Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-11-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-11-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: Feeder cattle were not tested this week as todays sale featured bred cows and weigh ups. A few tested open heifers were seen this week off bred consignments. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for mostly moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold 5.00-8.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Order buyers buying lame cows to feed bid against packers all day as they tried to buy cows to feed. This pushed low yielding slaughter cows higher in places. High quality feeding cows suitable to feed to premium white sold mostly 2.00-4.00 lower. Thin feeding cows sold 2.00-4.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Many lame and blemished cows were purchased to feed this week Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Many full cows were noticed today with the change of weather seen. Slaughter bulls sold on light to moderate demand for light offerings. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 5.00 lower. Quality was mostly average this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 5.00 higher. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive as many offerings sold tested open off todays bred cow offering. A heavy offering of bred cows were seen today with over 1100 pregnancy checked cows and heifers on offer. Demand was mostly good for all bred cows on offer. A large crowd was on hand for todays bred cow special and demand remained very consistent through out the sale. Market activity was mostly active for all bred cows on offer.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 800–900 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

800–900 lb heifers averaged $277.87/cwt on 21 head.

Average price

$277.87

21 head · 872 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,423

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

—

single grade reported

vs the market

−10.37

vs MT average

−3.23 vs national

What quality paid 800–900 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	872	277.87	2,423	21

Only one grade was reported at this weight, so there is no spread to compute.

How it compared 800–900 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale21 hd

277.87

—

MT average3 barns · 43 hd

288.24

−10.37

National average29 barns · 1,330 hd

281.10

−3.23

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	1,804	171.20	3,088	32
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,598	159.07	2,541	63
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,359	154.17	2,095	170
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,145	145.13	1,661	182

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/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,533	$3,800	11
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,242	$3,759	125
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,454	$3,700	16
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,443	$3,534	56
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,049	$3,363	107
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,260	$3,179	15
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,131	$2,947	7
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,151	$2,900	4thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,382	$2,847	131
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,595	$2,700	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,341	$2,685	265
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,291	$2,493	20
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,323	$2,421	68
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,313	$2,150	2thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	918	$3,149	11
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	910	$2,996	14
Cow-Calf Pairs	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,359	$4,025	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Open	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,225	$3,800	14

Every lot, as filed

66 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
Bulls	—	—	1,704	161.50/cwt	145.00–171.00	2,752	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	960	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	912	1
Bulls	—	—	1,913	174.06/cwt	171.00–180.00	3,330	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,163	158.05/cwt	155.00–165.00	1,838	59
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,124	133.53/cwt	129.00–138.00	1,501	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,143	138.61/cwt	120.00–154.50	1,584	101
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,350	2,765.04/head	2,450.00–3,000.00	2,765	232
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	966	3,400.00/head	3,400.00–3,400.00	3,400	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,120	3,600.00/head	3,600.00–3,600.00	3,600	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,118	222.81/cwt	210.00–236.50	2,491	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	995	284.73/cwt	231.00–315.00	2,833	14
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,154	3,015.52/head	2,850.00–3,100.00	3,016	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	858	3,500.00/head	3,500.00–3,500.00	3,500	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	971	2,700.00/head	2,700.00–2,700.00	2,700	25
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,313	2,150.00/head	2,150.00–2,150.00	2,150	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,364	2,328.22/head	1,900.00–2,550.00	2,328	30
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,278	2,078.39/head	2,000.00–2,100.00	2,078	13
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	950	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,073	2,774.94/head	2,750.00–2,800.00	2,775	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,168	3,100.00/head	3,100.00–3,100.00	3,100	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	964	237.62/cwt	205.00–270.00	2,291	10
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,294	2,051.26/head	1,800.00–2,300.00	2,051	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,247	2,845.96/head	2,300.00–3,100.00	2,846	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,374	2,369.32/head	2,300.00–2,450.00	2,369	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,041	199.11/cwt	171.00–250.00	2,073	7
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,253	4,029.01/head	3,700.00–4,600.00	4,029	88
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,062	248.91/cwt	178.00–315.00	2,643	69
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,056	3,642.63/head	3,300.00–3,800.00	3,643	74
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,151	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,289	3,080.24/head	2,800.00–3,200.00	3,080	28
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,232	2,852.88/head	2,800.00–2,900.00	2,853	8
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1	—	1,359	4,025.00/head	4,025.00–4,025.00	4,025	7
Cow-Calf Pairs	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,225	3,800.00/head	3,800.00–3,800.00	3,800	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,165	172.14/cwt	170.00–172.50	2,005	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,347	144.77/cwt	129.00–154.00	1,950	64
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,736	154.71/cwt	145.00–159.00	2,686	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,366	160.98/cwt	155.00–168.00	2,199	89
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,123	118.06/cwt	107.50–123.00	1,326	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,295	116.96/cwt	114.00–125.00	1,515	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,790	167.39/cwt	159.00–171.50	2,996	5
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,558	152.99/cwt	137.00–159.00	2,384	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	790	101.03/cwt	100.00–102.00	798	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,535	166.32/cwt	164.00–168.00	2,553	24
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,562	161.48/cwt	161.00–162.00	2,522	4
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,685	176.76/cwt	171.00–180.00	2,978	6
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	873	3,049.31/head	2,750.00–3,200.00	3,049	9
Bred Cows	Large 1	—	1,149	2,900.00/head	2,900.00–2,900.00	2,900	4
Bred Cows	Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,322	2,050.00/head	2,050.00–2,050.00	2,050	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,367	170.96/cwt	169.00–173.00	2,337	11
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,508	134.04/cwt	133.00–135.00	2,021	2
Bulls	—	—	1,660	175.00/cwt	175.00–175.00	2,905	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,491	3,702.00/head	3,200.00–3,925.00	3,702	45
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,333	2,553.73/head	2,450.00–2,625.00	2,554	50
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,595	2,700.00/head	2,700.00–2,700.00	2,700	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	1,190	2,400.00/head	2,400.00–2,400.00	2,400	6
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	823	2,750.00/head	2,750.00–2,750.00	2,750	5
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	779	260.93/cwt	245.00–282.50	2,033	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	972	262.31/cwt	261.00–265.00	2,550	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,038	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	2,637	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	872	277.87/cwt	271.00–281.00	2,423	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	945	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	2,504	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,274	3,191.05/head	3,000.00–3,550.00	3,191	13
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,454	3,700.00/head	3,700.00–3,700.00	3,700	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,270	2,524.42/head	2,500.00–2,550.00	2,524	16
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,533	3,800.00/head	3,800.00–3,800.00	3,800	11
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,387	3,001.49/head	2,700.00–3,600.00	3,001	101

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 →