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

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder cattle were too lightly tested last sale to develop any market trend. CME positions continue to see downward pressure and have moved lower since the last reported sale. Feeder prices mirrored the lower movement of feeder contracts. Demand for feeder cattle was mostly moderate for light to moderate offerings. Quality today was mostly average on steers and average to attractive on heifers with several packages of tested open replacement heifers on offer. One full load lot of heifers off grass were seen these offerings were met with mostly good demand. Most cattle were offered in small to moderate size packages. Market activity was mostly moderate to active this week. Weigh up cows sold on moderate demand for light to moderate offerings. Slaughter cows sold mostly 3.00-6.00 lower on all classes. Feeding cows sold steady to 5.00 lower. Cow and bull quality was mostly average this week and lower than last sale. Most cows continue to show lighter body condition scores as dry weather and big calves are pulling cows down. Weigh up conditions were mostly below average this week with many very full cows noticed. Bull quality this sale was mostly average. Many bulls have been turned out and were in light flesh. Demand for feeding bulls was slightly lighter this sale as buyers searched for bulls to meet quality and weight requirements. Feeding bulls sold generally steady to weak. Slaughter bulls sold mostly 3.00-5.00 lower. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested this sale to develop any market trend. Quality was mostly average this week.

Weight class

Heifers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb heifers averaged $257.43/cwt on 55 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −176.44 against this barn's trailing median of $433.86.

Average price

$257.43

55 head · 572 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,473

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$196

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

$14.00/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+0.00

vs MT average

+16.74 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	591	260.50	1,540	32
Medium 1	522	255.00	1,331	11thin
Medium 1-2	584	255.00	1,489	7thin
Medium and Large 1-2	545	246.50	1,343	5thin

One grade step is worth $14.00/cwt here — about $196 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 1100–1200 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 sale55 hd

257.43

—

MT average1 barns · 55 hd

257.43

+0.00

National average148 barns · 7,025 hd

240.69

+16.74

This barn, trailing median21 sales

433.86

−176.44

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	1,772	150.71	2,671	71
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,619	134.23	2,173	41
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Average	1,425	127.18	1,812	104
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,190	115.61	1,376	106
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,020	115.00	1,173	1thin

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/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,098	$2,362	45

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
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	659	249.00/cwt	249.00–249.00	1,641	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	589	257.50/cwt	257.50–257.50	1,517	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	537	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,289	12
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	477	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,193	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	473	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,206	3
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,001	167.27/cwt	140.00–179.50	1,674	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,098	2,361.87/head	2,350.00–2,375.00	2,362	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	258	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	955	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	377	304.57/cwt	300.00–310.00	1,148	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	432	324.80/cwt	324.00–327.50	1,403	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	300	390.00/cwt	390.00–390.00	1,170	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	591	260.50/cwt	260.00–262.00	1,540	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,021	200.73/cwt	196.00–208.50	2,049	34
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	338	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,031	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	440	288.27/cwt	286.00–290.00	1,268	30
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	915	228.19/cwt	227.00–229.00	2,088	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	368	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,214	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	915	218.71/cwt	217.00–219.50	2,001	14
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	970	209.17/cwt	205.00–215.00	2,029	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,027	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,157	11
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	850–900	873	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	1,947	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	878	222.44/cwt	218.00–223.00	1,953	275
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	974	221.76/cwt	218.00–223.50	2,160	41
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	858	240.93/cwt	232.00–243.50	2,067	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	776	249.15/cwt	247.00–256.00	1,933	70
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,066	165.19/cwt	155.00–173.00	1,761	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	759	242.77/cwt	234.00–245.00	1,843	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	255	350.00/cwt	350.00–350.00	893	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	500	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,460	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	455	329.00/cwt	329.00–329.00	1,497	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	858	228.00/cwt	228.00–228.00	1,956	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	484	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,234	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	915	212.00/cwt	212.00–212.00	1,940	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	485	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,188	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,155	134.36/cwt	133.00–136.00	1,552	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	843	217.66/cwt	216.00–221.00	1,835	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	877	217.00/cwt	217.00–217.00	1,903	5
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	965	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	2,027	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	831	234.47/cwt	231.00–237.00	1,948	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	993	214.00/cwt	214.00–214.00	2,125	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	935	223.20/cwt	223.00–223.50	2,087	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	600–650	645	254.00/cwt	254.00–254.00	1,638	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	371	314.77/cwt	309.00–320.00	1,168	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	526	276.01/cwt	260.00–283.00	1,452	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	545	246.50/cwt	246.50–246.50	1,343	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	950–1000	995	195.00/cwt	195.00–195.00	1,940	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	700–750	729	251.50/cwt	251.50–251.50	1,833	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	793	241.00/cwt	241.00–241.00	1,911	4
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,535	126.97/cwt	125.00–133.00	1,949	7
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,408	132.94/cwt	126.00–139.00	1,872	40
Bulls	—	—	1,925	155.79/cwt	152.00–162.00	2,999	26
Bulls	—	—	2,130	167.54/cwt	165.00–170.00	3,569	2
Bulls	—Heavy Weight	—	2,545	152.00/cwt	152.00–152.00	3,868	1
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,567	158.30/cwt	151.00–161.00	2,481	9
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,629	132.23/cwt	130.00–133.50	2,154	16
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,641	136.14/cwt	134.00–138.00	2,234	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,420	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	1,988	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,206	117.23/cwt	110.00–123.00	1,414	38
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,420	124.20/cwt	120.00–125.00	1,764	27
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	945	97.00/cwt	97.00–97.00	917	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,118	100.28/cwt	95.00–103.00	1,121	9
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,209	112.29/cwt	105.00–116.00	1,358	37
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,278	125.56/cwt	120.00–131.00	1,605	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,725	129.84/cwt	126.00–132.50	2,240	3
Bulls	—	—	1,685	142.63/cwt	127.50–152.00	2,403	28
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,206	131.80/cwt	126.00–135.50	1,590	14
Dairy Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,020	115.00/cwt	115.00–115.00	1,173	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,485	102.18/cwt	99.00–105.00	1,517	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,424	117.43/cwt	111.00–122.00	1,672	19
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,589	135.68/cwt	133.00–138.50	2,156	10
Cows	Lean 85-90%Light Weight	—	965	108.97/cwt	107.00–111.00	1,052	3
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,405	141.13/cwt	140.50–142.00	1,983	8
Heifers	Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	635	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,524	2
Heifers	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,140	160.00/cwt	160.00–160.00	1,824	3
Bulls	Large 1-2	1150–1200	1,190	185.00/cwt	185.00–185.00	2,202	1
Dairy Steers	Large 3	550–600	563	167.50/cwt	167.50–167.50	943	3
Dairy Steers	Large 3	650–700	678	167.00/cwt	167.00–167.00	1,132	14
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,534	148.94/cwt	132.00–154.00	2,285	5
Steers	Large 1	900–950	925	225.00/cwt	225.00–225.00	2,081	6
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,125	194.00/cwt	194.00–194.00	2,183	2
Heifers	Large 1	1050–1100	1,078	192.74/cwt	187.50–201.50	2,078	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	739	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,958	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	679	251.90/cwt	250.00–253.50	1,710	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	836	228.37/cwt	224.50–229.50	1,909	45
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	814	248.82/cwt	243.00–250.00	2,025	6
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	800–850	841	218.00/cwt	218.00–218.00	1,833	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	900–950	930	211.86/cwt	211.00–212.00	1,970	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	490	280.18/cwt	275.00–282.00	1,373	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	400	317.50/cwt	317.50–317.50	1,270	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	800–850	810	205.00/cwt	205.00–205.00	1,661	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,090	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	2,316	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	1200–1250	1,200	187.00/cwt	187.00–187.00	2,244	1
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	900–950	913	215.00/cwt	215.00–215.00	1,963	3
Heifers	Medium 1	750–800	780	222.50/cwt	222.50–222.50	1,736	43
Heifers	Medium 1	500–550	522	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,331	11
Steers	Medium 1	650–700	695	274.50/cwt	274.50–274.50	1,908	18
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	910	212.50/cwt	212.50–212.50	1,934	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	431	264.41/cwt	263.00–265.00	1,140	7
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	600–650	633	233.00/cwt	233.00–233.00	1,475	3
Steers	Medium 2Unweaned	650–700	660	210.00/cwt	210.00–210.00	1,386	4
Heifers	Medium 1-2	550–600	584	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,489	7
Heifers	Medium 1-2	650–700	676	231.00/cwt	231.00–231.00	1,562	15
Steers	Medium 1-2	650–700	673	250.49/cwt	246.00–257.00	1,686	16
Steers	Medium 1-2	550–600	553	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,515	2
Heifers	Medium 1	600–650	626	251.24/cwt	251.00–253.00	1,573	17
Bulls	Large 1-2	1100–1150	1,120	187.50/cwt	187.50–187.50	2,100	1
Steers	Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	510	245.00/cwt	245.00–245.00	1,250	2
Bulls	Large 1-2	1050–1100	1,085	180.00/cwt	180.00–180.00	1,953	1

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 →