Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-04-04
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-04-04

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to a week ago: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to firm undertones were noticed on all offerings. Quality this sale was mixed from plain to very attractive. Several load lots were seen this sale and all sold on good to very good demand. Packages sold on mostly good demand as buyers were able to piece together loads of like quality cattle. Demand for grass cattle and replacement quality heifers was very good. Replacement heifer buyers and buyers looking for attractive grass heifers both showed good to very good demand. Market activity was active to very active for todays spring N.I.L.E. special. Weigh up cows sold on mostly good demand for light to offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady to 2.00 higher on all classes of slaughter cows. Feeding cows were too lightly tested to develop a full market trend. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold with steady undertones. Quality this week was average to attractive.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $292.83/cwt on 890 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −141.03 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$292.83

890 head · 563 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,648

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$381

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

$57.86/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−0.32

vs MT average

+22.24 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	567	301.57	1,710	688
Medium and Large 1-2	548	269.10	1,475	154
Medium and Large 2	546	243.72	1,329	48

One grade step is worth $57.86/cwt here — about $381 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 sale890 hd

292.83

—

MT average3 barns · 970 hd

293.15

−0.32

National average179 barns · 13,329 hd

270.59

+22.24

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−141.03

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	—	High	1,780	167.00	2,973	1thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,365	129.83	1,772	17
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,446	129.27	1,869	7thin

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 Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	852	$1,325	3thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,150	$1,100	4thin

Every lot, as filed

78 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 1-2Replacement	600–650	630	1,894.59/head	1,835.00–1,900.00	1,895	370
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	700–750	710	2,000.66/head	1,960.00–2,025.00	2,001	158
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	727	246.15/cwt	237.00–260.00	1,790	28
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	676	254.65/cwt	240.00–262.00	1,721	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	650–700	672	1,910.00/head	1,910.00–1,910.00	1,910	21
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	912	175.89/cwt	167.00–184.00	1,604	13
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,150	1,100.00/head	1,100.00–1,100.00	1,100	4
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	874	191.67/cwt	185.00–193.00	1,675	6
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	—	852	1,325.15/head	1,100.00–1,750.00	1,325	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	750–800	789	2,098.47/head	1,950.00–2,185.00	2,098	141
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	800–850	832	2,203.10/head	2,200.00–2,210.00	2,203	125
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	675	276.99/cwt	265.00–290.00	1,870	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	577	315.72/cwt	306.00–323.00	1,822	35
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	476	337.65/cwt	320.00–340.00	1,607	43
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	377	375.00/cwt	375.00–375.00	1,414	14
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	526	291.43/cwt	290.00–305.00	1,533	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	739	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,870	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	679	297.63/cwt	280.00–304.00	2,021	219
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	430	333.61/cwt	325.00–344.00	1,435	169
Steers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	374	401.28/cwt	400.00–404.00	1,501	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	888	234.19/cwt	232.00–236.00	2,080	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	731	268.50/cwt	262.00–281.00	1,963	68
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	569	334.71/cwt	320.00–343.00	1,904	171
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	716	264.24/cwt	252.00–270.00	1,892	123
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	608	285.10/cwt	277.00–297.00	1,733	214
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	350–400	357	345.23/cwt	342.00–350.00	1,232	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	521	311.82/cwt	292.00–320.00	1,625	100
Steers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	437	392.75/cwt	382.00–407.00	1,716	49
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	483	321.70/cwt	313.00–331.00	1,554	199
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	575	299.83/cwt	288.00–315.00	1,724	588
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	808	233.54/cwt	225.00–237.00	1,887	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	757	256.86/cwt	246.00–270.00	1,944	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	673	271.43/cwt	259.00–290.00	1,827	166
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,580	122.49/cwt	122.00–123.00	1,935	2
Bulls	—	—	1,780	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	2,973	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,595	139.49/cwt	137.00–142.00	2,225	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,085	129.23/cwt	127.00–131.00	1,402	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,610	137.00/cwt	137.00–137.00	2,206	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,307	128.77/cwt	121.00–137.00	1,683	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	530	352.15/cwt	335.00–368.00	1,866	293
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	789	252.20/cwt	248.00–258.00	1,990	107
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	469	379.56/cwt	365.00–386.00	1,780	75
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	600–650	609	309.00/cwt	309.00–309.00	1,882	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fancy	750–800	750	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	2,100	87
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,446	129.27/cwt	122.00–135.00	1,869	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	690	227.25/cwt	215.00–233.00	1,568	13
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	621	236.73/cwt	215.00–250.00	1,470	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	300–350	335	308.48/cwt	307.00–310.00	1,033	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	485	275.21/cwt	270.00–290.00	1,335	24
Steers	Medium and Large 2	600–650	607	212.59/cwt	210.00–220.00	1,290	20
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	627	315.18/cwt	296.00–324.00	1,976	419
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	789	206.43/cwt	200.00–217.00	1,629	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	500–550	514	245.43/cwt	245.00–247.00	1,262	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	577	242.00/cwt	237.00–262.00	1,396	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	373	314.30/cwt	310.00–315.00	1,172	14
Steers	Medium and Large 2	650–700	682	239.56/cwt	227.00–252.00	1,634	10
Steers	Medium and Large 2	750–800	765	213.92/cwt	208.00–220.00	1,636	4
Steers	Medium and Large 2	400–450	425	318.38/cwt	310.00–330.00	1,353	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2	450–500	490	314.34/cwt	312.00–325.00	1,540	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	786	229.27/cwt	222.00–234.00	1,802	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	720	250.53/cwt	241.00–255.00	1,804	13
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	944	217.59/cwt	214.00–219.00	2,054	7
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	471	352.15/cwt	327.00–373.00	1,659	32
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	380	367.71/cwt	356.00–380.00	1,397	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	825	221.34/cwt	217.00–225.00	1,826	11
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	527	266.35/cwt	255.00–280.00	1,404	90
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	535	317.99/cwt	290.00–335.00	1,701	43
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	645	293.26/cwt	276.00–298.00	1,892	24
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	615	270.57/cwt	257.00–279.00	1,664	78
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	272.97/cwt	254.00–284.00	1,578	64
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	478	296.63/cwt	282.00–306.00	1,418	33
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	578	276.23/cwt	275.00–277.00	1,597	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	781	243.04/cwt	234.00–253.00	1,898	31
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	300–350	327	330.71/cwt	326.00–340.00	1,081	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	432	316.22/cwt	305.00–329.00	1,366	54
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	419	360.77/cwt	340.00–370.00	1,512	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	385	335.15/cwt	322.00–344.00	1,290	33
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Replacement	850–900	854	2,075.00/head	2,075.00–2,075.00	2,075	8

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 →