Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-10-19
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-10-19

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold generally steady in a narrow comparison; steer calves 500-650 lbs sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher; steer calves over 650 lbs not well compared. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested either this sale or last sale to develop a full market trend however lower undertones were noticed on a poorer quality offering. Heifer calves all sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality today was mostly average to attractive, and overall mush higher than last week. Most cattle were offered in small packages this sale, with no load lots seen. Large packages sold on good demand as not load lots were seen. Demand was good to very good for light weight calves suitable to develop into yearlings. Demand for calves over 500 lbs and yearlings was mostly moderate. CME positions sold off sharply today with the near-by October contract down 3.55 to settle at 243.575. The November through May contracts all closed over 5.00 lower. Despite this all buyers continued to show strong demand for calves. Market activity was mostly active today with a larger buyer pool noted. Weigh up cows were all too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate trend, however lower undertones were noticed on both feeding and slaughter cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any accurate market trend. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on very good demand today as rebreed buyers and feeding buyers both competed over offerings. Young age cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly average to attractive.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $308.94/cwt on 1,612 head.

Average price

$308.94

1,612 head · 526 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,626

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$521

per head · Medium and Large 2 over Large 1

$78.66/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.86

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 2	378	315.24	1,192	59
Medium and Large 1	524	315.23	1,652	1,221
Medium and Large 1-2	527	295.05	1,554	273
Medium 1-2	649	238.00	1,545	8thin
Large 1	724	236.58	1,712	51

One grade step is worth $78.66/cwt here — about −$521 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 sale1,612 hd

308.94

—

MT average5 barns · 3,647 hd

311.81

−2.86

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	1,463	99.39	1,454	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,553	100.98	1,568	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,442	96.26	1,388	59
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Average	1,178	84.79	999	139

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)	1,361	$2,000	9

Every lot, as filed

99 lots · USDA AMS · Billings Livestock Commission Cattle Auction - Billings, MT (Thu)

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	—	554	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,307	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	631	249.26/cwt	247.50–250.00	1,573	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	665	240.25/cwt	240.00–240.50	1,598	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	282	359.57/cwt	355.00–360.00	1,014	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	319	335.19/cwt	325.00–345.00	1,069	88
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	622	240.50/cwt	240.50–240.50	1,496	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	569	255.66/cwt	247.50–262.00	1,455	86
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	964	212.19/cwt	210.00–221.00	2,046	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	747	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,897	8
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	649	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,545	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	525	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,344	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	751	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,938	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	526	265.67/cwt	262.00–268.00	1,397	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	910	223.50/cwt	223.50–223.50	2,034	9
Steers	Large 1	—	858	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,888	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	866	234.12/cwt	234.00–235.00	2,027	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	433	295.00/cwt	280.00–316.00	1,277	188
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	861	220.50/cwt	220.50–220.50	1,899	17
Steers	Large 1	—	928	197.00/cwt	197.00–197.00	1,828	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	303	354.00/cwt	354.00–354.00	1,073	22
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	509	244.52/cwt	240.00–250.00	1,245	18
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	283	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,033	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	633	257.70/cwt	254.00–258.50	1,631	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	562	284.66/cwt	271.00–294.00	1,600	99
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	379	363.80/cwt	349.00–370.00	1,379	38
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	653	236.01/cwt	233.00–241.00	1,541	8
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	356	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,175	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	563	264.05/cwt	259.00–279.00	1,487	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	948	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	2,142	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	279	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,088	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	533	283.19/cwt	270.00–287.00	1,509	60
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	663	259.13/cwt	245.00–266.00	1,718	120
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	519	303.78/cwt	290.00–316.00	1,577	232
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	330	391.10/cwt	385.00–416.00	1,291	72
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	619	253.21/cwt	251.00–257.00	1,567	31
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	725	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,798	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	288	401.34/cwt	400.00–405.00	1,156	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	483	287.45/cwt	278.00–302.50	1,388	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	464	337.05/cwt	320.00–356.00	1,564	162
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	383	392.75/cwt	384.00–401.00	1,504	107
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	327	371.18/cwt	370.00–380.00	1,214	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	373.05/cwt	357.50–388.00	1,597	132
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	618	272.37/cwt	260.00–278.50	1,683	215
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	385	380.00/cwt	380.00–380.00	1,463	1
Bulls	Large 1	—	1,043	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,982	17
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	500	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,375	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	475	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,363	21
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	643	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,447	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	410	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,384	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,163	91.30/cwt	88.00–97.00	1,062	21
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,468	93.54/cwt	90.00–93.75	1,373	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	995	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	746	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,162	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	1,127	6
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,215	83.00/cwt	83.00–83.00	1,008	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,401	84.44/cwt	82.00–85.00	1,183	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,420	74.00/cwt	74.00–74.00	1,051	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,240	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	1,203	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,246	89.64/cwt	89.00–91.00	1,117	8
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,553	100.98/cwt	100.00–104.00	1,568	9
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,435	93.00/cwt	93.00–93.00	1,335	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,315	71.00/cwt	71.00–71.00	934	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,207	81.65/cwt	77.00–86.00	986	24
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,095	75.00/cwt	75.00–75.00	821	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,421	107.19/cwt	107.00–108.00	1,523	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,441	100.34/cwt	94.00–105.00	1,446	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,164	83.11/cwt	75.00–88.00	967	74
Bulls	—	—	1,415	90.00/cwt	90.00–90.00	1,274	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,468	101.23/cwt	98.00–107.50	1,486	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,730	116.00/cwt	116.00–116.00	2,007	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	908	124.42/cwt	120.00–127.50	1,130	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	932	167.62/cwt	144.00–181.00	1,562	109
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,114	102.75/cwt	100.00–115.00	1,145	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,057	136.31/cwt	125.00–145.00	1,441	21
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,361	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	371	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,135	7
Heifers	Medium 1	—	763	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	1,686	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	330	301.00/cwt	301.00–301.00	993	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	322	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	821	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	270	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	864	6
Heifers	Medium 1	—	663	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,565	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	912	218.38/cwt	216.50–220.00	1,992	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	942	201.99/cwt	200.00–208.00	1,903	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	389	319.01/cwt	307.50–327.00	1,241	135
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	631	244.13/cwt	234.00–246.00	1,540	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	271.90/cwt	267.00–280.00	1,313	172
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	807	224.87/cwt	224.50–227.50	1,815	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	892	217.18/cwt	215.50–222.00	1,937	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	663	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,558	2
Heifers	Medium 1	—	615	224.37/cwt	221.00–243.00	1,380	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	809	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,780	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	489	260.83/cwt	248.00–265.00	1,275	103
Heifers	Medium 1	—	890	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,914	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	681	247.16/cwt	246.00–247.50	1,683	39
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,195	150.50/cwt	150.50–150.50	1,798	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	518	278.43/cwt	277.50–279.00	1,442	45
Heifers	Large 1	—	753	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,687	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	710	242.82/cwt	235.00–244.75	1,724	95
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	780	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,630	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	789	230.37/cwt	229.00–232.00	1,818	23

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 →