Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-04-02

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 2
● Final101 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,989 head
▲ 4,937 vs last sale 52▲ 903 vs year ago 4,086 · +22.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
35 head
▼ 230 vs last sale 265▼ 51 vs year ago 86 · −59.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
35 head
▼ 87 vs last sale 122▼ 40 vs year ago 75 · −53.3%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Oct 26, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (3-19-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Demand was mostly good to very good for heavy offerings. CME positions have moved sharply higher over the last few weeks giving strong support to feeder cattle prices. Buyers came willing and ready to buy, as this sale featured one of the largest offerings seen in weeks. Demand for grass cattle was very good. Buyers were willing to take steers up to 750 lbs and heifer up to 700 lbs to grass. Buyers were very attentive to flesh conditions this sale as discounts for cattle carrying moderate flesh and up were heavy. The stands were filled with buyers this week with both ranchers and order buyers actively bidding on offerings. Internet bidding was also active with several buyers actively buying cattle throughout the day. Demand for heifers was very strong as both replacement buyers and feeding buyers both showed strong demand. Quality this week was attractive to very attractive with many long strings off reputation ranches. Quality ran deep into the sale with constant demand seen all day long. Market activity was mostly active with rapid bidding seen all sale long. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Both feeding and slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeding cows was good to very good for limited offerings. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Very good demand was seen for limited offerings. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality this week was mostly plain to average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $458.40/cwt on 601 head, up $16.20 from the prior sale (only 14 head in that comparison). That ranks 21 of 23 comparable sales and sits +46.78 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$458.40
▲ 16.20 vs prior sale
601 head · 546 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,505
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$218
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$39.50/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.44
vs MT average
+35.21 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1546461.692,523551
Medium and Large 1-2546422.192,30450
One grade step is worth $39.50/cwt here — about $218 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 sale601 hd
458.40
—
MT average3 barns · 717 hd
454.96
+3.44
National average175 barns · 10,886 hd
423.19
+35.21
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
+46.78
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

23 sales
483428373319median 411.6203/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $411.62 across 23 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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,637204.333,3443thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,443171.862,48012
CowsBreaker 75-80%Low1,620166.002,6891thin
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,051152.381,60210

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,150$3,3001thin

Every lot, as filed

101 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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers38 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 2323540.00/cwt540.00–540.001,7442
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2366521.68/cwt520.00–525.001,90912
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned368625.00/cwt625.00–625.002,3002
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2380557.69/cwt550.00–615.002,11917
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1392630.00/cwt630.00–630.002,4705
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned420580.00/cwt580.00–580.002,4363
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2422567.96/cwt555.00–575.002,3975
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1432595.93/cwt595.00–600.002,57425
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2455470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,1394
Steers450–500Medium 1465525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,4417
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1468570.24/cwt550.00–580.002,66969
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned493545.00/cwt545.00–545.002,68711
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2497535.00/cwt535.00–535.002,65913
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1518536.60/cwt520.00–555.002,780181
Steers500–550Medium 1530502.70/cwt475.00–515.002,66410
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy544475.00/cwt475.00–475.002,5847
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1583498.88/cwt481.00–517.502,908117
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2595466.55/cwt455.00–477.502,77634
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed610468.00/cwt468.00–468.002,85522
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Fleshy622430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,67518
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1631475.37/cwt460.00–484.003,000174
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2631440.53/cwt435.00–449.002,7805
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1666437.80/cwt423.00–450.002,916172
Steers650–700Large 1667422.72/cwt419.00–424.002,8204
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2684407.15/cwt405.50–410.002,7858
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed702423.00/cwt423.00–423.002,96984
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1721417.56/cwt413.00–423.003,01156
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2745396.56/cwt381.00–404.002,95419
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed757422.00/cwt422.00–422.003,19547
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1792388.60/cwt386.00–411.003,078141
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2795335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,6632
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2822363.00/cwt363.00–363.002,9843
Steers850–900Large 1862322.50/cwt322.50–322.502,7803
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1863359.85/cwt350.00–372.503,1069
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2901325.00/cwt325.00–325.002,9284
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1913340.00/cwt340.00–340.003,1042
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1Fleshy965328.00/cwt328.00–328.003,1652
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1Full974327.08/cwt327.00–327.503,1866
Feeder Cattle · Heifers40 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 2296470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,3914
Heifers300–350Medium 1-2300495.00/cwt495.00–495.001,4854
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned376540.00/cwt540.00–540.002,0304
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2387508.52/cwt490.00–520.001,96810
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 2393470.00/cwt470.00–470.001,8474
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1397533.37/cwt525.00–535.002,11712
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1441526.91/cwt522.50–532.502,32431
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned443517.26/cwt515.00–540.002,29120
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1469509.59/cwt490.00–528.002,39061
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2489474.66/cwt472.50–482.502,32114
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2489429.12/cwt422.50–432.502,09818
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1514489.34/cwt475.00–496.002,515248
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2530430.73/cwt422.50–447.502,28325
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Fleshy531417.50/cwt417.50–417.502,2178
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned545397.50/cwt397.50–397.502,1667
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2568419.94/cwt400.00–430.002,38518
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1574440.22/cwt434.50–459.002,527283
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Fleshy576426.00/cwt426.00–426.002,45412
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed603448.24/cwt447.00–449.002,70353
Heifers600–650Large 1624409.00/cwt409.00–409.002,5526
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1629421.50/cwt410.00–435.002,651511
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2630401.65/cwt385.00–412.002,53029
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fleshy636384.00/cwt384.00–384.002,4428
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed664424.36/cwt424.00–425.002,81819
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1669411.44/cwt394.00–422.002,753462
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Fleshy684386.00/cwt386.00–386.002,640128
Heifers650–700Large 1685399.00/cwt399.00–399.002,7333
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2686360.81/cwt355.00–375.502,47514
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Fleshy718362.90/cwt351.00–368.002,60649
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 17232,750.00/head2,750.00–2,750.002,7506
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2724353.31/cwt345.00–356.002,55810
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1731382.93/cwt375.00–390.002,799175
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1760371.63/cwt350.00–380.002,824254
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Replacement7723,043.44/head2,875.00–3,160.003,043466
Heifers750–800Large 1778371.00/cwt371.00–371.002,88616
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1818354.00/cwt354.00–354.002,8962
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1Replacement8273,054.85/head2,950.00–3,125.003,055116
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1868343.21/cwt339.00–344.002,97969
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2873330.00/cwt330.00–330.002,8812
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy932320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,98210
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2389565.00/cwt565.00–565.002,1984
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1477540.00/cwt540.00–540.002,57611
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed487537.50/cwt537.50–537.502,61831
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed592450.00/cwt450.00–450.002,66431
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1623410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,5545
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned640390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,4962
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1652395.00/cwt395.00–395.002,5753
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2666371.28/cwt350.00–377.502,4739
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2702372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,6153
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,025290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,9731
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,325214.00/cwt214.00–214.002,8361
Bulls——1,675217.00/cwt217.00–217.003,6351
Bulls——1,910182.00/cwt182.00–182.003,4761
Slaughter Cattle · Cows6 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight810112.50/cwt112.50–112.509111
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,056161.61/cwt152.50–168.001,7077
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,155140.00/cwt140.00–140.001,6172
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383160.08/cwt140.00–170.002,2145
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,486180.28/cwt180.00–182.002,6797
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,620166.00/cwt166.00–166.002,6891
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows3 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2996278.24/cwt210.00–310.002,77126
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,005247.50/cwt247.50–247.502,4871
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,049284.65/cwt260.00–312.502,9864
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1503,300.00/head3,300.00–3,300.003,3001

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.