Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-12-16

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Mon, Dec 16
● Final87 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1775
Feeder Cattle receipts
390 head
▲ 27 vs last sale 363▼ 100 vs year ago 490 · −20.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
343 head
▼ 198 vs last sale 541▼ 58 vs year ago 401 · −14.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
138 head
▼ 197 vs last sale 335▲ 37 vs year ago 101 · +36.6%
View

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last Mondays sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested either last week or this week to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Limited offerings of feeders sold on moderate demand. Quality today was mostly plain to average and similar to last week. Most calves were offered in small packages, forcing buyers to piece together loads. Market activity was mostly moderate to active with moderate size buyer pool bidding on calves. 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 to moderate offerings. This is the last sale to feature weigh ups sale prior to the holiday break. Most cows were purchased to feed again this week. Packers showed good demand for both slaughter and feeding cows this week. Very few cows were purchased to send to immediate harvest this week. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all classes. Short term feeding cows sold mostly 1.00-3.00 higher. High quality cows suitable to feed to premium white sold 1.00-4.00 higher. Quality was most average to attractive today. Weigh up conditions were below average today with many very full cows on offer. Despite fill conditions demand for all feeding cows was good to very good. Slaughter bulls sold generally steady to 2.00 higher. Weigh up conditions for bulls was similar to cows as most bulls were pushing heavy amounts of fill. Cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on mostly good demand. Young age offerings sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly plain to attractive.

Weight classPick one — the panels below update

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot
500–600 lb heifers averaged $307.54/cwt on 100 head. That ranks 1 of 3 comparable sales and sits −51.97 against this barn's trailing median of $359.50.
Average price
$307.54
100 head · 536 lb average
Value per head Derived
$1,647
Price × average weight ÷ 100
Grade differential Derived
$86
per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium and Large 1-2
$19.55/cwt at this weight
vs the market
+0.88
vs MT average
+22.59 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1535309.881,65788
Medium and Large 1-2541290.331,57212thin
One grade step is worth $19.55/cwt here — about $86 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 sale100 hd
307.54
—
MT average4 barns · 1,053 hd
306.66
+0.88
National average180 barns · 17,940 hd
284.95
+22.59
This barn, trailing median3 sales
359.50
−51.97
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
384366348329median 359.5010/1210/1210/1910/2610/26
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 · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Average1,840146.562,69748
CowsBreaker 75-80%Average1,576119.341,88117
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,385117.791,632134
CowsLean 85-90%Low1,141108.021,233104

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,152$2,30912
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,288$2,1437
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)943$2,1002thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)1,349$2,02219
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)1,170$2,0001thin
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)1,170$1,9252thin
Bred Cows2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)Aged (>8 yrs)1,319$1,78126
Bred Heifers2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)(<2 yrs)897$2,0305

Every lot, as filed

87 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.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers17 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1284512.95/cwt512.50–515.001,4575
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned300475.00/cwt475.00–475.001,4251
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2350375.00/cwt375.00–375.001,3132
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1361435.63/cwt420.00–460.001,5735
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned378385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,4552
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1405420.00/cwt420.00–420.001,7011
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned407377.50/cwt377.50–377.501,5366
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2485345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,6732
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned497361.00/cwt361.00–361.001,79424
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned498345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,7184
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned528329.32/cwt317.50–337.501,7394
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned531340.33/cwt338.00–350.001,80710
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1565327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,8502
Steers600–650Large 1620288.92/cwt285.00–291.001,7913
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned634295.00/cwt295.00–295.001,87011
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned658301.68/cwt291.00–302.001,98535
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1-2744270.00/cwt270.00–270.002,0099
Feeder Cattle · Heifers27 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned298385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,1474
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned311392.50/cwt392.50–392.501,2214
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned360364.97/cwt360.00–367.501,3143
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2440330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,4521
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned440330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,4522
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned461319.29/cwt319.00–320.001,4727
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1463331.00/cwt331.00–331.001,53315
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2465302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,4072
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned487304.63/cwt301.00–314.001,48410
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned522298.00/cwt298.00–298.001,5568
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1525311.87/cwt310.00–312.001,63745
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned529313.50/cwt313.50–313.501,65815
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned552309.33/cwt296.00–312.501,70821
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1559291.00/cwt291.00–291.001,6277
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned580275.00/cwt275.00–275.001,5954
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned626257.76/cwt257.50–258.001,6144
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2715240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,7162
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1-2768236.90/cwt236.00–237.501,8195
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1825237.00/cwt237.00–237.001,9551
Heifers800–850Medium and Large 1-2835223.00/cwt223.00–223.001,8621
Heifers850–900Large 1880234.00/cwt234.00–234.002,0591
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1885237.00/cwt237.00–237.002,0972
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2929216.96/cwt213.00–229.002,0164
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 11,010222.51/cwt221.00–224.002,2472
Heifers1050–1100Large 11,065210.34/cwt208.00–214.002,2403
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,120212.00/cwt212.00–212.002,3741
Heifers1250–1300Large 1Fleshy1,287186.00/cwt186.00–186.002,3943
Feeder Cattle · Bulls7 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1462345.00/cwt345.00–345.001,5945
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned495335.00/cwt335.00–335.001,6586
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1570319.00/cwt319.00–319.001,8186
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned579310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,7954
Bulls600–650Medium and Large 1603302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,8242
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1-2700250.00/cwt250.00–250.001,7501
Bulls1250–1300Large 1Fleshy1,280152.00/cwt152.00–152.001,9461
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,500140.57/cwt131.00–144.002,1096
Bulls——1,798137.53/cwt118.00–146.002,4736
Bulls——1,877149.06/cwt147.00–151.002,79834
Bulls——2,160154.00/cwt154.00–154.003,3261
Bulls——Heavy Weight2,565144.00/cwt144.00–144.003,6941
Slaughter Cattle · Cows15 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight79783.00/cwt83.00–83.006625
Cows—Lean 85-90%Light Weight85877.70/cwt75.00–80.006672
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,11890.51/cwt90.00–91.001,0122
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12583.94/cwt76.00–87.009445
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,12792.59/cwt91.00–95.001,0435
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,146108.00/cwt98.00–114.001,23846
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,192117.44/cwt114.00–124.001,40034
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,247127.90/cwt127.50–128.001,5955
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,365130.53/cwt129.00–134.501,78212
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,379110.60/cwt96.00–116.501,52556
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,394121.58/cwt116.00–129.001,69566
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,533122.93/cwt122.00–124.001,8852
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,548119.13/cwt115.00–121.001,84411
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,623116.18/cwt112.00–119.001,8863
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,830124.00/cwt124.00–124.002,2691
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers2 lots · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 1Non-Legible BANGS7971,850.00/head1,850.00–1,850.001,8503
Bred Heifers—Medium and Large 11,0482,300.00/head2,300.00–2,300.002,3002
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows10 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 19432,100.00/head2,100.00–2,100.002,1002
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1072,261.57/head2,075.00–2,375.002,2629
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1702,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,1701,925.00/head1,925.00–1,925.001,9252
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,2451,714.46/head1,500.00–1,750.001,71415
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,2852,450.00/head2,450.00–2,450.002,4503
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,2882,143.45/head2,025.00–2,250.002,1437
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,3312,050.00/head2,050.00–2,050.002,0506
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,3572,008.77/head1,900.00–2,025.002,00913
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth1,4201,872.22/head1,850.00–1,900.001,87211
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows4 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2938167.31/cwt165.00–170.001,5692
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2965128.71/cwt116.00–155.001,2426
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,031187.40/cwt141.00–208.001,93255
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,147149.51/cwt124.00–180.001,71517

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.