Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-01-29
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-01-29

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (1-22-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on a light offering. Demand for all feeder cattle was good to very good on light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with limited offering of attractive feeders noticed. Several sets of backgrounded feeders were noticed with most offerings pushing moderate amounts of flesh. Most feeder cattle were offered in small groups or as singles this sale. Market activity was mostly active despite a small buyer pool. Internet bidding was active again this week. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light to moderate offerings. Feeding cow demand was good to very good with a larger buyer pool actively buying cows to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher, with the largest price increases seen on lower quality poorer yielding cows. Slaughter cows sold on good demand this week. Packers showed stronger demand for slaughter cows as they competed with feeding cow buyers over offerings. Breaking cows sold mostly 4.00-5.00 higher, boning and lean cows sold 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 2.00-4.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average throughout the sale with many very full offerings noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mostly plain to average.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $429.23/cwt on 75 head, up $3.93 from the prior sale (only 17 head in that comparison). That ranks 9 of 21 comparable sales and sits −4.63 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$429.23

▲ 3.93 vs prior sale

75 head · 556 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,385

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$300

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

$57.45/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−9.92

vs MT average

−8.42 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	555	437.66	2,429	64
Medium and Large 1-2	560	380.21	2,129	11thin

One grade step is worth $57.45/cwt here — about $300 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 sale75 hd

429.23

—

MT average3 barns · 379 hd

439.16

−9.92

National average68 barns · 7,217 hd

437.65

−8.42

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−4.63

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	1,778	186.66	3,319	64
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,420	165.21	2,346	77
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,607	164.63	2,646	76
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,099	136.82	1,503	29

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	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,345	$2,950	1thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,226	$2,742	9
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,361	$2,650	5
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,115	$2,500	1thin
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	929	$2,879	20

Every lot, as filed

71 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,361	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,345	2,950.00/head	2,950.00–2,950.00	2,950	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,115	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,446	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	2,386	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	549	439.77/cwt	439.50–440.00	2,414	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	584	427.47/cwt	426.00–443.00	2,496	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	600–650	635	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,143	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800–850	817	317.00/cwt	317.00–317.00	2,590	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	650–700	684	332.00/cwt	332.00–332.00	2,271	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	600–650	630	369.00/cwt	369.00–369.00	2,325	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	560	380.21/cwt	370.00–395.00	2,129	11
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	420	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,932	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	441	473.95/cwt	467.50–482.50	2,090	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	438	483.08/cwt	481.00–484.00	2,116	10
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	473	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,010	5
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	618	364.00/cwt	364.00–364.00	2,250	2
Steers	Large 1	650–700	695	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	2,519	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	611	434.97/cwt	432.50–437.50	2,658	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	522	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	2,741	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	740	337.00/cwt	337.00–337.00	2,494	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	630	395.11/cwt	381.00–400.00	2,489	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	673	367.25/cwt	359.50–370.00	2,472	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	850–900	854	332.00/cwt	332.00–332.00	2,835	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	543	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,498	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	400	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	2,320	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	373	466.47/cwt	455.00–475.00	1,740	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	573	482.00/cwt	482.00–482.00	2,762	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	470	552.50/cwt	552.50–552.50	2,597	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	633	427.00/cwt	427.00–427.00	2,703	15
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	617	392.50/cwt	392.50–392.50	2,422	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	970	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	2,789	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	706	366.36/cwt	362.50–367.00	2,587	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	784	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,646	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	593	417.50/cwt	417.50–417.50	2,476	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	623	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	2,476	2
Bulls	—	—	1,844	183.56/cwt	179.00–192.00	3,385	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,180	166.56/cwt	163.00–169.00	1,965	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,521	153.20/cwt	143.00–161.00	2,330	13
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,585	167.81/cwt	167.00–170.00	2,660	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,415	168.63/cwt	160.00–172.00	2,386	63
Bulls	—	—	2,475	193.50/cwt	193.50–193.50	4,789	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,830	195.27/cwt	186.00–197.00	3,573	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,118	101.24/cwt	100.00–102.50	1,132	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,686	159.17/cwt	150.00–162.00	2,684	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,638	168.74/cwt	163.00–174.00	2,764	23
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,472	138.31/cwt	133.00–142.00	2,036	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,496	173.50/cwt	173.50–173.50	2,596	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,012	147.58/cwt	135.00–154.00	1,494	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,418	124.92/cwt	120.00–130.00	1,771	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,195	171.50/cwt	170.00–172.00	2,049	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	910	85.00/cwt	85.00–85.00	774	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,090	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	3,428	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,387	147.81/cwt	140.00–157.00	2,050	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	943	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	896	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,120	120.67/cwt	112.00–130.00	1,352	9
Bulls	—	—	1,698	172.15/cwt	167.00–176.00	2,923	7
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,881	198.50/cwt	198.50–198.50	3,734	8
Bulls	—Non-Traditional	—	1,210	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,997	1
Bulls	—Non-Traditional	—	1,350	182.00/cwt	182.00–182.00	2,457	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,518	169.08/cwt	152.50–182.50	2,567	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,596	180.40/cwt	165.00–184.00	2,879	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	989	225.07/cwt	185.00–252.50	2,226	11
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	891	300.25/cwt	257.50–322.00	2,675	61
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	930	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,269	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,056	247.54/cwt	184.00–310.00	2,614	67
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	935	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,730	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,313	178.60/cwt	175.00–182.50	2,345	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,226	2,742.05/head	2,650.00–2,800.00	2,742	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,223	171.33/cwt	171.00–172.00	2,095	6
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	955	3,025.00/head	3,025.00–3,025.00	3,025	11
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	897	2,700.00/head	2,700.00–2,700.00	2,700	9

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 →