Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-04-30
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-04-30

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 class

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 21 of 21 comparable sales and sits +35.49 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

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 / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	554	473.67	2,626	313
Medium and Large 1-2	570	437.16	2,490	42

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.

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 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 median21 sales

433.86

+35.49

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	1,943	216.28	4,202	22
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,390	186.06	2,586	42
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,625	178.85	2,906	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,195	171.33	2,047	34
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,420	152.50	2,166	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)	1,193	$4,000	7
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,262	$3,880	5

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.

Class	Grade / description	Weight	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	474	511.84/cwt	510.00–512.50	2,426	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	668	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,338	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	569	464.36/cwt	439.00–471.00	2,642	207
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	635	401.44/cwt	392.00–416.00	2,549	21
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	648	406.00/cwt	406.00–406.00	2,631	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	684	397.33/cwt	391.00–406.00	2,718	180
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	516	461.67/cwt	460.00–470.00	2,382	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	750–800	786	374.00/cwt	374.00–374.00	2,940	5
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1050–1100	1,090	313.50/cwt	313.50–313.50	3,417	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	865	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,898	2
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	625	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	2,500	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	722	388.61/cwt	370.00–391.00	2,806	125
Heifers	Large 1	1000–1050	1,026	301.00/cwt	301.00–301.00	3,088	4
Steers	Large 1-2	650–700	696	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	2,610	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	670	458.46/cwt	442.00–465.00	3,072	102
Heifers	Large 1	700–750	713	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,538	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	623	491.18/cwt	466.00–514.00	3,060	46
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	850–900	888	338.34/cwt	334.00–350.00	3,004	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	950–1000	974	332.87/cwt	332.00–334.00	3,242	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	424	591.14/cwt	575.00–595.00	2,506	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	531	510.36/cwt	500.00–525.00	2,710	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	823	349.37/cwt	346.00–350.00	2,875	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	900–950	924	329.77/cwt	323.00–334.00	3,047	18
Steers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,118	301.10/cwt	300.00–302.50	3,366	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	581	472.72/cwt	442.50–495.00	2,747	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	667	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	2,868	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	634	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	2,599	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	940	350.09/cwt	350.00–352.00	3,291	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	803	387.50/cwt	387.50–387.50	3,112	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	533	541.65/cwt	535.00–560.00	2,887	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	631	433.85/cwt	427.50–450.00	2,738	13
Steers	Medium 1	350–400	365	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	2,154	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	779	380.19/cwt	373.00–387.50	2,962	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	730	397.52/cwt	385.00–400.00	2,902	6
Steers	Medium 1	500–550	534	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	2,510	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	869	357.99/cwt	357.00–360.00	3,111	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	474	572.50/cwt	572.50–572.50	2,714	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	335	600.00/cwt	600.00–600.00	2,010	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	738	416.35/cwt	407.50–427.00	3,073	133
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	772	396.63/cwt	394.00–400.00	3,062	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	576	523.42/cwt	505.00–525.50	3,015	81
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	450–500	474	580.98/cwt	580.00–582.50	2,754	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	467	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	2,755	3
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,077	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	3,177	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	878	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,810	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	970	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,959	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	608	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,523	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	480	547.50/cwt	547.50–547.50	2,628	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	687	415.00/cwt	415.00–415.00	2,851	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,670	183.00/cwt	183.00–183.00	3,056	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,080	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,134	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,228	190.26/cwt	189.50–192.50	2,336	17
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,248	181.64/cwt	177.00–184.00	2,267	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,695	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,898	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,207	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	1,841	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,400	183.40/cwt	175.00–187.50	2,568	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	903	110.18/cwt	105.00–115.00	995	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,188	157.88/cwt	145.00–167.50	1,876	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,745	156.25/cwt	151.00–162.00	2,727	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,717	168.47/cwt	167.00–173.00	2,893	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,534	186.92/cwt	186.00–188.00	2,867	13
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,420	152.50/cwt	152.50–152.50	2,166	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,455	157.00/cwt	157.00–157.00	2,284	2
Bulls	—	—	2,035	217.80/cwt	213.00–220.00	4,432	12
Bulls	—	—	2,118	226.24/cwt	225.00–227.00	4,792	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,333	170.48/cwt	169.00–172.00	2,272	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,383	191.34/cwt	187.00–195.00	2,646	24
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,703	205.93/cwt	202.00–208.00	3,507	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,335	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,804	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,125	246.52/cwt	195.00–287.50	2,773	41
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	967	307.67/cwt	222.50–337.00	2,975	49
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	949	289.57/cwt	257.50–312.50	2,748	21
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,230	3,950.00/head	3,950.00–3,950.00	3,950	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,078	222.14/cwt	193.00–280.00	2,395	13
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	831	314.67/cwt	305.00–332.50	2,615	5
Heifers	Large 1	450–500	486	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	2,260	5
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,031	236.47/cwt	232.00–247.00	2,438	10
Bred Heifers	Large 1	—	1,390	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,193	4,000.00/head	4,000.00–4,000.00	4,000	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	620	430.89/cwt	415.00–444.00	2,672	270
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	800–850	822	335.77/cwt	334.50–338.00	2,760	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	463	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	2,361	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	2,970	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	750–800	755	391.71/cwt	387.50–392.50	2,957	25
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	803	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,971	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	900–950	949	313.50/cwt	313.50–313.50	2,975	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	600–650	647	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	2,572	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	750–800	787	345.08/cwt	342.50–347.00	2,716	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	482	440.06/cwt	437.50–442.50	2,121	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	591	427.35/cwt	424.00–432.00	2,526	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	663	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,055	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	526	491.85/cwt	475.00–495.00	2,587	106
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	456	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	2,257	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	390	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	1,989	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	772	362.63/cwt	355.00–378.00	2,800	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	722	361.89/cwt	358.00–370.00	2,613	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	423	516.46/cwt	500.00–525.00	2,185	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	340	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,615	3

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 →