Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-10-24
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-10-24

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steer calves under 450 lbs sold generally steady, steer calves 450-549 lbs sold 5.00 to 8.00 higher, calves over 550 lbs sold sold steady to 5.00 lower. Heifer calves under 600 lbs sold mostly steady to 3.00 higher, heifer calves over 600 lbs sold steady to weak. Yearling steers and heifers were too lightly tested either this week or last to develop an accurate market trend, steady undertones were noticed on like quality offerings. Demand was mostly good on both yearling and calves. Offerings were light to moderate. Lots of packages of calves sold today with lots of quality variation seen. Quality today was mixed from plain to attractive, however quality was not as attractive as last week. Large packages of calves sold with the best demand while small packages sold with a discount. Market activity was mostly active this sale. Todays buyer pool was slightly smaller than last week however market activity remained active with bidders both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and offerings. Most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill today. Slaughter cows sold with lower undertones as all cows were extremely full. Feeding cows sold with the best demand today. Feeding cows sold mostly 3.00 lower on like quality offerings. Cow and bull quality was plain. Slaughter bulls were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Young age cows suitable to feed or rebreed were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however lower undertones were noticed on a lower quality offering. Quality was mostly plain today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $300.51/cwt on 583 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −187.27 against this barn's trailing median of $487.78.

Average price

$300.51

583 head · 540 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,624

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$200

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

$34.98/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.24

vs MT average

+1.47 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	544	304.98	1,660	413
Large 1	517	295.32	1,527	11thin
Medium and Large 1-2	531	291.25	1,547	143
Medium 1	524	272.50	1,428	8thin
Medium and Large 2	541	270.00	1,461	8thin

One grade step is worth $34.98/cwt here — about $200 a head. Across this sale the premium is widest at 300–400 lb. USDA reports each grade on its own line and never publishes the spread.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

21 sales

Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $487.78 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 sale583 hd

300.51

—

MT average5 barns · 1,716 hd

299.27

+1.24

National average191 barns · 36,605 hd

299.04

+1.47

This barn, trailing median21 sales

487.78

−187.27

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	1,740	135.81	2,363	8thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	Low	1,549	121.45	1,882	58
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,371	117.25	1,607	90
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Low	1,203	105.49	1,269	70

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 Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,321	$2,155	5
Bred Cows	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,172	$1,939	20
Bred Cows	3rd Stage (7-9 mo)	Middle Aged (5-8 yrs)	1,365	$1,775	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,098	$1,768	5
Bred Heifers	1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,094	$2,100	4thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	1,030	$2,000	1thin

Every lot, as filed

118 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	800–850	809	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	2,071	15
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	471	338.41/cwt	325.00–354.00	1,594	66
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	434	320.48/cwt	311.00–335.00	1,391	71
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,044	142.84/cwt	127.50–157.50	1,491	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	318	367.22/cwt	355.00–371.00	1,168	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	473	305.64/cwt	291.00–316.00	1,446	130
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	850–900	868	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	2,040	3
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	273	444.49/cwt	425.00–450.00	1,213	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	632	274.96/cwt	268.00–285.00	1,738	163
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	721	230.67/cwt	230.00–231.00	1,663	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1Broken Mouth	—	1,680	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,865	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	564	271.15/cwt	261.00–273.50	1,529	72
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	623	255.02/cwt	245.00–259.50	1,589	78
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	761	249.20/cwt	249.00–250.00	1,896	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	293	370.00/cwt	370.00–370.00	1,084	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	384	338.20/cwt	330.00–342.00	1,299	72
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	368	402.16/cwt	380.00–408.00	1,480	44
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	673	268.97/cwt	267.00–271.50	1,810	62
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	878	231.50/cwt	231.50–231.50	2,033	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	645	274.00/cwt	274.00–274.00	1,767	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	323	428.37/cwt	415.00–432.50	1,384	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	659	249.90/cwt	242.00–255.00	1,647	33
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	580	288.37/cwt	285.00–295.00	1,673	168
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	588	292.00/cwt	292.00–292.00	1,717	7
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	829	237.10/cwt	235.50–239.00	1,966	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	889	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	2,169	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	431	360.16/cwt	350.00–379.00	1,552	172
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	724	263.05/cwt	252.00–268.00	1,904	31
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	642	247.00/cwt	247.00–247.00	1,586	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,010	213.61/cwt	213.00–216.00	2,157	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,030	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,365	1,775.00/head	1,775.00–1,775.00	1,775	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	529	291.90/cwt	288.00–305.00	1,544	135
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	488	307.44/cwt	301.00–315.00	1,500	61
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,653	114.00/cwt	114.00–114.00	1,884	8
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,172	1,938.77/head	1,900.00–2,150.00	1,939	20
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,088	173.87/cwt	147.50–187.00	1,892	16
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1Fleshy	—	1,400	161.00/cwt	161.00–161.00	2,254	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	527	261.95/cwt	257.50–274.00	1,380	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	365	325.54/cwt	317.50–327.50	1,188	15
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	347	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,197	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,046	198.50/cwt	198.50–198.50	2,076	9
Bulls	Medium and Large 1-2	850–900	872	207.50/cwt	207.50–207.50	1,809	5
Bred Heifers	Medium and Large 1	—	1,094	2,100.00/head	2,100.00–2,100.00	2,100	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	489	245.58/cwt	241.00–255.00	1,201	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	407	265.00/cwt	265.00–265.00	1,079	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	750–800	779	256.96/cwt	254.00–260.00	2,002	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	500–550	542	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,556	2
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,229	113.28/cwt	112.00–115.00	1,392	8
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	890	164.06/cwt	129.00–177.00	1,460	26
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	427	330.85/cwt	325.00–347.50	1,413	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	700–750	735	244.00/cwt	244.00–244.00	1,793	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	573	278.00/cwt	278.00–278.00	1,593	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	650–700	663	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	1,711	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,211	95.40/cwt	89.00–107.50	1,155	21
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,725	118.47/cwt	112.00–122.00	2,044	14
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,412	97.44/cwt	91.00–104.00	1,376	8
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,401	121.86/cwt	115.00–130.00	1,707	36
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,393	109.64/cwt	96.00–116.00	1,527	31
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,458	140.00/cwt	140.00–140.00	2,041	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,680	102.00/cwt	102.00–102.00	1,714	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,644	117.58/cwt	114.00–120.00	1,933	11
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,229	84.20/cwt	81.00–85.00	1,035	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,218	129.35/cwt	129.00–130.00	1,575	12
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,392	129.74/cwt	127.50–130.00	1,806	27
Cows	Boner 80-85%	—	1,440	111.00/cwt	111.00–111.00	1,598	1
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	250–300	288	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,109	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,185	103.28/cwt	93.00–107.50	1,224	22
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,674	97.42/cwt	95.50–105.00	1,631	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,196	113.56/cwt	106.00–122.50	1,358	10
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,215	134.00/cwt	134.00–134.00	1,628	14
Bulls	—	—	1,909	133.30/cwt	126.00–141.00	2,545	5
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	350–400	385	367.50/cwt	367.50–367.50	1,415	4
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	800–850	810	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,912	5
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	537	250.00/cwt	250.00–250.00	1,343	3
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	450–500	491	279.18/cwt	260.00–289.00	1,371	15
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	593	253.00/cwt	253.00–253.00	1,500	2
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	400–450	430	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,247	6
Heifers	Large 1	850–900	876	226.00/cwt	226.00–226.00	1,980	4
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	650–700	686	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,756	11
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	500–550	517	295.32/cwt	282.50–303.00	1,527	11
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	750–800	778	238.00/cwt	238.00–238.00	1,852	2
Steers	Large 1Unweaned	400–450	407	341.68/cwt	335.00–345.00	1,391	12
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	350–400	388	311.51/cwt	310.00–312.50	1,209	15
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	550–600	556	255.00/cwt	255.00–255.00	1,418	13
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	433	292.09/cwt	270.00–304.00	1,265	36
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	300–350	337	345.00/cwt	345.00–345.00	1,163	3
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	460	280.00/cwt	280.00–280.00	1,288	22
Steers	Medium 2	600–650	608	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,459	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	356	397.50/cwt	397.50–397.50	1,415	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	562	272.47/cwt	260.00–285.00	1,531	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	981	220.73/cwt	220.00–221.00	2,165	34
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	200–250	224	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	997	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	570	260.19/cwt	258.50–265.00	1,483	23
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	935	224.73/cwt	223.00–230.00	2,101	38
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	500–550	540	288.00/cwt	288.00–288.00	1,555	4
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	600–650	603	259.00/cwt	259.00–259.00	1,562	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	518	317.09/cwt	296.00–336.00	1,643	238
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	650–700	674	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	1,752	19
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	519	287.32/cwt	275.00–297.00	1,491	72
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,098	1,767.84/head	1,700.00–1,850.00	1,768	5
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,321	2,154.66/head	2,000.00–2,275.00	2,155	5
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,083	155.90/cwt	130.00–171.00	1,688	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1050–1100	1,087	223.19/cwt	223.00–223.50	2,426	18
Steers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	916	240.50/cwt	240.50–240.50	2,203	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	411	275.32/cwt	266.00–300.00	1,132	39
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	378	362.08/cwt	350.00–375.00	1,369	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	488	267.68/cwt	267.00–268.00	1,306	16
Steers	Medium and Large 1	1000–1050	1,035	228.50/cwt	228.50–228.50	2,365	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	475	306.00/cwt	306.00–306.00	1,454	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	850–900	870	224.00/cwt	224.00–224.00	1,949	3
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	431	325.03/cwt	312.50–340.00	1,401	34
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	524	272.50/cwt	272.50–272.50	1,428	8
Heifers	Medium 1Full	900–950	949	203.00/cwt	203.00–203.00	1,926	6
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	500–550	541	270.00/cwt	270.00–270.00	1,461	8
Bulls	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	390	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,229	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	577	247.17/cwt	240.00–263.00	1,426	24
Heifers	Medium 2Unweaned	350–400	375	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,059	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 →