Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-03-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-03-07

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

The last feeder special was February 15th all feeder comparisons are to that sale. Feeder steers under 500 lbs sold steady to firm; steers 500-749 lbs sold mostly 10.00 higher; steers over 750 lbs were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed. Heifers under 500 lbs sold mostly steady to firm; heifers 500-749 lbs sold mostly 10.00-15.00 higher; heifers over 750 lbs were too lightly tested last feeder special to develop an accurate market trend, however higher undertones were noticed. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to attractive. Most offerings sold moderate size packages this sale with several partial load lots seen. Demand for all feeders was good to very good. Offerings were moderate to heavy. The best demand continues to be for cattle suitable to develop into yearlings, most steers 500-750 lbs and heifers 475-650 lbs were purchased for that purpose. CME positions showed some strength throughout the week as higher cash bids for slaughter cattle improved demand throughout the week. The March feeder cattle contract closed today at 251.025, while the April closed at 256.30, 2.025 and 2.575 higher respectfully than last Thursdays close. Market activity was very active this week. Bidding today was noticeably urgent as buyers bid rapidly over offerings and started bidding at the auctioneer's opening bid ask. Weigh up cows sold on very good demand for light offerings. Slaughter cow comparisons are to last weeks sale which featured mostly weigh up cows. Slaughter cows sold mostly 5.00-8.00 higher on all offerings in a narrow comparison. Most offerings sold to feed this week. Quality was mostly average to attractive. Demand for feeding cows was very good. Feeding cows sold mostly 4.00-7.00 higher. Weigh up conditions were mixed this sale. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold mostly 10.00-12.00 higher. Demand for this class was very good. Many sets of young heifers were purchased to feed. Some of these offerings sold higher than yearling prices late last fall.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $311.76/cwt on 582 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −122.10 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$311.76

582 head · 545 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,699

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$384

per head · Medium 1 over Medium 2

$47.50/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+2.50

vs MT average

+39.85 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium 1	580	317.50	1,842	5thin
Medium and Large 1	545	313.21	1,706	533
Medium and Large 1-2	545	294.13	1,603	43
Medium 2	540	270.00	1,458	1thin

One grade step is worth $47.50/cwt here — about $384 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 500–600 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

21 sales

Heifers 500–600 lb: high $469.35, low $332.50, median $433.86 across 21 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

How it compared 500–600 lb

Same class and week · spot auction only

This sale582 hd

311.76

—

MT average2 barns · 667 hd

309.27

+2.50

National average176 barns · 15,352 hd

271.91

+39.85

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−122.10

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	—	Average	1,719	127.21	2,187	25
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	Average	1,699	125.00	2,124	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,521	124.46	1,893	51
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,375	122.58	1,685	53
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,106	111.34	1,231	78

Every lot, as filed

114 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	Boner 80-85%	—	1,340	119.00/cwt	119.00–119.00	1,595	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	550–600	579	313.00/cwt	313.00–313.00	1,812	70
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	600–650	602	325.00/cwt	325.00–325.00	1,957	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	500–550	508	369.00/cwt	369.00–369.00	1,875	69
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,029	207.99/cwt	207.00–209.00	2,140	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	850	219.00/cwt	219.00–219.00	1,862	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	628	290.84/cwt	285.00–294.00	1,826	150
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	700–750	702	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,818	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	550–600	592	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,752	37
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	432	342.50/cwt	342.50–342.50	1,480	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	450–500	490	329.55/cwt	325.00–334.00	1,615	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	979	211.34/cwt	209.00–216.00	2,069	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	830	236.78/cwt	228.00–240.50	1,965	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	872	222.79/cwt	218.00–223.00	1,943	48
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,090	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	2,311	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	600	307.50/cwt	307.50–307.50	1,845	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	313.80/cwt	300.00–328.00	1,635	176
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	925	216.11/cwt	215.00–217.00	1,999	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	445	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,424	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	589	331.00/cwt	331.00–331.00	1,950	25
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	876	236.41/cwt	234.00–242.00	2,071	41
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	618	282.14/cwt	267.00–289.00	1,744	62
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	584	331.08/cwt	323.50–340.00	1,934	101
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	469	325.40/cwt	317.50–329.50	1,526	99
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	678	261.48/cwt	252.00–267.50	1,773	70
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	790	238.11/cwt	237.00–242.00	1,881	91
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	386	387.25/cwt	384.00–388.00	1,495	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	729	244.99/cwt	241.25–254.00	1,786	48
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	488	361.65/cwt	349.50–370.00	1,765	110
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Value Added	500–550	503	340.00/cwt	340.00–340.00	1,710	79
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	394	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,241	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,075	154.00/cwt	154.00–154.00	1,656	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	453	374.00/cwt	374.00–374.00	1,694	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	520	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,664	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,065	161.61/cwt	121.00–181.00	1,721	44
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	953	187.29/cwt	153.00–231.00	1,785	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	639	301.09/cwt	298.00–303.00	1,924	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	584	286.00/cwt	286.00–286.00	1,670	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Thin Fleshed	600–650	603	311.00/cwt	311.00–311.00	1,875	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	316	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,138	7
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,161	124.27/cwt	113.00–139.00	1,443	19
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	826	238.47/cwt	237.00–242.00	1,970	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	526	298.05/cwt	295.00–301.00	1,568	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	727	263.41/cwt	263.00–264.00	1,915	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	667	275.00/cwt	275.00–275.00	1,834	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	513	330.57/cwt	325.00–331.00	1,696	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	484	341.82/cwt	325.00–347.00	1,654	30
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	420	311.47/cwt	310.00–315.00	1,308	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	470	309.23/cwt	300.00–317.00	1,453	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	375	378.00/cwt	378.00–378.00	1,418	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	586	312.69/cwt	312.00–315.00	1,832	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	442	356.15/cwt	352.50–367.50	1,574	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,368	124.58/cwt	123.00–127.00	1,704	33
Bulls	—	—	1,751	130.74/cwt	124.00–137.00	2,289	8
Bulls	—	—	1,553	117.84/cwt	113.00–125.00	1,830	5
Bulls	—	—	2,155	141.65/cwt	140.00–144.00	3,053	7
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,035	93.50/cwt	93.50–93.50	968	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,271	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,462	4
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,815	119.81/cwt	118.00–122.00	2,175	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,476	127.28/cwt	126.00–127.50	1,879	29
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,102	104.05/cwt	95.00–110.00	1,147	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,075	109.20/cwt	105.50–110.00	1,174	18
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	960	79.00/cwt	79.00–79.00	758	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,660	107.19/cwt	101.00–110.50	1,779	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	970	105.99/cwt	104.00–110.00	1,028	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,156	116.91/cwt	112.00–119.00	1,351	11
Cows	Premium White 65-75%	—	1,699	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	2,124	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,190	121.19/cwt	120.00–123.00	1,442	6
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,526	121.23/cwt	119.00–122.00	1,850	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,560	126.95/cwt	125.50–128.50	1,980	6
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,365	104.00/cwt	104.00–104.00	1,420	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,387	119.09/cwt	114.00–122.00	1,652	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,154	122.21/cwt	120.00–128.00	1,410	7
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,192	115.89/cwt	111.00–118.00	1,381	15
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	934	98.10/cwt	92.00–100.00	916	9
Steers	Large 1	550–600	558	314.00/cwt	312.00–317.00	1,752	5
Steers	Large 1	700–750	700	252.00/cwt	252.00–252.00	1,764	1
Heifers	Large 1	650–700	687	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,718	6
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	910	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,274	1
Bulls	Large 1-2	1250–1300	1,268	130.00/cwt	130.00–130.00	1,648	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,401	123.77/cwt	123.00–124.00	1,734	4
Heifers	Medium 2	500–550	540	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,458	1
Steers	Large 1	750–800	758	257.57/cwt	251.00–259.50	1,952	9
Steers	Large 1	800–850	838	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,936	3
Steers	Large 1	650–700	658	269.00/cwt	269.00–269.00	1,770	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	680	294.70/cwt	280.00–307.00	2,004	180
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	625	316.90/cwt	306.00–329.00	1,981	261
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	564	304.04/cwt	286.00–315.50	1,715	171
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	529	352.47/cwt	338.00–358.00	1,865	71
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	550–600	577	314.98/cwt	314.00–317.00	1,817	3
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	635	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,937	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	810	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	2,025	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	719	270.38/cwt	269.00–273.00	1,944	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	424	374.01/cwt	367.00–380.00	1,586	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	782	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	2,002	23
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	700–750	749	261.00/cwt	261.00–261.00	1,955	30
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	728	256.87/cwt	246.00–259.00	1,870	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	650–700	678	281.57/cwt	280.00–293.00	1,909	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	500–550	529	328.46/cwt	320.00–330.00	1,738	13
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	800–850	815	214.46/cwt	212.50–222.00	1,748	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	693	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,733	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	612	268.13/cwt	267.00–269.00	1,641	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	380	325.53/cwt	320.00–337.50	1,237	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	738	239.40/cwt	231.00–241.50	1,767	25
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	458	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,374	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	762	255.05/cwt	253.00–258.00	1,943	13
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	583	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,428	2
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	374	325.16/cwt	320.00–327.00	1,216	24
Heifers	Medium 1	400–450	428	316.00/cwt	316.00–316.00	1,352	11
Heifers	Medium 1	550–600	580	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,842	5
Heifers	Medium 1	450–500	465	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,442	11
Steers	Medium 1	300–350	349	357.50/cwt	357.50–357.50	1,248	5
Steers	Large 1	400–450	412	360.00/cwt	360.00–360.00	1,483	3
Steers	Large 1	450–500	473	320.00/cwt	320.00–320.00	1,514	3

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 →