Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2025-12-08
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2025-12-08

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: All cattle were too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly good for very light offerings. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Most feeders were offered in small packages with many singles noticed. Market activity was mostly active with a average crowd in the stands for a Monday sale. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Too few cattle were seen last week to develop any market trend. Demand was stronger this week for all cows and bulls on offer; higher undertones were noticed on all feeding cows on offer. Cow quality this week was mixed from plain to attractive. Weigh up conditions were mostly average to below average today. Slaughter bulls sold on moderate demand for light offerings; higher undertones were noticed. Feeding bull buyers showed good demand for all bulls suitable to feed. Quality was mostly average this week. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on moderate to good demand. Quality this week was mostly plain to average. Steady undertones were noticed.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $421.53/cwt on 46 head.

Average price

$421.53

46 head · 554 lb average

Value per head Derived

$2,333

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$115

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

$26.98/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−14.83

vs MT average

−9.10 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	552	432.31	2,384	26
Large 1	535	420.00	2,247	3thin
Medium and Large 1-2	560	405.33	2,269	17thin

One grade step is worth $26.98/cwt here — about $115 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.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale46 hd

421.53

—

MT average4 barns · 626 hd

436.37

−14.83

National average179 barns · 20,601 hd

430.63

−9.10

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	—	Average	1,792	175.86	3,152	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,601	158.34	2,535	34
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,373	155.68	2,138	205
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,165	140.64	1,638	85
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,220	112.50	1,373	1thin

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)	1,189	$3,137	5
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,215	$3,000	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,415	$2,800	1thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,270	$2,800	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,437	$2,450	6
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,415	$1,900	1thin

Every lot, as filed

73 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
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	350–400	389	395.00/cwt	395.00–395.00	1,537	9
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,215	3,000.00/head	3,000.00–3,000.00	3,000	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	633	391.98/cwt	388.00–396.00	2,481	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	558	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,869	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	297	522.05/cwt	510.00–530.00	1,550	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	630	322.00/cwt	322.00–322.00	2,029	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	1200–1250	1,230	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,829	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	325	520.00/cwt	520.00–520.00	1,690	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	468	345.11/cwt	325.00–365.00	1,615	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	415	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,619	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	478	403.97/cwt	395.00–420.00	1,931	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	694	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	2,151	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	588	355.03/cwt	350.00–360.00	2,088	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	669	385.56/cwt	385.00–390.00	2,579	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	315	630.32/cwt	610.00–650.00	1,986	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	634	397.00/cwt	397.00–397.00	2,517	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	492	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,337	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	397	435.00/cwt	435.00–435.00	1,727	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	615	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,968	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	448	510.00/cwt	510.00–510.00	2,285	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	567	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,381	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	500	475.00/cwt	475.00–475.00	2,375	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	535	420.00/cwt	420.00–420.00	2,247	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	485	455.00/cwt	455.00–455.00	2,207	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	362	605.00/cwt	605.00–605.00	2,190	4
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	441	485.00/cwt	485.00–485.00	2,139	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	500	465.00/cwt	465.00–465.00	2,325	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	534	416.30/cwt	405.00–435.00	2,223	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	578	397.65/cwt	360.00–415.00	2,298	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	427	483.72/cwt	460.00–495.00	2,065	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	460	400.00/cwt	400.00–400.00	1,840	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	700–750	735	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	2,132	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,135	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	2,752	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	405	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,802	1
Bulls	Large 1	1050–1100	1,093	287.50/cwt	287.50–287.50	3,142	2
Bulls	Large 1	750–800	770	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	2,349	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,344	143.38/cwt	120.00–156.00	1,927	49
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,431	171.57/cwt	171.00–176.00	2,455	17
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,368	162.05/cwt	156.00–170.00	2,217	120
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,135	168.00/cwt	168.00–168.00	1,907	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,466	142.71/cwt	138.00–144.00	2,092	8
Bulls	—	—	1,825	181.87/cwt	178.00–186.00	3,319	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,160	140.17/cwt	137.50–143.00	1,626	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	760	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	570	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,143	137.48/cwt	127.50–155.00	1,571	45
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,173	118.13/cwt	105.00–131.00	1,386	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,721	150.33/cwt	140.00–155.00	2,587	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,220	158.54/cwt	156.00–166.00	1,934	24
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,220	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,373	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,628	158.78/cwt	158.00–159.00	2,585	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,404	125.89/cwt	117.50–135.00	1,767	11
Bulls	—	—	1,673	154.24/cwt	147.50–158.00	2,580	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,501	162.82/cwt	161.00–167.00	2,444	13
Bulls	—	—	2,045	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	3,845	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,865	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	3,488	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,636	181.70/cwt	174.00–192.50	2,973	8
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,903	170.41/cwt	168.00–172.00	3,243	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	233.15/cwt	190.00–275.00	2,551	32
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,360	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,516	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,218	202.39/cwt	200.00–205.00	2,465	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,258	3,263.05/head	3,200.00–3,300.00	3,263	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,085	2,948.62/head	2,900.00–3,000.00	2,949	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	951	262.02/cwt	235.00–292.50	2,492	49
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	960	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,968	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,093	229.55/cwt	182.00–260.00	2,509	9
Stock Cows	Medium 1-2	—	700	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,453	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	998	297.28/cwt	245.00–320.00	2,967	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	828	171.31/cwt	165.00–177.50	1,418	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,415	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,270	2,800.00/head	2,800.00–2,800.00	2,800	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,437	2,450.00/head	2,450.00–2,450.00	2,450	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,415	1,900.00/head	1,900.00–1,900.00	1,900	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	—	835	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	1,545	2

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 →