Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2026-09-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2026-09-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale (9-17-26): Feeder steers and heifer calves were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand was mostly good to very good with several buyers actively bidding on offerings. Many tested open heifers out of replacements were seen again this sale. Lots of variation in quality was noticed on both calves and yearlings. CME positions moved higher to start the day before selling off late in the trading session. Market activity was active with rapid bidding seen, despite a small buyer pool. Weigh up cows sold on mostly light demand and light to moderate offerings. Demand for feeding cows was mostly light especially from American packers and private feeders. Canadian buyers continue to show good demand for feeding cows and with little resistance from American buyers. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower. Demand for slaughter cows was also light as packers all showed light demand for all classes of cows. Breaking cows sold mostly 8.00-10.00 lower, boning and lean cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 lower. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 10.00 lower. Demand for feeding bull was mostly moderate and forced packer buyers to compete over offerings. Feeding bulls sold generally steady. Young age cow offerings were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly moderate and stronger than last week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $384.20/cwt on 66 head, down $11.61 from the prior sale. That ranks 5 of 21 comparable sales and sits −45.03 against this barn's trailing median of $429.23.

Average price

$384.20

▼ 11.61 vs prior sale

66 head · 551 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,117

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$105

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

$33.21/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.62

vs MT average

+27.58 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	550	385.71	2,121	63
Medium and Large 1-2	572	352.50	2,016	3thin

One grade step is worth $33.21/cwt here — about $105 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 sale66 hd

384.20

—

MT average2 barns · 73 hd

382.58

+1.62

National average176 barns · 11,703 hd

356.62

+27.58

This barn, trailing median21 sales

429.23

−45.03

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	—	High	1,793	172.93	3,101	54
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,444	141.91	2,049	92
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Very Low	1,668	134.43	2,242	40
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,226	125.03	1,533	61

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	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,351	$3,288	5
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,410	$3,150	2thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,233	$3,056	13
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,352	$2,506	12

Every lot, as filed

122 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
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	427	521.77/cwt	490.00–540.00	2,228	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	588	411.00/cwt	411.00–411.00	2,417	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	391	561.00/cwt	561.00–561.00	2,194	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	883	344.86/cwt	342.00–350.00	3,045	53
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	977	302.63/cwt	295.00–308.00	2,957	111
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	572	413.50/cwt	394.00–442.50	2,365	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,040	292.38/cwt	291.00–293.00	3,041	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	650	355.00/cwt	355.00–355.00	2,308	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	485	424.33/cwt	417.50–430.00	2,058	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	714	359.00/cwt	359.00–359.00	2,563	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	832	368.78/cwt	363.00–371.00	3,068	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	518	449.65/cwt	447.50–450.00	2,329	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	434	457.00/cwt	450.00–460.00	1,983	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	310	501.41/cwt	500.00–505.00	1,554	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	561	386.63/cwt	375.00–390.00	2,169	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	927	310.10/cwt	305.00–312.50	2,875	140
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	479	473.02/cwt	457.50–495.00	2,266	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	228	545.00/cwt	545.00–545.00	1,243	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	619	367.17/cwt	362.50–372.00	2,273	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	541	384.97/cwt	382.00–405.00	2,083	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	688	375.60/cwt	373.00–378.00	2,584	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	834	334.73/cwt	332.50–336.00	2,792	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	795	338.00/cwt	338.00–338.00	2,687	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	674	339.00/cwt	339.00–339.00	2,285	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	390	490.26/cwt	475.00–535.00	1,912	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	530	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	2,359	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	499	437.50/cwt	437.50–437.50	2,183	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	369	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,734	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	928	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	2,900	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,298	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,183	162.51/cwt	158.00–170.00	1,922	17
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,171	2,550.00/head	2,550.00–2,550.00	2,550	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,235	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,902	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	622	391.87/cwt	384.00–396.00	2,437	65
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	985	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	2,906	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	743	363.00/cwt	363.00–363.00	2,697	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,035	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,691	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	860	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,924	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	356	515.00/cwt	515.00–515.00	1,833	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	448	472.50/cwt	472.50–472.50	2,117	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,000	239.44/cwt	217.50–262.50	2,394	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	470	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,233	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	792	355.75/cwt	355.00–363.00	2,818	51
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,029	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	3,149	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	789	342.97/cwt	340.00–346.00	2,706	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	900–950	921	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	2,956	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	447	477.50/cwt	477.50–477.50	2,134	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	482	380.50/cwt	370.00–415.00	1,834	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	572	352.50/cwt	352.50–352.50	2,016	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	857	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,614	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	829	325.62/cwt	324.00–330.00	2,699	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	591	385.69/cwt	367.50–392.50	2,279	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	250–300	297	550.00/cwt	550.00–550.00	1,634	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	731	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	2,485	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	379	436.87/cwt	420.00–445.00	1,656	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,231	111.50/cwt	102.50–116.00	1,373	25
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,118	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,789	2
Bulls	—	—	2,265	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	4,077	1
Bulls	—	—	1,717	163.57/cwt	158.00–169.00	2,808	7
Bulls	—	—	2,014	187.31/cwt	183.00–191.50	3,772	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,527	164.62/cwt	159.00–169.00	2,514	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,232	129.16/cwt	128.00–144.00	1,591	23
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,595	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,834	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,660	174.39/cwt	169.00–182.50	2,895	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,714	126.67/cwt	120.00–130.50	2,171	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,678	136.24/cwt	133.50–141.00	2,286	26
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,530	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	2,050	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,515	148.66/cwt	148.50–149.00	2,252	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,428	118.99/cwt	107.50–127.50	1,699	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,460	150.56/cwt	147.50–152.00	2,198	49
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,278	147.68/cwt	144.00–149.00	1,887	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,435	132.56/cwt	128.00–136.00	1,902	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,420	139.27/cwt	128.00–146.00	1,978	23
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,170	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,691	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	1250–1300	1,268	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	2,726	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,775	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	3,284	1
Bulls	—	—	1,964	175.64/cwt	173.00–182.00	3,450	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,105	141.00/cwt	141.00–141.00	1,558	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,173	130.36/cwt	128.00–133.50	1,529	4
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1150–1200	1,189	268.50/cwt	268.50–268.50	3,192	24
Steers	Large 1Fleshy	1100–1150	1,119	276.91/cwt	274.50–279.00	3,099	34
Heifers	Large 1	1200–1250	1,200	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	3,060	5
Heifers	Large 1Full	1150–1200	1,171	258.50/cwt	258.50–258.50	3,027	5
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,105	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	3,083	6
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,221	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	2,930	13
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,130	259.16/cwt	257.50–260.00	2,929	3
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,063	295.15/cwt	291.00–300.00	3,137	48
Heifers	Large 1	1150–1200	1,177	274.22/cwt	273.00–275.00	3,228	13
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,279	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	2,763	8
Bulls	Large 1	1400–1450	1,421	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	3,027	4
Heifers	Large 1Full	1050–1100	1,082	262.43/cwt	252.00–284.00	2,839	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	252	680.00/cwt	680.00–680.00	1,714	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	928	328.42/cwt	328.00–331.00	3,048	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	725	371.91/cwt	365.00–379.00	2,696	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	372	564.49/cwt	557.50–567.50	2,100	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	781	369.36/cwt	369.00–370.00	2,885	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	488	460.00/cwt	460.00–460.00	2,245	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	416	530.00/cwt	530.00–530.00	2,205	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,101	230.38/cwt	183.00–283.00	2,536	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	950–1000	999	307.00/cwt	307.00–307.00	3,067	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	957	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	3,110	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	710	350.09/cwt	347.00–350.50	2,486	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	881	320.78/cwt	312.00–329.50	2,826	52
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	510	480.00/cwt	480.00–480.00	2,448	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	800–850	807	351.00/cwt	351.00–351.00	2,833	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	1000–1050	1,039	280.57/cwt	280.00–281.00	2,915	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	950–1000	977	289.73/cwt	289.50–290.00	2,831	15
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,228	3,077.62/head	2,700.00–3,300.00	3,078	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,410	3,150.00/head	3,150.00–3,150.00	3,150	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,351	3,287.71/head	3,200.00–3,350.00	3,288	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	349	457.00/cwt	457.00–457.00	1,595	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	941	294.28/cwt	292.00–297.00	2,769	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	412	439.68/cwt	430.00–457.50	1,811	25
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	633	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	2,326	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,148	237.87/cwt	200.00–287.50	2,731	36
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,532	2,461.54/head	2,400.00–2,525.00	2,462	6
Heifers	Large 1Full	1100–1150	1,108	266.00/cwt	266.00–266.00	2,947	31
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	656	368.00/cwt	368.00–368.00	2,414	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	550–600	588	382.50/cwt	382.50–382.50	2,249	3
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	685	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	2,500	24
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	384	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	1,786	5
Steers	Medium and Large 2	1000–1050	1,038	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	2,958	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 →