Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2023-12-04

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-12-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-12-04

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Dec 4

● Final71 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775

← Nov 27Dec 4Dec 11 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

318 head

▲ 149 vs last sale 169▲ 119 vs year ago 199 · +59.8%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

640 head

▲ 138 vs last sale 502▲ 108 vs year ago 532 · +20.3%

Replacement Cattle receipts

309 head

▲ 244 vs last sale 65▲ 54 vs year ago 255 · +21.2%

Also sold hereRegular saleThu Oct 29, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to lower undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality today was plain to average. The best demand continues to be for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings, these offerings sold on moderate demand. All calves over 550 lbs sold on light demand today. Most offerings sold in small groups or as singles today. CME positions sold off sharply again today with triple digit losses seen on all contracts. The January contract closed 3.90 lower to close at 210.525, the March closed 3.65 lower at 213.575. Market activity was mostly slow today, with a small buyer pool on hand. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand for mostly moderate offerings. Breaking slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Boning and lean cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. High quality feeding cows sold steady 3.00 lower on a lower quality offering. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 lower. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average, with many full offerings noticed. Weigh up conditions hindered demand for cows slightly as many were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light demand again this week. Quality was mostly plain to average and most offerings sold to feed. This class was too lightly tested last week to develop any market trend.

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 $260.15/cwt on 137 head.

Average price

$260.15

137 head · 525 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,367

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$604

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

$32.84/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−8.83

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1-2	307	280.00	860	13thin
Medium and Large 1-2	506	268.64	1,358	63
Medium and Large 1	592	247.16	1,464	61

One grade step is worth $32.84/cwt here — about −$604 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 sale137 hd

260.15

—

MT average5 barns · 3,248 hd

268.99

−8.83

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	1,616	107.23	1,732	35
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,603	90.03	1,443	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,394	83.53	1,165	200
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,179	77.55	914	279

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)	1,160	$1,525	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,117	$1,475	13
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,410	$1,357	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,260	$1,312	13
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,275	$1,200	2thin
Bred Heifers	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,007	$1,500	5

Every lot, as filed

71 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 · Steers14 lots · lightest first
Steers	—	Medium 1-2Unweaned	307	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	860	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	330	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,023	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	366	342.00/cwt	342.00–342.00	1,252	9
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	427	300.85/cwt	280.00–305.00	1,285	35
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	480	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,392	1
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	489	277.69/cwt	275.00–279.00	1,358	3
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	534	259.55/cwt	255.00–268.00	1,386	11
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	565	229.95/cwt	225.00–231.00	1,299	12
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	572	243.24/cwt	240.00–247.00	1,391	13
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	613	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,379	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	680	209.59/cwt	206.00–211.00	1,425	7
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	692	210.50/cwt	210.50–210.50	1,457	19
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	714	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,464	5
Steers	—	Medium and Large 1	943	189.00/cwt	189.00–189.00	1,782	3
Feeder Cattle · Heifers18 lots · lightest first
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	246	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	531	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	342	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	858	9
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	359	242.32/cwt	240.00–243.00	870	19
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	397	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	854	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	440	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,060	1
Heifers	—	Medium 1Unweaned	444	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,079	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	456	242.66/cwt	240.00–243.00	1,107	19
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	483	251.00/cwt	251.00–251.00	1,212	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	518	241.20/cwt	230.00–245.00	1,249	4
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	555	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,321	14
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	607	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,305	11
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	620	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,296	2
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	818	189.39/cwt	189.00–190.00	1,549	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 2	829	174.00/cwt	174.00–174.00	1,442	5
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	884	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,591	9
Heifers	—	Large 1	885	177.50/cwt	177.50–177.50	1,571	8
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	902	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	1,542	3
Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,005	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	1,709	1
Feeder Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	715	199.93/cwt	195.00–210.00	1,429	3
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	979	163.46/cwt	154.00–172.00	1,600	8
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,032	146.63/cwt	144.00–154.00	1,513	18
Bulls	—	Medium and Large 1	1,095	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	1,451	2
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls4 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,188	112.50/cwt	112.50–112.50	1,337	2
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,410	100.10/cwt	90.00–110.00	1,411	7
Bulls	—	—	1,590	101.98/cwt	81.00–111.00	1,621	13
Bulls	—	—	1,818	115.50/cwt	110.00–119.00	2,100	13
Slaughter Cattle · Cows17 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	935	64.89/cwt	62.00–68.00	607	2
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	945	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	860	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,065	62.65/cwt	62.00–63.00	667	3
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,151	70.98/cwt	64.00–78.00	817	28
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,154	76.17/cwt	65.00–79.00	879	80
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,181	59.93/cwt	53.00–62.00	708	15
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,202	81.74/cwt	78.50–87.50	983	130
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,221	81.09/cwt	79.00–87.00	990	20
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,358	88.12/cwt	84.00–89.50	1,197	9
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,384	78.82/cwt	69.00–82.50	1,091	30
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,391	87.81/cwt	84.00–93.00	1,221	72
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,404	81.03/cwt	73.00–83.50	1,138	88
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,450	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	1,392	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,490	87.50/cwt	87.50–87.50	1,304	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,602	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,474	3
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,605	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,461	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%	1,660	87.86/cwt	86.00–89.50	1,458	2
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	965	105.89/cwt	103.00–115.00	1,022	4
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	965	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	869	1
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,002	80.14/cwt	80.00–81.00	803	8
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,034	131.87/cwt	98.00–149.00	1,364	112
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,072	103.87/cwt	84.00–129.00	1,113	122
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers	—	Medium and Large 1	1,007	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	5
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows8 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,117	1,475.00/head	1,475.00–1,475.00	1,475	13
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,160	1,525.00/head	1,525.00–1,525.00	1,525	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	1,197	1,150.00/head	1,150.00–1,150.00	1,150	3
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,275	1,200.00/head	1,200.00–1,200.00	1,200	2
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,279	1,360.00/head	1,360.00–1,360.00	1,360	10
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	1,316	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	1,026	8
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,360	1,450.00/head	1,450.00–1,450.00	1,450	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,435	1,310.00/head	1,310.00–1,310.00	1,310	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 →

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

Mon Dec 4, 2023

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 318Last week 169Year ago 199

Slaughter CattleReceipts 640Last week 502Year ago 532

Replacement CattleReceipts 309Last week 65Year ago 255

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	620	209.00	209.00
1	—	440	241.00	241.00
19	—	456	240.00–243.00	242.66
19	—	359	240.00–243.00	242.32
9	—	342	251.00	251.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	884	180.00	180.00
8	—	818	189.00–190.00	189.39
3	—	902	171.00	171.00
1	—	1,005	170.00	170.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	246	216.00	216.00
3	—	397	215.00	215.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
14	—	555	238.00	238.00
11	—	607	215.00	215.00
4	—	518	230.00–245.00	241.20
2	—	483	251.00	251.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	—	444	243.00	243.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	829	174.00	174.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	885	177.50	177.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	307	280.00	280.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
12	—	565	225.00–231.00	229.95
7	—	680	206.00–211.00	209.59
5	—	714	205.00	205.00
35	—	427	280.00–305.00	300.85
1	—	330	310.00	310.00
3	—	489	275.00–279.00	277.69

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	366	342.00	342.00
1	—	480	290.00	290.00
5	—	613	225.00	225.00
11	—	534	255.00–268.00	259.55
13	—	572	240.00–247.00	243.24
19	—	692	210.50	210.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	943	189.00	189.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
8	—	979	154.00–172.00	163.46
2	—	1,095	132.50	132.50
18	—	1,032	144.00–154.00	146.63

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	—	715	195.00–210.00	199.93

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
80	—	1,154	65.00–79.00	76.17
130	—	1,202	78.50–87.50	81.74
3	—	1,065	62.00–63.00	62.65
1	—	945	91.00	91.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,490	87.50	87.50
1	—	1,605	91.00	91.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
30	—	1,384	69.00–82.50	78.82
9	—	1,358	84.00–89.50	88.12

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
20	—	1,221	79.00–87.00	81.09
15	—	1,181	53.00–62.00	59.93
28	—	1,151	64.00–78.00	70.98

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,660	86.00–89.50	87.86
3	—	1,602	92.00	92.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,450	96.00	96.00
72	—	1,391	84.00–93.00	87.81
88	—	1,404	73.00–83.50	81.03

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	935	62.00–68.00	64.89

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
13	—	1,590	81.00–111.00	101.98
13	—	1,818	110.00–119.00	115.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
7	—	1,410	90.00–110.00	100.10
2	—	1,188	112.50	112.50

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	8	—	1,002	80.00–81.00	80.14
(<2 yrs)	Open	4	—	965	103.00–115.00	105.89

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	112	—	1,034	98.00–149.00	131.87
Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	Open	1	—	965	90.00	90.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	Open	122	—	1,072	84.00–129.00	103.87

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per head · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	5	—	1,007	1,500.00	1,500.00

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)	13	—	1,117	1,475.00	1,475.00
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,360	1,450.00	1,450.00
Young (2-4 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,160	1,525.00	1,525.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Thin Fleshed$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	3	—	1,197	1,150.00	1,150.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	2	—	1,435	1,310.00	1,310.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	2	—	1,275	1,200.00	1,200.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	8	—	1,316	78.00	78.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	10	—	1,279	1,360.00	1,360.00

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.