Sale reports / Montana / Billings Livestock Commission / 2024-11-07

Billings Livestock Commission

Feeder Cattle · Slaughter Cattle · Replacement Cattle · Billings, Montana · Thu, Nov 7
● Final110 lots reportedUSDA AMS · slug 1777
Feeder Cattle receipts
4,302 head
▼ 296 vs last sale 4,598▼ 1,707 vs year ago 6,009 · −28.4%
Slaughter Cattle receipts
185 head
▼ 24 vs last sale 209▼ 70 vs year ago 255 · −27.5%
Replacement Cattle receipts
128 head
▲ 40 vs last sale 88▼ 2 vs year ago 130 · −1.5%
Also sold here(Mon)Mon Nov 2, 2026
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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 classPick one — the panels below update

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 22 comparable sales and sits −137.09 against this barn's trailing median of $442.94.
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

Price by quality 500–600 lb

Frame and muscle grade
Frame / muscleAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Medium and Large 1547308.321,688736
Medium 1500304.001,5205thin
Medium and Large 1-2554279.371,54747
Medium and Large 2523262.501,37313thin
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.

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 median22 sales
442.94
−137.09
A barn can sit above the state average at one weight and below it at another — check the class you actually sell.

This barn's trailing prices 500–600 lb

22 sales
540488436384median 442.9403/0504/3006/1109/2410/29
Steers 500–600 lb: high $525.97, low $398.08, median $442.94 across 22 sales. Sales under 10 head in this class are excluded, so a thin day cannot swing the median or the ranking.

Slaughter cattle

By class and quality grade · $/cwt
Cull cows and bulls are graded, not weight-classed — grade is what moves the money here.
ClassGradeDressingAvg wt$/cwt$/headHead
Bulls—Low1,704138.942,3685thin
CowsBreaker 75-80%High1,712122.222,0929thin
CowsBoner 80-85%Low1,382111.681,54352
CowsLean 85-90%Very Low1,144103.781,18792

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 $/cwt figures above.
ClassStageAgeAvg wt$/headHead
Bred Cows1st/2nd Stage (1-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,190$2,0001thin
Bred Cows1st Stage (1-3 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,032$1,6753thin
Bred Cows2nd Stage (4-6 mo)Young (2-4 yrs)1,048$1,5752thin
Bred Heifers2nd Stage (4-6 mo)(<2 yrs)972$1,8753thin

Every lot

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. Grouped by class and set lightest first; USDA files them in sale-ring order.
ClassWeightGrade / descriptionAvg wtPriceRangePer headHead
Feeder Cattle · Steers37 lots · lightest first
Steers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned273459.77/cwt452.50–480.001,25521
Steers250–300Medium 1Unweaned299445.00/cwt445.00–445.001,3317
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned307385.00/cwt385.00–385.001,1822
Steers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned333421.96/cwt415.00–445.001,40557
Steers350–400Medium 1363322.50/cwt322.50–322.501,17113
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2369382.10/cwt377.50–395.001,4108
Steers350–400Medium and Large 2Unweaned377330.00/cwt330.00–330.001,24410
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned382370.10/cwt362.50–385.001,41411
Steers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned386403.61/cwt400.00–413.001,558154
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned419379.92/cwt366.00–400.001,59281
Steers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned424347.28/cwt343.00–350.001,47229
Steers400–450Medium and Large 2Unweaned429327.50/cwt327.50–327.501,40512
Steers400–450Medium 1Unweaned447315.00/cwt315.00–315.001,4088
Steers400–450Medium 1448296.00/cwt296.00–296.001,32613
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned468349.94/cwt317.00–364.001,638481
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2470310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,4575
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1472329.77/cwt314.00–352.001,55787
Steers450–500Medium 1Unweaned488302.50/cwt302.50–302.501,4762
Steers450–500Medium and Large 2Unweaned490279.00/cwt279.00–279.001,36713
Steers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned494294.67/cwt290.50–317.001,45665
Steers500–550Medium 1Unweaned500304.00/cwt304.00–304.001,5205
Steers500–550Medium and Large 2Unweaned523262.50/cwt262.50–262.501,37313
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned528293.90/cwt290.00–296.001,55220
Steers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned533314.00/cwt300.00–326.001,674489
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1558287.00/cwt287.00–287.001,60111
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned573268.60/cwt255.00–279.001,53927
Steers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned577297.56/cwt278.00–304.501,717236
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned630282.16/cwt268.00–290.001,778291
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1Full630254.37/cwt253.00–255.001,60326
Steers600–650Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned648268.00/cwt268.00–268.001,73718
Steers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned675267.80/cwt267.00–269.501,80895
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1716262.00/cwt262.00–262.001,87621
Steers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned716258.49/cwt251.00–267.001,85117
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned763259.38/cwt251.00–266.001,97929
Steers750–800Medium and Large 1775260.00/cwt260.00–260.002,0151
Steers800–850Medium and Large 1803258.00/cwt258.00–258.002,07212
Steers950–1000Medium and Large 1958227.00/cwt227.00–227.002,1756
Feeder Cattle · Heifers42 lots · lightest first
Heifers250–300Medium and Large 1Unweaned286392.24/cwt390.00–400.001,12226
Heifers300–350Medium and Large 1Unweaned344382.65/cwt367.50–388.001,31659
Heifers350–400Medium and Large 1Unweaned364361.90/cwt351.00–368.001,31751
Heifers350–400Medium 2386235.00/cwt235.00–235.009075
Heifers350–400Medium 1397312.50/cwt312.50–312.501,24110
Heifers400–450Large 1-2Unweaned405283.00/cwt283.00–283.001,14623
Heifers400–450Medium 1Unweaned406310.00/cwt310.00–310.001,2594
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned409297.50/cwt297.50–297.501,21721
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1Unweaned411341.52/cwt315.00–352.001,404170
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1413354.00/cwt354.00–354.001,46240
Heifers400–450Medium 1Full417282.50/cwt282.50–282.501,1786
Heifers400–450Medium and Large 1-2441300.00/cwt300.00–300.001,3236
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned469292.79/cwt290.00–297.501,37316
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned470313.46/cwt303.00–320.001,473183
Heifers450–500Medium and Large 1489305.00/cwt305.00–305.001,4914
Heifers450–500Medium 1Unweaned489275.27/cwt252.50–284.001,34621
Heifers450–500Large 1Unweaned499282.00/cwt282.00–282.001,4075
Heifers500–550Large 1-2Unweaned523247.50/cwt247.50–247.501,29410
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned527262.35/cwt258.00–265.001,38310
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned528290.33/cwt282.00–298.001,53392
Heifers500–550Medium and Large 1Replacement529316.25/cwt316.25–316.251,673100
Heifers500–550Medium 1Unweaned549256.00/cwt256.00–256.001,4057
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2560240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,3443
Heifers550–600Medium 1Full561242.00/cwt242.00–242.001,3588
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned572274.66/cwt250.00–285.501,571166
Heifers550–600Large 1Unweaned573246.00/cwt246.00–246.001,4102
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1Full575243.00/cwt243.00–243.001,39722
Heifers550–600Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned586243.60/cwt237.00–250.001,4276
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Replacement602271.00/cwt271.00–271.001,63135
Heifers600–650Medium and Large 1Unweaned621249.73/cwt245.00–255.001,55143
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Unweaned661243.94/cwt235.00–246.001,61232
Heifers650–700Medium and Large 1Full681235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,6007
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1-2Unweaned708236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,6716
Heifers700–750Medium and Large 1Unweaned738237.35/cwt235.00–241.001,7525
Heifers700–750Medium 1743235.00/cwt235.00–235.001,7464
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1770240.00/cwt240.00–240.001,8484
Heifers750–800Medium and Large 1Unweaned785236.00/cwt236.00–236.001,8532
Heifers850–900Medium and Large 1853238.50/cwt238.50–238.502,03420
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1-2900223.00/cwt223.00–223.002,0071
Heifers900–950Medium and Large 1921231.50/cwt231.50–231.502,13232
Heifers1000–1050Medium and Large 1-21,043207.00/cwt207.00–207.002,15914
Heifers1100–1150Large 11,107202.50/cwt202.50–202.502,2426
Feeder Cattle · Bulls5 lots · lightest first
Bulls450–500Medium and Large 1Unweaned485301.70/cwt300.00–310.001,4636
Bulls500–550Medium and Large 1Unweaned528290.00/cwt290.00–290.001,5319
Bulls550–600Medium and Large 1Unweaned568248.00/cwt248.00–248.001,4092
Bulls700–750Medium and Large 1703239.00/cwt239.00–239.001,6804
Bulls1100–1150Large 11,112192.50/cwt192.50–192.502,1413
Slaughter Cattle · Bulls2 lots · lightest first
Bulls——Return to Feed1,378144.00/cwt144.00–144.001,9842
Bulls——1,922135.56/cwt125.00–141.002,6053
Slaughter Cattle · Cows12 lots · lightest first
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,132106.13/cwt90.00–114.001,20154
Cows—Lean 85-90%Return to Feed1,134114.77/cwt110.00–116.501,30119
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18487.57/cwt85.00–89.001,03712
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,18599.00/cwt99.00–99.001,1732
Cows—Lean 85-90%1,19577.39/cwt74.00–81.009255
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,372109.67/cwt98.00–117.001,50537
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,383118.63/cwt110.00–124.001,64114
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,510132.50/cwt132.50–132.502,0011
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,640126.00/cwt126.00–126.002,0663
Cows—Breaker 75-80%Return to Feed1,660121.50/cwt121.50–121.502,0171
Cows—Boner 80-85%Return to Feed1,73089.00/cwt89.00–89.001,5401
Cows—Breaker 75-80%1,829117.00/cwt117.00–117.002,1404
Replacement Cattle · Stock Cows5 lots · lightest first
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-2961130.20/cwt120.00–142.501,2514
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,023169.17/cwt146.00–191.001,73127
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 11,058171.17/cwt142.00–200.001,81144
Stock Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,064147.39/cwt137.50–150.001,5685
Stock Cows—Large 11,110143.50/cwt143.50–143.501,59310
Replacement Cattle · Bred Cows6 lots · lightest first
Bred Cows—Small and Medium 2Non-Legible BANGS88296.00/cwt96.00–96.008478
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0321,675.00/head1,675.00–1,675.001,6753
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-21,0481,575.00/head1,575.00–1,575.001,5752
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,1902,000.00/head2,000.00–2,000.002,0001
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 1-2Broken Mouth1,225117.00/cwt117.00–117.001,4332
Bred Cows—Medium and Large 11,378112.00/cwt112.00–112.001,5433
Replacement Cattle · Bred Heifers1 lot · lightest first
Bred Heifers—Medium 19721,875.00/head1,875.00–1,875.001,8753

This sale against other markets

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.