Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-03-05
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-05

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (2-19-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly good to very good for moderate offerings. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for cattle suitable to go to grass was good to very good, while demand for cattle too big to go to grass was mostly good. Most feeders were offered in small to moderate size packages this week. Market activity was active. A moderate crowd of ranchers buying grass calves and order buyers was noticed. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand continues to drive the market. Feeding cows sold mostly steady to weak on a very full offering. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week as a change in weather had all cows pushing heavy amounts of fill. A limited number of slaughter cows were purchased this week as feeding demand pushed cow prices over where slaughter buyers wanted to buy cows. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed sold 10.00-15.00 in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. Demand for coming 2 year old heifers was very good this sale as several buyers showed good demand to feed these offerings. All cows that lost calves sold on good to very good demand this week which pushed all young offerings higher.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $446.55/cwt on 443 head, up $1.60 from the prior sale. That ranks 17 of 21 comparable sales and sits +12.69 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$446.55

▲ 1.60 vs prior sale

443 head · 565 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,524

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$411

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

$36.12/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.90

vs MT average

+25.59 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	566	450.56	2,550	385
Medium 1	543	424.00	2,302	20
Medium and Large 1-2	586	418.63	2,454	30
Medium and Large 2	516	414.44	2,139	8thin

One grade step is worth $36.12/cwt here — about $411 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

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 sale443 hd

446.55

—

MT average3 barns · 1,054 hd

447.45

−0.90

National average181 barns · 13,944 hd

420.96

+25.59

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

+12.69

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	—	Low	1,643	199.13	3,271	89
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,551	176.23	2,733	81
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,401	170.68	2,391	91
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,179	153.94	1,816	26
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	680	105.00	714	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)	1,306	$4,000	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,625	$3,550	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,645	$3,400	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,577	$3,400	3thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	945	$4,072	29
Bred Heifers	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,165	$3,800	1thin

Every lot, as filed

112 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
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	543	424.00/cwt	424.00–424.00	2,302	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	427	577.16/cwt	575.00–590.00	2,464	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	650–700	675	419.12/cwt	412.50–421.00	2,829	137
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	761	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,778	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	707	376.67/cwt	367.00–381.00	2,663	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	866	343.00/cwt	343.00–343.00	2,970	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	933	334.00/cwt	334.00–334.00	3,116	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	379	575.00/cwt	575.00–575.00	2,179	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	661	398.24/cwt	382.50–407.00	2,632	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	529	472.17/cwt	455.00–487.50	2,498	65
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	439	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,129	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	389	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	2,003	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	450–500	489	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,589	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	644	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,769	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	629	395.10/cwt	380.00–405.00	2,485	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	482	479.03/cwt	455.00–485.00	2,309	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	575	440.46/cwt	425.00–454.00	2,533	192
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	351	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,650	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	516	414.44/cwt	405.00–417.50	2,139	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	638	421.89/cwt	408.00–428.00	2,692	86
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	770	350.92/cwt	348.00–357.00	2,702	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	592	415.67/cwt	400.00–425.00	2,461	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	745	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,682	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	650–700	674	376.00/cwt	376.00–376.00	2,534	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1NHTC	550–600	574	456.00/cwt	456.00–456.00	2,617	118
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	474	495.66/cwt	487.50–500.00	2,349	94
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	600–650	632	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,402	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	535	440.00/cwt	440.00–440.00	2,354	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	839	348.31/cwt	345.00–353.00	2,922	49
Steers	Medium 1	600–650	600	432.50/cwt	432.50–432.50	2,595	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	403	638.53/cwt	630.00–640.00	2,573	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	827	365.07/cwt	360.00–367.50	3,019	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	531	515.64/cwt	502.50–534.00	2,738	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	800–850	842	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,947	17
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	618	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,503	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	628	432.41/cwt	420.00–439.00	2,716	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	537	500.00/cwt	500.00–500.00	2,685	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	845	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,958	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	577	485.04/cwt	474.00–488.00	2,799	141
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	451	572.37/cwt	520.00–575.00	2,581	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	797	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	2,889	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	484	565.07/cwt	547.50–587.50	2,735	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	722	412.72/cwt	406.00–420.50	2,980	55
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	664	436.04/cwt	424.00–440.00	2,895	40
Dairy Steers	Large 3	650–700	679	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,833	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	627	453.39/cwt	442.00–464.00	2,843	86
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	683	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,459	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	733	368.36/cwt	365.00–375.00	2,700	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	596	461.17/cwt	460.00–470.00	2,749	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	754	395.13/cwt	377.50–397.00	2,979	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	717	367.24/cwt	365.00–370.00	2,633	25
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	882	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,999	22
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	300–350	338	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	2,011	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	582	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,677	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1000–1050	1,008	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,873	2
Bulls	Large 1Fleshy	1050–1100	1,071	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	3,026	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,180	156.28/cwt	151.00–162.00	1,844	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,210	169.98/cwt	168.00–172.00	2,057	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,279	160.99/cwt	156.00–163.00	2,059	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,547	180.26/cwt	168.00–184.00	2,789	61
Bulls	—	—	1,601	189.60/cwt	171.00–199.00	3,035	12
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,362	159.51/cwt	147.50–175.00	2,173	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,216	152.21/cwt	145.00–158.00	1,851	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,705	166.66/cwt	164.00–170.00	2,842	12
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,405	176.92/cwt	170.00–183.00	2,486	53
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,483	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	2,195	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,338	154.30/cwt	150.00–162.00	2,065	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,575	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,693	1
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	680	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	714	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,460	158.06/cwt	155.00–161.00	2,308	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	875	110.00/cwt	110.00–110.00	963	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,406	163.52/cwt	152.50–167.50	2,299	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,343	176.41/cwt	170.00–189.00	2,369	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,175	131.76/cwt	129.00–135.00	1,548	2
Bulls	—	—	1,904	208.32/cwt	201.00–218.00	3,966	23
Bulls	—	—	2,000	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	4,300	7
Bulls	—	—	2,175	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	4,872	1
Bulls	—Natural	—	1,788	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	3,755	6
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,391	192.13/cwt	183.00–199.50	2,673	18
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,434	198.38/cwt	194.00–204.00	2,845	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,306	4,000.00/head	4,000.00–4,000.00	4,000	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,625	3,550.00/head	3,550.00–3,550.00	3,550	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	977	302.06/cwt	231.00–341.00	2,951	107
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,220	238.20/cwt	237.00–242.00	2,906	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	405	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,005	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	631	348.09/cwt	345.00–350.00	2,196	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	463	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,130	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	505	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,323	2
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,051	294.00/cwt	294.00–294.00	3,090	15
Bulls	Medium 1	550–600	587	427.50/cwt	427.50–427.50	2,509	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	590	427.99/cwt	427.50–430.00	2,525	5
Bulls	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,062	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	2,995	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	634	411.51/cwt	410.00–412.50	2,609	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	937	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	2,952	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	458	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	2,336	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,995	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	465	559.87/cwt	555.00–570.00	2,603	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	824	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,802	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	463	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	2,454	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	978	311.67/cwt	310.00–312.50	3,048	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,645	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,577	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	3
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	945	4,072.41/head	3,900.00–4,100.00	4,072	29
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,165	3,800.00/head	3,800.00–3,800.00	3,800	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,418	221.63/cwt	216.00–225.00	3,143	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,144	229.26/cwt	189.00–315.00	2,623	17
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	788	305.61/cwt	300.00–315.00	2,408	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,126	260.31/cwt	197.00–335.00	2,931	72
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	810	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,147	1
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	883	311.20/cwt	307.50–315.00	2,748	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,041	269.39/cwt	255.00–300.00	2,804	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,270	193.09/cwt	185.00–210.00	2,452	20

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 →