825	1
Steers	Medium and Large 3	500–550	545	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,880	4
Steers	Medium and Large 3	400–450	438	416.21/cwt	415.00–420.00	1,823	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	524	368.94/cwt	350.00–376.00	1,933	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	250–300	293	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,348	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	491	405.05/cwt	385.00–410.00	1,989	19
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	650–700	673	346.00/cwt	346.00–346.00	2,329	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2-3	600–650	635	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	2,270	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	700–750	733	314.78/cwt	311.00–317.50	2,307	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,190	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,357	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	384	466.90/cwt	465.00–467.50	1,793	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,540	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	2,572	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,308	144.16/cwt	140.00–149.00	1,886	2
Bulls	—	—	2,054	170.59/cwt	170.00–171.00	3,504	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,660	137.50/cwt	137.50–137.50	2,283	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,095	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,752	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,435	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	2,310	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,758	147.00/cwt	147.00–147.00	2,584	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,146	105.06/cwt	97.50–120.00	1,204	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,190	163.00/cwt	163.00–163.00	1,940	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,203	129.89/cwt	126.00–135.00	1,563	2
Bulls	—	—	1,817	162.09/cwt	162.00–162.50	2,945	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	350–400	367	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,229	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 3	650–700	675	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,059	1
Steers	Medium and Large 3	650–700	650	326.25/cwt	322.50–330.00	2,121	2
Steers	Medium and Large 3	250–300	295	555.00/cwt	555.00–555.00	1,637	1
Steers	Medium and Large 3	300–350	325	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,658	4
Bulls	—	—	1,641	181.07/cwt	180.00–182.00	2,971	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	958	319.00/cwt	319.00–319.00	3,056	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	713	370.07/cwt	364.50–374.00	2,639	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	780	353.00/cwt	353.00–353.00	2,753	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	804	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,573	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	964	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,892	27
Steers	Medium and Large 3	450–500	475	413.53/cwt	412.50–420.00	1,964	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	619	367.78/cwt	356.00–370.00	2,277	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	470	446.08/cwt	436.00–450.00	2,097	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	828	345.31/cwt	345.00–350.00	2,859	47
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	300–350	337	494.34/cwt	475.00–500.00	1,666	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	400–450	437	560.00/cwt	560.00–560.00	2,447	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	600–650	622	409.50/cwt	409.50–409.50	2,547	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	407	475.60/cwt	470.00–480.00	1,936	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	350–400	360	612.50/cwt	612.50–612.50	2,205	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	514	471.78/cwt	465.00–480.00	2,425	84
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	694	386.60/cwt	379.00–387.00	2,683	76
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	450–500	482	403.79/cwt	402.50–405.00	1,946	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	900–950	935	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	2,057	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Spayed	750–800	778	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	2,513	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	440	456.54/cwt	450.00–460.00	2,009	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	715	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,288	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	487	492.55/cwt	480.00–500.00	2,399	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	625	349.39/cwt	349.00–350.00	2,184	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	541	386.90/cwt	386.00–387.00	2,093	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	892	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	2,819	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	561	389.01/cwt	386.00–390.00	2,182	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	659	350.09/cwt	342.00–355.00	2,307	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	960	268.19/cwt	262.50–270.00	2,575	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	200–250	225	660.00/cwt	660.00–660.00	1,485	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	528	450.86/cwt	440.00–462.00	2,381	160
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	718	336.24/cwt	326.00–337.00	2,414	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	614	410.08/cwt	405.00–414.00	2,518	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	462	523.59/cwt	512.00–532.50	2,419	22
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	378	562.25/cwt	560.00–565.00	2,125	14
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	635	393.68/cwt	391.00–394.00	2,500	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	690	325.53/cwt	321.00–330.00	2,246	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	314	428.88/cwt	410.00–455.00	1,347	7

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 →