Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-11-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-11-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers and heifers were both too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. Steer calves under 450 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher with instances of 20.00-25.00 higher seen at times on very high quality offerings. Steers 450-699 lbs sold unevenly steady with steady to higher prices seen for high quality calves and lower prices seen for plain to average quality calves. Heifer calves under 500 lbs sold steady to 3.00 higher, heifer calves 500-649 lbs sold mostly 3.00 to 5.00 lower, heifer calves over 650 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 lower. Demand was mostly moderate to good for all feeder cattle on offer. CME positions sold off sharply today with triple digit losses seen on all contracts. The nearby November sold 5.80 lower to close at 229.00, while the January contract closed 7.85 lower to close at 224.925. Despite this, buyers showed good demand for feeder cattle as quality was outstanding and offered buyers some of the highest quality feeders of the fall thus far. As many as 19 buyers were active in buying cattle. This helped sustain demand throughout the sale as many buyers stayed late into the night to finish loads. Package sizes were significantly larger this week with several load lots of calves seen. Demand was good for both load lots and packages. Calves with fall preconditioning shots sold with the best demand and sold with strong premiums to calves with only spring shots. This led to wide price spreads at times. A few weaned calves were seen this week. Demand for weaned calves was moderate, however little to no premium was seen for weaned calves this week. Most weaned calves were pushing moderate amounts of fill, which was a turn off to many buyers. Market activity was mostly active today with a very large crowd on hand of both farmer feeders and order buyers noticed. Weigh up cows sold on moderate to good demand for mostly light offerings. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested this week to develop a full market trend, however lower undertones were noticed. High quality feeding cows sold fully steady in a narrow comparison. Thin feeding or turn out cows sold steady to 2.00 lower. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, steady to firm undertones were noticed. 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

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $248.38/cwt on 2,617 head.

Average price

$248.38

2,617 head · 616 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,531

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$36

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

$58.76/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−2.03

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	621	252.54	1,567	2,003
Medium 1	575	243.82	1,402	173
Medium and Large 1-2	581	240.01	1,395	325
Large 1	813	210.24	1,709	69
Medium 1-2	505	210.00	1,061	22
Medium 2	453	195.00	883	16thin
Medium and Large 2	790	193.78	1,531	9thin

One grade step is worth $58.76/cwt here — about $36 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 sale2,617 hd

248.38

—

MT average5 barns · 4,074 hd

250.41

−2.03

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	1,785	106.23	1,896	14
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,667	95.77	1,597	5thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,407	84.61	1,191	58
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,164	74.55	868	93

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)	1,005	$1,843	8
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,110	$1,550	4thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,120	$1,400	3thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,145	$1,050	1thin

Every lot, as filed

122 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
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	418	337.50/cwt	337.50–337.50	1,411	37
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,080	189.50/cwt	189.50–189.50	2,047	113
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,028	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,953	7
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	496	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,414	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	349	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,033	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	867	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	1,933	92
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	612	271.17/cwt	268.00–272.00	1,660	132
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	527	234.00/cwt	234.00–234.00	1,233	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	570	249.65/cwt	239.00–257.00	1,423	349
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	584	248.82/cwt	244.00–261.00	1,453	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	919	201.34/cwt	195.00–203.00	1,850	25
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	560	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,260	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	—	718	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	1,537	6
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	584	243.92/cwt	205.00–250.00	1,424	47
Heifers	Medium 1	—	498	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,295	44
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	570	259.53/cwt	258.00–262.00	1,479	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	515	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,432	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	778	217.32/cwt	216.00–219.00	1,691	25
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	623	229.25/cwt	226.50–233.00	1,428	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	671	233.94/cwt	230.00–236.50	1,570	63
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	680	243.50/cwt	243.50–243.50	1,656	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	997	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,954	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	743	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,553	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	882	214.91/cwt	213.50–218.50	1,896	89
Heifers	Medium 1	—	708	215.26/cwt	213.00–218.00	1,524	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	524	293.67/cwt	280.00–305.00	1,539	252
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	517	252.99/cwt	249.00–254.00	1,308	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	535	276.97/cwt	275.00–279.00	1,482	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	428	343.28/cwt	330.00–382.50	1,469	98
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	723	236.76/cwt	236.00–240.00	1,712	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	613	240.53/cwt	235.00–243.50	1,474	41
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	719	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,348	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	621	227.56/cwt	220.00–231.00	1,413	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	585	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,375	4
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	566	255.13/cwt	255.00–256.00	1,444	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	739	223.55/cwt	223.00–224.00	1,652	20
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	525	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,481	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	631	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,451	4
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	633	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,526	11
Steers	Medium 1	—	311	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	995	8
Heifers	Medium 1	—	753	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,544	17
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	498	294.00/cwt	294.00–294.00	1,464	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	386	302.82/cwt	297.00–304.00	1,169	58
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	778	223.12/cwt	221.00–226.00	1,736	74
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	527	259.86/cwt	251.00–272.00	1,369	268
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	466	279.30/cwt	267.00–293.00	1,302	322
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	378	284.21/cwt	282.50–287.00	1,074	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	782	232.25/cwt	231.00–237.00	1,816	18
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	681	225.89/cwt	222.00–231.00	1,538	56
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	833	220.35/cwt	216.00–224.00	1,836	100
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	794	229.00/cwt	229.00–229.00	1,818	9
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	663	246.45/cwt	237.00–252.50	1,634	111
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	919	217.82/cwt	214.50–219.50	2,002	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	258	405.00/cwt	405.00–405.00	1,045	2
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	—	410	362.00/cwt	362.00–362.00	1,484	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	—	578	257.14/cwt	256.00–259.50	1,486	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	815	225.50/cwt	225.50–225.50	1,838	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	624	244.28/cwt	240.00–247.00	1,524	29
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	563	235.81/cwt	233.00–238.00	1,328	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	467	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,459	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	373	378.62/cwt	365.00–400.00	1,412	46
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	428	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,267	28
Heifers	Medium 1-2Unweaned	—	505	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,061	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	392	299.32/cwt	296.00–300.00	1,173	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	412	323.99/cwt	320.00–332.50	1,335	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	902	221.39/cwt	220.00–223.00	1,997	28
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	579	263.37/cwt	259.00–280.00	1,525	352
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	858	210.12/cwt	208.00–212.00	1,803	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	654	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,465	7
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	—	688	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,500	3
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	408	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,285	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	359	353.25/cwt	340.00–365.00	1,268	19
Steers	Medium 1-2	—	341	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	989	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	621	258.32/cwt	249.00–264.00	1,604	255
Steers	Medium 1	—	539	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,477	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	484	295.63/cwt	292.00–297.50	1,431	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	422	264.17/cwt	255.00–272.00	1,115	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	954	215.50/cwt	215.50–215.50	2,056	11
Heifers	Medium 1	—	397	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,139	21
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	337	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,087	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	326	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	994	18
Heifers	Medium 1	—	689	221.87/cwt	218.00–223.00	1,529	47
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	407	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,079	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	424	293.16/cwt	285.00–301.00	1,243	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	480	310.73/cwt	301.00–346.00	1,492	253
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	706	221.73/cwt	218.50–224.00	1,565	12
Heifers	Large 1Fleshy	—	1,239	171.00/cwt	171.00–171.00	2,119	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	969	211.00/cwt	211.00–211.00	2,045	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	400	362.50/cwt	362.50–362.50	1,450	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	274	295.00/cwt	295.00–295.00	808	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,535	86.00/cwt	86.00–86.00	1,320	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,426	80.46/cwt	78.00–84.00	1,147	20
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,128	53.19/cwt	51.50–65.00	600	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,208	73.98/cwt	67.00–80.00	894	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,348	82.87/cwt	77.00–87.00	1,117	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,513	104.04/cwt	103.00–105.00	1,574	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	965	78.00/cwt	78.00–78.00	753	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,193	84.36/cwt	82.50–87.00	1,006	15
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,653	103.50/cwt	102.00–105.00	1,711	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,156	77.45/cwt	67.50–82.50	895	48
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,514	97.25/cwt	90.00–102.00	1,472	7
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,677	90.61/cwt	85.00–100.00	1,520	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,195	92.00/cwt	92.00–92.00	1,099	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,288	93.52/cwt	92.00–95.00	1,205	2
Bulls	—	—	1,884	97.86/cwt	94.00–105.00	1,844	3
Bulls	—	—	1,862	111.84/cwt	110.00–114.00	2,082	9
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	995	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,144	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	933	150.88/cwt	132.50–161.00	1,408	42
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Non-Legible BANGS	—	1,110	1,550.00/head	1,550.00–1,550.00	1,550	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,120	1,400.00/head	1,400.00–1,400.00	1,400	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,145	1,050.00/head	1,050.00–1,050.00	1,050	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,005	1,842.94/head	1,800.00–1,850.00	1,843	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	965	101.26/cwt	100.00–102.50	977	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	955	122.67/cwt	105.00–151.00	1,171	36
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	462	291.50/cwt	291.50–291.50	1,347	125
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	593	228.50/cwt	228.50–228.50	1,355	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	948	166.00/cwt	166.00–166.00	1,574	5
Heifers	Medium 2Unweaned	—	453	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	883	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	527	242.81/cwt	238.00–254.00	1,280	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	484	251.96/cwt	244.00–263.00	1,219	82
Steers	Large 1-2	—	940	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,842	3
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	—	585	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,258	16

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 →