Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-10-26
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-10-26

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. The best test for steer calves was for 550-599 lbs which sold 15.00-20.00 lower. All other steer calf weights were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however lower to sharply lower undertones were noticed. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested last week to develop a full market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. 500-549 lbs heifers offered the best test this week, these calves sold 15.00-20.00 lower in a narrow comparison; all other heifer calves were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, lower to sharply lower undertones were noticed. Quality today was mostly average to attractive despite light offerings. Demand for yearlings was mostly good to very good, while demand for calves was light to moderate. A winter storm kept receipts light for todays sale as very cold and snowy conditions were seen. Most cattle were offered in small to moderate size packages this sale, with one load lot of yearlings seen. CME positions sold off sharply from last week, the nearby October contract closed closed at 243.575, 3.025 lower than last Thursdays close. The November contract closed at 236.50, 8.00 lower than last Thursdays close. Market activity was mostly moderate today. Weigh up cows were all too lightly tested to develop an accurate trend, however steady undertones were noticed on both feeding and slaughter cows. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Weigh up conditions were mixed. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand today as quality was mostly attractive. Young age cows sold steady to weak in a narrow comparison. Quality this week was mostly attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $243.17/cwt on 452 head.

Average price

$243.17

452 head · 657 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,598

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$340

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

$17.01/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−11.86

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	542	249.51	1,352	48
Medium and Large 1	674	242.57	1,636	398
Medium and Large 2	435	232.50	1,011	6thin

One grade step is worth $17.01/cwt here — about $340 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 sale452 hd

243.17

—

MT average5 barns · 2,876 hd

255.03

−11.86

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	1,703	98.38	1,676	3thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,346	97.91	1,317	36
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,176	85.62	1,007	43

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)	960	$1,700	2thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Aged (>8 yrs)	1,355	$1,300	1thin

Every lot, as filed

59 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
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	960	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	445	324.41/cwt	324.00–327.50	1,444	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,355	1,300.00/head	1,300.00–1,300.00	1,300	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,052	115.29/cwt	102.00–142.50	1,213	24
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Thin Fleshed	—	770	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	1,240	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,104	88.10/cwt	85.50–89.00	973	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	860	148.70/cwt	142.50–150.00	1,279	12
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,009	162.27/cwt	152.50–183.00	1,637	78
Bulls	—	—	1,680	97.57/cwt	95.00–100.00	1,639	2
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,750	100.00/cwt	100.00–100.00	1,750	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,170	67.00/cwt	67.00–67.00	784	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,253	88.01/cwt	87.00–89.00	1,103	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,538	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	1,492	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,216	91.01/cwt	87.00–95.00	1,107	21
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,093	83.35/cwt	78.00–86.00	911	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,334	98.17/cwt	95.00–101.50	1,310	33
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,345	91.00/cwt	91.00–91.00	1,224	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,131	79.84/cwt	74.00–85.00	903	16
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	545	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,324	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	504	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,205	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	490	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,176	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	618	234.00/cwt	233.00–235.00	1,446	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	893	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,875	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	888	220.37/cwt	220.00–220.50	1,957	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	718	239.50/cwt	239.50–239.50	1,720	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	294	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	956	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	249	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	921	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	650	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,495	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	332	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,129	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	362	338.56/cwt	320.00–351.00	1,226	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	517	246.49/cwt	240.00–250.00	1,274	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	327	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	932	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	430	268.19/cwt	260.00–272.50	1,153	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	381	299.04/cwt	299.00–300.00	1,139	49
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	683	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,591	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	238.55/cwt	237.50–240.00	1,367	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	316	323.00/cwt	323.00–323.00	1,021	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	839	226.83/cwt	225.00–227.00	1,903	68
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	328	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	861	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	818	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	1,693	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	756	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,610	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,058	190.50/cwt	190.50–190.50	2,015	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	961	211.95/cwt	211.50–212.50	2,037	80
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	252	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	945	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	558	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,350	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	562	260.60/cwt	253.00–266.00	1,465	102
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	459	260.13/cwt	257.50–261.00	1,194	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	530	271.53/cwt	271.00–272.00	1,439	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	542	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	1,098	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	470	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,354	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	647	240.77/cwt	239.00–241.00	1,558	43
Steers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	513	200.00/cwt	200.00–200.00	1,026	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	467	300.90/cwt	282.00–317.00	1,405	73
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	678	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,580	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	907	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,932	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	265	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	782	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	373	282.94/cwt	280.00–285.00	1,055	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	239.73/cwt	238.00–240.00	1,628	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	443	310.06/cwt	306.00–332.00	1,374	12

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 →