Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-05-21

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 21
● Final90 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
344 head
▲ 124 vs last sale 220▲ 45 vs year ago 299 · +15.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
712 head
▲ 122 vs last sale 590▲ 215 vs year ago 497 · +43.3%
Replacement Cattle receipts
321 head
▲ 6 vs last sale 315▲ 119 vs year ago 202 · +58.9%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Oct 26, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (5-14-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly plain with many blemished cattle in the offering. Very few reportable cattle sold today as a result. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light offerings. Most offerings were offered in small groups or as singles. Quality limited demand this sale. A small crowd was on hand for todays sale. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand. Demand for feeding cows was very good with additional buyers in the market this week buying cows to feed. Canadian buyers were mostly absent this week, however private feeders all showed very good demand for cows and pushed offerings higher. Feeding cows sold 2.00-5.00 higher on breaking and boning flesh cows, while lean fleshed cows sold generally steady to firm. Demand for slaughter cows was stronger this week as packers showed need for cows for immediate harvest. All slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to firm on a higher yielding offering. Bull quality this week was mostly attractive. Bull quality and yields were higher this week, and while prices were slightly higher on a live basis, bulls sold near steady on a dressed basis. Demand for feeding bulls was very good again this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher on a higher quality offering. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall significantly higher than last weeks offering. Demand for feeding quality young cows was very good this week with additional buyers in the market.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $411.81/cwt on 30 head, down $27.65 from the prior sale. That ranks 13 of 23 comparable sales and sits +0.19 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$411.81
▼ 27.65 vs prior sale
30 head · 551 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,271
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$181
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$36.36/cwt at this weight
vs the market
−3.54
vs MT average
−6.45 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1555440.002,4421thin
Medium and Large 1-2549415.902,28416thin
Large 1-2520410.002,1322thin
Medium and Large 2560403.642,26111thin
One grade step is worth $36.36/cwt here — about $181 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 sale30 hd
411.81
—
MT average2 barns · 41 hd
415.35
−3.54
National average175 barns · 12,602 hd
418.26
−6.45
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
+0.19
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—Average1,841223.734,11977
CowsBoner 80-85%High1,407189.532,667194
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,614188.833,048146
CowsLean 85-90%Average1,146175.842,01697
Dairy CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,275185.002,3591thin

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)1,178$3,89112
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,435$3,4501thin
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,655$4,2004thin

Every lot, as filed

90 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 · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2538470.00/cwt470.00–470.002,5294
Steers550–600Large 2552345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,9047
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2590440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,5962
Steers600–650Large 1-2643382.50/cwt382.50–382.502,4596
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2661370.63/cwt367.50–385.002,45011
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2689402.50/cwt402.50–402.502,7734
Steers700–750Large 1700385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,6952
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2748350.00/cwt350.00–350.002,6182
Steers750–800Medium and Large 2765355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,7163
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2782367.00/cwt367.00–367.002,87011
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2825362.19/cwt360.00–362.502,9888
Steers900–950Medium 1Fleshy920290.00/cwt290.00–290.002,6683
Steers900–950Medium and Large 1-2933320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,9867
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 2965319.00/cwt319.00–319.003,0783
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2408490.00/cwt490.00–490.001,9992
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2435465.00/cwt465.00–465.002,0232
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2456478.00/cwt475.00–480.002,18010
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2493435.00/cwt435.00–435.002,1454
Heifers500–550Large 1-2520410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,1322
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2536422.24/cwt420.00–425.002,26311
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 2541410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,2184
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned555440.00/cwt440.00–440.002,4421
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2571400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,2847
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2578401.94/cwt390.00–405.002,3235
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1605400.00/cwt400.00–400.002,4201
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2611360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,2005
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2638380.02/cwt367.50–387.502,42516
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2667366.91/cwt360.00–369.002,44712
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 2679361.93/cwt340.00–367.502,45815
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2715364.99/cwt360.00–367.502,6109
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy742335.00/cwt335.00–335.002,4869
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 2752320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,4063
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2822323.47/cwt320.00–324.002,65915
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1823331.00/cwt331.00–331.002,72415
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1-2863311.00/cwt311.00–311.002,6842
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1Fleshy888320.00/cwt320.00–320.002,84219
Heifers950–1000Medium and Large 1Fleshy968309.00/cwt309.00–309.002,9919
Feeder Cattle · Bulls12 lots · lightest first
Bulls350–400Medium and Large 1-2398560.00/cwt560.00–560.002,2293
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 2512464.92/cwt455.00–470.002,3803
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1625410.00/cwt410.00–410.002,5632
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2668375.00/cwt375.00–375.002,5052
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2725365.00/cwt365.00–365.002,6462
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 11,010302.50/cwt302.50–302.503,0551
Bulls1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,022285.00/cwt285.00–285.002,9133
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,053295.00/cwt295.00–295.003,1062
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,110272.00/cwt272.00–272.003,0191
Bulls1150–1200Large 11,153265.00/cwt265.00–265.003,0554
Bulls1150–1200Large 1-21,175244.00/cwt244.00–244.002,8671
Bulls1400–1450Large 11,440237.50/cwt237.50–237.503,4201
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Light Weight1,353198.34/cwt194.00–206.002,6843
Bulls——Return to Feed1,509220.42/cwt213.00–226.003,32617
Bulls——Return to Feed1,540212.00/cwt212.00–212.003,2651
Bulls——1,810207.50/cwt207.50–207.503,7561
Bulls——1,890220.07/cwt210.00–224.004,15922
Bulls——1,984222.69/cwt219.00–223.504,4189
Bulls——2,034235.96/cwt227.00–254.004,79922
Bulls——2,253214.36/cwt211.00–218.004,8302
Slaughter Cattle · Cows22 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight740160.00/cwt160.00–160.001,1841
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight915154.00/cwt154.00–154.001,4092
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight928126.29/cwt125.00–127.501,1722
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,150173.13/cwt160.00–177.501,99129
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,152159.45/cwt157.50–162.501,8375
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,155139.63/cwt130.00–146.001,6136
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,158184.29/cwt175.00–189.002,13438
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,194192.85/cwt189.00–197.002,30313
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,215170.00/cwt170.00–170.002,0661
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,378185.88/cwt177.00–190.002,56169
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,381167.64/cwt165.00–171.002,3155
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,388150.22/cwt144.00–155.002,0853
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,419196.11/cwt192.00–208.002,783104
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,477172.76/cwt166.00–176.002,55211
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,518179.00/cwt179.00–179.002,7172
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,527199.05/cwt194.00–204.503,03952
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,614188.89/cwt181.00–194.003,04964
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,672170.82/cwt169.00–173.002,8566
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,695166.78/cwt162.00–171.002,8277
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,705188.00/cwt188.00–188.003,2053
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,738173.32/cwt171.00–175.003,01210
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,151160.09/cwt156.00–164.003,4444
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,275185.00/cwt185.00–185.002,3591
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 2940205.00/cwt205.00–205.001,9272
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2945291.47/cwt225.00–322.502,75412
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,044288.67/cwt226.00–335.003,014130
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,110228.96/cwt190.00–300.002,54117
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,174238.17/cwt195.00–331.002,796105
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1033,809.83/head3,800.00–3,850.003,8106
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,229310.00/cwt310.00–310.003,8103
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2533,971.96/head3,875.00–4,000.003,9726
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4353,450.00/head3,450.00–3,450.003,4501
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs1 lot · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,6554,200.00/head4,200.00–4,200.004,2004

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.