Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-09-10
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-10

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (9-03-26): Feeder steers and heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers under were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mixed. Calves offered plain to average quality and yearlings offered average to attractive quality. Demand was mostly moderate to good for light to moderate offerings. Yearlings were offered in small packages this week, however demand for light offerings was good. Many tested open heifers out of replacements were seen again this sale. Lots of variation in quality was noticed on both calves and yearlings. Calves continue to be marketed due to dry conditions. Demand for very light weight offerings suitable to develop into yearlings was very good. CME positions moved higher today which helped provide some additional market support. Market activity was moderate to active with a moderate size buyer pool noticed. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light to moderate demand and offerings. Cow quality was mostly plain to average today. Many cows coming off pasture and range are lame or blemished in some way and several buyers were present and willing to purchase these cows to feed. Feeding cows sold mostly 5.00 lower on boning and lean cows, breaking flesh feeding cows sold mostly steady to firm. Slaughter cows generally steady on all offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher. Bull quality was more attractive this week compared to last week. Young age cow offerings were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Many fleshy offerings were seen again this week. Many of these offerings were purchased to feed and sold to feeding cow buyers. Demand for 2 year old cows which have never calved was very good as buyers purchased these to feed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $353.12/cwt on 62 head, down $18.38 from the prior sale (only 10 head in that comparison). That ranks 3 of 21 comparable sales and sits −76.11 against this barn's trailing median of $429.23.

Average price

$353.12

▼ 18.38 vs prior sale

62 head · 577 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,038

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$171

per head · Medium and Large 1-2 over Medium and Large 1

$12.26/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.47

vs MT average

+15.33 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	518	364.00	1,886	7thin
Medium and Large 1	585	351.74	2,057	55

One grade step is worth $12.26/cwt here — about −$171 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 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 $429.23 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 sale62 hd

353.12

—

MT average2 barns · 68 hd

352.65

+0.47

National average138 barns · 5,113 hd

337.79

+15.33

This barn, trailing median21 sales

429.23

−76.11

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	—	Low	1,859	177.62	3,301	58
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,457	153.54	2,237	194
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,620	150.38	2,436	41
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,172	133.97	1,571	38

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,186	$3,231	26
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,265	$3,050	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,125	$3,000	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,415	$2,650	2thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,315	$2,516	11
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,282	$2,236	7
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,125	$3,200	2thin
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,877	$3,650	10
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	950	$2,060	5

Every lot, as filed

144 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 1Full	950–1000	984	284.00/cwt	284.00–284.00	2,795	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	2,558	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	390	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,833	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	419	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,718	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	818	306.35/cwt	297.50–314.00	2,506	23
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	733	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,511	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	750–800	780	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	2,504	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	426	490.00/cwt	490.00–490.00	2,087	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	587	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	2,245	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	268	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	1,554	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	953	302.98/cwt	295.00–305.00	2,887	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	344	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,600	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	958	310.77/cwt	310.00–311.00	2,977	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	487	366.36/cwt	360.00–375.00	1,784	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	518	364.00/cwt	364.00–364.00	1,886	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	392	491.57/cwt	480.00–510.00	1,927	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	537	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	2,135	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	715	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	2,288	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	621	323.90/cwt	321.00–327.50	2,011	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	585	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	2,106	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	475	422.50/cwt	422.50–422.50	2,007	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	388	453.98/cwt	445.00–460.00	1,761	64
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	325	525.00/cwt	525.00–525.00	1,706	2
Steers	Medium and Large 2	900–950	919	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	2,904	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	990	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,772	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	903	321.25/cwt	317.50–322.50	2,901	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	492	442.50/cwt	442.50–442.50	2,177	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	741	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,482	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	900–950	918	297.38/cwt	295.00–300.00	2,730	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	800–850	835	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,797	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	1000–1050	1,039	281.01/cwt	275.00–282.50	2,920	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	372	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	1,990	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	911	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	2,938	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	900–950	902	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	2,850	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	576	408.00/cwt	408.00–408.00	2,350	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	578	401.58/cwt	381.00–410.00	2,321	58
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	422	516.08/cwt	501.00–545.00	2,178	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	596	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	2,086	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	463	467.04/cwt	447.50–472.50	2,162	29
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	2,198	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	653	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,253	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	455	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	2,116	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	735	382.00/cwt	382.00–382.00	2,808	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	592	347.81/cwt	347.50–348.00	2,059	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	671	328.32/cwt	327.50–330.00	2,203	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	338	570.00/cwt	570.00–570.00	1,927	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	618	373.20/cwt	350.00–385.00	2,306	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	805	347.50/cwt	347.50–347.50	2,797	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	532	420.26/cwt	407.00–445.00	2,236	34
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	415	513.84/cwt	500.00–515.00	2,132	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	280	535.00/cwt	535.00–535.00	1,498	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	778	379.00/cwt	379.00–379.00	2,949	9
Bulls	—	—	1,736	169.39/cwt	160.00–173.00	2,941	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	915	97.50/cwt	97.50–97.50	892	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,605	145.81/cwt	141.00–151.00	2,340	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,432	145.51/cwt	135.00–153.00	2,084	66
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,486	162.02/cwt	155.00–164.00	2,408	106
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,318	140.88/cwt	140.00–143.00	1,857	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,190	126.52/cwt	112.50–137.50	1,506	13
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	825	155.00/cwt	155.00–155.00	1,279	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,771	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	3,082	4
Bulls	—	—	1,910	179.98/cwt	172.00–187.00	3,438	30
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,273	164.19/cwt	164.00–165.00	2,090	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	875	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,094	1
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1100–1150	1,109	276.50/cwt	276.50–276.50	3,066	7
Bulls	—	—	2,116	191.64/cwt	187.00–197.00	4,055	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,310	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,572	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,620	144.50/cwt	144.00–145.00	2,341	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,465	134.54/cwt	127.50–139.00	1,971	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,189	139.44/cwt	135.00–145.00	1,658	4
Steers	Large 1-2	850–900	878	314.00/cwt	314.00–314.00	2,757	15
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,138	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	3,073	4
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,263	229.42/cwt	227.50–235.00	2,898	4
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,061	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	3,056	10
Heifers	Large 1	900–950	912	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,782	8
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	600–650	608	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,900	5
Heifers	Large 1-2Fleshy	1150–1200	1,175	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	2,773	4
Steers	Large 1Full	1050–1100	1,050	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	3,035	6
Bulls	Large 1-2	1250–1300	1,265	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	2,815	1
Heifers	Large 1Full	1050–1100	1,076	270.35/cwt	267.00–275.00	2,909	12
Heifers	Large 1Full	1100–1150	1,107	252.80/cwt	251.00–254.00	2,798	5
Steers	Large 1-2	750–800	799	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	2,737	10
Heifers	Medium 1Fleshy	750–800	765	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	2,326	3
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	673	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	2,557	3
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	720	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	2,394	1
Steers	Medium 1	750–800	783	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	2,701	2
Steers	Medium 1	800–850	846	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	2,893	8
Heifers	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,084	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	2,846	8
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,125	3,200.00/head	3,200.00–3,200.00	3,200	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,175	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,291	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,265	3,050.00/head	3,050.00–3,050.00	3,050	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,125	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	1
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	690	348.02/cwt	345.00–349.00	2,401	28
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	752	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	2,414	9
Steers	Medium and Large 2	850–900	863	324.00/cwt	324.00–324.00	2,796	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	950–1000	986	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	2,623	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	764	356.00/cwt	356.00–356.00	2,720	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	950–1000	984	295.57/cwt	295.00–296.00	2,908	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,255	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	2,447	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,188	237.41/cwt	223.00–273.00	2,820	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	934	283.49/cwt	282.50–285.00	2,648	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	800–850	820	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,378	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	391	400.99/cwt	400.00–405.00	1,568	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	900–950	943	312.00/cwt	312.00–312.00	2,942	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	810	348.72/cwt	340.00–349.00	2,825	34
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,192	141.53/cwt	140.00–144.00	1,687	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,208	155.04/cwt	151.00–159.00	1,873	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,637	139.38/cwt	137.00–141.00	2,282	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,055	100.68/cwt	90.00–107.50	1,062	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,724	153.00/cwt	153.00–153.00	2,638	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,569	158.97/cwt	156.00–162.00	2,494	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,132	2,850.00/head	2,850.00–2,850.00	2,850	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	885	227.50/cwt	227.50–227.50	2,013	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,196	177.17/cwt	170.00–205.00	2,119	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,140	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,835	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,177	2,325.00/head	2,325.00–2,325.00	2,325	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Small 3	—	770	1,100.00/head	1,100.00–1,100.00	1,100	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,196	3,300.00/head	3,300.00–3,300.00	3,300	22
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,325	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,266	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,430	2,675.00/head	2,675.00–2,675.00	2,675	6
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,017	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	2,929	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 2	—	1,235	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	2,062	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,205	2,250.00/head	2,250.00–2,250.00	2,250	5
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,220	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,475	2,200.00/head	2,200.00–2,200.00	2,200	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	823	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,757	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	385	541.24/cwt	537.50–545.00	2,084	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,019	296.34/cwt	287.50–299.50	3,020	51
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,415	2,650.00/head	2,650.00–2,650.00	2,650	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	979	303.53/cwt	294.00–309.00	2,972	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	836	328.57/cwt	325.00–329.00	2,747	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	338	574.83/cwt	562.50–582.50	1,943	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	652	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	2,360	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	720	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,556	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,877	3,650.00/head	3,650.00–3,650.00	3,650	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	637	379.19/cwt	375.00–380.00	2,415	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	478	408.23/cwt	385.00–415.00	1,951	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	880	314.05/cwt	310.00–320.00	2,764	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	927	312.46/cwt	306.00–316.00	2,897	68
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	535	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,953	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	604	347.00/cwt	347.00–347.00	2,096	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	423	471.10/cwt	455.00–473.00	1,993	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	483	373.36/cwt	371.00–378.00	1,803	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	336	487.86/cwt	485.00–495.00	1,639	21

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 →