Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-12-02

Billings Livestock Commission

Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-12-02
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-12-02

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Dec 2

● Final72 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775

← Nov 25Dec 2Dec 9 →

Feeder Cattle receipts

233 head

▲ 215 vs last sale 18▼ 85 vs year ago 318 · −26.7%

Slaughter Cattle receipts

386 head

▼ 40 vs last sale 426▼ 254 vs year ago 640 · −39.7%

Replacement Cattle receipts

90 head

▼ 1,335 vs last sale 1,425▼ 219 vs year ago 309 · −70.9%

Also sold hereRegular saleThu Oct 29, 2026

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Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Feeder cattle were not tested last week as last weeks sale featured bred cows. Limited offerings of feeders sold on light to moderate demand as quality hampered demand. Quality today was mostly plain to average. Market activity was mostly moderate. The best demand continues to be for light weight offerings suitable to run on grass or wheat. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand today for light offerings. Demand for cows was stronger today. Most cows were purchased to feed. Packers showed good demand for both slaughter and short term feeding cows this week. Very few cows were purchased to send to immediate harvest this week. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to firm on boning and lean cows, breaking cows were all purchased to feed. Short term feeding cows sold mostly steady to 1.00 higher. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold 1.00 to 2.00 higher. Quality was most average to attractive. Slaughter bulls sold 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Weigh up conditions were mostly average. Cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Young age offerings sold mostly 5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Market activity was mostly moderate to active.

Weight class — the figures below change to match

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $264.95/cwt on 30 head. That ranks 1 of 3 comparable sales and sits −94.56 against this barn's trailing median of $359.50.

Average price

$264.95

30 head · 564 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,493

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$111

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

$7.34/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−24.02

vs MT average

−18.37 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	574	267.88	1,538	18thin
Medium and Large 1-2	548	260.55	1,428	12thin

One grade step is worth $7.34/cwt here — about $111 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 sale30 hd

264.95

—

MT average3 barns · 276 hd

288.97

−24.02

National average190 barns · 29,311 hd

283.32

−18.37

This barn, trailing median3 sales

359.50

−94.56

A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

3 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $370.05, low $343.45, median $359.50 across 3 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

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	1,805	145.08	2,618	31
Cows	Boner 80-85%	High	1,414	116.89	1,653	87
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,885	116.00	2,187	2thin
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,113	106.95	1,191	96
Dairy Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,780	95.00	1,691	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	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	920	$2,000	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,285	$1,725	1thin
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,370	$1,675	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,177	$1,610	5

Every lot, as filed

72 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 · Steers20 lots · lightest first
Steers	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	329	467.34/cwt	450.00–480.00	1,538	8
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	365	430.00/cwt	430.00–430.00	1,570	1
Steers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	378	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,455	3
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	408	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,591	2
Steers	400–450	Small and Medium 2Unweaned	423	165.00/cwt	165.00–165.00	698	2
Steers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	425	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,573	1
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	472	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,534	3
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	483	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,618	14
Steers	450–500	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	495	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,559	4
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2	520	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,677	6
Steers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	521	319.83/cwt	312.50–327.00	1,666	7
Steers	500–550	Medium 1Unweaned	526	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,578	6
Steers	550–600	Medium 1Unweaned	578	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,676	4
Steers	650–700	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	670	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,675	3
Steers	650–700	Medium 1Unweaned	689	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,671	6
Steers	800–850	Medium and Large 1	817	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,043	3
Steers	850–900	Medium and Large 2	898	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,029	2
Steers	900–950	Medium and Large 1-2	918	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	2,121	2
Steers	1000–1050	Medium and Large 1	1,025	227.54/cwt	227.00–229.00	2,332	11
Steers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1	1,058	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	2,354	5
Feeder Cattle · Heifers18 lots · lightest first
Heifers	350–400	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	375	332.50/cwt	332.50–332.50	1,247	2
Heifers	400–450	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	435	307.17/cwt	295.00–310.00	1,336	20
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	452	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,198	3
Heifers	450–500	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	498	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	1,439	2
Heifers	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	504	272.25/cwt	265.00–283.00	1,372	5
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	555	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,487	3
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2	570	257.00/cwt	257.00–257.00	1,465	2
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1	578	267.86/cwt	264.50–273.00	1,548	15
Heifers	550–600	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	583	250.26/cwt	247.50–262.00	1,459	5
Heifers	600–650	Medium and Large 1	630	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,701	4
Heifers	600–650	Medium 2	630	237.00/cwt	237.00–237.00	1,493	3
Heifers	700–750	Medium and Large 1	708	240.50/cwt	240.50–240.50	1,703	7
Heifers	800–850	Medium and Large 1-2	828	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,863	3
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1-2	861	219.18/cwt	217.00–227.50	1,887	5
Heifers	850–900	Medium and Large 1	875	232.37/cwt	232.00–232.50	2,033	4
Heifers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1	1,065	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	2,194	1
Heifers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1-2	1,073	191.00/cwt	191.00–191.00	2,049	6
Heifers	1050–1100	Medium and Large 1-2Fleshy	1,086	172.00/cwt	172.00–172.00	1,868	4
Feeder Cattle · Bulls8 lots · lightest first
Bulls	250–300	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	295	495.00/cwt	495.00–495.00	1,460	1
Bulls	300–350	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	315	470.00/cwt	470.00–470.00	1,481	1
Bulls	400–450	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	410	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,579	2
Bulls	450–500	Medium and Large 1	455	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,456	1
Bulls	500–550	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	511	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,571	4
Bulls	600–650	Medium and Large 1-2	628	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,758	7
Bulls	700–750	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	730	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,789	2
Bulls	750–800	Medium and Large 1-2	775	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	1,802	1
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,664	141.79/cwt	132.00–145.50	2,359	12
Bulls	—	—Return to Feed	1,754	147.85/cwt	145.00–150.00	2,593	9
Bulls	—	—	1,770	129.00/cwt	129.00–129.00	2,283	1
Bulls	—	—	1,980	148.56/cwt	145.00–150.50	2,941	8
Bulls	—	—	2,585	148.00/cwt	148.00–148.00	3,826	1
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	880	65.00/cwt	65.00–65.00	572	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,075	123.00/cwt	123.00–123.00	1,322	1
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,093	105.22/cwt	91.00–109.00	1,150	37
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	1,125	113.12/cwt	109.00–120.00	1,273	46
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,138	93.75/cwt	89.00–100.00	1,067	6
Cows	—	Lean 85-90%	1,180	83.99/cwt	80.00–85.00	991	5
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,408	118.86/cwt	110.00–124.50	1,674	45
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,411	106.91/cwt	99.00–110.00	1,509	23
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	1,413	125.77/cwt	124.00–129.00	1,777	17
Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,595	112.05/cwt	110.50–113.50	1,787	2
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	1,730	121.00/cwt	121.00–121.00	2,093	1
Cows	—	Breaker 75-80%Heavy Weight	2,040	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	2,264	1
Slaughter Cattle · Dairy Cows1 lot · lightest first
Dairy Cows	—	Boner 80-85%	1,780	95.00/cwt	95.00–95.00	1,691	1
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows4 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows	—	Medium 1	920	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,177	1,610.02/head	1,510.00–1,650.00	1,610	5
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	1,285	1,725.00/head	1,725.00–1,725.00	1,725	1
Bred Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	1,370	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	1
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	875	132.49/cwt	125.00–140.00	1,159	3
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1-2	925	157.94/cwt	142.00–165.00	1,461	7
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,009	189.34/cwt	172.00–215.00	1,910	22
Stock Cows	—	Medium and Large 1	1,103	149.80/cwt	147.50–152.50	1,652	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 2, 2024

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

Feeder CattleReceipts 233Last week 18Year ago 318

Slaughter CattleReceipts 386Last week 426Year ago 640

Replacement CattleReceipts 90Last week 1,425Year ago 309

Feeder Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
7	600–650	628	280.00	280.00
1	750–800	775	232.50	232.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
1	250–300	295	495.00	495.00
1	300–350	315	470.00	470.00
2	400–450	410	385.00	385.00
2	700–750	730	245.00	245.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	500–550	511	307.50	307.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
1	450–500	455	320.00	320.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
3	800–850	817	250.00	250.00
11	1000–1050	1,025	227.00–229.00	227.54
5	1050–1100	1,058	222.50	222.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
8	300–350	329	450.00–480.00	467.34
1	350–400	365	430.00	430.00
2	400–450	408	390.00	390.00
14	450–500	483	335.00	335.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	350–400	378	385.00	385.00
1	400–450	425	370.00	370.00
3	450–500	472	325.00	325.00
7	500–550	521	312.50–327.00	319.83
3	650–700	670	250.00	250.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	520	322.50	322.50
2	900–950	918	231.00	231.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Small and Medium 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	400–450	423	165.00	165.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
6	500–550	526	300.00	300.00
4	550–600	578	290.00	290.00
6	650–700	689	242.50	242.50

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	850–900	898	226.00	226.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Steers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
4	450–500	495	315.00	315.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1$ per cwt · actual wt
15	550–600	578	264.50–273.00	267.86
4	600–650	630	270.00	270.00
7	700–750	708	240.50	240.50
4	850–900	875	232.00–232.50	232.37
1	1050–1100	1,065	206.00	206.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	550–600	555	268.00	268.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
2	350–400	375	332.50	332.50
20	400–450	435	295.00–310.00	307.17
2	450–500	498	289.00	289.00
5	500–550	504	265.00–283.00	272.25
5	550–600	583	247.50–262.00	250.26

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
2	550–600	570	257.00	257.00
3	800–850	828	225.00	225.00
5	850–900	861	217.00–227.50	219.18
6	1050–1100	1,073	191.00	191.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 1-2 · Fleshy$ per cwt · actual wt
4	1050–1100	1,086	172.00	172.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium 2$ per cwt · actual wt
3	600–650	630	237.00	237.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Heifers — Medium and Large 2 · Unweaned$ per cwt · actual wt
3	450–500	452	265.00	265.00

Replacement Cattle

As reported

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per head · actual wt
Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	1	—	1,285	1,725.00	1,725.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Broken Mouth$ per head · actual wt
Aged (>8 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	1,370	1,675.00	1,675.00
Aged (>8 yrs)	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	5	—	1,177	1,510.00–1,650.00	1,610.02

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bred Cows — Medium 1$ per head · actual wt
Young (2-4 yrs)	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	1	—	920	2,000.00	2,000.00

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	7	—	925	142.00–165.00	157.94

Age	Stage	Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Stock Cows — Medium and Large 1-2 · Thin Fleshed$ per cwt · actual wt
(<2 yrs)	Open	3	—	875	125.00–140.00	132.49

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	2	—	1,103	147.50–152.50	149.80
(<2 yrs)	Open	22	—	1,009	172.00–215.00	189.34

Slaughter Cattle

As reported

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls — Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
9	—	1,754	145.00–150.00	147.85
12	—	1,664	132.00–145.50	141.79

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Bulls$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,770	129.00	129.00
1	—	2,585	148.00	148.00
8	—	1,980	145.00–150.50	148.56

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90%$ per cwt · actual wt
5	—	1,180	80.00–85.00	83.99
6	—	1,138	89.00–100.00	93.75

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,730	121.00	121.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
17	—	1,413	124.00–129.00	125.77
45	—	1,408	110.00–124.50	118.86
23	—	1,411	99.00–110.00	106.91

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Return to Feed$ per cwt · actual wt
46	—	1,125	109.00–120.00	113.12
37	—	1,093	91.00–109.00	105.22
1	—	1,075	123.00	123.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Breaker 75-80% · Heavy Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	2,040	111.00	111.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
2	—	1,595	110.50–113.50	112.05

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Cows — Lean 85-90% · Light Weight$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	880	65.00	65.00

Head	Wt range	Avg wt	Price range	Avg price
Dairy Cows — Boner 80-85%$ per cwt · actual wt
1	—	1,780	95.00	95.00

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.