Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-10-27
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-10-27

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: Feeder cattle all sold sharply lower in a narrow comparison. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly light to moderate. Quality this week was mostly plain to average with a limited offering of attractive quality cattle. Most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. Demand for very small packages and singles was light. Todays buyer pool was smaller with fewer bidders and buyers noticed. Internet activity was slower this week with fewer bidders noticed. Market activity was mostly slow to moderate as a result. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand today for moderate offerings. Most cows were purchased to feed this week. Feeding cow demand was very good with a large pool of buyers actively bidding on offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 higher. Additional buyers were in the seats creating very good among packer buyers. Demand for all cows suitable to feed was very good. Quality was most average to attractive today. Feeding cows sold generally steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate to good demand. Packer buyers and feeding buyers showed good demand for all sound bulls suitable to feed. Slaughter bulls sold steady to firm as buyers competed over limited offerings. Quality was mostly average this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold generally steady on high quality offerings, average quality and feeding quality offerings sold 5.00-10.00 lower.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $376.31/cwt on 85 head.

Average price

$376.31

85 head · 552 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,077

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$414

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

$42.03/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−81.04

vs MT average

−53.41 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	571	404.62	2,310	18thin
Medium and Large 1-2	558	372.84	2,082	38
Large 1	588	367.57	2,161	4thin
Medium and Large 2	523	362.59	1,896	25

One grade step is worth $42.03/cwt here — about $414 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 400–500 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 sale85 hd

376.31

—

MT average5 barns · 2,368 hd

457.34

−81.04

National average179 barns · 33,800 hd

429.72

−53.41

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	1,765	181.85	3,209	50
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,566	179.56	2,811	104
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,375	171.36	2,356	246
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,187	147.85	1,756	181

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)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,356	$3,400	10
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,390	$3,192	22
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,471	$3,140	15
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,094	$2,988	6

Every lot, as filed

93 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)

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 2	800–850	800	303.00/cwt	303.00–303.00	2,424	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	315	602.22/cwt	585.00–620.00	1,897	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	618	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,746	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	571	404.62/cwt	380.00–412.00	2,310	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	884	298.01/cwt	297.00–300.00	2,634	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	572	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,916	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	600–650	631	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,988	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	458	427.90/cwt	427.00–429.00	1,960	27
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	328	526.85/cwt	505.00–560.00	1,728	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	468	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	1,858	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	615	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	1,980	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	930	293.00/cwt	293.00–293.00	2,725	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	491	371.16/cwt	352.50–381.00	1,822	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	430	423.10/cwt	422.00–424.00	1,819	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	250	590.00/cwt	590.00–590.00	1,475	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	227	775.02/cwt	770.00–777.50	1,759	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	517	358.64/cwt	352.00–361.00	1,854	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	583	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,880	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	431	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,918	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	560	333.00/cwt	333.00–333.00	1,865	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	483	410.00/cwt	410.00–410.00	1,980	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	369	491.60/cwt	485.00–500.00	1,814	27
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	285	634.27/cwt	630.00–635.00	1,808	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	435	402.00/cwt	402.00–402.00	1,749	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	581	358.28/cwt	351.00–374.00	2,082	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,426	3,150.00/head	3,150.00–3,150.00	3,150	14
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,310	177.00/cwt	177.00–177.00	2,319	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,368	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	2,558	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	620	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	2,294	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	327	638.21/cwt	630.00–645.00	2,087	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	600	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	2,010	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,402	3,250.00/head	3,250.00–3,250.00	3,250	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,386	3,170.16/head	3,150.00–3,175.00	3,170	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,002	303.70/cwt	250.00–341.00	3,043	73
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	223	645.30/cwt	610.00–665.00	1,439	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,370	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	2,932	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	2,100	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,115	3,475.00/head	3,475.00–3,475.00	3,475	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,089	238.09/cwt	185.00–310.00	2,593	48
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	969	249.85/cwt	210.00–300.00	2,421	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,656	177.47/cwt	171.00–181.00	2,939	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	919	117.53/cwt	110.00–120.00	1,080	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	—	2,100	156.00/cwt	156.00–156.00	3,276	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,763	164.75/cwt	153.00–168.00	2,905	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,438	123.60/cwt	120.00–127.50	1,777	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,515	173.00/cwt	173.00–173.00	2,621	1
Bulls	—	—	1,939	172.48/cwt	162.00–180.00	3,344	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,653	189.49/cwt	185.00–195.00	3,132	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	890	81.11/cwt	80.00–82.50	722	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,362	176.14/cwt	168.00–182.50	2,399	161
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,613	160.02/cwt	156.00–164.00	2,581	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,484	185.49/cwt	184.00–186.00	2,753	55
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,655	179.94/cwt	171.00–184.00	2,978	20
Bulls	—	—	1,985	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	3,910	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,219	173.03/cwt	166.00–182.00	2,109	86
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,628	174.79/cwt	170.00–182.00	2,846	34
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,258	158.23/cwt	152.00–165.00	1,991	2
Bulls	—	—	2,274	186.03/cwt	184.00–188.00	4,230	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,410	156.84/cwt	122.50–167.00	2,211	40
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,362	184.63/cwt	183.00–186.00	2,515	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,132	83.17/cwt	70.00–85.00	941	16
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,428	137.74/cwt	132.50–145.00	1,967	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,168	116.42/cwt	102.50–128.00	1,360	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,242	161.36/cwt	145.00–166.00	2,004	26
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	250–300	260	700.00/cwt	700.00–700.00	1,820	1
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,039	233.55/cwt	205.00–242.50	2,427	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,130	180.50/cwt	180.00–181.00	2,040	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,650	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	3,300	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	973	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	1,216	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	391	425.49/cwt	415.00–465.00	1,664	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	521	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,667	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	745	297.00/cwt	297.00–297.00	2,213	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	309	655.00/cwt	655.00–655.00	2,024	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	430	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,634	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,073	2,500.00/head	2,500.00–2,500.00	2,500	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	200–250	233	580.00/cwt	580.00–580.00	1,351	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	500–550	523	362.59/cwt	361.00–363.00	1,896	25
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	491	353.00/cwt	353.00–353.00	1,733	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	515	400.84/cwt	387.50–405.00	2,064	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	378	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,399	3
Steers	Medium 1	700–750	730	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	2,409	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,356	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,573	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	2,753	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	870	292.49/cwt	290.00–295.00	2,545	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,058	192.15/cwt	170.00–200.00	2,033	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	773	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,585	2
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,205	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,772	1
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	588	367.57/cwt	360.00–375.00	2,161	4
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	350–400	378	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	1,796	4
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	745	292.12/cwt	265.00–305.00	2,176	3
Bulls	Medium 1	800–850	804	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	2,231	4
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	730	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	2,208	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,174	131.25/cwt	128.00–135.00	1,541	7

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 →