Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2025-11-17

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Nov 17
● Final62 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
312 head
328 vs last sale 640 90 vs year ago 402 · 22.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
554 head
528 vs last sale 1,082 45 vs year ago 509 · +8.8%
Replacement Cattle receipts
298 head
212 vs last sale 510 5 vs year ago 303 · 1.7%
Also sold hereRegular saleThu Aug 13, 2026
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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: Feeder cattle were to lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was mostly light to moderate for light offerings. Feeder cattle quality was mostly plain this week. Heifer quality was better than steer quality. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows comprised most of the sale this week. Demand was mostly moderate for moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold 2.00-3.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. High quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold unevenly steady. Additional feeding buyers were in the market this week and started out buying cows higher than last week, however cow prices soften as the sale progressed. Thin feeding cows sold mostly steady. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Cows on average were more full than last week. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady on a higher yielding offering. Quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly steady to 5.00 higher. Demand for young feeding cows was mostly good this week with additional buyers in the market looking for young cows and heiferettes to feed.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $359.66/cwt on 29 head.
Average price
$359.66
29 head · 555 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,998
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$257
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$10.00/cwt at this weight
vs the market
19.44
vs MT average
+2.77 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1557360.002,00728
Medium and Large 1-2500350.001,7501thin
One grade step is worth $10.00/cwt here — about $257 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 sale29 hd
359.66
MT average5 barns · 1,250 hd
379.10
−19.44
National average188 barns · 19,415 hd
356.89
+2.77
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
BullsAverage1,888175.813,31929
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,565171.592,68565
CowsBoner 80-85%Average1,413160.132,262252
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,178147.211,734146

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 Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,260$3,4501thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,001$3,0504thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,379$2,6435
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,362$2,6003thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,493$2,5673thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,335$2,4001thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,424$2,3233thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,361$2,07510
Bred Heifers1st Stage (1-3 mo)(<2 yrs)1,015$2,8003thin
Bred Heifers1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)(<2 yrs)1,047$2,7503thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)823$2,4002thin

Every lot, as filed

62 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.
ClassGrade / descriptionWeightAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned550–600564360.00/cwt360.00–360.002,03025
HeifersMedium and Large 1Unweaned500–550503360.00/cwt360.00–360.001,8113
SteersMedium and Large 1Unweaned600–650615389.00/cwt389.00–389.002,39221
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned300–350331510.00/cwt510.00–510.001,68812
SteersMedium and Large 2Unweaned600–650612320.00/cwt320.00–320.001,9586
BullsMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned300–350343505.00/cwt505.00–505.001,7322
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned350–400390440.00/cwt440.00–440.001,7166
BullsMedium and Large 1Unweaned300–350324540.00/cwt540.00–540.001,7504
HeifersMedium and Large 11000–10501,015289.00/cwt289.00–289.002,9335
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2350–400387427.82/cwt410.00–433.001,65625
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned500–550538402.14/cwt384.00–421.002,1646
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,2603,450.00/head3,450.00–3,450.003,4501
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3352,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,4282,778.55/head2,500.00–2,900.002,7794
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2930245.63/cwt225.00–285.002,2848
HeifersMedium and Large 1450–500455415.00/cwt415.00–415.001,8888
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned400–450436447.30/cwt430.00–455.001,95011
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,1852,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,3602,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8001
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,3622,600.00/head2,600.00–2,600.002,6003
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0152,800.00/head2,800.00–2,800.002,8003
BullsMedium and Large 1750–800777318.73/cwt317.50–320.002,4774
Bred HeifersMedium and Large 11,0472,750.00/head2,750.00–2,750.002,7503
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,4242,322.96/head2,250.00–2,350.002,3233
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1-2971234.08/cwt220.00–255.002,2735
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,716167.86/cwt167.00–171.002,8805
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,585142.00/cwt142.00–142.002,2511
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,541174.80/cwt168.00–183.002,69446
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,162140.97/cwt120.00–159.001,63858
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,422165.18/cwt158.00–174.002,349187
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight890115.00/cwt115.00–115.001,0241
Bulls1,929179.89/cwt177.00–183.003,47015
Bulls1,819168.54/cwt164.50–175.003,06611
CowsBreaker 75-80%1,500166.00/cwt166.00–166.002,4902
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,273174.04/cwt173.00–176.002,2163
CowsBoner 80-85%Return to Feed1,387147.02/cwt125.00–159.002,03952
CowsLean 85-90%Return to Feed1,218163.67/cwt159.00–167.001,99469
CowsBoner 80-85%1,555152.21/cwt145.00–160.002,3672
CowsBoner 80-85%1,336117.02/cwt105.00–122.501,5634
Bulls1,995175.00/cwt175.00–175.003,4911
Bulls1,903185.54/cwt185.00–186.003,5312
CowsLean 85-90%1,085132.50/cwt132.50–132.501,4381
CowsBreaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,560163.03/cwt159.00–167.002,54310
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1Fleshy1,422216.39/cwt213.00–220.003,0772
Bred HeifersMedium 18232,400.00/head2,400.00–2,400.002,4002
CowsBoner 80-85%1,423131.16/cwt125.00–134.001,8664
CowsBreaker 75-80%Heavy Weight2,070169.00/cwt169.00–169.003,4981
CowsLean 85-90%Light Weight61575.00/cwt75.00–75.004611
CowsLean 85-90%1,119106.31/cwt92.50–120.001,19016
SteersMedium and Large 1-2450–500468430.00/cwt430.00–430.002,0122
Bred CowsMedium and Large 11,0013,050.00/head3,050.00–3,050.003,0504
Stock CowsMedium and Large 11,086228.87/cwt192.00–286.002,48670
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-21,5602,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4502
Bred CowsMedium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,3612,075.00/head2,075.00–2,075.002,07510
Stock CowsMedium and Large 1999276.99/cwt217.50–307.002,76772
BullsMedium and Large 2650–700665292.50/cwt292.50–292.501,9454
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned400–450433420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,8193
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned500–550500350.00/cwt350.00–350.001,7501
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2950–1000994271.00/cwt271.00–271.002,6944
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned600–650608369.00/cwt369.00–369.002,2442
HeifersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned450–500497360.03/cwt350.00–370.001,7894
SteersMedium and Large 1-2Unweaned450–500489448.93/cwt442.50–460.002,1955

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.