Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-11-02
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-11-02

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were both too lightly tested either this week or last week to develop any market trend. The best test for steer calves was for 450-599 lbs which sold 10.00-15.00 higher in a narrow comparison; all other steer weights were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. The best test for heifer calves was for 500-549 lbs and these offerings sold mostly 15.00-20.00 higher; all other heifer calf weights were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however higher to sharply higher undertones were noticed. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive. Demand for all offerings improved this week as both higher board positions and better weather allowed buyers to aggressively reenter the market. The November contract closed at 242.625, 6.125 higher than last Thursdays close. Demand was mostly good to very good for moderate offerings. Most calves were offered in small packages this week, with no load lots seen. Only 9 packages of 30 head or more were seen this week. Most packages were from 5 to 15 head and buyers picked through offerings to put together loads. Calves with preconditioning shots sold with the best demand. Buyers were willing to give modest premiums for calves with both spring and fall vaccinations, this led to wide price spreads at times. Pen and country conditions remain muddy as last weeks snow continues to melt and many calves were dirty as a result. Additionally, light rain fell off and on throughout the day. Market activity was mostly active today with a large crowd on hand of both farmer feeders and order buyers noted. Weigh up cows were all too lightly tested last week 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 mostly below average with most cows pushing heavy amounts of fill. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on good demand today. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Young age cows sold steady in a narrow comparison.

Weight class

Steers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb steers averaged $281.22/cwt on 1,666 head.

Average price

$281.22

1,666 head · 547 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,537

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$181

per head · Medium and Large 1 over Medium 2

$103.84/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.39

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	557	283.84	1,580	1,212
Medium and Large 1-2	505	280.20	1,415	362
Medium 1	542	273.75	1,483	32
Large 1	564	265.25	1,495	28
Large 1-2	459	252.50	1,159	6thin
Medium 1-2	590	223.00	1,316	16thin
Medium 2	777	180.00	1,399	10thin

One grade step is worth $103.84/cwt here — about $181 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 sale1,666 hd

281.22

—

MT average4 barns · 2,843 hd

283.61

−2.39

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	1,831	101.17	1,852	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,596	95.38	1,522	7thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,381	87.82	1,213	56
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,185	78.72	933	117

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)	1,150	$1,944	12
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young/Middle Aged (2-8 yrs)	1,222	$1,700	3thin

Every lot, as filed

105 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 and Large 1Unweaned	—	746	225.34/cwt	220.00–226.00	1,681	18
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	465	247.65/cwt	227.50–257.00	1,152	21
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	530	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,166	4
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	590	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	1,316	16
Steers	Medium 2	—	777	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,399	10
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	597	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,343	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	688	221.00/cwt	221.00–221.00	1,520	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	466	251.42/cwt	230.00–266.50	1,172	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	323	307.78/cwt	302.50–310.00	994	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	732	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,764	18
Steers	Medium 1	—	666	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,552	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	288.34/cwt	280.00–305.00	1,223	90
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	294	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	867	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	588	237.66/cwt	224.00–243.00	1,397	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	483	275.07/cwt	273.00–281.00	1,329	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	516	263.58/cwt	257.00–271.00	1,360	145
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	624	242.81/cwt	239.00–247.00	1,515	85
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	568	256.13/cwt	245.00–265.00	1,455	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,003	184.00/cwt	184.00–184.00	1,846	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	385	268.18/cwt	255.00–273.00	1,032	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	340	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	952	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	376	304.42/cwt	300.00–313.00	1,145	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	530	239.75/cwt	231.00–256.00	1,271	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	433	217.50/cwt	217.50–217.50	942	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	878	218.26/cwt	215.00–222.50	1,916	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	920	214.50/cwt	213.50–215.50	1,973	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	777	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,779	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	417	271.59/cwt	255.00–275.00	1,133	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	742	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	1,588	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	855	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,821	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	668	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,657	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	725	237.50/cwt	237.50–237.50	1,722	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	611	250.50/cwt	250.50–250.50	1,531	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	384	232.50/cwt	232.50–232.50	893	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	623	228.34/cwt	220.00–233.00	1,423	40
Bulls	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	371	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	918	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	557	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,509	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	958	217.25/cwt	217.25–217.25	2,081	55
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	523	277.00/cwt	277.00–277.00	1,449	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	280	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	938	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,078	188.50/cwt	188.50–188.50	2,032	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	610	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,403	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	505	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,275	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	477	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,169	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	570	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,311	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	505	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,364	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	443	281.00/cwt	281.00–281.00	1,245	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	389	342.29/cwt	330.00–365.00	1,332	64
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	622	256.71/cwt	248.00–263.00	1,597	129
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	679	247.26/cwt	240.00–253.00	1,679	119
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	586	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,465	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	478	311.26/cwt	279.00–324.00	1,488	187
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	664	236.25/cwt	231.00–241.00	1,569	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	479	285.08/cwt	272.00–300.00	1,366	65
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	616	237.62/cwt	231.00–244.00	1,464	66
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	525	289.83/cwt	280.00–305.00	1,522	190
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	335	365.00/cwt	365.00–365.00	1,223	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	419	330.73/cwt	326.00–338.00	1,386	95
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	432	311.74/cwt	300.00–320.00	1,347	50
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	584	251.44/cwt	238.00–263.00	1,468	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	852	216.00/cwt	216.00–216.00	1,840	3
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	376	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,184	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	570	272.71/cwt	265.00–284.50	1,554	282
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	338	343.57/cwt	335.00–352.00	1,161	26
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	373	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,212	9
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	843	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,905	1
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	853	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	1,936	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	771	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,812	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	299	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	1,099	11
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	459	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	1,159	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Full	—	274	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	897	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	882	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	2,064	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	782	242.01/cwt	239.50–247.00	1,893	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	506	277.14/cwt	275.00–279.00	1,402	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	362	324.58/cwt	322.50–332.50	1,175	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	711	245.45/cwt	240.00–248.00	1,745	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	664	236.85/cwt	230.00–241.50	1,573	16
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	343	289.50/cwt	289.50–289.50	993	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	763	220.00/cwt	219.00–221.00	1,679	2
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	499	292.50/cwt	292.50–292.50	1,460	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	730	233.22/cwt	233.00–234.00	1,703	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	697	239.50/cwt	239.50–239.50	1,669	24
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,150	1,944.48/head	1,800.00–1,975.00	1,944	12
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,222	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	926	164.47/cwt	152.50–171.00	1,523	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,049	118.98/cwt	102.00–152.50	1,248	29
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,365	88.00/cwt	88.00–88.00	1,201	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,044	104.54/cwt	101.00–122.50	1,091	5
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,584	95.11/cwt	93.00–96.00	1,507	3
Bulls	—	—	1,850	98.09/cwt	92.00–101.00	1,815	6
Bulls	—	—	2,100	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	2,499	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,156	80.71/cwt	78.50–82.50	933	24
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,357	84.05/cwt	78.00–89.50	1,141	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,596	95.38/cwt	89.50–103.00	1,522	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,270	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,321	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,404	98.50/cwt	92.00–105.00	1,383	16
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	990	84.00/cwt	84.00–84.00	832	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	900	74.31/cwt	72.00–77.50	669	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,388	82.91/cwt	80.00–86.00	1,151	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,199	78.95/cwt	76.00–84.00	947	61
Bulls	—	—	2,008	110.56/cwt	110.00–111.00	2,220	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,710	73.00/cwt	73.00–73.00	1,248	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,186	70.78/cwt	63.00–74.00	839	19
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,299	88.00/cwt	84.50–91.00	1,143	6
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,253	87.00/cwt	85.00–89.00	1,090	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 →