Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-04-30

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Apr 30
● Final98 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
2,235 head
▲ 1,901 vs last sale 334▼ 290 vs year ago 2,525 · −11.5%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
138 head
▼ 264 vs last sale 402▲ 11 vs year ago 127 · +8.7%
Replacement Cattle receipts
188 head
▼ 87 vs last sale 275▲ 114 vs year ago 74 · +154.1%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Oct 26, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (4-16-26): 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 very good for moderate offerings. Feeders were offered in mostly moderate size packages with a few load lots seen as well. Buyers showed very good demand for all offerings suitable to turn out on grass, as ranchers and order buyers both bid aggressively against each other over light fleshed offerings. Many sets of light fleshed offerings were seen this week. Record high prices for this sale barn were seen for grass steers today as many offerings topped 3,000 per head. Buyers were willing to take steers up to 750 lbs and heifers up to 725 lbs to run on grass. Demand from Canadian buyers was very good as several loads of feeders were purchased to ship north to feed. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive. CME positions moved sharply higher this week as higher fat cattle prices have helped provide additional support for feeders. A large crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly active as a result. Weigh up cows and bulls sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Both feeding and slaughter cows were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand for feeding cows was very good for limited offerings. Slaughter cows sold on light to moderate demand. Fewer slaughter cow buyers were present this week which allowed slaughter cow prices to weaken. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed comprised a large portion of the cow offering this week. Buyers continue to be willing to take up to middle age cows to turn out and rebreed. Young cow offerings sold with lower undertones on a lower quality offering. Quality this week was mostly average, and not as attractive as last sale.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $469.35/cwt on 355 head, up $45.03 from the prior sale. That ranks 23 of 23 comparable sales and sits +57.73 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$469.35
▲ 45.03 vs prior sale
355 head · 556 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,611
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$136
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$36.51/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.00
vs MT average
+45.28 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1554473.672,626313
Medium and Large 1-2570437.162,49042
One grade step is worth $36.51/cwt here — about $136 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale355 hd
469.35
—
MT average1 barns · 355 hd
469.35
+0.00
National average166 barns · 11,250 hd
424.07
+45.28
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
+57.73
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—Average1,943216.284,20222
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,390186.062,58642
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,625178.852,90628
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,195171.332,04734
Dairy CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,420152.502,1661thin

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 Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,193$4,0007
Bred Heifers3rd Stage (7-9 mo)(<2 yrs)1,262$3,8805

Every lot, as filed

98 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 · Steers30 lots · lightest first
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2335600.00/cwt600.00–600.002,0102
Steers350–400Medium 1365590.00/cwt590.00–590.002,1544
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2424591.14/cwt575.00–595.002,5065
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1467590.00/cwt590.00–590.002,7553
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed474580.98/cwt580.00–582.502,75422
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2474572.50/cwt572.50–572.502,71423
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2531510.36/cwt500.00–525.002,7108
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1533541.65/cwt535.00–560.002,88716
Steers500–550Medium 1534470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,51017
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1576523.42/cwt505.00–525.503,01581
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2581472.72/cwt442.50–495.002,74727
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1623491.18/cwt466.00–514.003,06046
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2631433.85/cwt427.50–450.002,73813
Steers600–650Medium and Large 2634410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,5994
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2667430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,8683
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1670458.46/cwt442.00–465.003,072102
Steers650–700Large 1-2696375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,6106
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2730397.52/cwt385.00–400.002,9026
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1738416.35/cwt407.50–427.003,073133
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1772396.63/cwt394.00–400.003,06227
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2779380.19/cwt373.00–387.502,9624
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Fleshy786374.00/cwt374.00–374.002,9405
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1803387.50/cwt387.50–387.503,11218
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1869357.99/cwt357.00–360.003,1116
Steers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy888338.34/cwt334.00–350.003,00426
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy924329.77/cwt323.00–334.003,04718
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1940350.09/cwt350.00–352.003,29162
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1Fleshy974332.87/cwt332.00–334.003,24223
Steers1050–1100Large 1Fleshy1,090313.50/cwt313.50–313.503,41723
Steers1100–1150Large 11,118301.10/cwt300.00–302.503,3665
Feeder Cattle · Heifers29 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 2340475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,6153
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2390510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,9893
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2423516.46/cwt500.00–525.002,1858
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2456495.00/cwt495.00–495.002,2578
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1474511.84/cwt510.00–512.502,42611
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2482440.06/cwt437.50–442.502,1218
Heifers450–500Large 1486465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,2605
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2516461.67/cwt460.00–470.002,38212
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1526491.85/cwt475.00–495.002,587106
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1569464.36/cwt439.00–471.002,642207
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2591427.35/cwt424.00–432.002,52630
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1620430.89/cwt415.00–444.002,672270
Heifers600–650Medium 1625400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,5004
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2635401.44/cwt392.00–416.002,54921
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Fleshy647397.50/cwt397.50–397.502,5723
Heifers600–650Large 1648406.00/cwt406.00–406.002,6313
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2663310.00/cwt310.00–310.002,0552
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2668350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,3383
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1684397.33/cwt391.00–406.002,718180
Heifers700–750Large 1713356.00/cwt356.00–356.002,5382
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1722388.61/cwt370.00–391.002,806125
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2722361.89/cwt358.00–370.002,6139
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1772362.63/cwt355.00–378.002,80036
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Fleshy787345.08/cwt342.50–347.002,71616
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1Fleshy822335.77/cwt334.50–338.002,76013
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1823349.37/cwt346.00–350.002,87545
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2865335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,8982
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1Fleshy949313.50/cwt313.50–313.502,9758
Heifers1000–1050Large 11,026301.00/cwt301.00–301.003,0884
Feeder Cattle · Bulls10 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2463510.00/cwt510.00–510.002,3612
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1480547.50/cwt547.50–547.502,6282
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1608415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,5232
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1687415.00/cwt415.00–415.002,8517
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1755391.71/cwt387.50–392.502,95725
Bulls800–850Medium and Large 1803370.00/cwt370.00–370.002,9716
Bulls850–900Medium and Large 1878320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,8102
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1970305.00/cwt305.00–305.002,9595
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2990300.00/cwt300.00–300.002,9702
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,077295.00/cwt295.00–295.003,1773
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,335210.00/cwt210.00–210.002,8041
Bulls——Return to Feed1,703205.93/cwt202.00–208.003,5075
Bulls——2,035217.80/cwt213.00–220.004,43212
Bulls——2,118226.24/cwt225.00–227.004,7924
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight903110.18/cwt105.00–115.009952
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,080105.00/cwt105.00–105.001,1341
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,188157.88/cwt145.00–167.501,8768
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,207152.50/cwt152.50–152.501,8413
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,228190.26/cwt189.50–192.502,33617
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,248181.64/cwt177.00–184.002,2673
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,333170.48/cwt169.00–172.002,2722
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383191.34/cwt187.00–195.002,64624
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,400183.40/cwt175.00–187.502,56814
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,455157.00/cwt157.00–157.002,2842
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,534186.92/cwt186.00–188.002,86713
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,670183.00/cwt183.00–183.003,0565
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,695171.00/cwt171.00–171.002,8981
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,717168.47/cwt167.00–173.002,8937
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,745156.25/cwt151.00–162.002,7272
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Boner 80-85%1,420152.50/cwt152.50–152.502,1661
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1831314.67/cwt305.00–332.502,6155
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2949289.57/cwt257.50–312.502,74821
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1967307.67/cwt222.50–337.002,97549
Stock Cows—Large 11,031236.47/cwt232.00–247.002,43810
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,078222.14/cwt193.00–280.002,39513
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,125246.52/cwt195.00–287.502,77341
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,2303,950.00/head3,950.00–3,950.003,9504
Bred Heifers—Large 11,3903,600.00/head3,600.00–3,600.003,6001
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows1 lot · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1934,000.00/head4,000.00–4,000.004,0007

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.