Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-03-12

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-03-12
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-03-12

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Mar 12

● Final76 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777

← Mar 5Mar 12Mar 19 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

244 head

▼ 1,736 vs last sale 1,980▼ 196 vs year ago 440 · −44.5%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

152 head

▼ 171 vs last sale 323▼ 111 vs year ago 263 · −42.2%

Replacement Cattle receipts

165 head

▼ 143 vs last sale 308▼ 13 vs year ago 178 · −7.3%

Also sold here(Mon)Mon Oct 26, 2026

View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (3-05-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Both quality and the volume of feeders on offer limited demand this week. Quality this week was mostly plain and offered in small groups or as singles. Market activity was slow to moderate this week. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Weigh up cows sold on good demand for light offerings. Feeding cow demand continues to drive the market. Feeding cows sold mostly steady. Good demand was seen for cows to ship north to Canada as buyers state cow prices remain higher north of the border than domestically. Weigh up conditions were mostly average this week and better than last week. 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 steady undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to 3.00 lower. Feeding bulls sold fully steady. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last weeks offering.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $448.35/cwt on 18 head, down $37.75 from the prior sale. That ranks 12 of 22 comparable sales and sits +5.41 against this barn's trailing median of $442.94.

Average price

$448.35

▼ 37.75 vs prior sale

18 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,483

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$311

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

$48.77/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−5.38

vs MT average

−23.85 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	555	453.77	2,518	16thin
Medium and Large 2	545	405.00	2,207	2thin

One grade step is worth $48.77/cwt here — about $311 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale18 hd

448.35

—

MT average3 barns · 40 hd

453.73

−5.38

National average178 barns · 10,669 hd

472.20

−23.85

This barn, trailing median22 sales

442.94

+5.41

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

22 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $442.94 across 22 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	1,788	198.11	3,542	25
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,423	168.00	2,390	40
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,669	165.33	2,760	14
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	2,060	164.00	3,378	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,105	158.16	1,748	43
Dairy Bulls	—	Low	1,090	165.00	1,799	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	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,125	$3,700	2thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,600	$3,650	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,032	$3,243	14
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,325	$2,900	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,435	$2,759	7

Every lot, as filed

76 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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers13 lots · lightest first
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1	350	595.00/cwt	595.00–595.00	2,083	2
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2	350	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	2,030	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1	413	568.03/cwt	567.50–570.00	2,346	5
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	423	539.82/cwt	535.00–550.00	2,283	13
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	426	472.90/cwt	460.00–515.00	2,015	4
Steers	450–500	Medium 1	455	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,230	1
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	522	480.96/cwt	480.00–482.50	2,511	8
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 2	545	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	2,207	2
Steers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	588	426.58/cwt	425.00–427.50	2,508	8
Steers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	636	428.65/cwt	427.00–432.00	2,726	16
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	655	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,751	1
Steers	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	713	381.00/cwt	381.00–381.00	2,717	4
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 2	847	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,562	9
Feeder Cattle · Heifers9 lots · lightest first
Heifers	300–350	Medium and Large 2	338	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	1,555	3
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	418	483.10/cwt	465.00–490.00	2,019	19
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 2	426	375.35/cwt	345.00–450.00	1,599	16
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	468	466.19/cwt	450.00–475.00	2,182	3
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	513	442.20/cwt	425.00–449.00	2,268	14
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	643	394.00/cwt	394.00–394.00	2,533	6
Heifers	650–700	Medium and Large 1	685	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,466	1
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	717	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,474	3
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1Full	744	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,511	6
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2	418	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	2,153	2
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	468	536.67/cwt	532.50–537.50	2,512	6
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2	475	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,233	2
Bulls	500–550	Medium 1-2	505	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,020	2
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	580	402.77/cwt	380.00–425.00	2,336	11
Bulls	550–600	Medium and Large 1	593	425.00/cwt	425.00–425.00	2,520	2
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	628	377.51/cwt	375.00–380.00	2,371	2
Bulls	650–700	Medium and Large 2	690	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,415	1
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1-2	701	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,524	4
Bulls	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1-2	1,012	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,834	3
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,599	191.56/cwt	191.00–193.00	3,063	4
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,646	198.05/cwt	197.50–201.00	3,260	10
Bulls	—	—	1,808	186.78/cwt	185.00–189.00	3,377	2
Bulls	—	—	1,999	201.67/cwt	196.00–207.00	4,031	8
Bulls	—	—	2,240	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	4,906	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	908	97.48/cwt	90.00–105.00	885	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	920	135.00/cwt	135.00–135.00	1,242	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,060	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,219	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,092	180.37/cwt	180.00–185.00	1,970	14
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,108	109.46/cwt	109.00–110.00	1,213	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,118	148.90/cwt	135.00–160.00	1,665	10
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,170	163.34/cwt	162.50–165.00	1,911	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,213	170.34/cwt	167.50–175.00	2,066	8
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,364	188.51/cwt	185.00–196.00	2,571	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,401	135.75/cwt	135.00–136.00	1,902	4
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,410	177.77/cwt	171.00–182.00	2,507	20
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,420	155.98/cwt	151.00–161.00	2,215	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,454	154.28/cwt	142.50–166.00	2,243	9
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,561	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	2,763	4
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,570	154.13/cwt	152.50–155.00	2,420	3
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,730	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	2,889	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,760	161.35/cwt	161.00–161.50	2,840	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,784	165.04/cwt	162.25–166.00	2,944	4
Cows	—	Premium White 65-75%Heavy Weight	2,060	164.00/cwt	164.00–164.00	3,378	2
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,090	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	1,799	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows7 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium 1	970	3,100.00/head	3,100.00–3,100.00	3,100	12
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,125	3,700.00/head	3,700.00–3,700.00	3,700	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	1,180	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,398	2,950.00/head	2,950.00–2,950.00	2,950	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,403	4,100.00/head	4,100.00–4,100.00	4,100	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,435	2,759.07/head	2,500.00–3,100.00	2,759	7
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,600	3,650.00/head	3,650.00–3,650.00	3,650	3
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows12 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	866	279.46/cwt	275.00–300.00	2,420	11
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1-2	875	207.73/cwt	205.00–210.00	1,818	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium 1	919	300.97/cwt	300.00–303.00	2,766	15
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,005	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,663	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,033	258.15/cwt	215.00–295.00	2,667	12
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,081	225.93/cwt	186.00–237.50	2,442	6
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,123	251.77/cwt	197.00–311.00	2,827	35
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,153	244.87/cwt	232.50–255.00	2,823	10
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,296	210.62/cwt	188.00–216.00	2,730	18
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,303	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	2,254	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,310	204.00/cwt	204.00–204.00	2,672	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1,380	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	2,608	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 →

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

Thu Mar 12, 2026

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 244Last week 1,980Year ago 440

Slaughter CattleReceipts 152Last week 323Year ago 263

Replacement CattleReceipts 165Last week 308Year ago 178

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	418	515.00	515.00
2	450–500	475	470.00	470.00
11	550–600	580	380.00–425.00	402.77
2	600–650	628	375.00–380.00	377.51
4	700–750	701	360.00	360.00
3	1000–1050	1,012	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	450–500	468	532.50–537.50	536.67
2	550–600	593	425.00	425.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
1	650–700	690	350.00	350.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	500–550	505	400.00	400.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Full$ per cwt · actual wt
6	700–750	744	337.50	337.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
6	600–650	643	394.00	394.00
1	650–700	685	360.00	360.00
3	700–750	717	345.00	345.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
19	400–450	418	465.00–490.00	483.10
3	450–500	468	450.00–475.00	466.19
14	500–550	513	425.00–449.00	442.20

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	300–350	338	460.00	460.00
16	400–450	426	345.00–450.00	375.35

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	400–450	426	460.00–515.00	472.90
2	500–550	545	405.00	405.00
9	800–850	847	302.50	302.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	350	580.00	580.00
13	400–450	423	535.00–550.00	539.82
8	500–550	522	480.00–482.50	480.96
8	550–600	588	425.00–427.50	426.58
4	700–750	713	381.00	381.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	455	490.00	490.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	350	595.00	595.00
5	400–450	413	567.50–570.00	568.03
16	600–650	636	427.00–432.00	428.65
1	650–700	655	420.00	420.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	1	—	1,180	2,800.00	2,800.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	7	—	1,435	2,500.00–3,100.00	2,759.07

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,125	3,700.00	3,700.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	2	—	1,398	2,950.00	2,950.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	2	—	1,403	4,100.00	4,100.00
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	3	—	1,600	3,650.00	3,650.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	12	—	970	3,100.00	3,100.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,380	189.00	189.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,310	204.00	204.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	11	—	866	275.00–300.00	279.46
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	15	—	919	300.00–303.00	300.97

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,005	265.00	265.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	35	—	1,123	197.00–311.00	251.77
(<2 yrs)	Open	10	—	1,153	232.50–255.00	244.87
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	18	—	1,296	188.00–216.00	210.62

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,303	173.00	173.00
(<2 yrs)	Open	12	—	1,033	215.00–295.00	258.15
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	6	—	1,081	186.00–237.50	225.93

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	2	—	875	205.00–210.00	207.73

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,599	191.00–193.00	191.56
10	—	1,646	197.50–201.00	198.05

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	1,999	196.00–207.00	201.67
1	—	2,240	219.00	219.00
2	—	1,808	185.00–189.00	186.78

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,760	161.00–161.50	161.35
4	—	1,561	177.00	177.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
10	—	1,118	135.00–160.00	148.90
14	—	1,092	180.00–185.00	180.37
8	—	1,213	167.50–175.00	170.34

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	920	135.00	135.00
2	—	908	90.00–105.00	97.48

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,420	151.00–161.00	155.98
4	—	1,401	135.00–136.00	135.75
1	—	1,730	167.00	167.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,570	152.50–155.00	154.13
4	—	1,784	162.25–166.00	165.04

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Premium White 65-75% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	2,060	164.00	164.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	1,170	162.50–165.00	163.34
2	—	1,108	109.00–110.00	109.46
1	—	1,060	115.00	115.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,364	185.00–196.00	188.51
9	—	1,454	142.50–166.00	154.28
20	—	1,410	171.00–182.00	177.77

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,090	165.00	165.00

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.