Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-05-09
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-05-09

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand for feeders was light to moderate as quality today limited demand. Quality was mostly plain to average today, and most calves were offered in small packages or as singles. CME Feeder cattle contracts all closed lower today. Market activity was mostly moderate this week, with a small crowd on hand. Weigh up cows sold on good to very good demand for light offerings. Packers showed good demand for all cows on offer. Slaughter cows sold mostly steady in a narrow comparison. Feeding cows sold generally steady in a narrow comparison. Quality was mostly average this week. Weigh up conditions were average to below average this week as many cows were tanked up following the rain earlier this week. Slaughter bulls sold mostly steady. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed sold steady to firm. Quality was mostly average to attractive this week. Demand was mostly good with the best demand seen for cows which lost calves. Demand for one iron home raised heiferettes was very good as buyers needed them to fill loads for the week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $239.50/cwt on 9 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −194.36 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$239.50

9 head · 564 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,352

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$170

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

$36.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

−34.26

vs MT average

−28.09 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1-2	563	256.00	1,441	3thin
Medium and Large 2	552	242.50	1,339	3thin
Medium 1-2	578	220.00	1,272	3thin

One grade step is worth $36.00/cwt here — about $170 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 600–700 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 sale9 hd

239.50

—

MT average2 barns · 75 hd

273.76

−34.26

National average178 barns · 10,823 hd

267.59

−28.09

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−194.36

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	1,794	138.16	2,479	31
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Average	1,623	132.31	2,148	40
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,436	131.66	1,891	81
Cows	Lean 85-90%	High	1,177	120.97	1,424	69

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	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged/Aged (>5 yrs)	1,602	$2,375	3thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,330	$2,325	1thin
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,395	$1,875	1thin
Bred Cows	2nd/3rd Stage (4-9 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,058	$1,700	3thin
Bred Heifers	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	(<2 yrs)	938	$1,947	14

Every lot, as filed

69 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 and Large 1-2	850–900	883	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,978	3
Heifers	Medium 2	450–500	450	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	1,013	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	578	220.00/cwt	220.00–220.00	1,272	3
Heifers	Medium 1-2	400–450	439	269.43/cwt	265.00–270.00	1,183	13
Stock Cows	Medium 1	—	725	196.00/cwt	196.00–196.00	1,421	1
Bred Cows	Medium 1	—	950	1,500.00/head	1,500.00–1,500.00	1,500	2
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	818	1,834.96/head	1,700.00–2,000.00	1,835	10
Heifers	Large 1	600–650	617	264.00/cwt	264.00–264.00	1,629	14
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,122	157.87/cwt	150.00–164.50	1,771	2
Bulls	Large 1	1200–1250	1,230	170.00/cwt	170.00–170.00	2,091	2
Bulls	Large 1	1250–1300	1,285	161.24/cwt	160.00–162.50	2,072	2
Heifers	Medium 2	400–450	443	242.12/cwt	225.00–247.50	1,073	8
Heifers	Medium 2	600–650	610	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,098	2
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,510	139.00/cwt	139.00–139.00	2,099	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,651	130.33/cwt	128.00–133.50	2,152	11
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,537	134.69/cwt	134.00–136.00	2,070	13
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,249	132.14/cwt	131.50–134.00	1,650	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,233	126.38/cwt	122.00–128.50	1,558	9
Heifers	Large 1-2	300–350	345	252.50/cwt	252.50–252.50	871	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,137	120.64/cwt	119.00–123.00	1,372	8
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,211	126.13/cwt	121.00–129.50	1,527	26
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,126	111.51/cwt	103.00–117.50	1,256	13
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,427	131.91/cwt	126.75–137.50	1,882	35
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	975	100.08/cwt	95.00–105.00	976	2
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,450	139.50/cwt	139.50–139.50	2,023	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,420	124.91/cwt	123.00–126.50	1,774	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,438	132.88/cwt	127.50–138.00	1,911	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,548	122.46/cwt	115.00–126.00	1,896	3
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,226	130.75/cwt	130.50–131.00	1,603	4
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,012	87.99/cwt	83.00–96.00	890	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,685	131.25/cwt	124.50–134.00	2,212	15
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,345	120.00/cwt	120.00–120.00	1,614	1
Bulls	—	—	1,660	130.69/cwt	124.00–138.00	2,169	8
Bulls	—	—	2,076	158.26/cwt	156.00–162.00	3,285	4
Bulls	—Light Weight	—	1,248	106.19/cwt	100.00–110.00	1,325	3
Bulls	—	—	1,874	145.78/cwt	141.00–150.00	2,732	14
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,710	125.00/cwt	125.00–125.00	3,388	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	388	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	1,154	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	650–700	670	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,715	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	932	168.89/cwt	128.00–195.50	1,574	26
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	948	188.73/cwt	160.00–216.00	1,789	93
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	865	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,687	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	563	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,441	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	519	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,648	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	631	262.31/cwt	261.00–265.00	1,655	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	613	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,533	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,275	2,100.00/head	2,100.00–2,100.00	2,100	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,602	2,375.00/head	2,375.00–2,375.00	2,375	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	722	248.54/cwt	246.00–251.00	1,794	4
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	798	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,700	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	632	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,542	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	775	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,891	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fancy	—	889	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	2,045	18
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	712	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,766	3
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,330	2,325.00/head	2,325.00–2,325.00	2,325	1
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	991	140.01/cwt	129.00–160.00	1,387	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,395	1,875.00/head	1,875.00–1,875.00	1,875	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	832	230.00/cwt	230.00–230.00	1,914	10
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,180	153.37/cwt	133.00–186.00	1,810	54
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	758	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,850	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	900–950	930	213.00/cwt	213.00–213.00	1,981	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	756	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,913	6
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,089	133.76/cwt	121.00–162.00	1,457	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,239	2,227.21/head	2,125.00–2,300.00	2,227	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	550–600	552	242.50/cwt	242.50–242.50	1,339	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	912	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,915	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	553	289.00/cwt	289.00–289.00	1,598	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2	350–400	357	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,000	10
Bulls	Medium and Large 2	400–450	402	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,266	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 →