Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-10-23

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-10-23
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-10-23

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Oct 23

● Final73 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775

← Oct 16Oct 23Oct 30 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

788 head

▲ 237 vs last sale 551▲ 652 vs year ago 136 · +479.4%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

787 head

▲ 288 vs last sale 499▲ 459 vs year ago 328 · +139.9%

Replacement Cattle receipts

285 head

▲ 190 vs last sale 95▲ 214 vs year ago 71 · +301.4%

Also sold hereRegular saleThu Oct 29, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: The best test for feeder cattle was for 500-599 lbs steers which sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher than last Monday. All other weights of steers and heifers sold with lower undertones. CME positions sold off sharply today on all feeder cattle contracts. The November contract through September 2024 all lost between 6.35-7.40 following the bearish cattle on feed report which was released on Friday. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive and overall much better than last Mondays sale. Demand and offerings were light to moderate. All feeders were offered in small packages or as singles. With a large early winter storm forecasted for later in the week some ranchers opted to sell calves today instead of later in the week. Market activity was mostly moderate. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Slaughter cows sold steady to 3.00 lower on breaking cows, boning and lean cows sold 5.00-8.00 lower. High quality feeding cows, suitable to feed to premium white, sold mostly 5.00 lower. Thin short term feeding cows sold 5.00-7.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Slaughter bulls sold steady to 3.00 lower in a narrow comparison. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to 5.00 lower.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $278.90/cwt on 392 head.

Average price

$278.90

392 head · 515 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,436

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$182

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Large 1

$22.32/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−25.78

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	516	283.32	1,461	280
Medium and Large 1-2	514	267.91	1,376	111
Large 1	490	261.00	1,279	1thin

One grade step is worth $22.32/cwt here — about $182 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 0–100 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

How it compared 0–100 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale392 hd

278.90

—

MT average5 barns · 4,758 hd

304.68

−25.78

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	1,720	100.47	1,728	51
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,599	101.17	1,618	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,423	90.66	1,290	260
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,225	81.46	998	284

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	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,121	$1,675	4thin

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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.

Class	Weight	Grade / description	Avg wt	Price	Range	Per head	Head
Feeder Cattle · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	1,050	26
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	310	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,054	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	410	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,312	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	415	324.83/cwt	316.00–333.00	1,348	30
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	424	309.42/cwt	305.00–316.00	1,312	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	468	307.97/cwt	300.00–317.50	1,441	47
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	477	271.08/cwt	270.00–277.50	1,293	28
Steers	—	Large 1Unweaned	490	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,279	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	518	280.15/cwt	270.00–284.00	1,451	65
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	518	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,347	10
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	572	263.57/cwt	246.00–274.00	1,508	51
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	572	244.13/cwt	236.00–252.50	1,396	42
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	631	237.17/cwt	236.00–242.50	1,497	37
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	655	233.00/cwt	231.00–236.50	1,526	20
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	680	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,496	2
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	709	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,638	4
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	743	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,731	4
Feeder Cattle · Heifers19 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	297	320.58/cwt	320.00–325.00	952	26
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	320	297.24/cwt	295.00–302.50	951	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	355	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,030	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	390	277.50/cwt	277.50–277.50	1,082	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	413	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	991	6
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	420	265.86/cwt	260.00–285.00	1,117	37
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	436	246.37/cwt	230.00–252.50	1,074	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	461	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,072	7
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	473	254.25/cwt	252.50–255.00	1,203	15
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	523	246.77/cwt	240.00–250.00	1,291	41
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	564	239.58/cwt	231.00–243.50	1,351	45
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	574	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	1,240	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	614	229.56/cwt	221.00–230.00	1,409	20
Heifers	—	Medium 1-2	635	182.50/cwt	182.50–182.50	1,159	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	669	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,472	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	704	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,514	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	859	214.55/cwt	212.00–219.00	1,843	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	910	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,911	3
Heifers	—	Large 1	1,110	187.51/cwt	187.00–188.50	2,081	9
Feeder Cattle · Bulls3 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,029	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	1,770	5
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,070	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	2,012	1
Bulls	—	Large 1	1,073	164.74/cwt	162.00–180.00	1,768	16
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls6 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Light Weight	1,183	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,029	4
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,600	97.94/cwt	94.00–104.00	1,567	18
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,797	104.99/cwt	104.50–106.00	1,887	3
Bulls	—	—	1,823	100.47/cwt	91.00–105.50	1,832	15
Bulls	—	—	1,882	109.59/cwt	107.00–114.00	2,062	10
Bulls	—	—Heavy Weight	2,625	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	2,494	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows19 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	845	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	625	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	945	60.00/cwt	60.00–60.00	567	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,060	102.50/cwt	102.50–102.50	1,087	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,175	68.80/cwt	61.00–72.50	808	19
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,193	78.61/cwt	73.50–84.00	938	115
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,259	90.17/cwt	84.50–96.00	1,135	83
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,259	77.07/cwt	73.00–83.00	970	48
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,275	72.00/cwt	72.00–72.00	918	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,283	87.46/cwt	84.00–95.00	1,122	14
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,382	83.82/cwt	80.00–91.00	1,158	51
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,413	81.73/cwt	77.00–86.00	1,155	50
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,415	105.00/cwt	105.00–105.00	1,486	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,423	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,309	2
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,437	96.74/cwt	92.00–103.00	1,390	146
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,455	91.72/cwt	87.00–93.00	1,335	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,473	74.56/cwt	72.00–77.00	1,098	7
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,596	106.10/cwt	105.00–108.00	1,693	5
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,605	105.13/cwt	105.00–106.00	1,687	8
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,635	96.96/cwt	90.00–102.00	1,585	9
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows6 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	765	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	1,281	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	959	160.51/cwt	131.00–185.00	1,539	122
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	987	94.71/cwt	82.00–110.00	935	10
Stock Cows	—	Large 1	1,035	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,273	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,103	119.69/cwt	114.00–126.00	1,320	2
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,130	121.67/cwt	102.00–141.00	1,375	69
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows3 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,121	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	4
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,257	81.00/cwt	81.00–81.00	1,018	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,411	79.38/cwt	76.00–81.00	1,120	6

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 →

Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Mon)

Mon Oct 23, 2023

USDA Livestock, Poultry & Grain Market News · Federal-State Market News Service, Billings, MT (LS-BL)

Feeder CattleReceipts 788Last week 551Year ago 136

Slaughter CattleReceipts 787Last week 499Year ago 328

Replacement CattleReceipts 285Last week 95Year ago 71

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
26	—	300	350.00	350.00
51	—	572	246.00–274.00	263.57
30	—	415	316.00–333.00	324.83
37	—	631	236.00–242.50	237.17
65	—	518	270.00–284.00	280.15
20	—	655	231.00–236.50	233.00
4	—	709	231.00	231.00
47	—	468	300.00–317.50	307.97

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
42	—	572	236.00–252.50	244.13
10	—	518	260.00	260.00
13	—	424	305.00–316.00	309.42
2	—	680	220.00	220.00
28	—	477	270.00–277.50	271.08
3	—	310	340.00	340.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	490	261.00	261.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	410	320.00	320.00
4	—	743	233.00	233.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
41	—	523	240.00–250.00	246.77
2	—	355	290.00	290.00
37	—	420	260.00–285.00	265.86
15	—	473	252.50–255.00	254.25
20	—	614	221.00–230.00	229.56
8	—	669	220.00	220.00
45	—	564	231.00–243.50	239.58

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	910	210.00	210.00
11	—	859	212.00–219.00	214.55

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	574	216.00	216.00
11	—	436	230.00–252.50	246.37
26	—	297	320.00–325.00	320.58
7	—	320	295.00–302.50	297.24
8	—	390	277.50	277.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	461	232.50	232.50
6	—	413	240.00	240.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,110	187.00–188.50	187.51

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	704	215.00	215.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	635	182.50	182.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,070	188.00	188.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,029	172.00	172.00
16	—	1,073	162.00–180.00	164.74

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,423	92.00	92.00
8	—	1,605	105.00–106.00	105.13

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
146	—	1,437	92.00–103.00	96.74
51	—	1,382	80.00–91.00	83.82
1	—	1,415	105.00	105.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,060	102.50	102.50
83	—	1,259	84.50–96.00	90.17
2	—	1,275	72.00	72.00
115	—	1,193	73.50–84.00	78.61

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
48	—	1,259	73.00–83.00	77.07
14	—	1,283	84.00–95.00	87.46
19	—	1,175	61.00–72.50	68.80

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,596	105.00–108.00	106.10
9	—	1,635	90.00–102.00	96.96

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
50	—	1,413	77.00–86.00	81.73
7	—	1,473	72.00–77.00	74.56
5	—	1,455	87.00–93.00	91.72

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	945	60.00	60.00
1	—	845	74.00	74.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
15	—	1,823	91.00–105.50	100.47
10	—	1,882	107.00–114.00	109.59

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,625	95.00	95.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	1,183	87.00	87.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
18	—	1,600	94.00–104.00	97.94
3	—	1,797	104.50–106.00	104.99

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	10	—	987	82.00–110.00	94.71
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	1,103	114.00–126.00	119.69

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	69	—	1,130	102.00–141.00	121.67
(<2 yrs)	Open	122	—	959	131.00–185.00	160.51

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	2	—	765	167.50	167.50

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	1	—	1,035	123.00	123.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	4	—	1,121	1,675.00	1,675.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	3	—	1,257	81.00	81.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per cwt · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	6	—	1,411	76.00–81.00	79.38

Head, weight ranges, average weights and price ranges are exactly as USDA AMS filed them — nothing recomputed, nothing rounded — in USDA's own reporting structure. This is RaisedBeef's rendering of that data, not a copy of USDA's document.