Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2026-05-28

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, May 28
● Final113 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
← May 21May 28Jun 4 →
Feeder Cattle receipts
722 head
▲ 378 vs last sale 344▼ 390 vs year ago 1,112 · −35.1%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
356 head
▼ 356 vs last sale 712▲ 169 vs year ago 187 · +90.4%
Replacement Cattle receipts
921 head
▲ 600 vs last sale 321▲ 220 vs year ago 701 · +31.4%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Oct 26, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (5-21-26): Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mixed from plain to very attractive. Overall quality was significantly higher than last week. Several high quality sets of heifers were seen this week that ranchers had slated to run as replacements, but sold today due to drought conditions. These heifers were in light flesh and very attractive overall. All of these heifers were purchased to feed today. Demand was mostly good to very good for light offerings. Most offerings were offered in moderate to small groups this week. A small to moderate size crowd was on hand for todays sale. A mix of ranchers and order buyers were noticed. Market activity was mostly moderate to active. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Demand for feeding cows was mostly moderate and not as strong as last week. Fewer buyers were in the market this week buying cows to feed. Canadian buyers purchased mostly thin cows to feed this week. Cow quality this week was mostly plain to average and significantly lower than last week. Many cows were out of dry country and were thin as a result. Many of these thin cows were full as they tanked up on hay and water in the yards. Feeding cows sold 3.00-5.00 lower on breaking and boning flesh cows, while lean fleshed cows sold 3.00-6.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Demand for slaughter cows was mostly moderate. All slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to weak undertones were noticed on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Bull quality this week was mostly average to attractive, but not as attractive as last week. Demand for feeding bulls was very good again this sale. Feeding bulls sold mostly steady. Young age offerings suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Quality this week was mostly average.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $411.62/cwt on 44 head, down $0.19 from the prior sale. That ranks 12 of 23 comparable sales and sits +0.00 against this barn's trailing median of $411.62.
Average price
$411.62
▼ 0.19 vs prior sale
44 head · 560 lb average
Value per head Derived
$2,307
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$474
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 2
$106.35/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+3.03
vs MT average
+4.18 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1550438.352,41012thin
Medium and Large 1-2562411.552,31228
Medium and Large 2583332.001,9364thin
One grade step is worth $106.35/cwt here — about $474 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 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 sale44 hd
411.62
—
MT average2 barns · 54 hd
408.59
+3.03
National average128 barns · 4,974 hd
407.44
+4.18
This barn, trailing median23 sales
411.62
+0.00
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—Average1,836221.364,06425
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,385177.092,453106
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,612173.132,79024
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,151163.611,884101

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)1,234$3,9646
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,340$3,8001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,277$3,5006
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,477$3,4998
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,241$3,1229
Bred Cows3rd Stage (7-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,419$2,8717
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,237$2,6754thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,400$2,64613
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,604$4,74041
Cow-Calf PairsOpenYoung (2-4 yrs)1,456$4,67563
Cow-Calf PairsOpenMiddle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,455$4,41275
Cow-Calf PairsOpenAged (>8 yrs)1,522$4,087142
Heifer PairsOpen(<2 yrs)1,211$4,7117

Every lot, as filed

113 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 · Steers21 lots · lightest first
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned360615.00/cwt615.00–615.002,2148
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned411585.00/cwt585.00–585.002,40410
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2470521.74/cwt510.00–530.002,4525
Steers500–550Large 1501552.50/cwt552.50–552.502,7687
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2503525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,6412
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2545480.00/cwt480.00–480.002,6163
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1550525.00/cwt525.00–525.002,8881
Steers550–600Large 1565477.00/cwt477.00–477.002,69518
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned568468.00/cwt468.00–468.002,6584
Steers600–650Large 1623452.27/cwt450.00–462.502,81816
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1-2653425.00/cwt425.00–425.002,7752
Steers650–700Medium and Large 2661397.50/cwt397.50–397.502,6274
Steers650–700Large 1669436.50/cwt436.50–436.502,92090
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1675421.07/cwt420.00–437.502,84216
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1705412.00/cwt412.00–412.002,9056
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2714385.00/cwt385.00–385.002,7496
Steers700–750Medium and Large 2737372.50/cwt372.50–372.502,7453
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1-2784364.00/cwt364.00–364.002,8547
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1823363.43/cwt360.00–367.002,9912
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1-2833355.00/cwt355.00–355.002,9572
Steers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,012304.00/cwt304.00–304.003,0763
Feeder Cattle · Heifers23 lots · lightest first
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned341476.49/cwt475.00–490.001,6259
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned395445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,7582
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 2422436.70/cwt435.00–437.501,84312
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned450417.50/cwt417.50–417.501,8794
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 2498421.00/cwt421.00–421.002,09713
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned500422.50/cwt422.50–422.502,11310
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned548442.50/cwt442.50–442.502,4255
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1551435.38/cwt432.50–442.502,3997
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 2583332.00/cwt332.00–332.001,9364
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2596405.46/cwt402.00–417.502,41718
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2Spayed608337.00/cwt337.00–337.002,0493
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2622390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,42610
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 2631337.50/cwt337.50–337.502,1304
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1634407.28/cwt401.00–423.002,58242
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1681383.72/cwt381.00–387.002,61311
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1-2696379.00/cwt379.00–379.002,6388
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1719377.65/cwt367.00–382.502,71578
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2731354.00/cwt354.00–354.002,58813
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2752341.60/cwt341.00–342.502,5695
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1773363.75/cwt360.00–368.002,81250
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2Spayed808327.50/cwt327.50–327.502,6466
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1814355.82/cwt346.00–357.002,89680
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1938315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,9552
Feeder Cattle · Bulls9 lots · lightest first
Bulls300–350Medium and Large 1-2338580.00/cwt580.00–580.001,9602
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1-2474490.00/cwt490.00–490.002,3234
Bulls450–500Medium 1Unweaned487485.00/cwt485.00–485.002,3623
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1-2505452.50/cwt452.50–452.502,2852
Bulls650–700Medium and Large 1-2Full668390.00/cwt390.00–390.002,6052
Bulls750–800Medium and Large 1-2773362.00/cwt362.00–362.002,7982
Bulls900–950Medium and Large 1-2920315.00/cwt315.00–315.002,8984
Bulls950–1000Medium and Large 1-2955302.50/cwt302.50–302.502,8893
Bulls1050–1100Large 11,057297.50/cwt290.00–300.003,1454
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,584219.17/cwt214.50–224.503,4727
Bulls——1,855213.50/cwt213.50–213.503,9601
Bulls——1,915222.02/cwt218.00–225.004,25214
Bulls——2,047226.04/cwt225.00–228.004,6273
Slaughter Cattle · Cows16 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight926138.15/cwt135.00–140.001,2794
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,098121.58/cwt120.00–127.501,3355
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,155166.28/cwt160.00–172.501,92176
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,167143.12/cwt132.50–151.001,6705
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,225182.84/cwt177.50–187.502,24011
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,325189.74/cwt189.00–190.002,5144
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,330147.00/cwt147.00–147.001,9551
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,365181.10/cwt174.50–187.502,47269
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,412167.93/cwt161.00–172.002,37126
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,473166.38/cwt163.00–170.002,4514
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,515181.80/cwt179.00–185.002,7548
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,589168.78/cwt166.00–170.002,68210
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,618173.00/cwt173.00–173.002,7992
Cows—Boner 80-85%1,698169.00/cwt169.00–169.002,8702
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,780174.00/cwt174.00–174.003,0973
Cows—Breaker 75-80%2,090145.00/cwt145.00–145.003,0311
Replacement Cattle · Bulls1 lot · lightest first
Bulls—Medium and Large 11,581230.00/cwt230.00–230.003,6364
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows13 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 2Broken Mouth1,1322,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2072,500.00/head2,500.00–2,500.002,5003
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2303,050.00/head3,050.00–3,050.003,0503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2343,963.67/head3,800.00–4,000.003,9646
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2473,158.02/head3,150.00–3,200.003,1586
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2773,500.00/head3,500.00–3,500.003,5006
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed1,3142,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,60010
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3253,200.00/head3,200.00–3,200.003,2001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3403,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,4773,498.54/head3,400.00–3,600.003,4998
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,6003,000.00/head3,000.00–3,000.003,0002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,6703,300.00/head3,300.00–3,300.003,3002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,6882,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8003
Replacement Cattle · Heifer Pairs2 lots · lightest first
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 11,1884,575.00/head4,575.00–4,575.004,5755
Heifer Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2705,050.00/head5,050.00–5,050.005,0502
Replacement Cattle · Cow-Calf Pairs15 lots · lightest first
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,2704,559.99/head4,525.00–4,625.004,5609
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3153,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8002
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,3184,575.00/head4,575.00–4,575.004,5759
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,3953,850.00/head3,850.00–3,850.003,8504
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,3974,250.00/head4,250.00–4,250.004,25026
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4644,502.32/head4,400.00–4,600.004,5024
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4654,450.00/head4,450.00–4,450.004,45017
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4704,049.49/head3,775.00–4,100.004,04942
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed1,4723,803.58/head3,800.00–3,825.003,80448
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,4764,970.68/head4,900.00–5,010.004,97131
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,5114,619.46/head4,450.00–4,750.004,61928
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1-21,5724,631.87/head4,600.00–4,650.004,6326
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,6104,377.73/head4,350.00–4,500.004,37852
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 11,6374,821.08/head4,525.00–4,975.004,82135
Cow-Calf Pairs—Medium and Large 21,6543,800.00/head3,800.00–3,800.003,8008
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows9 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium 1823302.43/cwt300.00–305.002,4892
Stock Cows—Medium 1-2892282.50/cwt282.50–282.502,5203
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,027252.36/cwt212.00–287.002,59217
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1Fleshy1,030260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,6781
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,096225.58/cwt200.00–277.502,47216
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,143230.27/cwt202.00–275.002,63219
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,164248.00/cwt231.00–312.502,88710
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,200196.90/cwt188.00–201.002,3639
Stock Cows—Large 11,440193.00/cwt193.00–193.002,7791

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 →