Name: Billings Livestock Commission livestock auction prices — 2024-11-07
Creator: RaisedBeef
Published: 2024-11-07

Reporter comment USDA

As filed

Compared to last sale: Feeder steer calves all sold steady to 5.00 higher. Heifer calves under 550 lbs sold steady to 10.00 higher, heifers over 550 lbs sold mostly steady to firm. Yearling steers were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Yearling heifers were too lightly tested to develop an accurate market trend, however steady to higher undertones were noticed. Demand was mostly moderate to good for all calves on offer. Offerings were moderate to heavy. The first full load lots of the fall were seen this sale at Billings Livestock Commission. Demand for load lots of calves was good to very good. Quality today was mostly average to very attractive as some of the highest quality calves of the fall thus far sold today. Quality was more attractive this week compared to last week. Small packages of calves continue to sell at a discount to large packages. Market activity was mostly active this sale. Todays buyer pool was larger than last week with buyers both ringside as well as over the internet. Weigh up cows sold on light to moderate demand and light offerings. Most cows were pushing heavy amounts of fill today. Slaughter cows were too lightly tested to develop any market trend. Demand was higher this week as buyers tried to fill loads for the week. Feeding cows sold mostly with the best demand. Feeding cows sold with higher undertones as feeding buyers tried to fill loads for the week. 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 steady undertones were noticed. Quality was mostly plain to average today.

Weight class

Steers · summary 500–600 lb

Weighted average of every reported lot

500–600 lb steers averaged $305.86/cwt on 801 head. That ranks 1 of 21 comparable sales and sits −181.92 against this barn's trailing median of $487.78.

Average price

$305.86

801 head · 547 lb average

Value per head Derived

$1,674

Price × average weight ÷ 100

Grade differential Derived

$315

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

$45.82/cwt at this weight

vs the market

+1.80

vs MT average

+4.01 vs national

What quality paid 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade

Frame / muscle	Avg wt	$/cwt	$/head	Head
Medium and Large 1	547	308.32	1,688	736
Medium 1	500	304.00	1,520	5thin
Medium and Large 1-2	554	279.37	1,547	47
Medium and Large 2	523	262.50	1,373	13thin

One grade step is worth $45.82/cwt here — about $315 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 sale801 hd

305.86

—

MT average5 barns · 1,751 hd

304.05

+1.80

National average187 barns · 26,509 hd

301.85

+4.01

This barn, trailing median21 sales

487.78

−181.92

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	1,704	138.94	2,368	5thin
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	High	1,712	122.22	2,092	9thin
Cows	Boner 80-85%	Low	1,382	111.68	1,543	52
Cows	Lean 85-90%	Very Low	1,144	103.78	1,187	92

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)	1,190	$2,000	1thin
Bred Cows	1st Stage (1-3 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,032	$1,675	3thin
Bred Cows	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	Young (2-4 yrs)	1,048	$1,575	2thin
Bred Heifers	2nd Stage (4-6 mo)	(<2 yrs)	972	$1,875	3thin

Every lot, as filed

110 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 1Unweaned	500–550	533	314.00/cwt	300.00–326.00	1,674	489
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	470	313.46/cwt	303.00–320.00	1,473	183
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	661	243.94/cwt	235.00–246.00	1,612	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	364	361.90/cwt	351.00–368.00	1,317	51
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,058	171.17/cwt	142.00–200.00	1,811	44
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	961	130.20/cwt	120.00–142.50	1,251	4
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth	—	1,225	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	1,433	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,064	147.39/cwt	137.50–150.00	1,568	5
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	785	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,853	2
Stock Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,023	169.17/cwt	146.00–191.00	1,731	27
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,190	2,000.00/head	2,000.00–2,000.00	2,000	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	528	290.33/cwt	282.00–298.00	1,533	92
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	286	392.24/cwt	390.00–400.00	1,122	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	500–550	529	316.25/cwt	316.25–316.25	1,673	100
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	738	237.35/cwt	235.00–241.00	1,752	5
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	350–400	386	403.61/cwt	400.00–413.00	1,558	154
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	333	421.96/cwt	415.00–445.00	1,405	57
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	419	379.92/cwt	366.00–400.00	1,592	81
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	400–450	411	341.52/cwt	315.00–352.00	1,404	170
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	468	349.94/cwt	317.00–364.00	1,638	481
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	300–350	344	382.65/cwt	367.50–388.00	1,316	59
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	650–700	675	267.80/cwt	267.00–269.50	1,808	95
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	489	305.00/cwt	305.00–305.00	1,491	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	750–800	763	259.38/cwt	251.00–266.00	1,979	29
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	577	297.56/cwt	278.00–304.50	1,717	236
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	500–550	528	290.00/cwt	290.00–290.00	1,531	9
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	850–900	853	238.50/cwt	238.50–238.50	2,034	20
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,048	1,575.00/head	1,575.00–1,575.00	1,575	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	621	249.73/cwt	245.00–255.00	1,551	43
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	572	274.66/cwt	250.00–285.50	1,571	166
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	350–400	369	382.10/cwt	377.50–395.00	1,410	8
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	550–600	560	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,344	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	900–950	900	223.00/cwt	223.00–223.00	2,007	1
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	600–650	648	268.00/cwt	268.00–268.00	1,737	18
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1	—	1,378	112.00/cwt	112.00–112.00	1,543	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	700–750	708	236.00/cwt	236.00–236.00	1,671	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	494	294.67/cwt	290.50–317.00	1,456	65
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	350–400	382	370.10/cwt	362.50–385.00	1,414	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	300–350	307	385.00/cwt	385.00–385.00	1,182	2
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	586	243.60/cwt	237.00–250.00	1,427	6
Bred Cows	Medium and Large 1-2	—	1,032	1,675.00/head	1,675.00–1,675.00	1,675	3
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	1000–1050	1,043	207.00/cwt	207.00–207.00	2,159	14
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	528	293.90/cwt	290.00–296.00	1,552	20
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	409	297.50/cwt	297.50–297.50	1,217	21
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	450–500	469	292.79/cwt	290.00–297.50	1,373	16
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	527	262.35/cwt	258.00–265.00	1,383	10
Heifers	Medium and Large 1-2	400–450	441	300.00/cwt	300.00–300.00	1,323	6
Bred Cows	Small and Medium 2Non-Legible BANGS	—	882	96.00/cwt	96.00–96.00	847	8
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2	450–500	470	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,457	5
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,372	109.67/cwt	98.00–117.00	1,505	37
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,383	118.63/cwt	110.00–124.00	1,641	14
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,195	77.39/cwt	74.00–81.00	925	5
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,134	114.77/cwt	110.00–116.50	1,301	19
Bulls	—	—	1,922	135.56/cwt	125.00–141.00	2,605	3
Bulls	—Return to Feed	—	1,378	144.00/cwt	144.00–144.00	1,984	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%Return to Feed	—	1,132	106.13/cwt	90.00–114.00	1,201	54
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,510	132.50/cwt	132.50–132.50	2,001	1
Cows	Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed	—	1,660	121.50/cwt	121.50–121.50	2,017	1
Cows	Boner 80-85%Return to Feed	—	1,730	89.00/cwt	89.00–89.00	1,540	1
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,185	99.00/cwt	99.00–99.00	1,173	2
Cows	Lean 85-90%	—	1,184	87.57/cwt	85.00–89.00	1,037	12
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	550–600	573	246.00/cwt	246.00–246.00	1,410	2
Stock Cows	Large 1	—	1,110	143.50/cwt	143.50–143.50	1,593	10
Heifers	Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	405	283.00/cwt	283.00–283.00	1,146	23
Heifers	Large 1-2Unweaned	500–550	523	247.50/cwt	247.50–247.50	1,294	10
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,640	126.00/cwt	126.00–126.00	2,066	3
Cows	Breaker 75-80%	—	1,829	117.00/cwt	117.00–117.00	2,140	4
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	489	275.27/cwt	252.50–284.00	1,346	21
Bred Heifers	Medium 1	—	972	1,875.00/head	1,875.00–1,875.00	1,875	3
Heifers	Medium 2	350–400	386	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	907	5
Bulls	Large 1	1100–1150	1,112	192.50/cwt	192.50–192.50	2,141	3
Heifers	Large 1	1100–1150	1,107	202.50/cwt	202.50–202.50	2,242	6
Heifers	Large 1Unweaned	450–500	499	282.00/cwt	282.00–282.00	1,407	5
Heifers	Medium 1Full	550–600	561	242.00/cwt	242.00–242.00	1,358	8
Heifers	Medium 1Full	400–450	417	282.50/cwt	282.50–282.50	1,178	6
Steers	Medium 1	350–400	363	322.50/cwt	322.50–322.50	1,171	13
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	447	315.00/cwt	315.00–315.00	1,408	8
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	549	256.00/cwt	256.00–256.00	1,405	7
Heifers	Medium 1Unweaned	400–450	406	310.00/cwt	310.00–310.00	1,259	4
Steers	Medium 1	400–450	448	296.00/cwt	296.00–296.00	1,326	13
Heifers	Medium 1	350–400	397	312.50/cwt	312.50–312.50	1,241	10
Heifers	Medium 1	700–750	743	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,746	4
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	250–300	299	445.00/cwt	445.00–445.00	1,331	7
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	500–550	500	304.00/cwt	304.00–304.00	1,520	5
Steers	Medium 1Unweaned	450–500	488	302.50/cwt	302.50–302.50	1,476	2
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	400–450	424	347.28/cwt	343.00–350.00	1,472	29
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	500–550	523	262.50/cwt	262.50–262.50	1,373	13
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	450–500	490	279.00/cwt	279.00–279.00	1,367	13
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	400–450	429	327.50/cwt	327.50–327.50	1,405	12
Steers	Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned	550–600	573	268.60/cwt	255.00–279.00	1,539	27
Steers	Medium and Large 2Unweaned	350–400	377	330.00/cwt	330.00–330.00	1,244	10
Steers	Medium and Large 1	800–850	803	258.00/cwt	258.00–258.00	2,072	12
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	770	240.00/cwt	240.00–240.00	1,848	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1	700–750	716	262.00/cwt	262.00–262.00	1,876	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1	550–600	558	287.00/cwt	287.00–287.00	1,601	11
Steers	Medium and Large 1Full	600–650	630	254.37/cwt	253.00–255.00	1,603	26
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	550–600	575	243.00/cwt	243.00–243.00	1,397	22
Steers	Medium and Large 1	750–800	775	260.00/cwt	260.00–260.00	2,015	1
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	900–950	921	231.50/cwt	231.50–231.50	2,132	32
Heifers	Medium and Large 1	400–450	413	354.00/cwt	354.00–354.00	1,462	40
Steers	Medium and Large 1	450–500	472	329.77/cwt	314.00–352.00	1,557	87
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Replacement	600–650	602	271.00/cwt	271.00–271.00	1,631	35
Heifers	Medium and Large 1Full	650–700	681	235.00/cwt	235.00–235.00	1,600	7
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	450–500	485	301.70/cwt	300.00–310.00	1,463	6
Bulls	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	550–600	568	248.00/cwt	248.00–248.00	1,409	2
Bulls	Medium and Large 1	700–750	703	239.00/cwt	239.00–239.00	1,680	4
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	250–300	273	459.77/cwt	452.50–480.00	1,255	21
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	700–750	716	258.49/cwt	251.00–267.00	1,851	17
Steers	Medium and Large 1	950–1000	958	227.00/cwt	227.00–227.00	2,175	6
Steers	Medium and Large 1Unweaned	600–650	630	282.16/cwt	268.00–290.00	1,778	291

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 →