Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2023-12-14
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2023-12-14

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last week: Yearling steers were too lightly tested this week to develop any market trend. Steer calves under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to firm; Steers 500-599 lbs sold steady to 5.00 higher; steer calves over 600 lbs sold mostly mostly 5.00-10.00 higher. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend, however steady undertones were noticed. Heifer calves under 400 lbs were not well compared; heifer calves 400-499 lbs sold mostly 5.00-10.00 higher; heifer calves 500-549 lbs sold mostly 5.00 lower on a lower quality offering; 550-649 lbs heifers were not well compared; Heifers over 650 lbs sold 5.00-10.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Demand was mostly moderate to good this sale. Quality today was mixed from plain to very attractive. A large portion of the offering was comprised of weaned calves this week. Demand for long weaned calves was mostly good. Many sets of calves were weaned over 50 days. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings, and buyers were willing to take heavier weights of calves to grass this week. Most calves were offered in small groups this sale with very few partial loads seen and no load lots seen. CME positions improved throughout much of the week and buyers showed stronger demand for all offerings as a result. Today, the January contract closed at 219.35, which is 9.325 higher than last Thursdays close, while the March contract closed at 220.125, up 8.95 from last Thursdays close. Market activity was mostly active today with a large crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for mostly light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 1.00-2.00 higher on boning and lean cows, Breaking cows sold mostly 3.00-5.00 higher in a narrow comparison. High quality feeding cows sold 1.00-2.00 higher in a narrow comparison. Thin feeding cows sold 2.00-4.00 higher on a higher quality and better yielding offering. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested last week to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Weigh up conditions were mixed today. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold on light to moderate demand today. Quality was mostly average and most offerings sold to feed. This class sold mostly steady.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 0–100 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

0–100 lb heifers averaged $250.09/cwt on 779 head.

Average price

$250.09

779 head · 533 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,333

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

−$330

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 1-2

$72.77/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.08

vs MT average

What quality paid 0–100 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	380	260.27	990	74
Medium and Large 1	560	252.67	1,415	542
Medium and Large 1-2	495	244.82	1,213	128
Medium and Large 2	464	224.00	1,039	15thin
Large 1	608	206.00	1,252	9thin
Medium 1-2	704	187.50	1,320	11thin

One grade step is worth $72.77/cwt here — about −$330 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 sale779 hd

250.09

—

MT average5 barns · 1,696 hd

248.01

+2.08

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	—	High	1,751	115.89	2,030	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,568	93.78	1,470	6thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,403	87.89	1,233	102
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,145	80.01	916	103

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	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,199	$1,700	4thin
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	907	$1,550	3thin

Every lot, as filed

108 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
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,515	87.00/cwt	87.00–87.00	1,318	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,381	82.80/cwt	77.00–86.00	1,143	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,111	79.18/cwt	70.00–82.00	880	29
Bulls	—	—	1,952	120.50/cwt	120.50–120.50	2,352	3
Bulls	—	—	1,812	116.08/cwt	111.00–120.00	2,103	10
Bulls	—	—	1,585	94.00/cwt	94.00–94.00	1,490	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,230	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,464	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,003	111.06/cwt	85.00–123.00	1,114	31
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	943	93.73/cwt	82.00–110.00	884	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	905	134.28/cwt	102.50–145.00	1,215	99
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	881	119.68/cwt	111.00–126.50	1,054	9
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	907	1,550.00/head	1,550.00–1,550.00	1,550	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,199	1,700.00/head	1,700.00–1,700.00	1,700	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	393	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	924	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	453	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	997	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	318	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	970	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	390	285.00/cwt	285.00–285.00	1,112	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	436	305.33/cwt	300.00–310.00	1,331	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	—	627	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,480	5
Heifers	Large 1	—	608	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,252	9
Heifers	Medium 1	—	539	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	1,202	4
Heifers	Medium 1	—	354	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	956	40
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	592	231.90/cwt	228.00–241.00	1,373	27
Heifers	Medium 1	—	307	274.91/cwt	270.00–276.00	844	22
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	—	521	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,146	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	638	231.67/cwt	229.00–232.50	1,478	42
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	700	221.93/cwt	221.00–222.00	1,554	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	466	277.05/cwt	263.00–291.00	1,291	128
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	525	253.82/cwt	246.00–255.00	1,333	52
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	670	224.10/cwt	215.00–228.00	1,501	22
Heifers	Medium 1	—	633	190.00/cwt	190.00–190.00	1,203	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	340	269.94/cwt	265.00–272.50	918	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,028	186.50/cwt	186.50–186.50	1,917	16
Heifers	Medium 1-2	—	704	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	1,320	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	893	193.00/cwt	193.00–193.00	1,723	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	411	289.67/cwt	276.00–295.00	1,191	50
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	960	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,805	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	376	284.17/cwt	280.00–285.00	1,068	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	382	264.61/cwt	264.00–265.00	1,011	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	857	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,611	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	297	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	802	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	833	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,624	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	539	235.51/cwt	220.00–242.00	1,269	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	417	275.05/cwt	272.50–277.00	1,147	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	413	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,115	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,143	176.00/cwt	176.00–176.00	2,012	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	925	188.00/cwt	188.00–188.00	1,739	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	585	206.00/cwt	206.00–206.00	1,205	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	757	188.71/cwt	180.00–190.00	1,429	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	251.66/cwt	244.00–256.00	1,296	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	573	237.53/cwt	230.00–250.00	1,361	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	—	455	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,024	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	431	284.21/cwt	279.00–290.00	1,225	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	374	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,047	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	484	250.83/cwt	242.00–255.00	1,214	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	411	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,264	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	676	229.64/cwt	225.00–232.00	1,552	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	813	198.00/cwt	198.00–198.00	1,610	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	665	222.86/cwt	212.00–230.50	1,482	17
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	463	277.19/cwt	271.00–281.00	1,283	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	639	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,470	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	388	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,280	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	871	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,820	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	761	220.83/cwt	215.00–223.50	1,681	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	477	308.27/cwt	297.00–325.00	1,470	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	620	254.75/cwt	249.00–263.50	1,579	75
Steers	Medium 1	—	327	335.00/cwt	335.00–335.00	1,095	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	585	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,480	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	428	330.10/cwt	320.00–340.00	1,413	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	572	270.26/cwt	264.00–282.00	1,546	19
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	515	279.49/cwt	267.50–283.00	1,439	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	645	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,451	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	808	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,656	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	714	209.00/cwt	209.00–209.00	1,492	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	559	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,509	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	—	694	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,423	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	581	263.43/cwt	255.00–269.00	1,531	55
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	—	366	310.02/cwt	302.00–315.00	1,135	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	719	234.77/cwt	234.00–236.00	1,688	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	663	244.29/cwt	233.00–249.00	1,620	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	520	296.53/cwt	293.00–300.00	1,542	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	703	215.00/cwt	211.00–221.00	1,511	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	368	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,178	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	633	251.61/cwt	251.50–254.00	1,593	69
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	457	308.92/cwt	292.50–317.50	1,412	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	—	667	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	1,547	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	—	422	333.02/cwt	325.00–336.00	1,405	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	724	236.31/cwt	232.00–237.00	1,711	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	482	279.83/cwt	255.00–287.50	1,349	35
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	926	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,880	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	398	317.86/cwt	315.00–320.00	1,265	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	638	235.47/cwt	227.00–240.00	1,502	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	321	321.00/cwt	321.00–321.00	1,030	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	678	232.00/cwt	232.00–232.00	1,573	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1	—	507	302.78/cwt	289.00–305.00	1,535	32
Steers	Medium 1	—	440	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,320	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,455	82.19/cwt	81.00–83.50	1,196	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,690	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	1,622	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,178	84.95/cwt	82.00–90.00	1,001	50
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,589	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	1,541	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,399	89.85/cwt	86.50–95.50	1,257	62
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,550	94.92/cwt	94.00–97.50	1,471	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,356	85.99/cwt	85.00–89.00	1,166	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,084	59.59/cwt	56.00–62.50	646	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,184	71.69/cwt	66.00–80.00	849	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	790	53.89/cwt	52.50–55.00	426	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	738	67.37/cwt	65.00–70.00	497	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,250	81.64/cwt	81.00–82.50	1,021	7

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 →